[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 172 (Wednesday, September 4, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46635-46636]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-22480]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Corps of Engineers
Intent to Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement,
Environmental Restoration, Jackson Hole, Wyoming
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Walla Walla
District, intends to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The EIS will
evaluate the environmental effects of providing environmental
restoration to riverine, wetland, and riparian habitat for four sites
within the active Snake River channel between Grand Teton National Park
and the South Park Elk Feed Grounds in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Teton
County and the Teton County Natural Resources District are cost sharing
sponsors and participating partners in the project and in developing
the EIS.
The objective of this study is to provide site-specific restoration
measures. Formulation of the restoration activities focuses on
examining the condition of the existing ecosystem and determining the
feasibility of restoring degraded ecosystem structure, function, and
dynamic processes to a less degraded and more natural condition.
Ecosystem restoration provides a more comprehensive approach than
focusing only on fish and wildlife habitat for addressing problems
associated with disturbed and degraded ecological resources.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Please contact Mr. Bill MacDonald, Study Manager, Walla Walla District,
Corps of Engineers, CENPW-PL-PF, 201 North Third Avenue, Walla Walla,
WA 99362, phone (509) 527-7253 or Ms. Anneli Aston, NEPA Coordinator,
Walla Walla District, Corps of Engineers, CENPW-PL-ER, 201 North Third
Avenue, Walla Walla, WA 99362, phone (509) 527-7263.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: By focusing on the Upper Snake River
ecosystem structure, the Corps' interdisciplinary planning team will
identify parameters that are altering water quantity or quality and
adversely impacting the ecosystem, or parts thereof, within the
watershed. Consideration must be given, during plan formulation, to
those activities and conditions in the watershed that may influence the
success and resilience of the restoration proposal, even though they
may exist outside of the study area. Hydrology and sediment transport
are two key functions that must be investigated in order for this
restoration effort to be successful.
Alternatives: Along a 25-mile reach of the Snake and Gros Ventre
rivers, twelve locations which showed the best potential for
restoration were selected for evaluation. In an effort to reduce the
scope and cost of the study, the number of sites was reduced to four.
Alternatives that could be implemented at the four sites include:
a. Channel restoration to rehabilitate fisheries.
b. Island protection measures to preserve riparian island values.
c. Island restoration measures to restore riparian island values.
d. Fish habitat creation through stream structure alteration.
e. Headgate opportunities to provide for future water diversions to
restore spring creeks, wetlands, and riparian habitats.
f. No action.
Scoping Process: The Corps invites affected Federal, state and
local
[[Page 46636]]
agencies, Native American tribes, and other interested organizations,
parties, and the public to participate in the scoping process for the
EIS. Input from other agencies and organizations that have a special
interest and expertise in key resource areas such as fisheries,
wildlife, water quality, hydrology, and stream restoration techniques
is welcome. The EIS process includes environmental review and
consultation in accordance with other environmental statutes, rules,
and regulations which apply to the proposed action.
Scoping meeting: A public scoping meeting for the EIS will be held
in Jackson, Wyoming on September 25, 1996. Time and location
information will be advertised and provided in a scoping letter that
will be distributed throughout the region.
Availability: The draft EIS should be available in September 1998.
Gregory D. Showalter,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 96-22480 Filed 9-3-96; 8:45 am]
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