[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 53 (Thursday, March 19, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 14418]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-06299]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

PACIFIC NORTHWEST ELECTRIC POWER AND CONSERVATION PLANNING COUNCIL


Amended Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program

AGENCY: Pacific Northwest Electric Power and Conservation Planning 
Council (Northwest Power and Conservation Council, Council), an 
interstate compact agency organized under the authority of the Pacific 
Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act of 1980, 16 
U.S.C. 839 et seq. (Northwest Power Act).

ACTION: Notice of final action adopting the amended Columbia River 
Basin Fish and Wildlife Program.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 4(h) of the Northwest Power Act, the 
Council has amended its Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program 
(program). The final amended program may be found on the Council's Web 
site at http://www.nwcouncil.org/fw/2014F&WProgram/.
    BACKGROUND: Pursuant to Section 4(h) of the Northwest Power Act, in 
March 2013 the Northwest Power and Conservation Council requested in 
writing that state and federal fish and wildlife agencies, Indian 
tribes, and others submit recommendations for amendments to the 
Council's Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program. The Council 
received over 1500 pages of recommendations and supporting information 
from 68 entities and 412 individuals. The Council subsequently received 
extensive written public comment on the program amendment 
recommendations.
    In May 2014, after reviewing the recommendations, the supporting 
information, the comments received on the recommendations, and other 
information in the administrative record, the Council released for 
public review a draft revised program. The Council received over 1500 
pages of substantial written comments on the draft amendments. The 
Council also took oral testimony at ten public hearings around the 
region and at regularly scheduled Council meetings. Transcripts of 
these hearings are in the administrative record along with the written 
comments. As specified in Section 4(h)(5), the Council also held a 
number of consultations on the recommendations and draft amendments 
with representatives of state and federal fish and wildlife agencies, 
Indian tribes, federal hydrosystem agencies, and customers of the 
Bonneville Power Administration. Notes from these consultations are 
also in the administrative record. Relevant documents from the program 
amendment process, including the recommendations, draft program 
amendments and comments, may be found on the Council's Web site at 
http://www.nwcouncil.org/fw/program/2014/.
    Following this public review process required by the Northwest 
Power Act, and after deliberations in public over the course of several 
Council meetings, the Council adopted the final revised program in 
October 2014 at a regularly scheduled Council meeting in Pendleton, 
Oregon. The Council based its decisions on the recommendations, 
supporting documents, and views and information obtained through public 
comment and participation and consultation with the agencies, tribes, 
and customers. In the final step of this program amendment process, at 
its regularly scheduled March 2015 meeting in Eugene, Oregon, the 
Council adopted written findings as part of the program explaining its 
disposition of program amendment recommendations along with responses 
to comments received on the program amendment recommendations and on 
the draft amended program. The findings and responses have been made 
part of the program as Appendix S.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please visit the Council's Web site at 
www.nwcouncil.org or contact the Council at (503) 222-5161 or toll free 
(800) 452-5161.

Stephen L. Crow,
Executive Director.
[FR Doc. 2015-06299 Filed 3-18-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE P