96-29675. Notice of Availability of Final Environmental Impact Statement for Elwha River Ecosystem Restoration Implementation, Olympic National Park, Washington

[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 225 (Wednesday, November 20, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 59108]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-29675]



[[Page 59108]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Notice of Availability of Final Environmental Impact Statement 
for Elwha River Ecosystem Restoration Implementation, Olympic National 
Park, Washington

SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of a final 
environmental impact statement (FEIS) for the implementation of the 
Elwha River Ecosystem Restoration in Olympic National Park, Washington. 
The FEIS presents the proposed action and alternatives for removing the 
Elwha and Glines Canyon dams and restoration of the Elwha River 
ecosystem and its native anadromous fisheries. The proposed action 
calls for removal of both dams and river erosion of trapped sediments 
downstream. The proposed action accomplishes the Secretary of the 
Interior's objectives, as directed by Public Law 102-495, the Elwha 
River Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act of 1992, to restore the 
river's ecosystem and its native anadromous fisheries. This 
implementation FEIS is connected to the first, programmatic EIS, which 
was completed in June 1995. The programmatic EIS determined that dam 
removal was required to fully restore the Elwha River ecosystem and 
native anadromous fisheries.
    The draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for this action was 
released for public review on April 26, 1996, (Federal Register, Vol. 
61, No. 82) and the public comment period closed on June 25, 1996. Both 
the DEIS and FEIS analyze the proposed action and alternatives for 
removing the Elwha and Glines Canyon dams and restoring the Elwha River 
ecosystem. The alternatives include No Action, i.e., retaining the dams 
in place; the River Erosion Alternative, i.e., removing both dams and 
allowing sediment to be eroded naturally by the river; and the Dredge 
and Slurry Alternative, i.e., removing both dams and using suction 
dredges mounted on barges to slurry fine-grained sediment (silt and 
clay) through a pipeline to the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
    Major impact topics assessed for the proposed action and the 
alternatives include natural and cultural resources and other factors 
such as socioeconomics, public health and safety, water quality and 
traffic concerns.
    The FEIS contains letters received from agencies and organizations 
during the public comment period and responses to all substantive 
comments are contained in a question and answer format. A summary of 
comments received during public workshops on the DEIS is also contained 
in the FEIS.
    The DEIS and FEIS have been completed by the National Park Service 
in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of 
Reclamation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Army Corps of Engineers, and the 
Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The no-action period on this FEIS will 
expire 30 days after the Environmental Protection Agency has published 
a notice of availability of the FEIS in the Federal Register. A limited 
number of copies of the FEIS are available on request by calling Lisa 
Hilt at 360-452-4501, ext. 264. All who submitted substantive comments 
on the Draft EIS will receive a copy of the FEIS. In addition, public 
reading copies of the FEIS will be available for review at the 
following locations: Office of Public Affairs, National Park Service, 
Department of Interior, 18 and C streets NW., Washington, DC 20240, 
Telephone: [phone]; Olympic National Park, National Park Service, 
600 E. Park Avenue, Port Angeles, WA 98362, Telephone: [phone]; 
North Olympic Library System, Port Angeles Branch, 207 S. Lincoln 
Street, Port Angeles, WA 98362, Telephone: [phone]; Government 
Documents, Seattle Public Library, 1000 4th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104-
1193, Telephone: [phone]; Government Publications, Suzzallo 
Library, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, Telephone: 206-
543-1937; Columbia/Cascades Systems Support Office, National Park 
Service, 909 First Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104-1060, Telephone: 206-220-
4154. For further information contact: Dr. Brian Winter, Elwha Project 
Coordinator, Olympic National Park, 600 E. Park Avenue, Port Angeles, 
WA 98362, Telephone: [phone].

    Dated: October 30, 1996.
William C. Walters,
Deputy Field Director, Pacific West Area, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 96-29675 Filed 11-19-96; 8:45 am]
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