[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 3 (Wednesday, January 6, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 861-862]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-221]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 123098E]
Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement on
Habitat Conservation Plans for the Operation of Three Hydroelectric
Projects on the Mid-Columbia River in Washington
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of intent to conduct public scoping meetings and prepare
an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that NMFS intends to gather
information necessary to prepare an EIS related to a request by two
Washington State public utility districts for incidental take permits
(Permits) to take endangered and threatened species under section
10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act (Act). The applicants are the
Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan County, Washington and the
Public Utility District No. 1 of Douglas County, Washington
(Districts). Applications are related to the operation of three
hydroelectric projects on the mid-Columbia River in the state of
Washington. The Districts are requesting Permits for two listed
species, Upper Columbia spring chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus
tshawytscha) and Upper Columbia steelhead (O. mykiss). The Districts
also plan to seek coverage for other species not currently listed in
the mid-Columbia region. These species are summer and fall chinook
salmon (O. tshawytscha) and sockeye (O. nerka) salmon. Based on the
requirements of the Act, the Districts have prepared Habitat
Conservation Plans (HCPs) that include measures to minimize and
mitigate any taking of species that may occur incidental to the
operation of the hydroelectric projects.
In June 1998, NMFS, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the
Districts, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the
Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakima Indian Nation, the
Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Colville Reservation, the
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation and American Rivers,
Inc. signed a declaration acknowledging the work to date on the HCP and
their commitment to complete the regulatory actions necessary to
issuing a permit.
DATES: Written comments from all interested parties must be received on
or before February 5, 1999. Public scoping meetings will be held in
Wenatchee and Brewster, WA. The Wenatchee meeting is scheduled for 7
p.m., January 20, 1999, at the Chelan Public Utility
District Auditorium, 327 N. Wenatchee Ave. The Brewster meeting will be
held at 7 p.m. on January 21, 1999, at the Senior Center,
109 South Bridge St.
ADDRESSES: Comments and requests for information should be sent to Jane
Banyard, NMFS, 510 Desmond Drive SE, Suite 103, Lacey, WA, 98503;
telephone (360) 534-9338; facsimile (360) 753-9517. Comments and
materials received will be available for public inspection, by
appointment, during normal business hours at the same address.
Questions regarding the HCPs should be directed to Steve Landino, NMFS,
510 Desmond Drive SE, Suite 103, Lacey, WA, 98503;
[[Page 862]]
telephone (360) 753-6054; facsimile (360) 753-9517.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Districts own and manage three hydroelectric dams and
associated facilities on the Columbia River. These dams are used to
supply power to the citizens of Chelan, Douglas, and Okanogan Counties,
as well as other public and private utilities that serve over 7 million
customers throughout the Pacific Northwest. Operation of the dams has
the potential to impact species subject to protection under the Act.
Section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Act contains provisions for issuing
incidental take permits to non-federal landowners for the take of
endangered and threatened species, provided the following criteria is
met:
(1) the taking will be incidental;
(2) the applicant will, to the maximum extent practicable, minimize
and mitigate the impact of such taking;
(3) the applicant will ensure that adequate funding for the Plan
will be provided;
(4) the taking will not appreciably reduce the likelihood of the
survival and recovery of the species in the wild; and
(5) any other measures that the NMFS may require as being necessary
or appropriate for the purposes of the Plan are met.
The Districts have initiated discussions with NMFS regarding the
possibility of securing Permits for their hydroelectric project
operations on the Mid-Columbia River, and they have prepared an HCP for
each project. The Districts' intention in developing the HCPs was to
establish a comprehensive approach to protect federally listed species
and their habitats as affected by project operations. Activities
proposed for coverage under the Permits include the following:
(1) Operation and maintenance of the Rock Island Hydroelectric
project, FERC No. 943, in accordance with its FERC license, and the
Rock Island HCP.
(2) Operation and maintenance of the Rocky Reach Hydroelectric
project, FERC No. 2145, in accordance with its FERC license, and the
Rocky Reach HCP.
(3) Operation and maintenance of the Wells Hydroelectric project,
FERC No. 2149, in accordance with its FERC license, and the Wells HCP.
NMFS will conduct an environmental review of the HCPs and prepare
an EIS. The environmental review will analyze the proposals in the HCPs
as well as a full range of reasonable alternatives and the associated
impacts of each. Comments and suggestions are invited from all
interested parties to ensure that the full range of issues related to
this proposed action is identified. The review of this project will be
conducted according to the requirements of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), National
Environmental Policy Act Regulations (40 CFR 1500-1508), other
appropriate Federal laws and regulations, and policies and procedures
of NMFS for compliance with those regulations.
After the environmental review is completed, NMFS will publish a
notice of availability and a request for comment on the draft EIS and
the HCPs.
Dated: December 31, 1998.
Kevin Collins,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-221 Filed 1-5-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
