[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 225 (Wednesday, November 20, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 59108]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-29675]
[[Page 59108]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Notice of Availability of Final Environmental Impact Statement
for Elwha River Ecosystem Restoration Implementation, Olympic National
Park, Washington
SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of a final
environmental impact statement (FEIS) for the implementation of the
Elwha River Ecosystem Restoration in Olympic National Park, Washington.
The FEIS presents the proposed action and alternatives for removing the
Elwha and Glines Canyon dams and restoration of the Elwha River
ecosystem and its native anadromous fisheries. The proposed action
calls for removal of both dams and river erosion of trapped sediments
downstream. The proposed action accomplishes the Secretary of the
Interior's objectives, as directed by Public Law 102-495, the Elwha
River Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act of 1992, to restore the
river's ecosystem and its native anadromous fisheries. This
implementation FEIS is connected to the first, programmatic EIS, which
was completed in June 1995. The programmatic EIS determined that dam
removal was required to fully restore the Elwha River ecosystem and
native anadromous fisheries.
The draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for this action was
released for public review on April 26, 1996, (Federal Register, Vol.
61, No. 82) and the public comment period closed on June 25, 1996. Both
the DEIS and FEIS analyze the proposed action and alternatives for
removing the Elwha and Glines Canyon dams and restoring the Elwha River
ecosystem. The alternatives include No Action, i.e., retaining the dams
in place; the River Erosion Alternative, i.e., removing both dams and
allowing sediment to be eroded naturally by the river; and the Dredge
and Slurry Alternative, i.e., removing both dams and using suction
dredges mounted on barges to slurry fine-grained sediment (silt and
clay) through a pipeline to the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Major impact topics assessed for the proposed action and the
alternatives include natural and cultural resources and other factors
such as socioeconomics, public health and safety, water quality and
traffic concerns.
The FEIS contains letters received from agencies and organizations
during the public comment period and responses to all substantive
comments are contained in a question and answer format. A summary of
comments received during public workshops on the DEIS is also contained
in the FEIS.
The DEIS and FEIS have been completed by the National Park Service
in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of
Reclamation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Army Corps of Engineers, and the
Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The no-action period on this FEIS will
expire 30 days after the Environmental Protection Agency has published
a notice of availability of the FEIS in the Federal Register. A limited
number of copies of the FEIS are available on request by calling Lisa
Hilt at 360-452-4501, ext. 264. All who submitted substantive comments
on the Draft EIS will receive a copy of the FEIS. In addition, public
reading copies of the FEIS will be available for review at the
following locations: Office of Public Affairs, National Park Service,
Department of Interior, 18 and C streets NW., Washington, DC 20240,
Telephone: 202-208-6843; Olympic National Park, National Park Service,
600 E. Park Avenue, Port Angeles, WA 98362, Telephone: 206-452-4501;
North Olympic Library System, Port Angeles Branch, 207 S. Lincoln
Street, Port Angeles, WA 98362, Telephone: 206-452-9253; Government
Documents, Seattle Public Library, 1000 4th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104-
1193, Telephone: 206-386-4686; Government Publications, Suzzallo
Library, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, Telephone: 206-
543-1937; Columbia/Cascades Systems Support Office, National Park
Service, 909 First Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104-1060, Telephone: 206-220-
4154. For further information contact: Dr. Brian Winter, Elwha Project
Coordinator, Olympic National Park, 600 E. Park Avenue, Port Angeles,
WA 98362, Telephone: 360-452-0302.
Dated: October 30, 1996.
William C. Walters,
Deputy Field Director, Pacific West Area, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 96-29675 Filed 11-19-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P