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Minimizing Adverse Environmental Impact of Cooling Water Intake Structures

The federal Clean Water Act mandates utilizing the best available technology to reduce harmful effects on marine life caused by power plants withdrawing vast amounts of cooling water. The Hudson River, for instance, suffers entrainment mortality, injuring fish due to various factors like physical impacts, pressure changes, thermal shocks, and chemical toxins. Compliance with regulations under Section 316(b) of the Clean Water Act is crucial to mitigate environmental impacts. Efforts such as reforming gray literature, technological advancements, and informed management and policy decisions are vital in addressing cooling water intake challenges and safeguarding aquatic ecosystems effectively.

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Minimizing Adverse Environmental Impact of Cooling Water Intake Structures

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  1. The federal Clean Water Act requires that "the location, design, construction, and capacity of cooling water intake structures shall reflect the best technology available for minimizing adverse environmental impact."

  2. Nationally, steam generating plants withdraw more than 200 billion gallons of water per day, killing more than 500,000,000 fish per year. Karl Rabago, “What Comes Out Must Go In,” Harvard Environmental Law Review, 1992

  3. During periods of peak demand, Hudson River power plants withdraw 5 billion gallons per day of cooling water, 69 trillion gallons annually, twice the volume of water in the entire 154 mile estuary. The conditional entrainment mortality rate (CEMR), the percent reduction in year class strength of Hudson River fish as a result of power-plants related entrain- ment mortality, is estimated at 20-30% for most species. NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

  4. Entrainment is the most severe impact of the Hudson River’s cooling water withdrawals. Injury and death can result from the following: - physical impacts from pump and condenser tubing, - pressure changes caused by diversion of cooling water, - thermal shock experienced in condenser and discharge tunnels, - and chemical toxemia induced by the addition of anti-fouling agents such as chlorine. US Environmental Protection Agency

  5. Section 316 (b) of the federal Clean Water Act requires that "the location, design, construction, and capacity of cooling water intake structures shall reflect the best technology available for minimizing adverse environmental impact."

  6. Making the invisible Hudson visible. • Reforming gray literature • Technological development informing • management and policy. • Management and policy needs informing • technology • Monitoring opportunities through permitees • Beyond regulation

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