Final Environmental Impact Statement for Drought Management Planning at the Kerr Hydroelectric Project, Flathead Lake, MT, 19989-19990 [2010-8512]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 73 / Friday, April 16, 2010 / Notices gain knowledge on the health of the refuge ecosystem. Education and outreach would be expanded, with an emphasis on cultural and historical resources including groundwater springs. An increase in staff would occur under this alternative in order to place greater emphasis on landscape management. Additional staff members needed to fully implement this alternative would include one position stationed at Watercress Darter NWR and four positions to be shared between Cahaba River NWR and Watercress Darter NWR. Next Step After the comment period ends, we will analyze the comments and address them. Public Availability of Comments Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment, including your personal identifying information, may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Authority This notice is published under the authority of the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, Public Law 105–57. Dated: February 25, 2010. Jeffrey M. Fleming, Acting Regional Director. [FR Doc. 2010–8720 Filed 4–15–10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–55–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Indian Affairs Final Environmental Impact Statement for Drought Management Planning at the Kerr Hydroelectric Project, Flathead Lake, MT WReier-Aviles on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with NOTICES AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability. SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) provides this notice that the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for Drought Management Planning at the Kerr Hydroelectric Project, Flathead Lake, Montana, is now available for public review and comment. VerDate Nov<24>2008 15:07 Apr 15, 2010 Jkt 220001 DATES: The BIA will issue a final decision on drought management planning at the Kerr Hydroelectric Project no sooner than 30 days following the publication date of this notice. Thus, any comments on the FEIS must arrive by May 17, 2010. ADDRESSES: You may mail or hand-carry written comments to: Mr. Bob Dach, Hydropower Program Manager, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 911 NE 11th Avenue, Portland, OR 97232. You may e-mail written comments to: robert.dach@bia.gov. See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice for locations where the FEIS will be available for review and instructions for submitting comments. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Bob Dach, Hydropower Program Manager, Bureau of Indian Affairs, telephone: (503) 231–6711; e-mail: robert.dach@bia.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This FEIS finalizes the draft document, titled Drought Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement, for which notice was provided in the Federal Register on July 26, 2006 (71 FR 42415). The Kerr Hydroelectric Project (Project) is located at river mile 72.0 on the Flathead River, just downstream from Flathead Lake. The Project is within the Flathead Indian Reservation and is operated pursuant to a July 17, 1985, license order issued jointly to PPL Montana, LLC (successor-in-interest to the Montana Power Company) and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (Tribes). The license contains specific operating requirements governing, among other things, lake levels (Article 43) and minimum stream flows (Article 56). Minimum stream flows were required by the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) pursuant to his authority under section 4(e) of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 797(e)) to protect natural resources important to the Tribes. During drought years, the available water supply may not be sufficient to provide minimum stream flows while maintaining Flathead Lake levels. As such, the Secretary also required the licensees to develop a Drought Management Plan (DMP) (Article 60) in an effort both to avoid and resolve potential water use conflicts that may arise under drought conditions. PPL Montana submitted a proposed DMP to the Secretary on March 4, 2002. Under Article 60, the Secretary has the sole authority to reject, modify, or otherwise alter the proposed DMP. Issues addressed in the DEIS included, but were not limited to, PO 00000 Frm 00054 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 19989 effects on hydroelectric power production, recreation, tourism, irrigation, flooding, treaty-protected fisheries, biological resources, wildlife habitat, and Indian traditional and cultural properties and resources. Alternatives to the licensees’ proposed DMP were also evaluated in the DEIS. The FEIS refines the environmental analyses based on comments received on the DEIS from State and Federal agencies, other project stakeholders, and the public. A final decision regarding the framework and requirements of a DMP will be included in a Record of Decision (ROD), expected to be complete by Spring 2010. The ROD will identify the specific actions and procedures that must be included in the final DMP and will state specifically the next steps required by PPL Montana and the Tribes in finalizing the plan. Neither this EIS nor the ROD will include a ‘‘stand alone’’ DMP as required by the license (Article 60), although the ROD will have all of the fundamental components required to be included in the final plan specifically identified. Finalizing the DMP in this manner should facilitate integration of DMP requirements with Kerr Project operational requirements that are best addressed by the licensees. We anticipate that the final DMP will be developed by PPL Montana and the Tribes in consultation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation, and BIA, and filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission by Fall 2010. Directions for Submitting Comments: To submit comments on the FEIS, please include your name, return address and the caption ‘‘FEIS Comments, Drought Management Planning at the Kerr Hydroelectric Project’’ on the first page of your written comments. Directions for Obtaining Review of the FEIS: Copies of the FEIS will be mailed to individuals, agencies, organizations, and companies identified in the Draft EIS. Electronic copies of the FEIS are available upon request by contacting the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice. The document is available electronically at: https:// www.flatheadlake-eis.com/. Copies of