[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]
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