I am reaching out to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to urge you to do your job and to protect the endangered Atlantic Sturgeon of the Delaware River. I am deeply concerned about the lack of action from NMFS on the excessive takes of sturgeon by PSEG’s Salem Nuclear Generating Station. Takes of Atlantic sturgeon are on the rise at Salem and NMFS needs to act. There are just 300 spawning adults left of the Delaware River’s genetically unique population of Atlantic Sturgeon. In just 4 months in the beginning of 2019, 9 dead Atlantic Sturgeon, 6 injured Atlantic Sturgeon, and 2 injured Shortnose sturgeon were found at Salem. If this rate continues, by the end of 2019 there will have been 45 injured or killed Atlantic Sturgeon—which could overwhelm the species in no time. As clearly called for by the August 12, 2019 letter submitted by the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, I call upon NMFS to reinitiate consultation. A renewed consultation should include consideration of other presently available and affordable alternative technologies. As NMFS is aware, closed cycle cooling is an alternative technology that could be employed at the Salem Nuclear Generating Station and would substantively reduce the impact of Salem on endangered species and all aquatic resources (reducing fish kills of all species by over 95%). The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection relied, in part, upon NMFS’ incidental take statement when issuing its renewal of PSEG’s NJPDES Permit, in 2016, and allowing Salem to continue to use of its antiquated OTC system. This system impinges and entrains fish, causing grievous injury and traumatic deaths. I urge NMFS to reconsider its incidental take exemptions and to reevaluate the devastating and cumulative harms inflicted upon endangered species by Salem’s continued operation of its antiquated OTC systems which cause unnecessary and grievous injury and death in numbers that do jeopardize the existence of endangered species, including the Atlantic Sturgeon. NMFS acting as a Rubber Stamp on the devastating damage being inflicted to the sturgeon populations of the Delaware River is unacceptable and must stop. I urge you to immediately protect these majestic species for present and future generations.

I am reaching out to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to urge you to do your job and to protect the endangered Atlantic Sturgeon of the Delaware River. I am deeply concerned about the lack of action from NMFS on the excessive takes of sturgeon by PSEG’s Salem Nuclear Generating Station. Takes of Atlantic sturgeon are on the rise at Salem and NMFS needs to act. There are just 300 spawning adults left of the Delaware River’s genetically unique population of Atlantic Sturgeon. In just 4 months in the beginning of 2019, 9 dead Atlantic Sturgeon, 6 injured Atlantic Sturgeon, and 2 injured Shortnose sturgeon were found at Salem. If this rate continues, by the end of 2019 there will have been 45 injured or killed Atlantic Sturgeon—which could overwhelm the species in no time. As clearly called for by the August 12, 2019 letter submitted by the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, I call upon NMFS to reinitiate consultation. A renewed consultation should include consideration of other presently available and affordable alternative technologies. As NMFS is aware, closed cycle cooling is an alternative technology that could be employed at the Salem Nuclear Generating Station and would substantively reduce the impact of Salem on endangered species and all aquatic resources (reducing fish kills of all species by over 95%). The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection relied, in part, upon NMFS’ incidental take statement when issuing its renewal of PSEG’s NJPDES Permit, in 2016, and allowing Salem to continue to use of its antiquated OTC system. This system impinges and entrains fish, causing grievous injury and traumatic deaths. I urge NMFS to reconsider its incidental take exemptions and to reevaluate the devastating and cumulative harms inflicted upon endangered species by Salem’s continued operation of its antiquated OTC systems which cause unnecessary and grievous injury and death in numbers that do jeopardize the existence of endangered species, including the Atlantic Sturgeon. NMFS acting as a Rubber Stamp on the devastating damage being inflicted to the sturgeon populations of the Delaware River is unacceptable and must stop. I urge you to immediately protect these majestic species for present and future generations.

I am reaching out to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to urge you to do your job and to protect the endangered Atlantic Sturgeon of the Delaware River. I am deeply concerned about the lack of action from NMFS on the excessive takes of sturgeon by PSEG’s Salem Nuclear Generating Station. Takes of Atlantic sturgeon are on the rise at Salem and NMFS needs to act. There are just 300 spawning adults left of the Delaware River’s genetically unique population of Atlantic Sturgeon. In just 4 months in the beginning of 2019, 9 dead Atlantic Sturgeon, 6 injured Atlantic Sturgeon, and 2 injured Shortnose sturgeon were found at Salem. If this rate continues, by the end of 2019 there will have been 45 injured or killed Atlantic Sturgeon—which could overwhelm the species in no time. As clearly called for by the August 12, 2019 letter submitted by the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, I call upon NMFS to reinitiate consultation. A renewed consultation should include consideration of other presently available and affordable alternative technologies. As NMFS is aware, closed cycle cooling is an alternative technology that could be employed at the Salem Nuclear Generating Station and would substantively reduce the impact of Salem on endangered species and all aquatic resources (reducing fish kills of all species by over 95%). The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection relied, in part, upon NMFS’ incidental take statement when issuing its renewal of PSEG’s NJPDES Permit, in 2016, and allowing Salem to continue to use of its antiquated OTC system. This system impinges and entrains fish, causing grievous injury and traumatic deaths. I urge NMFS to reconsider its incidental take exemptions and to reevaluate the devastating and cumulative harms inflicted upon endangered species by Salem’s continued operation of its antiquated OTC systems which cause unnecessary and grievous injury and death in numbers that do jeopardize the existence of endangered species, including the Atlantic Sturgeon. NMFS acting as a Rubber Stamp on the devastating damage being inflicted to the sturgeon populations of the Delaware River is unacceptable and must stop. I urge you to immediately protect these majestic species for present and future generations.