[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 203 (Friday, October 19, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53048-53049]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-22809]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XG549


Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

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

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a Draft Supplemental Environmental 
Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), this 
notice announces that NMFS is preparing a Draft Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS) to supplement information in the 
2017 Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for 10 Hatchery and 
Genetic Management Plans (HGMP) for salmon and steelhead hatchery 
programs jointly submitted by the Washington Department of Fish and 
Wildlife (WDFW) with the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe and the Suquamish 
Tribe (referred to as the co-managers), for NMFS's evaluation and 
determination under Limit 6 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) 4(d) 
Rule for threatened salmon and steelhead. The HGMPs specify the 
propagation of salmon and steelhead in the Duwamish-Green River basin 
in Washington State. The DSEIS will analyze an additional alternative 
reflecting an increase in hatchery production of juvenile Chinook 
salmon.

DATES: Because NMFS has previously requested (81 FR 26776, May 6, 2016) 
and received information from the public on issues to be addressed in 
the EIS, and because the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) 
regulations for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) do not require additional scoping for this DSEIS process (40 CFR 
1502.9(c)(4)), NMFS is not asking for further public scoping 
information and comment at this time. Upon release of the DSEIS, NMFS 
will provide a 45-day public review/comment period.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the 2017 DEIS are available from NMFS, Sustainable 
Fisheries Division at 510 Desmond Drive SE, Suite 103, Lacey, WA 98503, 
and on the web at http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/hatcheries/Duwamish-Green/duw-green_hgmps_deis.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Leider, NMFS, by phone at (360) 
753-4650, or email to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The WDFW, and the co-managers have jointly submitted to NMFS HGMPs 
for 10 hatchery programs in the Duwamish-Green River basin in 
Washington State. The HGMPs reviewed in the DEIS were submitted to NMFS 
from 2013 to 2015, pursuant to limit 6 of the 4(d) Rule for salmon and 
steelhead. The hatchery programs include releases of ESA-listed Chinook 
salmon and winter-run steelhead into the Duwamish-Green River basin. 
The hatchery programs also release non-listed coho and fall-run chum 
salmon and summer-run steelhead into the Duwamish-Green River basin. 
One hatchery program releases coho salmon into marine waters adjacent 
to the Duwamish-Green River basin. Seven of the programs are currently 
operating, and three are new.
    NEPA requires Federal agencies to conduct environmental analyses of 
their proposed major actions to determine if the actions may affect the 
human environment. NMFS's action of determining that implementation of 
the co-managers' HGMPs would not appreciably reduce the likelihood of 
survival and recovery of affected threated ESUs under Limit 6 of the 
4(d) Rule for salmon and steelhead promulgated under the ESA, is a 
major Federal action subject to environmental review under NEPA.
    On May 4, 2016, NMFS announced its intent to prepare an EIS and the 
30-day public scoping period ended on June 3, 2016. On November 3, 
2017, NMFS announced the release of a DEIS for public comment. The DEIS 
includes an analysis of the proposed action identified in the 2016 NOI 
and the anticipated environmental impacts. Following an extension, the 
75-day public comment period ended on January 19, 2018.
    In light of subsequent information, NMFS has determined that the 
Final EIS would benefit from the analysis of an expanded range of 
potential alternatives for hatchery production of Chinook salmon. The 
alternative to be analyzed in the DSEIS is informed by the applicant's 
interest in increasing hatchery production of juvenile Chinook salmon, 
and NMFS' analysis of the status of endangered Southern Resident Killer 
Whales and the importance of Chinook salmon prey to their food base. 
The DSEIS will analyze an increased level of Chinook salmon hatchery 
production and provide the public with an opportunity for review and 
comment. The DSEIS, in conjunction with the 2017 DEIS, will 
collectively evaluate the proposed action and alternatives.

Alternatives

    The alternatives analyzed in the 2017 DEIS are summarized in the 
DEIS Notice of Intent (82 FR 26776, May 4, 2016). The upcoming DSEIS 
will analyze an alternative in which hatchery production from the Soos 
Creek Chinook salmon program would produce an additional 2,000,000 
juvenile Chinook salmon to be released at Palmer Ponds in the Duwamish-
Green River basin.

Authority

    The environmental review of the 10 salmon and steelhead HGMPs in 
the Duwamish-Green River basin of Washington State will be conducted in 
accordance with requirements of the NEPA of 1969 as amended (42 U.S.C. 
4321 et seq.), NEPA Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), other 
appropriate Federal laws and regulations, and policies and procedures 
of NMFS for compliance with those regulations.


[[Page 53049]]


    Dated: October 15, 2018.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-22809 Filed 10-18-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P