FPL St. Lucie nuclear plant cooling-water intake and sea turtles, Hutchinson Island, Florida
Nature's voice · report
6,876 of my loggerheads were captured at the St. Lucie nuclear plant's cooling-water intake from 1976 to 2006, the NRC says; in 2006, 29 turtles there were injured or killed. US Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Did nature suffer? Yes. Harm is on record.
Recorded
- In 2006, 662 green and loggerhead turtles of mine were drawn into the plant's intake, and 29 were injured or killed, including 21 loggerhead hatchlings on 25–26 October 2006. US Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- Between 1976 and 2006, 6,876 of my loggerheads were captured at the plant, according to the NRC in 2007. US Nuclear Regulatory Commission
People
- 29 people were injured.Including 21 loggerhead hatchlings on 25–26 October 2006.
What the record lacks: 1 none on record See the gaps
The cooling-water intake canal of the Florida Power & Light St. Lucie nuclear plant has drawn in sea turtles since 1976. In 2006 the plant exceeded its incidental take limit, and in 2016 NMFS issued a new biological opinion and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission amended the plant's environmental protection plans.
662Green and loggerhead turtles entrained at the intake in 2006
The plant exceeded its incidental take limit that year; 29 turtles were injured or killed, including 21 loggerhead hatchlings on 25–26 October 2006.
The plant exceeded its incidental take limit that year; 29 turtles were injured or killed, including 21 loggerhead hatchlings on 25–26 October 2006.
Status As of November 2016, the latest dated item on record: NMFS had issued a new biological opinion and the NRC had amended the plant's environmental protection plans; no later development is on record.
What?
The cooling-water intake canal of the St. Lucie nuclear plant has drawn in sea turtles since 1976. In 2006 the plant exceeded its incidental take limit; NMFS issued a new biological opinion in March 2016 and the NRC amended the plant's environmental protection plans in November 2016. US Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Where?
The St. Lucie nuclear plant on Hutchinson Island, Florida, United States. US Nuclear Regulatory Commission
When?
1976 onward (captures counted to 2006); the take limit was exceeded in 2006; NMFS biological opinion on 24 March 2016; NRC amendment in November 2016. Federal Register (govinfo.gov)
Who?
Gained
None on recordLost
None on recordHarmed
- Green and loggerhead turtles — 662 entrained in 2006, of which 29 were injured or killed, including 21 loggerhead hatchlings on 25–26 October 2006; 6,876 loggerheads captured between 1976 and 2006 US Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Why?
The plant takes its cooling water through an intake canal that has drawn in turtles since 1976. NRC staff attribute variation in captures mainly to natural variation in turtle occurrence. US Nuclear Regulatory Commission
How?
Turtles are drawn into the intake canal and captured and released under FPL's programme. The 2016 amendments added excluder devices on the velocity caps and an 8-inch barrier net. Federal Register (govinfo.gov)
6 of 6 questions answered from the record
What happened
The record, in order.
The cooling-water intake canal of the Florida Power & Light (FPL) St. Lucie nuclear plant on Hutchinson Island, Florida, has drawn in sea turtles since 1976. FPL runs a capture-and-release programme for the turtles. According to a 2007 document of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), 6,876 loggerheads were captured between 1976 and 2006.
In 2006 the plant exceeded its incidental take limit. A total of 662 green and loggerhead turtles were entrained and 29 were injured or killed, including 21 loggerhead hatchlings on 25–26 October 2006.
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) issued a new biological opinion on 24 March 2016. In November 2016 the NRC amended the plant's environmental protection plans, with excluder devices on the velocity caps and an 8-inch barrier net. NRC staff attribute variation in captures mainly to natural variation in turtle occurrence.
- 1976The intake canal begins drawing in sea turtles; captures are counted through 2006 (6,876 loggerheads captured, per the NRC in 2007)
- 2006The plant exceeds its incidental take limit: 662 green and loggerhead turtles entrained and 29 injured or killed, including 21 loggerhead hatchlings on 25–26 October
- 2016NMFS issues a new biological opinion (24 March); the NRC amends the plant's environmental protection plans (November), adding excluder devices on the velocity caps and an 8-inch barrier net
How it looked
What was shown, beside what was recorded.
Shown
Recorded
- NRC (2007): 6,876 loggerheads captured at the St. Lucie plant between 1976 and 2006.
- In 2006 the plant exceeded its incidental take limit: 662 green and loggerhead turtles entrained, 29 injured or killed, including 21 loggerhead hatchlings on 25–26 October 2006.
