[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 86 (Monday, May 5, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23705-23707]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-11010]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Bonneville Power Administration


South Fork Flathead Watershed/Westslope Cutthroat Trout 
Conservation Program

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

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS).

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SUMMARY: This notice announces BPA's intention to prepare an EIS on 
removal of all fish from selected lakes in the South Fork of the 
Flathead River drainage that harbor non-native species that threaten to 
genetically contaminate native fish in streams leading from those 
lakes, down into the South Fork Flathead River and Hungry Horse 
Reservoir. The specific lakes proposed for treatment are located in the 
Montana Counties of Flathead, Missoula, and Powell. This proposed 
action would take place within floodplains and waters located directly 
adjacent to and below the high water marks of these lakes.

DATES: Written comments are due to the address below no later than June 
19,

[[Page 23706]]

2003. Comments may also be made at an EIS scoping meeting open house to 
be held on May 22, 2003, at the time and address below.

ADDRESSES: Send letters with comments and suggestions on the proposed 
scope of the Draft EIS that is being developed, and requests to be 
placed on the project mailing list, to Communications, Bonneville Power 
Administration--DM-7, P.O. Box 12999, Portland, Oregon, 97212. Comments 
may also be sent to the BPA Internet address at [email protected].
    On May 22, 2003, a scoping meeting open house will be held from 4 
p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Regional Headquarters of Montana Fish, Wildlife & 
Parks, 490 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell, Montana.
    Information about the project can also be obtained from a BPA 
website at: http://www.efw.bpa.gov/cgi-bin/PSA/NEPA/SUMMARIES/MountainLakesTrout.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Colleen Spiering, Environmental 
Project Manager, Bonneville Power Administration--KEC-4, P.O. Box 3621, 
Portland, Oregon, 97208-3621; direct telephone number 503-230-5756; 
toll-free telephone number 1-800-282-3713; fax number 503-230-5699; e-
mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Lead and Cooperating Agencies: BPA shall be the lead agency in 
preparing and issuing an EIS for this project. The United States Forest 
Service (USFS), Flathead National Forest, Department of Agriculture; 
and Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks (MFWP) will participate as 
cooperating agencies.
    Responsible Officials:
    [sbull] Stephen J. Wright, Administrator and Chief Executive 
Officer, Bonneville Power Administration, PO Box 3621, Portland, 
Oregon, 97208-3621.
    [sbull] Cathy Barbouletos, Forest Supervisor, Flathead National 
Forest, 1935 3rd Ave. East, Kalispell, Montana, 59901.
    [sbull] Dan Vincent, Regional Supervisor, Montana Fish, Wildlife & 
Parks, 490 North Meridian Road, Kalispell, Montana, 59901.
    Nature of Decisions To Be Made: BPA will be deciding whether to 
fund the project. USFS will determine if the use of fish toxins and 
motorized equipment will be permitted in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, 
the Jewel Basin Hiking Area, and the Flathead National Forest. The 
rationales for the decisions will be documented in two separate Records 
of Decision. The USFS decision will be subject to appeal under 
applicable USFS regulations.
    Background: The South Fork Flathead River, above Hungry Horse Dam, 
contains one of the largest natural populations of native westslope 
cutthroat trout in the nation. Hungry Horse Dam protects the entire 
South Fork drainage from exotic fish invasion from fish downstream of 
the dam. Further protection is afforded in that the entire watershed is 
on National Forest land, wilderness, and proposed wilderness. However, 
numerous lakes that drain into the South Fork contain non-native 
rainbow and Yellowstone cutthroat trout that have interbred with 
westslope cutthroat trout creating hybrid populations. Presently these 
populations are providing sources of hybrid trout that threaten 
genetically pure native cutthroat trout populations downstream of the 
lakes and in the South Fork Flathead River.
    Purpose and Need for Action: Development of the hydropower system 
in the Columbia River Basin has had far-reaching effects on many 
species of fish and wildlife. BPA is responsible for protecting, 
mitigating, and enhancing fish and wildlife affected by the 
development, operation, and management of Federal hydroelectric 
facilities on the Columbia River and its tributaries. (See Pacific 
Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act, 16 U.S.C. 
839b(h)(10)(A).) BPA meets this responsibility, in part, by funding 
projects identified through a regional process led by the Northwest 
Power Planning Council. The South Fork Flathead Watershed/Westslope 
Cutthroat Trout Conservation Program, a portion of the Hungry Horse Dam 
Mitigation Program, was proposed by MFWP for BPA funding. The project 
is a cooperative effort with MFWP and USFS, Flathead National Forest.
    Of the 355 lakes in the South Fork drainage above Hungry Horse Dam, 
50 have fish. Twenty-nine of these have genetically pure populations of 
native westslope cutthroat trout and approximately 21 have hybrid 
populations (confirmed through the University of Montana's Wild Trout 
and Salmon Genetics Laboratory)--see Sage, Huston, Leary, Rumsey and 
Cavigli cited below). The lakes with hybrid populations are being 
targeted in this project.
    Genetic contamination by exotic trout occurred in the past when 
anglers or fish managers planted the lakes with non-native rainbow and 
Yellowstone cutthroat trout to provide or enhance recreational angling 
opportunities. Some of the lakes have no record of stocking of these 
species, but the exotic trout are present in the lakes. Genetic surveys 
have shown that exotic populations in headwater lakes are out-
migrating. This threatens to compromise the genetic integrity of pure 
stocks downstream (Huston 1988, Huston 1989, Huston 1990, Sage 1993, 
Leary 2002, Rumsey and Cavigli 2002). Extensive examination of 
westslope cutthroat trout in the South Fork Flathead River presently 
confirms their genetic purity; however, their continued genetic purity 
is at great risk due to hybridization from upstream lakes.
    Since 1986, most of the lakes have been stocked with genetically 
pure westslope cutthroat trout from Montana State's M012 brood stock in 
an attempt to shift the populations toward a genetically pure state 
through progressive inbreeding. The M012 stock was derived from wild 
westslope cutthroat trout from 12 populations in the South Fork 
Flathead River drainage and two from the Clark Fork River drainage. 
Once the wild fish were acclimated to the hatchery, they were 
genetically tested to assure purity.
    The underlying need for action is to protect the genetically pure 
populations of native westslope cutthroat trout currently existing in 
the Flathead River Watershed from hybridization with rainbow trout and 
Yellowstone cutthroat trout.
    Proposed Action: The Proposed Action is to remove all fish from 
selected lakes in the South Fork of the Flathead River Watershed in the 
Flathead National Forest, the Bob Marshall Wilderness, and the Jewel 
Basin Hiking Area. These selected lakes harbor non-native species that 
threaten to enter and genetically contaminate streams leading from 
those lakes, down into the Flathead River and Hungry Horse Reservoir. 
There are approximately 21 lakes targeted for treatment. Two or three 
lakes would be treated each year for about a 10-year period. The 
proposed method of fish removal is to utilize registered compounds that 
are toxic to fish.
    Floodplains and Wetlands: In accordance with DOE regulations for 
compliance with floodplains and wetlands environmental review 
requirements, BPA will prepare a floodplain and wetlands assessment and 
will perform this proposed action in a manner so as to avoid or 
minimize potential harm to or within the affected floodplain and 
wetlands. The assessment and a floodplain statement of findings will be 
included in the EIS being prepared for the proposed project in 
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
    Process to Date: BPA sent a letter to the public dated November 16, 
2001,

