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Klickitat Hatchery Program
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
PDF Version (2 pp, 53K, About PDF) [Federal Register: July 17, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 136)] [Notices] [Page 34740-34741] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr17jy09-36] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Bonneville Power Administration Klickitat Hatchery Program AGENCY: Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Department of Energy (DOE). ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and a floodplain and wetland assessment. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: BPA intends to prepare an EIS in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) on funding proposed changes to the existing salmon and steelhead hatchery program in the Klickitat subbasin in Klickitat and Yakima counties, Washington. As mitigation under the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act, BPA proposes to upgrade and improve the Klickitat Hatchery, a Mitchell Act artificial production facility built and funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries (NOAA Fisheries), located seven miles east of Glenwood, Washington, at river mile 42 of the Klickitat River. The proposed changes would also involve construction, of a new Wahkiacus Hatchery and Acclimation Facility located at river mile 17 on the Klickitat River in Wahkiacus, Washington, and a steelhead acclimation facility at McCreedy Creek at river mile 70. With this Notice of Intent, BPA is initiating the public scoping process for the EIS. BPA is requesting comments about potential environmental impacts that it should consider as it prepares the EIS for the proposed changes to the program, as well as comments on alternatives that meet fish production objectives for the Klickitat Hatchery Program. Further details are provided in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below. In accordance with DOE regulations for compliance with floodplain and wetlands environmental review requirements, BPA will prepare a floodplain and wetlands assessment to avoid or minimize potential harm to or within any affected floodplains and wetlands. The assessment will be included in the EIS. DATES: Written scoping comments are due to the address below no later than August 18th, 2009. Comments may also be made at the EIS scoping meeting to be held on August 4th, 2009, from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Lyle Community Center. ADDRESSES: Send letters with comments and suggestions on the proposed scope of the Draft EIS, and requests to be placed on the project mailing list, to Bonneville Power Administration, Public Affairs Office--DKE-7, P.O. Box 14428, Portland, OR 97293-4428, or by fax to 503 230-3285. You also may call BPA's toll free comment line at 800 622-4519 and leave a message (please include the name of this project); or submit comments online at http://www.bpa.gov/comment. BPA will post all comment letters in their entirety on BPA's Web site at http://www.bpa.gov/comment. On Tuesday August 4th, 2009, an open-house scoping meeting will be held from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Lyle Community Center, Lyle, Washington. At this informal meeting, we will provide maps and other information about the project and have members of the project team available to answer questions and accept oral and written comments. You may stop by anytime during the open house. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rosy Mazaika, Environmental Coordinator, Bonneville Power Administration--KEC-4, P.O. Box 3621, Portland, Oregon 97208-3621; toll-free telephone 1-800-282-3713; direct telephone 503-230-5869; or e-mail rxmazaika@bpa.gov. You may also contact Patricia Smith, Project Manager, Bonneville Power Administration--KEWL-4, P.O. Box 3621, Portland, Oregon 97208-3621; toll-free telephone 1-800-282-3713; direct telephone 503-230-7349; or e-mail prsmith@bpa.gov. Additional information can be found at BPA's Web site: http://www.efw.bpa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Fisheries programs in the Klickitat River subbasin are co-managed by the Yakama Nation and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), and include the Yakima/ Klickitat Fisheries Project (YKFP) funded by BPA. The YKFP uses state- of-the-art artificial propagation methods designed to re-establish, supplement, or increase natural production and harvest opportunities of anadromous salmonids while maintaining the long-term fitness of target species and minimizing ecological and genetic impacts on non-target species. The YKFP has been developed to: • Enhance existing stocks of anadromous fish in the Yakima and Klickitat river basins, while maintaining genetic and ecological resources; and • Apply the knowledge gained through supplementation throughout the Columbia River Basin. The YKFP also pursues the protection and restoration of habitat important to health and restoration of anadromous fish stocks. Under the YKFP, in 2008, the Yakama Nation revised the Klickitat River Anadromous Fisheries Master Plan \1\ in response to comments from the Northwest Power and Conservation Council (NPCC) and its Independent Scientific Review Panel.\2\ Master plans are submitted as step one of the NPCC's three-step process \3\ for the review of artificial propagation project proposals for funding by the BPA. Included in the plan are details and the scientific basis for proposed production goals, facilities, monitoring and evaluation, and habitat improvements necessary to manage endemic spring Chinook and steelhead and hatchery coho and fall Chinook in the Klickitat subbasin. Because --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ http://www.nwcouncil.org/dropbox/YKFP_03-31- 08%20Draft%20Master%20Plan.pdf.\2\ http://www.nwppc.org/library/isrp/isrp2008-6.pdf.