[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 141 (Monday, July 25, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-17940]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: July 25, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Marine Fisheries Service

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Bonneville Power Administration

 

Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement To 
Examine the Impacts of Artificial Production on Columbia River Fish To 
Facilitate Management Decisions Regarding Existing or Proposed Fish 
Hatchery Programs

AGENCIES: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries 
Service, Bonneville Power Administration.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service (USFWS), the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), and the 
Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) intend to gather information 
necessary for the preparation of a Programmatic Environmental Impact 
Statement (PEIS). The purpose of the PEIS is to assess the relative 
risks associated with alternative hatchery operating scenarios and to 
identify opportunity for maintaining biological diversity, promoting 
the integrated operation of Columbia River anadromous fish hatcheries, 
minimizing risks to long-term fitness of stocks, fulfilling Federal 
treaty trust responsibilities to Native Americans, accomplishing 
mitigation obligations to provide for other fisheries, and protecting 
and recovering fish stocks listed under the Endangered Species Act.

    This notice is being furnished pursuant to the Council on 
Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing The Procedural 
Provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Regulations 
(40 CFR 1508.22).
    To satisfy Federal environmental policy requirements, the USFWS, 
NMFS, and BPA are conducting a joint scoping process for the 
preparation of the PEIS. Interested agencies, organizations, and 
individuals are encouraged to provide written comments of the issues 
which should be addressed in the PEIS.
DATES: Public meetings concerning the scope of issues to be addressed 
in the PEIS will be held:

August 2, 1994, at the Red Lion, 1800 Fairview, Boise, ID.
August 3, 1994, at the Red Lion-Hanford House, 802 George Washington 
Way, Richland, WA.
August 4, 1994, at the Red Lion, Seattle Airport, 18740 Pacific Highway 
South, Seattle, WA.
August 9, 1994, at the Red Lion, 400 Industry Street, Astoria, OR.
August 10, 1994, at the Red Lion-Downtown, 310 SW Lincoln, Portland, 
OR.
    All meetings are scheduled from
7-9:30 p.m.

ADDRESS: Comments regarding the scope of the PEIS should be addressed 
to Sampsel Consulting Services, P.O. Box 1249, Ocean Park, WA, 98640 
and should be received by September 9, 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Contact Roy Sampsel (Sampsel Consulting) at 
the above address or telephone 206/665-6051 or Brian Kinnear (Columbia 
Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority) at 503/326-7031.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: USFWS, NMFS, and BPA need a better 
understanding of the cumulative effects of the interaction between 
anadromous fish produced under current fish hatchery programs and 
naturally spawning salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River Basin.

    The need for a comprehensive analysis has arisen because:
     There are approximately 90 Federally operated and/or 
funded anadromous fish hatcheries in the Columbia River system and more 
facilities are planned.
     Most of these hatcheries and facilities were designed and 
constructed to augment the naturally spawning salmon and steelhead runs 
that were severely depleted by Federally funded or licensed water 
development throughout the Columbia River Basin.
     The augmentation was intended to mitigate for fisheries 
losses experienced by non-Indian sport and commercial fisheries as well 
as to meet treaty trust responsibilities to Native Americans.
     Since construction, and although original objectives 
remain unmet, the scope of this hatchery system's obligations has been 
substantially expanded to meet:
    (1) Protection and recovery of threatened and endangered species.
    (2) Production obligations incurred under the auspices of the U.S./
Canada negotiations.
    (3) The court approved Columbia River Salmon and Steelhead 
Management Framework Plan.
     Regional human population growth has increased demands for 
consumptive use of salmon at a time when natural production habitat 
conditions such as instream flow, spawning gravels, streamside 
vegetation, etc. are at an all time low.
     Public pressure on Federal agencies has increased to meet 
all of these demands while insuring minimal risk to the genetic 
integrity of naturally spawning populations.
    In the proposed PEIS, an array of alternatives with a range of 
artificial vs. natural production strategies will be evaluated pursuant 
to NEPA. As envisioned, this document will serve as a foundation for 
planning at the hatchery level and site-specific environmental analysis 
may be tiered off of this document.
    Any proposed Federal actions evolving from this evaluation may or 
may not be a departure from current fish hatchery operating programs.

    Dated: July 18, 1994.

    For the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:
Michael J. Spear,
Regional Director.

    Dated: July 18, 1994.

    For the National Marine Fisheries Service:
J. Gary Smith,
Acting Regional Director.

    Dated: July 18, 1994.

For the Bonneville Power Administration:

Randall W. Hardy,
Administrator.

(Notice: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement to comprehensively examine the potential impacts of 
artificial production on Columbia River fish to facilitate 
management decisions regarding existing or proposed fish hatchery 
programs)

[FR Doc. 94-17940 Filed 7-22-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M