the FEIS will also be available for review at the following locations in Montana: • Polson City Library, 21st Avenue East, Polson, MT 59860. • Flathead County Library, 247 1st Avenue East, Kalispell, MT 59901. Public Availability of Comments: Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other E:\FR\FM\16APN1.SGM 16APN1 19990 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 73 / Friday, April 16, 2010 / Notices personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Authority: This notice is published in accordance with section 1503.1 of the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500 through 1508) implementing the procedural requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4371 et seq.) and the Department of the Interior Manual (516 DM 1–6), and is in the exercise of authority delegated to the Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs by 209 DM 8. Dated: March 26, 2010. George T. Skibine, Deputy Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs. [FR Doc. 2010–8512 Filed 4–15–10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–W7–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Reclamation Lake Casitas Resource Management Plan, Ventura County, CA AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has made available the Final EIS for the Lake Casitas Resource Management Plan (RMP). The RMP involves alternatives for future use of the project area for recreation and resource protection and management. A Notice of Availability of the Draft EIS was published in the Federal Register on July 28, 2008 (73 FR 43785). The written comment period on the Draft EIS ended on October 31, 2008. The Final EIS contains responses to all comments received and reflects comments and any additional information received during the review period. DATES: Reclamation will not make a decision on the proposed action until at least 30 days after release of the Final EIS. After the 30-day waiting period, Reclamation will complete a Record of Decision (ROD). The ROD will state the action that will be implemented and will discuss all factors leading to the decision. WReier-Aviles on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Nov<24>2008 15:07 Apr 15, 2010 Jkt 220001 Send requests for a compact disc or a bound copy of the Final EIS to Mr. Jack Collins, Bureau of Reclamation, 1243 N Street, Fresno, CA 93721. Copies of the Final RMP/EIS are available at: https://www.usbr.gov/mp/ nepa/ nepa_projdetails.cfm?Project_ID=792. See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for locations where copies of the Final EIS are available. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jack Collins, Bureau of Reclamation, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., at (559) 349–4544 (TDD (559) 487– 5933) or jwcollins@usbr.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Lake Casitas is an existing reservoir formed by Casitas Dam and located in Ventura County, California. The dam, which stores water for irrigation, municipal and industrial use within the Casitas Municipal Water District (CMWD), was completed in November 1958. Lake Casitas has a storage capacity of 254,000 acre-feet and delivers between 15,000 and 23,000 acre-feet each year. Reclamation, in cooperation with the CMWD, developed the Lake Casitas RMP to establish management objectives, guidelines, and actions for the Lake Casitas Recreation Area (Park) and the 3,500 acres of Open Space Lands north of the Park, which together comprise the Plan Area. The RMP will have a planning horizon of 25 years. The new RMP would: (1) Ensure safe storage and timely delivery of highquality water to users while enhancing natural resources and recreational opportunities; (2) protect natural resources while educating the public about the value of good stewardship; (3) provide recreational opportunities to meet the demands of a growing, diverse population; (4) ensure recreational diversity and the quality of the experience; and (5) provide the updated management considerations for establishing a new management agreement with the managing partner(s). The Final EIS is a program-level analysis of the potential environmental impacts associated with adoption of the RMP. The Final EIS outlines the formulation and evaluation of alternatives designed to address these issues by representing the varied interests present at the Plan Area and identifies Alternative 2 (Enhancement) as the preferred Alternative. The RMP is intended to be predominantly selfmitigating through implementation of RMP management actions and strategies, and the EIS also includes measures intended to reduce the adverse effects of the RMP. ADDRESSES: PO 00000 Frm 00055 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Copies of the Final EIS are available at the following locations: • Bureau of Reclamation, Mid-Pacific Region, Regional Library, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825. • Bureau of Reclamation, SouthCentral California Area Office, 1243 N Street, Fresno, CA 93721. • Ojai Ranger District Station, 1190 East Ojai Avenue, Ojai, CA 93023. • E.P. Foster Public Library, 651 Main Street, Ventura, CA 93001. • Bureau of Reclamation, Denver Office Library, Building 67, Room 167, Denver Federal Center, 6th and Kipling, Denver, CO 80225. • Natural Resources Library, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, NW., Main Interior Building, Washington, DC 20240–0001. Before including your name, address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in any correspondence, you should be aware that your entire correspondence— including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your correspondence to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Dated: January 27, 2010. Mike Chotkowski, Acting Regional Director, Mid-Pacific Region. [FR Doc. 2010–8725 Filed 4–15–10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–MN–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [LLNVS03000 L51010000.ER0000 LVRWF0900290 241A; 10–08807; MO#4500012626; TAS: 14X5017] Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the NextLight Renewable Power, LLC, Silver State Solar Project, Primm, NV AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability. SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, (NEPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Silver State Solar Project, Primm, Nevada, and by this Notice is announcing the opening of the comment period. DATES: To ensure comments will be considered, the BLM must receive written comments on the Silver State Solar Project Draft EIS within 45 days E:\FR\FM\16APN1.SGM 16APN1

