[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 104 (Thursday, May 30, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32378-32379]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-12814]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC700


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 under the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) of the potential effects of the issuance of a direct take permit 
for a hatchery program in Nason Creek, in the upper Columbia River 
basin. The permit application was provided by the Washington Department 
of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the Public Utility District No. 2 of 
Grant County (Grant PUD). The proposed permit would be issued for a 
period of 10 years. This document serves to notify the public of the 
draft environmental assessment for public review, comment, and 
submission of written data, views, arguments, or other relevant 
information before a final decision on whether to issue a Finding of No 
Significant Impact is made by NMFS. Also available for public review 
and comment are two addenda, one updating the Nason Creek application 
and one describing a proposed adult management program associated with 
spring Chinook salmon hatchery plans for major tributaries to the 
Wenatchee River. All comments and other information received will 
become part of the public record and will be available for review 
pursuant to section 10(c) of the ESA.

DATES: Comments and other submissions must be received at the 
appropriate address or fax number (see ADDRESSES) no later than 5:00 
p.m. Pacific time on June 13, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Written responses to the draft environmental assessment 
should be sent to Allyson Purcell, National Marine Fisheries Services, 
Salmon Management Division, 1201 N.E. Lloyd Boulevard, Suite 1100, 
Portland, OR 97232. Comments may also be submitted by email to: 
[email protected]. Include in the subject line of the email 
comment the following identifier: Comments on the Nason Creek Hatchery 
Assessment. When commenting on the draft environmental assessment, 
please refer to the specific page number and line number of the subject 
of your comment. Comments may also be sent via facsimile (fax) to (503) 
872-2737. Requests for copies of the draft environmental assessment 
should be directed to the National Marine Fisheries Services, Salmon 
Management Division, 1201 N.E. Lloyd Boulevard, Suite 1100, Portland, 
OR 97232. The documents are also available on the Internet at 
www.nwr.noaa.gov. Comments received will also be available for public 
inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours by calling 
(503) 230-5418.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Allyson Purcell at (503) 736-4736 or 
email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Species Covered in This Notice

    Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): endangered, naturally 
produced and artificially propagated Upper Columbia River spring-run.
    Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss): threatened, naturally produced and 
artificially propagated Upper Columbia.

Background

    Section 9 of the ESA and Federal regulations prohibit the 
``taking'' of a species listed as endangered or threatened. The term 
``take'' is defined under the ESA to mean harass, harm, pursue, hunt, 
shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage 
in any such conduct. NMFS may issue permits to take listed species for 
any act otherwise prohibited by section 9 for scientific purposes or to 
enhance the propagation or survival of the affected species, under 
section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA. NMFS regulations governing permits for 
threatened and endangered species are promulgated at 50 CFR 222.307.
    On September 15, 2009, Grant PUD and the Washington Department of 
Fish and Wildlife submitted an application for an ESA permit to operate 
the Nason Creek spring Chinook salmon artificial propagation (hatchery) 
program. That application was made available previously for public 
review and comment (75 FR 14133, March 24, 2010). The hatchery program 
would collect adult spring Chinook salmon at Tumwater Dam or a Nason 
Creek weir; spawn, incubate, hatch, and rear the resulting progeny at 
Eastbank Hatchery and an acclimation facility to be constructed on 
Nason Creek; release juvenile Chinook salmon into Nason Creek; and 
manage natural and hatchery adult returns. Adult natural-origin fish in 
excess of broodstock needs could be

[[Page 32379]]

released to spawn naturally; adult hatchery-origin fish in excess of 
broodstock needs could be used for nutrient enhancement or be made 
available for harvest. The application describes monitoring and 
evaluation activities that would also occur. The purpose of this 
program is to enable Grant PUD to comply with the terms of the Priest 
Rapids Project Salmon and Steelhead Settlement Agreement and its 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission license for the operation of the 
Priest Rapids Hydroelectric Project.
    Subsequent to providing the original application, the WDFW provided 
an addendum to the HGMP describing how management of returning adult 
spring Chinook salmon would be addressed in conjunction with the 
hatchery program. The adult management plan represents an important 
component of the permit application.

Authority

    NEPA requires Federal agencies to conduct an environmental analysis 
of their proposed actions to determine if the actions may affect the 
human environment. NMFS expects to take action on an application for a 
permit under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA. Therefore, 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 24, 2013.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-12814 Filed 5-29-13; 8:45 am]
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