[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 250 (Friday, December 27, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68284-68285]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-32925]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Availability of a Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact
Statement on Impacts of Artificial Salmon and Steelhead Production
Strategies in the Columbia Basin
AGENCIES: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, (lead agency), National
Marine Fisheries Service, Bonneville Power Administration (cooperating
agencies).
Action: Notice of availability and schedule of public workshops.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (Service), the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the
Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) have issued a draft Programmatic
Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) on Impacts of Artificial Salmon
and Steelhead Production Strategies in the Columbia Basin. The draft
PEIS frames the policy level issues associated with the agencies'
proposals to change salmon and steelhead fish hatchery production in
Columbia Basin and discusses the cumulative impact issues within the
basin's salmon and steelhead mainstem migration corridor. 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 1506.6).
DATES: Written comments are requested by February 10, 1997.
Three public informational workshops have been scheduled to explain
the proposals and receive comments. All of the workshops will be held
from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
January 14, 1997, Red Lion--Downtowner, Boise, Idaho
January 16, 1997, Red Lion Inn, Pasco, Washington
January 21, 1997, Red Lion Hotel--Lloyd Center, Portland, Oregon
ADDRESS WRITTEN COMMENTS: Send comments to PEIS Team Leader, U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, 911 NE 11 Ave, Portland, Oregon, 97232-4181.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lee Hillwig, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Telephone: 503-872-2766 or Dave Riley, Telephone: 503-226-
2460.
Copies of the Draft PEIS are available for review at the following
libraries:
Astoria Public Library, Astoria, Oregon
Deschutes County Library, Bend, Oregon
Hood River County Library, Hood River, Oregon
King County Library System, Seattle, Washington
Multnomah County Library, Portland, Oregon
North Central Regional Library, Wenatchee, Washington
Seattle Public Library, Seattle, Washington
Yakima Valley Regional Library, Yakima, Washington
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Columbia Basin fish managers continue to
struggle to meet a variety of fishery obligations and mandates that
often compete for scarce resources. Management of fish hatcheries is
one of many factors affecting overall fish populations within the
basin. In recognition of the need to develop a systemwide salmon and
steelhead artificial production strategy in the Columbia Basin that
better
[[Page 68285]]
balances responses to competing legal mandates, the Fish and Wildlife
Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, and Bonneville Power
Administration are proposing policy level changes in Columbia Basin
salmon and steelhead fish hatchery production. These proposals are
contained in the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement on
Impacts of Artificial Salmon and Steelhead Production Strategies in the
Columbia Basin.
A. Development of the Draft EIS
This draft PEIS has been developed cooperatively by the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, Pacific Division (lead agency); the National
Marine Fisheries Service, and the Bonneville Power Administration.
In the development of this draft PEIS, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service has initiated action to assure compliance with the purpose and
intent of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended.
Extensive scoping activities were undertaken preparatory to developing
the EIS with a variety of Federal, State, and local entities. A Notice
of Intent to prepare the EIS was published in the Federal Register on
July 25, 1994.
Key issues addressed in this draft PEIS are identified as the
effects that implementation of various alternatives would have upon (1)
production for fisheries, (2) fish stock diversity, and (3) social and
economic conditions.
B. Alternatives Analyzed in the Draft EIS
The draft PEIS examines a range of alternatives from closure of all
or most fish hatcheries to abandoning most fish habitat improvement
programs and relying almost exclusively on increased artificial
production. The preferred action proposes systemwide, policy-level
decisions to better meet competing fishery obligations and mandates.
Key components include:
Limiting overall basin artificial production to current levels
or very small increases,
Shifting some emphasis of outplanting strategies from
downstream (below Bonneville Dam) to the upstream and/or tributary
streams,
Implementing measures to more fully assess risks where site
specific hatchery management changes are contemplated,
Establishing an enhanced natural production objective, and
Proposing aggressive subbasin planning and monitoring for
hatchery programs and adaptive management measures for hatchery
practices where indicated.
At the programmatic or systemwide level, the PEIS frames the policy
level issues associated with the proposed actions and discusses the
cumulative impact issues within the basin's salmon and steelhead
mainstream migration corridor.
Dated: December 13, 1996.
Michael J. Spear,
William W. Stelle, Jr.,
For the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:
Dated: December 19, 1996.
For the National Marine Fisheries Service:
[FR Doc. 96-32925 Filed 12-26-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P