[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 118 (Friday, June 19, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33692-33693]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-16332]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Assessment for
Determining the Future Role of Leadville National Fish Hatchery,
Leadville, CO
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability of the Draft Environmental Assessment
for determining the future role of the Leadville National Fish
Hatchery, a whirling disease and bacterial kidney disease positive
facility.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mountain-Prairie Region,
has developed a draft environmental assessment on the future operation
of the Leadville National Fish Hatchery in light of the discovery of
whirling disease at the Hatchery in May, 1995. This notice advises the
public that the Service proposes to continue fish production at the
Leadville Hatchery and line all earthen rearing units in order to
reduce tubifex worm populations which host whirling disease, and
therefore control (reduce) whirling disease infection levels at the
Hatchery. Lining earthen rearing units will also help prevent bacterial
kidney disease epidemics.
This draft environmental assessment has been developed by Service
biologists in coordination with the Colorado Division of Wildlife,
private conservation organizations, and the general public. The
assessment considers the biological, environmental, and socioeconomic
effects of operating the Hatchery, stocking whirling disease-positive
trout in Colorado, and lining earthen rearing units. The assessment
evaluates nine alternative actions and potential impacts of those
alternatives on the environment. Written comments or recommendations
concerning the proposal are welcomed, and should be sent to the address
below.
DATES: The draft assessment will be available to the public for review
and comment on June 15, 1998. Written comments must be received no
later than July 20, 1998, to be considered in developing a final
environmental assessment.
ADDRESSES: Comments and requests for copies of the assessment should be
addressed to Mr. John Hamill, Associate Manager (Colorado), U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, Denver Federal Center, P.O. Box 25486, Denver,
Colorado 80225.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Leadville Hatchery currently produces
39,000 pounds of fish annually for Fryingpan-Arkansas Project waters
mitigation per a Memorandum of Agreement with the Bureau of
Reclamation: 13,000 pounds for the Grand Valley as per an agreement
with Colorado Division of Wildlife to mitigate lost recreational
fishing opportunities due to recovery activities on the Colorado River
authorized under the Endangered Species Act; 30,000 pounds (cost
reimbursable) for Military waters in Colorado Springs and Denver as per
an agreement with the
[[Page 33693]]
Department of Defense authorized by the Sikes Act; and 3,000 pounds for
the Hatchery public fishing ponds.
Whirling disease was first detected in Colorado in 1987 and has
since been detected in 13 major river basins, 16 State fish hatcheries,
and the Leadville Hatchery. Reports that whirling disease was
responsible for decreases in wild rainbow trout recruitment in the
upper Colorado River in Colorado during 1994 and 1995, and population
declines of wild rainbow trout in the upper Madison River, Montana
beginning in 1991 caused significant concern over the disease's effects
on wild trout populations in Colorado. Colorado Division of Wildlife
has responded to this concern by adopting new policies and regulations
in January 1997 which severely restrict the stocking locations of fish
produced at hatcheries were whirling disease has been detected.
Nine alternatives for the disposition of the Leadville Hatchery
were formulated utilizing input from the public, environmental
organizations, and resource agencies. Each alternative was evaluated
for consistency with Service priorities, compliance with Service
operational and fish health policies, compliance with Colorado Division
of Wildlife regulations, preservation of the historical value of the
Hatchery, potential for spreading whirling disease and other fish
diseases to native fish and wild fish in Colorado, and cost
effectiveness. Alternative 1 (current program, no action) was used as a
baseline for evaluation of the environmental impacts of the other
alternatives.
The Service designated Alternative 2a as the preferred alternative.
This is strictly a preliminary decision which will be reevaluated after
comments from the public are received. Alternative 2a was chosen as the
most feasible means of fulfilling fish stocking obligations while
taking progressive action towards controlling whirling disease
infection levels. Disease monitoring indicates that the earthen lakes
and ponds used for fish production are the most significant sources of
disease on the Hatchery. Lining these rearing units would vastly reduce
tubifex worm populations at the Hatchery which host the disease.
Alternative 2b (installing hatchery influent ozonation facility) will
be considered in the future if funding can be attained.
Although construction costs are lower for Alternatives 3a and 3b,
these alternatives would necessitate termination of production for
Fryingpan-Arkansas Project waters. These alternatives are not as cost
effective in the long run due to a significant decrease in fish
production and increase in cost per pound of fish produced.
Alternatives 4, 5a, and 5b emphasize production of native cutthroat
trout utilizing spring water in the Hatchery building. Under current
Service policies and Colorado Division of Wildlife regulations, such
trout can only be certified as whirling disease-negative if all fish
production utilizing open water supplies is terminated. Therefore,
Alternative 4 (maintaining production using open water supplies) cannot
be achieved under current Service policies and Colorado Division of
Wildlife regulations. Alternatives 5a and 5b (ceasing all production
using open water supplies) are not cost effective since only 500 to
3,000 pounds of trout could be achieved in producing whirling disease
negative fingerlings due to the proximity of whirling disease to the
Hatchery building. It would be more practical to use currently whirling
disease-negative hatchery facilities to produce disease-free native
cutthroat trout for restoration purposes.
Alternative 6 (closing the Hatchery and transferring ownership) was
not chosen due to opposition from the general public, and because the
Service desires to continue to honor the obligations for fish
production currently being fulfilled by the Leadville Hatchery. Since
the Leadville Hatchery stocks waters where there is no trout
reproduction, where whirling disease already exists, and at
considerable distances from uncontaminated waters, the Service believes
that the most feasible means of fulfilling these obligations is by
continuing to produce the fish at the Leadville Hatchery.
Author: The primary author of this notice is Mr. John Hamill (See
ADDRESSES section) (telephone 303/236-8155, extension 252).
Authority: The authority for this action is the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (P.L. 91-190, 42 U.S.C.
et seq.).
Dated: June 12, 1998.
Ralph O. Morgenweck,
Regional Director, Region 6, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 98-16332 Filed 6-18-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M
