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Federal Sport Fish Restoration; California Department of Fish and Game Fish Hatchery and Stocking Program

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[Federal Register: August 5, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 151)]
[Notices]
[Page 45470-45471]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05au08-76]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R8-MB-2008-N0153; 80213-9410-0000-7B]

Federal Sport Fish Restoration; California Department of Fish and
Game Fish Hatchery and Stocking Program

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a joint environmental impact
statement/ environmental impact report (EIS/EIR); announcement of
public scoping meetings.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), intend to serve
as the lead agency, pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended, in the preparation of a joint EIS/EIR for
the California Department of Fish and Game's (CDFG) Fish Hatchery and
Stocking Program (Program). Under the Sport Fish Restoration Act
(SFRA), FWS currently proposes to fund actions associated with the
operation of CDFG's 13 trout hatcheries (listed below) and the Mad
River anadromous fish hatchery, including stocking from those 14
hatcheries. The Federal action would not include funding CDFG's private
stocking permit program. The CDFG will serve as the lead agency under
the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) analyzing the
hatcheries' operations funded by the SFRA, as well as CDFG's entire
fish hatchery program. This notice announces two public scoping
meetings on our intended actions.

DATES: Two public scoping meetings will be held to solicit public input
on the alternatives, concerns, and issues to be addressed in the EIS/
EIR. The meeting dates are:
    1. Monday, September 8, 2008, from 4 to 6:30 p.m., Sacramento,
California.
    2. Thursday, September 11, 2008, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Carson,
California.

ADDRESSES: The public scoping meeting locations are:
    1. Sacramento--Tsakopoulos Library Galleria, Main Floor, 828 I
Street, Sacramento, CA 95814.
    2. Carson--Carson Community Center, First Floor, Adult Activities
Room, 3 Civic Plaza Drive, Carson, CA 90745.
    Send comments on the scope of the EIS/EIR to Ms. Jill Wright, Fish
and Wildlife Service, 2800 Cottage Way, Suite W-2606, Sacramento, CA
95825; via e-mail to dfghatcheryeir@dfg.ca.gov; or via fax to (916)
978-6155.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Jill Wright, (916) 978-6182.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FWS intends to serve as the lead agency in
the preparation of a joint EIS/EIR for CDFG's Program. Under the SFRA,
FWS has the authority to approve grants and provide Federal funds to
support actions associated with the Program. FWS currently proposes to
fund the 13 trout hatcheries (listed below) and the Mad River
anadromous fish hatchery. The combined EIS/EIR document will provide
NEPA compliance for the FWS's discretionary action regarding the
issuance of Federal funds under the SFRA to support these hatchery
operations, including stocking, which provides freshwater angling
opportunities and recreation throughout the State. The Federal action
does not include funding CDFG's private stocking permit program.
    The CDFG will serve as the lead agency under the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) analyzing the hatcheries' operations
funded by the SFRA, as well as its entire CDFG fish hatchery program.
The purpose of CDFG's Program is to implement the requirements of AB 7
(2005), which requires certain production amounts of trout from CDFG
hatcheries, as well as to comply with a court order regarding the
adequacy of environmental review of CDFG's continuing hatcheries
program, which stocks various trout species, one species of char, and
anadromous fish species in the inland waters of California.
    The CDFG has been rearing and stocking fish in the inland waters of
California since the late 1800s, when the State of California enacted
legislation to restore and preserve fish in State waters. This
legislation called for the newly formed California State Fish and Game
Commission, to establish ``fish breederies'' to stock and supply
streams, lakes, and bays with both foreign and domestic fish. Since
that time in the late 1800s, the CDFG has continued that mandate by
rearing and stocking both inland and anadromous species of fish reared
at 21 hatcheries and planting bases located throughout the State.
    The CDFG is proposing to continue this objective of stocking
hatchery-reared inland and anadromous fish for the recreational use of
anglers, per the requirements of AB 7 and subject to the mandates of
the court order, while balancing the interaction between hatchery-
stocked fish and threatened and endangered species, and other
environmental effects. Hatchery operations and stocking activities
associated with the CDFG's inland water hatchery program will be
evaluated for their effects on the environment, including potential
impacts to native species, such as native amphibians, which have
recently experienced a decline within the State of California.
    The CDFG will also evaluate its issuance of stocking permits to
private parties seeking to stock fish in California's inland waters.
However, activities associated with CDFG's permitting of private
stocking are not eligible for Federal funding under the SFRA and are
not within the scope of the NEPA action.
    The CDFG currently operates 13 trout hatcheries and 8 anadromous
fish hatcheries throughout the State, rearing 5 trout species and 3
salmon species. The trout species include rainbow, brown, brook,
cutthroat, and golden. The salmon species include Chinook, Coho, and
Kokanee. Operations associated with 1 anadromous (Mad River) and all 13
trout hatcheries are eligible for SFRA grants from FWS.
    The trout hatcheries are:

Mount Shasta (Siskiyou County), #3 North Old Stage Road, Mt.
Shasta, CA 96067.
Darrah Springs (Tehama County), 29661 Wildcat Road, Paynes Creek, CA
96075.
Crystal Lake (Shasta County), 40158 Baum Lake Road, Cassel, CA 96016.
American River (Sacramento County), 2001 Nimbus Road, Gold River, CA 95670.
Moccasin Creek (Tuolumne County), Highway 49 and 120, Moccasin, CA 95347.
Hot Creek (Mono County), 85 Old School Road, Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546.
Fish Springs (Inyo County), 215 Fish Springs Road, Big Pine, CA 93513.
Mount Whitney (Inyo County), #1 Golden Trout Circle,
Independence, CA 93526.
Black Rock Fish Hatchery (Inyo County) Annex of Mount Whitney Hatchery,
1 East Black Rock Springs Road, Independence, CA 93526.
San Joaquin (Fresno County), 17372 Brook Trout Drive, Friant, CA 93626.
Fillmore (Ventura County), 612 East Telegraph Road, Fillmore, CA 93016.
Mojave (San Bernardino County), 12550 Jacaranda Avenue, Victorville, CA
92395.
Kern River Planting Base (Kern County), 14400 North Sierra Way,
Kernville, CA 93238.
Silverado Planting Base (Napa County), 7329 Silverado Trail,
Yountville, CA 94599.

[[Page 45471]]

    The anadromous fish hatcheries are:

Iron Gate (Siskiyou County), 8638 Lakeview Road, Hornbrook, CA 96044.
Mad River (Humboldt County), 1660 Hatchery Road, Arcata, CA 95521.
Trinity River (Trinity County), 1000 Hatchery Drive, Lewiston, CA 96052.
Feather River (Butte County), 5 Table Mountain Blvd., Oroville, CA 95965.
Feather River Thermalito Annex (Butte County), 4700 Highway 99,
Oroville, CA 95965.
Warm Springs (Sonoma County), 3246 Skaggs Springs Road, Geyserville, CA
95441.
Nimbus (Sacramento County), 2001 Nimbus Rd., Ste. F, Gold River, CA 95670.
Mokelumne (San Joaquin County), 25800 North McIntire Road, Clements, CA
95227.
Merced River (Merced County), 4998 Robinson Road, Snelling, CA 95369.

    Over the past 6 years, the CDFG has planted over 49 million
combined salmon and trout in hundreds of locations, including some high
mountain lakes, low elevation reservoirs, and various streams and
creeks. It is anticipated that the production of trout species will
increase as a result of the implementation of AB 7. This increase in
production will be achieved through options within the existing
hatchery system and through the continued assistance of SFRA funding.
If the SFRA funding is withdrawn, it may be necessary for CDFG to cut
other activities to meet the AB 7 fish production goals. The CDFG has
also issued approximately 80 private stocking permits annually, with
the majority being issued to individuals stocking rainbow, brook and
brown trout; channel and bullhead catfish; large mouth bass; white and
black crappie; bluegill; redear; mosquito-fish; white and green
sturgeon; and triploid grass carp.

Purpose and Need

    The EIS must explain the underlying purpose and need to which the
Lead Agency is responding in proposing the action. The purpose of this
FWS action is to provide Federal SFRA funds to CDFG to support actions
associated with their fish hatchery and stocking program (the 13 trout
hatcheries (listed above) and the Mad River anadromous fish hatchery)
to provide sportfishing recreation in California. The funds are needed
to support angler success within both urban and rural waterbodies. SFRA
funds will not, however, be used to support private stocking permits.

Alternatives

Proposed Action Alternative

    Under the proposed action, FWS will continue to provide funding for
CDFG's 13 hatcheries and the Mad River anadromous fish hatchery.

No Action Alternative

    Under the No Action Alternative, the FWS would not approve SFRA
grant funds to be used by CDFG to support actions associated with the
operations of their fish hatcheries and fish stocking program. Because
of the State statutory and public trust requirements related to the
hatchery program, CDFG would attempt to continue to implement its State
hatchery program, seeking other funding sources to replace the Federal
funds.

Other Alternatives

    In the EIS, FWS will consider a range of alternatives that could
accomplish the proposed action's purpose and need. FWS will be
rigorously exploring and objectively evaluating a reasonable range of
alternatives with the proposed action and no action alternatives,
taking into account the feasibility of the alternatives, as well as the
ability to address significant impacts on the human environment.

Special Assistance for Public Scoping Meetings

    If special assistance is required at the scoping meetings, please
contact Ms. Jill Wright, (916) 978-6182, or via e-mail at 
Jill_Wright@fws.gov. Please notify Ms. Wright as far in advance of the
meetings as possible to enable the Service to secure the needed
services. If a request cannot be honored, the requestor will be notified.

Public Disclosure

    Before including your name, address, phone number, e-mail address,
or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should
be aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.

    Dated: July 30, 2008.
Tom McCabe,
Acting Deputy Regional Director, California and Nevada Region,
Sacramento, California.
[FR Doc. E8-17910 Filed 8-4-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P

 
 

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