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[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 73 (Friday, April 16, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19989-19990]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-8512]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Final Environmental Impact Statement for Drought Management 
Planning at the Kerr Hydroelectric Project, Flathead Lake, MT

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA), the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) provides this notice that 
the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for Drought Management 
Planning at the Kerr Hydroelectric Project, Flathead Lake, Montana, is 
now available for public review and comment.

DATES: The BIA will issue a final decision on drought management 
planning at the Kerr Hydroelectric Project no sooner than 30 days 
following the publication date of this notice. Thus, any comments on 
the FEIS must arrive by May 17, 2010.

ADDRESSES: You may mail or hand-carry written comments to: Mr. Bob 
Dach, Hydropower Program Manager, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 911 NE 11th 
Avenue, Portland, OR 97232. You may e-mail written comments to: 
robert.dach@bia.gov. See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this 
notice for locations where the FEIS will be available for review and 
instructions for submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Bob Dach, Hydropower Program 
Manager, Bureau of Indian Affairs, telephone: (503) 231-6711; e-mail: 
robert.dach@bia.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This FEIS finalizes the draft document, 
titled Drought Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement, for 
which notice was provided in the Federal Register on July 26, 2006 (71 
FR 42415).
    The Kerr Hydroelectric Project (Project) is located at river mile 
72.0 on the Flathead River, just downstream from Flathead Lake. The 
Project is within the Flathead Indian Reservation and is operated 
pursuant to a July 17, 1985, license order issued jointly to PPL 
Montana, LLC (successor-in-interest to the Montana Power Company) and 
the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (Tribes).
    The license contains specific operating requirements governing, 
among other things, lake levels (Article 43) and minimum stream flows 
(Article 56). Minimum stream flows were required by the Secretary of 
the Interior (Secretary) pursuant to his authority under section 4(e) 
of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 797(e)) to protect natural 
resources important to the Tribes.
    During drought years, the available water supply may not be 
sufficient to provide minimum stream flows while maintaining Flathead 
Lake levels. As such, the Secretary also required the licensees to 
develop a Drought Management Plan (DMP) (Article 60) in an effort both 
to avoid and resolve potential water use conflicts that may arise under 
drought conditions. PPL Montana submitted a proposed DMP to the 
Secretary on March 4, 2002. Under Article 60, the Secretary has the 
sole authority to reject, modify, or otherwise alter the proposed DMP.
    Issues addressed in the DEIS included, but were not limited to, 
effects on hydroelectric power production, recreation, tourism, 
irrigation, flooding, treaty-protected fisheries, biological resources, 
wildlife habitat, and Indian traditional and cultural properties and 
resources. Alternatives to the licensees' proposed DMP were also 
evaluated in the DEIS. The FEIS refines the environmental analyses 
based on comments received on the DEIS from State and Federal agencies, 
other project stakeholders, and the public.
    A final decision regarding the framework and requirements of a DMP 
will be included in a Record of Decision (ROD), expected to be complete 
by Spring 2010. The ROD will identify the specific actions and 
procedures that must be included in the final DMP and will state 
specifically the next steps required by PPL Montana and the Tribes in 
finalizing the plan. Neither this EIS nor the ROD will include a 
``stand alone'' DMP as required by the license (Article 60), although 
the ROD will have all of the fundamental components required to be 
included in the final plan specifically identified. Finalizing the DMP 
in this manner should facilitate integration of DMP requirements with 
Kerr Project operational requirements that are best addressed by the 
licensees. We anticipate that the final DMP will be developed by PPL 
Montana and the Tribes in consultation with the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation, and BIA, and filed with the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission by Fall 2010.
    Directions for Submitting Comments: To submit comments on the FEIS, 
please include your name, return address and the caption ``FEIS 
Comments, Drought Management Planning at the Kerr Hydroelectric 
Project'' on the first page of your written comments.
    Directions for Obtaining Review of the FEIS: Copies of the FEIS 
will be mailed to individuals, agencies, organizations, and companies 
identified in the Draft EIS. Electronic copies of the FEIS are 
available upon request by contacting the person listed in the FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice. The document is 
available electronically at: https://www.flatheadlake-eis.com/. Copies 
of the FEIS will also be available for review at the following 
locations in Montana:
     Polson City Library, 21st Avenue East, Polson, MT 59860.
     Flathead County Library, 247 1st Avenue East, Kalispell, 
MT 59901.
    Public Availability of Comments: Before including your address, 
phone number, e-mail address, or other

[[Page 19990]]

personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware 
that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

    Authority:  This notice is published in accordance with section 
1503.1 of the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR 
parts 1500 through 1508) implementing the procedural requirements of 
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 
4371 et seq.) and the Department of the Interior Manual (516 DM 1-
6), and is in the exercise of authority delegated to the Assistant 
Secretary--Indian Affairs by 209 DM 8.

    Dated: March 26, 2010.
George T. Skibine,
Deputy Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2010-8512 Filed 4-15-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-W7-P
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