[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 102 (Friday, May 27, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-13100]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: May 27, 1994]


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PACIFIC NORTHWEST ELECTRIC POWER AND CONSERVATION PLANNING COUNCIL
 

Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program; Power Plan 
Amendments

May 11, 1994.

AGENCY: Pacific Northwest Electric Power and Conservation Planning 
Council (Northwest Power Planning Council).

ACTION: Request for recommendations for amendments to the Columbia 
River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program (measures for anadromous fish).

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Pacific Electric Power Planning and 
Conservation Act (the Northwest Power Act, 16 U.S.C. section 839, et 
seq.) the Pacific Northwest Electric Power and Conservation Planning 
Council (Council) invites recommendations for amendments to the 
anadromous fish provisions of the Columbia River Basin Fish and 
Wildlife Program (program).

BACKGROUND: The Strategy for Salmon, which the Northwest Power Planning 
Council adopted in December, 1992 and later incorporated into the 1994 
Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program, called for reports to 
be prepared on a variety of measures to improve passage of anadromous 
fish in their mainstem migration, including: reservoir drawdowns; 
potential new Snake River Basin storage facilities; water efficiencies, 
transactions or other nonstructural measures to secure more Snake River 
Basin water for anadromous fish; biological rule curves to protect 
resident fish and wildlife populations associated with Libby and Hungry 
Horse reservoirs in Montana; and other matters. Reports on these 
matters are now or soon will be available, and the Council plans to 
conduct a rulemaking process this summer to consider these reports. 
Since the Strategy for Salmon was adopted, a number of other issues 
have arisen in connection with the National Marine Fisheries Service's 
1993 and 1994 biological opinions, the National Marine Fisheries 
Service Recovery Team's recommendations, the federal court settlement 
discussions in Idaho Department of Fish and Game v. National Marine 
Fisheries Service, and other matters. To ensure that the Council takes 
these matters fully into account in its rulemaking process, the Council 
is requesting recommendations regarding all measures for anadromous 
fish.

REQUEST FOR RECOMMENDATIONS: The Council invites the federal and the 
region's state fish and wildlife agencies, the region's Indian tribes, 
and others to submit recommendations for measures to protect, mitigate 
and enhance anadromous fish affected by hydroelectric facilities 
located on the Columbia River and its tributaries. While any such 
recommendation will be considered, the Council intends to focus the 
amendment process in the following areas:

     Measures to improve the survival of anadromous fish at and 
between hydroelectric facilities located on the Columbia River system;
     Harvest, hatchery and habitat issues raised by the 
National Marine Fisheries Service's biological opinions, related 
litigation, or the National Marine Fisheries Service recovery planning 
program.
    Recommendations must be submitted by 5 p.m. Pacific time on August 
15, 1994, to Rick Applegate, Director, Fish and Wildlife Division, 
Northwest Power Planning Council 851 S.W. Sixth Avenue, Portland, 
Oregon 97204-1348.
    The Council has prepared application forms specifying the Council's 
requirements for information for recommendations to amend the program. 
Interested parties may use these forms, or may submit recommendations 
in letter form. In either case, amendment recommendations should 
contain the information specified in the ``Amendment Process'' chapter 
of the Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program.
    The Council will make the recommendations available to interested 
parties for comment, and will hold hearings in Idaho, Montana, Oregon 
and Washington before taking final action. The Council expects to make 
decisions on these matters before the end of 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact the Council's Public Affairs 
Division, 851 SW. Sixth Avenue, Suite 1100, Portland, Oregon 97204 or 
(503) 222-5161, toll free 1-800-222-3355.

Edward W. Sheets,

Executive Director.

[FR Doc. 94-13100 Filed 5-26-94; 8:45 am]
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