Appendix E Applicant’s Environmental Report Operating License Renewal Stage Columbia Generating Station Energy Northwest Docket No. 50-397 License No. NPF-21 January 2010 Columbia Generating Station License Renewal Application Environmental Report [This page intentionally blank] Table of Contents Page ii January 2010 Columbia Generating Station License Renewal Application Environmental Report Table of Contents Page TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................. LIST OF TABLES........................................................................................................... LIST OF FIGURES......................................................................................................... ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS .......................................................................... 1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Purpose of and Need for Action.............................................................. 1-1 1.2 Environmental Report Scope and Methodology...................................... 1-3 1.3 Columbia Generating Station Licensee and Ownership ......................... 1-7 1.4 References ............................................................................................. 1-9 2.0 SITE AND ENVIRONMENTAL INTERFACES................................................... 2-1 2.1 Location and Features ............................................................................ 2-1 2.2 Aquatic and Riparian Ecological Communities ....................................... 2-7 2.2.1 Hydrology and Water Quality.................................................... 2-7 2.2.1.1 Hydrology ................................................................. 2-7 2.2.1.2 Water Quality............................................................ 2-8 2.2.2 Aquatic Communities................................................................ 2-9 2.2.2.1 General..................................................................... 2-9 2.2.2.2 Fisheries................................................................. 2-11 2.3 Groundwater Resources....................................................................... 2-19 2.3.1 Hanford Site Groundwater...................................................... 2-19 2.3.2 CGS Site Groundwater........................................................... 2-21 2.4 Critical and Important Terrestrial Habitat .............................................. 2-25 2.4.1 Hanford Site............................................................................ 2-25 2.4.2 Columbia Generating Station Site .......................................... 2-27 2.5 Threatened and Endangered Species .................................................. 2-33 2.5.1 Hanford Site............................................................................ 2-33 2.5.2 Columbia Generating Station Site .......................................... 2-34 Table of Contents Page iii January 2010 Columbia Generating Station License Renewal Application Environmental Report Table of Contents (continued) Page 2.6 Demography ......................................................................................... 2-41 2.6.1 General Demographic Characteristics.................................... 2-41 2.6.1.1 Current Demographic Characteristics..................... 2-41 2.6.1.2 Population Projections............................................ 2-42 2.6.2 Minority and Low-Income Populations.................................... 2-42 2.6.2.1 Minority Populations ............................................... 2-43 2.6.2.2 Low Income Populations ........................................ 2-44 2.6.2.3 Migrant Populations................................................ 2-44 2.7 Taxes.................................................................................................... 2-59 2.8 Land Use Planning ............................................................................... 2-65 2.8.1 Existing Land Use Trends ...................................................... 2-65 2.8.2 Future Land Use Trends......................................................... 2-66 2.9 Social Services and Public Facilities..................................................... 2-69 2.9.1 Economy, Employment and Income....................................... 2-69 2.9.1.1 Overall Economy .................................................... 2-69 2.9.1.2 Employment ........................................................... 2-69 2.9.1.3 Income.................................................................... 2-70 2.9.2 Education ............................................................................... 2-71 2.9.2.1 Primary Education .................................................. 2-71 2.9.2.2 Secondary Education ............................................. 2-71 2.9.3 Recreation .............................................................................. 2-72 2.9.4 Public Facilities....................................................................... 2-73 2.9.4.1 Water...................................................................... 2-73 2.9.4.2 Transportation ........................................................ 2-74 2.9.5 Housing .................................................................................. 2-76 2.10 Meteorology and Air Quality.................................................................. 2-85 2.10.1 Meteorology............................................................................ 2-85 2.10.2 Air Quality............................................................................... 2-86 Table of Contents Page iv January 2010 Columbia Generating Station License Renewal Application Environmental Report Table of Contents (continued) Page 2.11 Historic and Archaeological Resources ................................................ 2-89 2.11.1 Native American Culture......................................................... 2-89 2.11.2 Post-Contact, Euro-American................................................. 2-91 2.11.3 Manhattan Project .................................................................. 2-91 2.11.4 Historic Registry ..................................................................... 2-92 2.11.5 Columbia Generating Station.................................................. 2-92 2.12 Known and Reasonably Foreseeable Projects in Site Vicinity............ 2-101 2.13 References ......................................................................................... 2-103 3.0 PROPOSED ACTION........................................................................................ 3-1 3.1 General Plant Information....................................................................... 3-1 3.1.1 Reactor and Containment Systems .......................................... 3-1 3.1.2 Cooling and Auxiliary Water Systems....................................... 3-2 3.1.2.1 Circulating Water System ......................................... 3-2 3.1.2.2 Plant Service Water System..................................... 3-3 3.1.2.3 Standby Service Water System................................ 3-3 3.1.2.4 Other Auxiliary Water Systems................................. 3-4 3.1.3 Radiological Waste Treatment Processes................................ 3-4 3.1.3.1 Liquid Waste Management System.......................... 3-4 3.1.3.2 Gaseous Waste Management Systems ................... 3-6 3.1.3.3 Solid Waste Management System ........................... 3-6 3.1.4 Transportation of Radioactive Materials ................................... 3-8 3.1.5 Nonradioactive Waste Systems................................................ 3-8 3.1.6 Maintenance, Inspection, and Refueling Activities.................. 3-10 3.1.7 Power Transmission Systems ................................................ 3-10 3.2 Refurbishment Activities ....................................................................... 3-13 3.3 Programs and Activities for Managing the Effects of Aging .................. 3-15 3.4 Employment.......................................................................................... 3-17 3.4.1 Current Workforce .................................................................. 3-17 Table of Contents Page v January 2010 Columbia Generating Station License Renewal Application Environmental Report Table of Contents (continued) Page 3.4.2 License Renewal Increment ................................................... 3-17 3.5 References ........................................................................................... 3-19 4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES OF PROPOSED ACTION AND MITIGATING ACTIONS..................................................................................... 4-1 4.1 Water Use Conflicts ................................................................................ 4-5 4.2 Entrainment of Fish and Shellfish in Early Life Stages ........................... 4-7 4.3 Impingement of Fish and Shellfish.......................................................... 4-9 4.4 Heat Shock ........................................................................................... 4-11 4.5 Groundwater Use Conflicts ................................................................... 4-13 4.6 Groundwater Use Conflicts (Plants using Cooling Towers Withdrawing Makeup Water from a Small River) .................................. 4-15 4.7 Groundwater Use Conflicts (Plants using