[[Page 23707]]

announcing that an Environmental Assessment (EA) would be developed for 
this project. In preparing the EA, BPA and USFS identified issues that 
may be significant in the context of NEPA and, therefore, the agencies 
decided that an EIS should be prepared.
    Alternatives Proposed for Consideration: (1) The application of 
fish-killing toxins, either with Rotenone or Antimycin, by aircraft and 
motorboat, with transportation to the lakes by aircraft, livestock, or 
vehicle. (2) Alternative methods for removing fish include angling, 
genetic ``swamping,'' introducing predatory fish, construction of fish 
passage barriers, gill netting, seining, trap netting, electrofishing, 
explosives, and lake dewatering. (3) Not removing the fish (or the No-
Action Alternative) is also proposed for consideration.
    Identification of Environmental Issues: The potential environmental 
issues identified for most fish and wildlife projects include land use, 
cultural resources, sensitive plants and animals, erosion/soils, 
wetlands, floodplains, and fish and water resources. The significant 
environmental issues for this project may include the use of 
helicopters and motorized equipment in the wilderness, and potential 
impacts to amphibians and other non-targeted species from the use of 
fish toxins.
    Public Participation: The scoping process will help BPA ensure that 
a full range of issues related to this proposal is addressed in the 
EIS, and also will identify significant or potentially significant 
impacts that may result from the proposed project. This notice of 
intent is a major component of the scoping process and guides the 
development of the EIS. BPA has established a 45-day scoping period 
during which affected landowners, concerned citizens, special interest 
groups, local governments, and any other interested parties are invited 
to comment on the scope of the proposed EIS. Public and internal 
scoping on this project will also include, in addition to the 
information gathered during BPA's related EA process, one public open 
house meeting; one mailing to Federal, State and local agencies, 
organizations, and individuals; personal conversations between 
interdisciplinary team members and the public; and news media releases.
    When completed, the Draft EIS will be circulated for review and 
comment for 45 days, and a meeting will be held with the public to 
discuss the Draft EIS. BPA and the cooperating agencies will consider 
and respond in the Final EIS to comments received on the Draft EIS.
    Maps and further information are available from BPA at the address 
above.

    Issued in Portland, Oregon, on April 25, 2003.
Stephen J. Wright,
Administrator and Chief Executive Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-11010 Filed 5-2-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P