97-33847. Milltown Hill Project, Douglas County, Oregon

[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 249 (Tuesday, December 30, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67890-67891]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-33847]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Milltown Hill Project, Douglas County, Oregon

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.


[[Page 67891]]


ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a supplement to the final 
environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Reclamation 
(Reclamation) proposes to prepare a supplement to the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Milltown Hill Project. 
The FEIS for the project was filed with the Environmental Protection 
Agency on August 14, 1992. Reclamation's Record of Decision (ROD) on 
the project was signed on November 7, 1992. The FEIS was prepared in 
conjunction with Douglas County's (County) application for a Small 
Reclamation Projects Act loan and grants to develop a dam and reservoir 
at the Milltown Hill site on Elk Creek above Drain, Oregon. To date, 
the project has not yet been implemented. Reclamation believes that due 
to the length of time since the ROD was signed, the recent listing of 
the Umpqua River (UR) cutthroat trout as an endangered species, and the 
subsequent jeopardy opinion received from the National Marine Fisheries 
Service (NMFS) relative to the project's potential effects on the UR 
cutthroat trout, it is appropriate to reexamine the potential effects 
of the project to determine if there is any significant new information 
that bears on the proposed action or its corresponding environmental 
effects. This would encompass an evaluation of any new information 
gathered and derived from: the Endangered Species Act (ESA) 
consultation process, the Clean Water Act permitting process, and 
public and agency comments. The proposed action and the no action 
alternative will be evaluated in the supplement to the FEIS.

ADDRESSES: Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Regional Office, 
1150 N Curtis Road, Suite 100, Boise ID 83706-1234.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the project contact 
Robert Hamilton, telephone [phone]. For information regarding 
the NEPA process contact Robert Christensen, telephone [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The County's loan application was approved 
by the Commissioner of Reclamation and the Secretary of the Interior on 
May 17, 1994, and May 18, 1994, respectively. Congress subsequently 
approved the project and included implementation funding in 
Reclamation's 1996 and 1997 budgets. These funds cannot be used until a 
loan repayment/grant contract between the County and Reclamation has 
been signed.
    The major feature of the project is a 186-foot high roller-
compacted concrete dam, which would create a 24,143-acre-foot reservoir 
on Elk Creek, a tributary of the North Umpqua River. The project dam, 
reservoir, and associated facilities would provide regulated flows of 
water to improve anadromous and resident fisheries; improve water 
quality in Elk and Yoncalla Creeks; provide untreated water to the 
communities of Rice Hill, Yoncalla, and Drain, allowing for municipal 
expansion and industrial diversification; provide supplemental or full 
irrigation service for up to 4,661 acres of arable lands; and provide 
new water-related recreational opportunities. The project would also 
provide limited flood control in and near the city of Drain and would 
provide drainage facilities on project agricultural lands as needed.
    On September 9, 1996, the UR cutthroat trout was listed as 
endangered. On October 23, 1996, Reclamation and the County submitted a 
biological assessment (BA) to NMFS analyzing the effects of the 
proposed project on the listed and proposed species. On December 18, 
1997, NMFS issued its biological opinion under Section 7 of the ESA, 
stating that the proposed project is likely to jeopardize the continued 
existence of UR cutthroat trout and result in adverse modification of 
proposed critical habitat. A reasonable and prudent alternative was 
identified by NMFS to minimize the take of UR cutthroat trout.
    On February 28, 1997, Reclamation sent a letter to over 120 
individuals and organizations and issued a news release regarding the 
proposed Milltown Hill Project located in Douglas County, Oregon. The 
letter and news release provided a public update on the project and 
requested the public's help in identifying any new information or 
issues that should be considered in reevaluating the environmental 
effects of the proposed project. Reclamation received 36 letters of 
comment--2 from Federal and state agencies, 3 from city and local 
agencies, 5 from private organizations, and 26 from private 
individuals. Issues and comments provided in these letters, along with 
issues raised in consultation and permitting processes, have been 
summarized in a scoping document and will guide the analysis presented 
in the supplemental FEIS. The scoping document will be made available 
to all interested parties. Reclamation also welcomes additional written 
comments or any other new issues related to the environmental effects 
of the proposed project. A draft supplemental FEIS will be made 
available for public review and comment in early 1998.

    Dated: December 22, 1997.
John W. Keys, III,
Regional Director, Pacific Northwest Region.
[FR Doc. 97-33847 Filed 12-29-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-M