[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 105 (Thursday, June 1, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28600-28601]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-13439]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Bonneville Power Administration


Finding of No Significant Impact and Floodplain Statement of 
Findings for Dworshak Wildlife Mitigation Project

agency: Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Department of Energy 
(DOE).

action: Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and Floodplain 
Statement of Findings.

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summary: This notice announces environmental findings on BPA's proposal 
to implement the Wildlife Mitigation Agreement for Dworshak Dam 
(Agreement) in order to mitigate for loss of wildlife habitat caused by 
the development of Columbia River Basin hydroelectric projects, 
particularly Dworshak Dam. The project involves wildlife conservation 
on 24 420 hectares (ha; 60,000 acres) of land in the Craig Mountain 
area of Idaho, and future acquisition of additional, unidentified lands 
in the lower Clearwater River drainage of Idaho for wildlife 
conservation purposes. BPA has prepared an environmental assessment 
(DOE/EA-1066) evaluating the proposed project. Based on the analysis in 
the EA, BPA has determined that the proposed action is not a major 
Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human 
environment, within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy 
Act (NEPA) of 1969. Therefore, the preparation of an environmental 
impact statement (EIS) is not required and BPA is issuing this FONSI.
    A finding is included that there is no practicable alternative to 
locating the project within 100-year floodplains.

for further information contact: Thomas C. McKinney, Bonneville Power 
Administration, PO Box 3621 (ECN), Portland, Oregon, 97208-3621, phone 
number 503-230-4749, fax number 503-230-5699. For copies of the EA and 
this FONSI, please call BPA's toll-free document request line: 800-622-
4520.
    Public Availability: This FONSI will be distributed to all persons 
and agencies known to be interested in or affected by the proposed 
action or alternatives.

supplementary information: Implementation of the Agreement would 
transfer fee-title ownership of 24 420 ha (60,000 acres) to the Idaho 
Department of Fish and Game, and establish trust funds for the State of 
Idaho and the Nez Perce Tribe to use for protection and enhancement of 
wildlife and wildlife habitat in Idaho. Some of the trust fund assets 
would be used to acquire additional properties and/or conservation 
easements, and some would be used for management activities. 
Alternatives to the proposed action include maintaining the status quo, 
site-specific wildlife mitigation, and no action.
    Potential impacts of the proposed action are: (1) Slow changes to 
vegetation patterns on wildlife mitigation lands; (2) avoidance of 
further loss or degradation of habitat on wildlife mitigation lands; 
(3) increased populations of target wildlife species; (4) improved 
surface water quality on wildlife mitigation lands; and (5) reduced 
grazing, timber production, and farming on wildlife mitigation lands. 
There are two main reasons why these impacts would not be significant. 
First, most of the impacts would gradually result from natural 
succession of vegetation patterns. Encouragement of desirable plant 
species (especially native species), discouragement of exotic species, 
and grazing control would eventually increase biological diversity on 
wildlife mitigation lands. Also, land use changes would not be 
significant because most would occur over a period of years, and 
because the amount of lands removed from economic uses would be minor 
in relation to other lands in the general area remaining available for 
similar uses. No impacts are expected on cultural resources, air 
quality, or unique environmental resources such as components of the 
National Wild and Scenic Rivers System or the National Trails System.
    Floodplain Statement of Findings: This is a Floodplain Statement of 
Findings prepared in accordance with 10 CFR part 1022. BPA publishes a 
Notice of Floodplain and Wetland Involvement in the Federal Register on 
May 10, 1994, and incorporated a floodplain and wetland assessment into 
the EA. The proposed action may involve activities in the 100-year 
floodplains of the Clearwater, Salmon, and Snake Rivers and their 
tributaries because the floodplains and their related surface waters 
have high wildlife value. Any development (such as fencing) within the 
floodplains would be to protect or enhance wildlife values, and is 
therefore consistent with Executive Order 11988, Floodplain Management. 
The proposed action [[Page 28601]] would preserve wetlands and is 
therefore consistent with Executive Order 11990, Protection of 
Wetlands.
    BPA will endeavor to allow 15 days of public review after 
publication of this statement of findings before implementing the 
proposed action.
    Determination: Based on the information in the EA, as summarized 
here, BPA determines that the proposed action is not a major Federal 
action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment 
within the meaning of NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. Therefore, an EIS 
will not be prepared and BPA is issuing this FONSI.

    Issued in Portland, Oregon, on May 11, 1995.
Randall W. Hardy,
Administrator and Chief Executive Officer.
[FR Doc. 95-13439 Filed 5-31-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-M