[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 247 (Wednesday, December 23, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 84018]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-28428]


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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.

ACTION: Notice of final action.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 4(h) of the Northwest Power Act, the 
Council has amended its 2014 Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife 
Program by adding a 2020 Addendum to that 2014 Program.

ADDRESSES: The 2020 Addendum to the 2014 Program is available for 
review on the Council's website at https://www.nwcouncil.org/reports/2014-columbia-river-basin-fish-and-wildlife-program. The amendment 
process web page, which includes links to the recommendations, 
comments, and all other documents and steps in the amendment process 
may be found at https://www.nwcouncil.org/fw/program/2020addendum.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Shurts, General Counsel, (503) 
222-5161, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Section 4(h) of the Northwest 
Power Act, in May 2018 the Council requested in writing that state and 
federal fish and wildlife agencies, the region's Indian tribes, and 
other interested parties submit written recommendations for amendments 
to the Council's 2014 Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program. 
In the call for recommendations, the Council recognized the 
accomplishments of the program over the past 36 years; noted several 
regional developments that have been influenced by and may, in turn, 
influence the Council's program; and identified the opportunity 
presented during this amendment process to concentrate on specific 
program areas that would allow the program to progress in 
implementation and reporting on program performance. The Council 
received 51 sets of recommendations by the December 13, 2018 deadline. 
The Council then sought and received public comment on the 
recommendations as required by Section 4(h)(4) of the Act.
    Based on the recommendations, comments and other information, the 
Council proposed to amend the program by adding an addendum to the 
current version of the program rather than by wholesale amendments to 
the program. Thus, in July 2019, the Council released a draft 2020 
Addendum to the 2014 Program for public review and comment. The Council 
took formal public comment on the draft 2020 Program Addendum through 
October 18, 2019. The Council received 114 written comments, including 
comments from seven state fish and wildlife agencies and other state 
and state-supported agencies; 13 Columbia Basin Tribes and tribal 
organizations; four federal fish and wildlife and other federal 
agencies; four Bonneville customers, other utilities and utility 
organizations, other river users and user groups; nine environmental 
and fishing groups and similar non-governmental organizations; and 
hundreds of individuals. During this comment period, the Council also 
held eight public hearings, one large-group technical consultation 
relating to the topics in Part I of the draft Addendum, and engaged in 
a number of consultations, particularly with state and federal fish and 
wildlife agencies and tribes, individually and in groups.
    One set of comments particularly from state fish and wildlife 
agencies and Indian tribes asked the Council not to adopt Part I of the 
2020 Addendum, concerning Program Performance, on the Council's 
expected schedule, that is, by January 2020, and instead engage in 
further collaborative efforts on the topics covered in that part. The 
Council made a formal decision at its regular monthly meeting in 
December 2019 to extend the time for acting on the recommendations 
relevant to Program Performance and finalizing Part I of the 2020 
Addendum.
    The Council then proceeded on schedule to finalize Part II of the 
2020 Addendum on Program Implementation at its regular January 2020 
Council meeting. The Council completed the process with regard to Part 
II of the 2020 Addendum by adopting in March 2020 as part of the 
program a document containing findings on relevant program amendment 
recommendations and responses to comments.
    With regard to Part I of the 2020 Addendum, the Council engaged in 
a further public process, including hosting eight workshops from 
January through April 2020. The discussions at the workshops addressed 
technical comments received on the draft, as well as some of the policy 
issues that had been identified during the previous public comment 
period. Following the workshops, the Council revised its draft of Part 
I of the 2020 Addendum and released the revised draft for public review 
and comment in May 2020. Public comment of the revised draft of Part I 
concluded on June 22, 2020. The Council received twenty-two sets of 
comments on the revised draft of Part I from state and state supported 
agencies, tribes and tribal organizations, one federal agency, 
environmental groups, one customer group, and a few individuals. The 
Council also held a public hearing via webinar and teleconference on 
June 15, 2020 that was advertised in Idaho, Montana, Washington and 
Oregon.
    The Council then adopted the final version of Part I of the 2020 
Addendum at its regularly scheduled August 2020 meeting, completing the 
Council's work on the text of the 2020 Addendum. The Council completed 
the program amendment process by adopting, at its regularly scheduled 
meeting in October 2020, as part of the program a document containing 
findings on program amendment recommendations and responses to comments 
relevant to Part I. Following the adoption of Part I by the Council, 
the Council knit together into one final document the pieces of the 
2020 Addendum.
    The Council decided on final program amendments after consideration 
of the original program amendment recommendations, supporting documents 
and information that came with the recommendations, comments offered on 
the recommendations, comments submitted on the original draft program 
addendum as well as information and comments received by the Council 
during the extended workshop and public review of draft Part I and then 
on the revised draft of Part I, and other views and information 
obtained through public comment and discussions with state and federal 
fish and wildlife agencies, tribes, Bonneville, other federal agencies, 
Bonneville customers, and others.

    Authority: (Authority: 16 U.S.C. 839 et seq.)

John Shurts,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2020-28428 Filed 12-22-20; 8:45 am]
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