- NMFS issued a new biological opinion on 24 March 2016; the NRC amended the plant's environmental protection plans in November 2016 (excluder devices on velocity caps, an 8-inch barrier net).
Who gained
Money that reached nature, beside money that stayed elsewhere.
Reached nature or the ground
Not published
No figure published.
Gained elsewhere
Not totalled
Currency: · Window: . All figures cover the same period. * Estimate built from cited figures.
Responses on record
- US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (staff) (2007): NRC staff attribute variation in the number of captures mainly to natural variation in turtle occurrence. · US Nuclear Regulatory Commission
In court and with insurers
Every proceeding and every insurer decision on record.
Lawsuits and rulings
No court case on record. No court has ruled on this case.
Insurers
No insurer decision on record.
What nature saw
Outcomes measured on the ground, and nature's note.
Nature's report opens this page. Below: further outcomes measured on the ground.
Loggerheads captured at the intake, 1976–2006
6,876
NRC, 2007
Green and loggerhead turtles entrained in 2006
662
The plant exceeded its incidental take limit that year
Turtles injured or killed in 2006
29
Including 21 loggerhead hatchlings on 25–26 October 2006
What we don't know
Undisclosed, unproven, untried: recorded as data.
Record
- None on record None on record: a fine, compensation or any other money figure connected to the 2006 exceedance, in the sources reviewed.
Did the harm stop?
The sources reviewed record turtle captures at the intake canal from 1976 to 2006, the 2006 exceedance of the incidental take limit, and the changes of 2016 (excluder devices on the velocity caps and an 8-inch barrier net). They give no turtle numbers after 2006.
Who paid?
No fine, compensation or cost is on record in the sources reviewed.
Sources
Voices on record: — Company or project✓ Government and regulators— Courts— Press and investigations— Communities and civil society— Researchers
Government and regulators
- NRC document ML071700161 (2007) on turtle captures at the St. Lucie plantUS Nuclear Regulatory Commission · 2007
- Federal Register notice 2016-27354 (14 November 2016) on the St. Lucie plantFederal Register (govinfo.gov) · 2016-11-14
Connected cases
Related matters, and cases linked to this one through the same organisations, with the role each played in both.
- California and Oregon drift gillnet fishery: Pacific Loggerhead Conservation Area and the SB 1017 buyout United States · 2000–2018
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- Hawaii shallow-set longline swordfish fishery: loggerhead interaction limits, Ninth Circuit ruling and 2018 closure United States · 2004–2020
- National Marine Fisheries Service (Public authority) — here: Issued a new biological opinion on 24 March 2016; there: Defendant; issued the 2012 and 2019 biological opinions
- NOAA certifications of Mexico for loggerhead bycatch in the Gulf of Ulloa Mexico · 2013–2026
- National Marine Fisheries Service (Public authority) — here: Issued a new biological opinion on 24 March 2016; there: NOAA Fisheries; issued the certification statements
- Removal of the Endangered Species Act 'harm' definition United States · 2025–2026
- National Marine Fisheries Service (Public authority) — here: Issued a new biological opinion on 24 March 2016; there: Agency that removed the definition from its regulations
- Soviet whaling catches and the reports to the IWC, 1948–1979 Russia · 1948–1994
- National Marine Fisheries Service (Public authority) — here: Issued a new biological opinion on 24 March 2016; there: Co-funder of the research reconstructing the catches
- US Atlantic pelagic longline fishery: loggerhead take limits, Northeast Distant area reopened to circle hooks (2004) and Oceana v. Gutierrez (2007) United States · 2001–2007
- National Marine Fisheries Service (Public authority) — here: Issued a new biological opinion on 24 March 2016; there: Take statement, opinion of 1 June 2004 and rule of 6 July 2004
- US Endangered Species Act listing of nine loggerhead population segments (2011) and marine critical habitat (2014) United States · 2007–2014
- National Marine Fisheries Service (Public authority) — here: Issued a new biological opinion on 24 March 2016; there: Designated 38 marine areas as critical habitat on 10 July 2014
- US regulator cites Holtec over use of decommissioning fund money United States · 2019–2024
- US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (Government) — here: Regulator; amended the plant's environmental protection plans in November 2016; there: Regulator that found the improper spending and permitted lobbying costs
- US Southeast shrimp skimmer-trawl turtle excluder device rule (2019) and the Louisiana Shrimp Association litigation United States · 2019–2026
- National Marine Fisheries Service (Public authority) — here: Issued a new biological opinion on 24 March 2016; there: Issued the final rule of 20 December 2019