[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 146 (Monday, August 1, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-18568]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: August 1, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service

 

Olympic National Park; Intent To Prepare Two Environmental Impact 
Statements; Elwha River Ecosytem Restoration

SUMMARY: The National Park Service (NPS) intends to adopt an existing 
environmental impact statement (EIS) and circulate it with supplemental 
information concerning removal of the Glines Canyon and Elwha Dams (the 
projects) from the Elwha River in the state of Washington. The NPS 
intends to adopt the March 1991 draft EIS, as amended in 1993 by the 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and incorporate by 
reference the Congressionally mandated ``Elwha Report,'' as information 
for the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) on whether to remove the 
projects as means to restore the Elwha River ecosystem.
    NPS will adopt the FERC 1993 document with supplemental information 
as the NPS draft EIS. The supplemental information will include any new 
data and findings regarding restoration of the Elwha River ecosystem 
gathered since the release of the FERC document. The range of 
alternatives and issues analyzed by FERC will essentially be the same; 
however, the purpose and need and proposed action will change to fully 
restoring the Elwha River ecosystem and native anadromous fishery 
through removal of the projects. Should this process conclude with a 
decision to remove one or both projects as means to restore the 
ecosystem, NPS intends to prepare and issue a second EIS on 
alternatives to implement this decision, such as timing, methods for 
removing the dams, and managing sediment. NPS intends to work 
concurrently on both EIS's; however, if the Secretary, on the basis of 
the first EIS, selects an alternative other than removal of both 
projects, preparation of the ``Implementation EIS'' will cease.
    Extensive public scoping and comment on the FERC EIS occurred in 
1991 and 1993 and NPS will make available public comments and FERC's 
responses on the 1991 document. NPS intends to ask for public comment 
on the adopted EIS and supplemental information when released to the 
public in the fall of 1994. Additional public scoping on the 
``Implementation EIS'' will also be solicited in the future. Persons 
wishing additional information should contact the National Park 
Service, Superintendent, Olympic National Park, 600 East Park Avenue, 
Port Angeles, Washington 98362., attn. Elwha River Restoration Project/
Brian Winter, or at telephone number (206) 452-0302.

Background

    The Elwha River, which forms the largest watershed within Olympic 
National Park, once supported ten stocks of anadromous salmon trout and 
a variety of aquatic and terrestrial species. In the early 1900's, two 
hydroelectric dams (the projects) were constructed in the lower portion 
of the river. These dams were constructed without fish passage 
measures, restricting anadromous fish to less than five miles of the 
available 75 miles of spawning and rearing habitat.
    The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) released a draft 
EIS in March 1991 and, in response to public comments, amended it in 
1993 on licensing the Elwha project and re-licensing the Glines Canyon 
project pursuant to the Federal Power Act. FERC evaluated a range of 
project alternatives against three primary resource objectives: (1) 
restoration of wild, self-sustaining runs of anadromous fish; (2) 
restoration of natural Elwha River Basin conditions within Olympic 
National Park; and (3) provision of renewable hydroelectric energy. 
FERC concluded that removal of both dams would best meet the first two 
objectives. FERC's EIS was not finalized and a record of decision was 
not issued.
    The Elwha River Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act (P.L. 102-
495) was enacted by Congress in October 1992 to legislatively resolve 
numerous conflicts surrounding these two projects. It directs the 
Department of the Interior to prepare a report (subsequently titled The 
Elwha Report) including plans for dam removal, fish restoration, and 
protection of local water supplies, and power supply replacement. The 
Act authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to acquire both dams if 
determined dam removal is necessary for the full restoration of the 
Elwha River ecosystem and native anadromous fisheries and that funds be 
made available for that purpose.
    The Elwha Report was prepared by NPS in cooperation with several 
federal agencies and the Lower Elwha S'Klallam tribe. It was submitted 
to the Office of Management and Budget in December 1993 and to Congress 
in June 1994. The report summarizes much of the FERC EIS and added 
feasibility and cost analyses for a range of scenarios for dam removal 
and mitigation of subsequent impacts. It concludes that removal of both 
projects is the only alternative that would achieve the goal of full 
restoration of the Elwha River ecosystem and native anadromous 
fisheries.
    As provided for by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) 
regulations (40 CFR 1506.3), NPS intends to adopt the amended FERC EIS 
and incorporate by reference the 1994 Elwha Report in a draft EIS for 
public review and comment. Depending on the outcome of this EIS, a 
second ``Implementation EIS'' will address a range of specific dam 
removal and sediment management options, analyzing the impacts of each 
in more depth.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Park Service will prepare both 
EIS's in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the 
Bureau of Indian Affairs, Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of 
Reclamation, and Lower Elwha S'Klallam Tribe. The responsible official 
is Charles Odegard, Regional Director, Pacific Northwest Regional 
Office. The preparation of both EISs and subsequent Record of Decisions 
is expected to take about two years. The public will have an 
opportunity to review and comment on the first EIS in the fall, 1994. A 
final EIS is expected to be released in early 1995. Should the decision 
be made to remove the projects, the draft ``Implementation EIS'' would 
be released for public review mid-year, 1995, with a final EIS 
anticipated in early 1996.

    Dated: July 22, 1994.
Denis P. Galvin,
Associate Director, Planning and Development, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 94-18568 Filed 7-29-94; 8:45 am]
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