Document: NRC Regulatory Guide
Document ID: 239cc7c1-f2cb-46cc-945d-8009db28aa6c
Document Type: regulatory_guide
Title: General Site Suitability Criteria for Nuclear Power Stations + HISTORY - HISTORY 12/2023 – DG-4034 , Proposed Revision 4 12/2011 – DG-4021 , Proposed Revision 3 02/1995 – DG-4004, Second Proposed Revision 2 11/1992 – DG-4003, Proposed Revision 2 (Rev. 4)
Source: NRC Regulatory Guide Division 4
Source URL: https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML2312/ML23123A090.pdf
Revision Date: 2023-10
Chapter: 
Section ID: RG-4.7
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CFR Title: 

Content:
ion and Management Act, as amended; • Clean Water Act section 316(b), as implemented in o 40 CFR Part 9, “OMB Approvals Under the Paperwork Reduction Act;” o 40 CFR Part 122, “EPA Administered Permit Programs: The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System;” o 40 CFR Parts 123, “State Program Requirements;” o 40 CFR Parts 124, “Procedures for Decisionmaking; o 40 CFR Parts 125; “Criteria and Standards for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System;” and • Clean Water Act section 316(a). 5 See EPA/505/2-90-001, “Technical Support Document for Water Quality-Based Toxics Control,” Washington, DC, issued March 1991. DG-4034, Page 41 2.3.4.3 Related Guidance • NUREG-1555, “Standard Review Plans for Environmental Reviews for Nuclear Power Plants: Environmental Standard Review Plan”, Section 2.4; and • RG 4.2, “Preparation of Environmental Reports for Nuclear Power Stations;” 2.3.4.4 Considerations, Regulatory Experience, and Staff Position Plankton, including eggs, larvae, and juvenile fish, can be killed or injured by entrainment through power station cooling systems or in discharge plumes. Fish and other aquatic organisms can be killed or injured by impingement on cooling water intake screens6 or by entrainment in discharge plumes. The reproductive capacity of important populations may be impaired by lethal stresses or by sublethal stresses that affect the reproduction of individuals or result in increased predation on the affected population. Site evaluations should consider the depth of the water body at the point of intake relative to the general depth of the water body in the vicinity of the site. The simplistic parameter (proportion of water withdrawal) is suitable for use in a screening process or site selection. However, other factors, such as distribution of important species, should be considered, and in all cases, experts on the local fisheries should be consulted to ensure that proposed withdrawals will not