R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Station

About the Program
Exelon Corporation operates the R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Station, which is located on the shore of Lake Ontario in Ontario, New York, approximately 22 miles northeast of Rochester. The site provides habitat for a variety of animals including butterflies, white-tailed deer, bats, ospreys, wood ducks, tree swallows and eastern bluebirds. To support these native animal species, Ginna employees volunteer their time and services to create and maintain sustainable habitat for wildlife. Mowed lawn has been restored to native pollinator-friendly habitat and shoreline enhancements preserve habitat for birds and other wildlife. Additionally, Ginna employees have made a commitment to keeping the Lake Ontario shoreline clean of litter. 

Practices and Impacts

• Beginning in 2007, Ginna employees have engaged in shoreline clean-up events. The primary type of litter found along the 400 feet of shorefront is plastic, and the annual event is scheduled around the International Coastal Cleanup. Since 2017, litter cleanup data has been reported to the American Littoral Society.
• Since 2008, the Ginna site has authorized hunting to manage the white-tailed deer population’s size and health. Population counts through visual sighting (including those through trail cameras), tracks and vegetation consumption determines the appropriate annual harvest levels needed to sustain a healthy deer population, lowering the burden of habitat resources.
• Native, cavity-nesting passerine bird species are supported through the placement of artificial nesting boxes across the Ginna site. The team’s avian initiatives provide opportunities for local youth groups and school students to learn about the behavior of the eastern bluebird, house wren and tree swallow. The bird population is supported through the restored grassland habitat.
• Artificial nest boxes were also installed for wood ducks at the Ginna site. This project started with three boxes in 2016 and, based on the success of those boxes, an additional box was added to the site in 2019. The boxes have not been utilized by wood ducks since 2018, so the team plans to evaluate what can be done to encourage their use again.
• In 2016, the team constructed and installed three osprey nesting platforms in remote areas of the Ginna property, adjacent to the shoreline of Lake Ontario. Although osprey are known to occur in the region, no nesting activity has yet been observed. The team is evaluating the possibility of adding a new, higher platform in a different location in hopes of attracting nesting birds.
• In 2019, six bat boxes were installed in partnership with the Boy Scouts of America to enhance the habitat for bats. Employees monitor the boxes for signs of use. None of the boxes have been occupied to date, and the team is considering relocating them in hopes of attracting bats.