[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 91 (Monday, May 12, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25342-25343]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-11740]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

[I.D. 050103B]


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has prepared a draft 
environmental assessment (EA) of the potential effects of approval of 
10 Hatchery and Genetic Management Plans (HGMPs) submitted by the 
United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for artificial 
propagation of salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River basin. The 
HGMPs specify the future management of hatchery programs that 
potentially could affect salmon and steelhead listed under the 
Endangered Species Act. This document serves to notify the public of 
the availability of the draft EA for public comment before a final 
decision on whether to issue a Finding of No Significant Impact is made 
by NMFS.

DATES: Written comments on the draft EA must be received no later than 
5 p.m. Pacific daylight time on June 11, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and requests for copies of the draft EA 
should be addressed to Richard Turner, Salmon Recovery Division, 525 
N.E. Oregon Street, Suite 510, Portland, OR 97232 or faxed to (503) 
872-2737. The documents are also available on the Internet at http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/. Comments will not be accepted if submitted via e-
mail or the Internet.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Turner, Portland, OR at phone 
number (503) 736-4737 or e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is relevant to the Columbia 
River chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta), Lower Columbia River chinook 
salmon (O. tshawytscha), Lower Columbia River steelhead (O. mykiss), 
Upper Willamette River chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha), and Middle 
Columbia River steelhead (O. mykiss) Evolutionarily Significant Units.

Background

    The USFWS has submitted to NMFS 10 HGMPs for artificial propagation 
programs that potentially could affect salmon and steelhead listed 
under the ESA (Table 1).

   Table 1. Hatchery and Genetic Management Plans and Lead Management
                                Agencies.
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Hatchery and Genetic Management Plan.......................         Lead
                                                                Agencies
Little White Salmon/Willard NFH Complex Coho Salmon                USFWS
Little White Salmon/Willard NFH Complex Spring Chinook             USFWS
 Salmon
Little White Salmon/Willard NFH Complex Upriver Bright Fall
 Chinook Salmon ENTUSFWS
Carson NFH Spring Chinook Salmon                                   USFWS
Spring Creek NFH Tule Fall Chinook Salmon                          USFWS
Eagle Creek NFH Coho Salmon                                        USFWS

[[Page 25343]]

 
Eagle Creek NFH Winter Steelhead                                   USFWS
Warm Springs NFH Warm Springs River Spring Chinook Salmon          USFWS
Touchet River Endemic Summer Steelhead                        WDFW/USFWS
Walla Walla River Summer Steelhead Lyons Ferry Hatchery       WDFW/USFWS
 Stock
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    As specified in the July 10, 2000, ESA 4(d) rule for salmon and 
steelhead (65 FR 42422), NMFS may approve an HGMP if it meets criteria 
set forth in Sec.  223.203 (b)(5)(i)(A) through (K). Prior to final 
approval of an HGMP, NMFS must publish notification announcing its 
availability for public review and comment. The notice of availability 
of the ten USFWS HGMPs was published on January 14, 2003 (68 FR 1819) 
and closed on February 13, 2003.
    National Environmental Policy Act requires Federal agencies to 
conduct an environmental analysis of their proposed actions to 
determine if the actions may affect the human environment. The proposed 
action is to approve the 10 HGMPs submitted by the USFWS. The proposed 
hatchery programs would propagate and release approximately 25.2 
million salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River basin. In the draft 
EA currently available for public comment, NMFS considered the effects 
of this action on the physical, biological, and socioeconomic 
environments. NMFS is seeking public input on the scope of the required 
NEPA analysis, including the range of reasonable alternatives and 
associated impacts of any alternatives.

    Dated: May 6, 2003.
Barbara Schroeder,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-11740 Filed 5-9-03; 8:45 am]
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