Melvin R. Sampson Hatchery, Yakima Basin Coho Project, 70770-70771 [2015-28936]

Download as PDF 70770 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 220 / Monday, November 16, 2015 / Notices DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Bonneville Power Administration Melvin R. Sampson Hatchery, Yakima Basin Coho Project Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Department of Energy (DOE). ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and notice of floodplain and wetlands assessment. AGENCY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), BPA intends to prepare an EIS to determine whether to fund the Confederated Tribes of the Yakama Nation’s proposal to construct and operate a hatchery for coho salmon in the upper Yakima basin. The Melvin R. Sampson Hatchery would involve construction of a hatchery on 50 acres of land owned by the Yakama Nation in Kittitas County, Washington. Hatchery operations would include collection of adult coho for broodstock at the existing Roza and Sunnyside dams, incubation and rearing of up to 200,000 juvenile coho salmon, and release of smolts into the Yakima and Naches rivers. Coho were extirpated from the Yakima basin by the early 1980s. The proposal would augment anadromous fish populations available for harvest and aid natural spawning of coho in the Yakima basin. With this Notice of Intent, BPA is initiating the public scoping process for the EIS. BPA is requesting comments about potential environmental impacts that should be considered as an EIS is prepared. In accordance with DOE floodplain and wetland regulations, BPA will analyze impacts to floodplain and wetlands as well as measures to avoid or minimize potential effects. The assessment will be included in the EIS. DATES: Written comments are due to the address below no later than January 4, 2016. Comments may also be made at the scoping meeting to be held on December 9, 2015 at the addresses below. ADDRESSES: Comments on the proposed scope of the Draft EIS and requests to be placed on the project mailing list may be mailed by letter to Bonneville Power Administration, Public Affairs Office— DKE–7, P.O. Box 3621, Portland, OR 97208–3621, or sent by fax to 503–230– 4019. You may also call BPA’s toll-free comment hotline at 1–800–622–4519 and leave a message (please include the name of the project), or submit tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:47 Nov 13, 2015 Jkt 238001 comments online at www.bpa.gov/ comment. All comments received will be accessible from the project Web site at www.bpa.gov/goto/ MelvinSampsonHatchery. On Wednesday, December 9, 2015, a scoping meeting will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Hal Holmes Community Center, 209 N. Ruby Street, Ellensburg, Washington 98926. At this informal open-house meeting, BPA will provide project information and maps and will make members of the project team available to answer questions and accept verbal and written comments. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dave Goodman, Environmental Protection Specialist, Bonneville Power Administration, KEC–4, P.O. Box 3621, Portland, OR 97208–3621; toll-free telephone 1–800–282–3713; direct telephone 503–230–4764; or email jdgoodman@bpa.gov. Additional information can be found at the project Web site: www.bpa.gov/goto/ MelvinSampsonHatchery. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: BPA’s funding of the Yakama Nation’s project would support efforts to protect, mitigate, and enhance fish and wildlife affected by the development and operation of the Federal Columbia River Power System in the mainstem Columbia River and its tributaries under the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act of 1980 (Act) (16 U.S.C. 839b(h)(10)). The Act requires BPA to fund fish and wildlife protection, mitigation, and enhancement actions consistent with the Northwest Power and Conservation Council’s (Council) Fish and Wildlife Program and the purposes of the Act. Under this program, the Council makes recommendations to BPA concerning which fish and wildlife projects to fund. This project was recommended to BPA by the Council. In addition to its responsibilities under the Act, on May 2, 2008, BPA, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers signed the 2008 Columbia Basin Fish Accords Memorandum of Agreement with the Yakama Nation. The agreement includes funding for this hatchery project, subject to compliance with NEPA and other environmental review requirements. The project is a component of the Yakima-Klickitat Fisheries Project EIS, which was completed in 1996. The proposal is also consistent with the policy direction in BPA’s Fish and Wildlife Implementation Plan, which calls for protecting weak stocks while sustaining overall populations of fish for their economic and cultural value, including long-term harvest opportunities. PO 00000 Frm 00024 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 The hatchery would be located approximately 5 miles northwest of Ellensburg, WA, between Interstate 90 and Highway 10. Construction of the hatchery would include a 28,000square-foot hatchery and administration building, an adult holding and spawning facility, intake screens and a pump station to provide water from an existing irrigation canal, three new groundwater wells and acquisition of water rights, a new centralized degassing head box for groundwater treatment and supply, a waste treatment pond, and two 2,000-square-foot residences for hatchery staff. The proposed hatchery would produce up to 200,000 yearling coho smolts. Project operations would include collection of broodstock from the Roza Dam in Kittitas County, Washington and the Sunnyside Dam in Yakima County, Washington. Fish would be acclimated at existing acclimation sites adjacent to release locations and released into the tributaries and mainstem reaches of the upper Yakima and Naches rivers. Fish would be 100 percent coded wire-tagged and different wire tag codes would be used to distinguish release locations. BPA will be the lead agency for preparation of the EIS. Cooperating agencies for the EIS may be identified as the proposed project proceeds through the NEPA process. Alternatives Proposed for Consideration: In the EIS, BPA is considering two alternatives: To fund the proposed hatchery and a no action alternative of not funding the proposal. Other viable alternatives brought forth through the scoping process may also be evaluated in the EIS. Public Participation and Identification of Environmental Issues: The potential environmental issues identified so far for this project include effects of hatchery operations on water quality; the risk of competition between increasing numbers of coho and Endangered Species Act-listed fish such as bull trout; potential effects on soil, aesthetics, water quality, and climate change due to the construction of permanent facilities; and the social, cultural, and economic effects of project construction and operations, as well as harvest. BPA has established a 30-day scoping period during which affected landowners, concerned citizens, special interest groups, local governments, and any other interested parties are invited to comment on the scope of the proposed EIS. Scoping will help BPA ensure that a full range of issues related to this proposal are addressed in the EIS, and will help to identify significant E:\FR\FM\16NON1.SGM 16NON1 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 220 / Monday, November 16, 2015 / Notices or potentially significant impacts that may result from the proposed project. When completed, the Draft EIS will be circulated for review and comment, and BPA will hold at least one public comment meeting for the Draft EIS. BPA will consider and respond in the Final EIS to comments received on the Draft EIS. BPA’s subsequent decision will be documented in a Record of Decision. Maps and further information are available from BPA at the address above. Issued in Portland, Oregon on November 4, 2015. Elliot E. Mainzer, Administrator and Chief Executive Officer. [FR Doc. 2015–28936 Filed 11–13–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450–01–P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP16–12–000] tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, L.L.C.; Notice of Application Take notice that on October 26, 2015, Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, L.L.C. (Tennessee), 1001 Louisiana Street, Houston, Texas 77002, filed an application pursuant to section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) requesting authorization to construct and operate its Southwest Louisiana Supply Project to provide 295,000 dekatherms per day of incremental capacity to serve Mitsubishi Corporation and MMGS, Inc. Specifically, Tennessee proposes to construct (i) approximately 2.4 miles of 30-inch-diameter pipeline lateral in Madison Parish, Louisiana; (ii) approximately 1.4 miles of 30-inchdiameter pipeline lateral in Richland and Franklin Parishes, Louisiana; (iii) five meter stations to allow Tennessee to receive gas on its existing 800 Line from five interconnecting pipelines; (iv) one new compressor station in Franklin Parish, Louisiana; and (v) to replace a turbine engine at an existing compressor station in Rapides Parish, Louisiana. Tennessee estimates the cost of the Project to be $170,453,208, all as more fully set forth in the application which is on file with the Commission and open to public inspection. The filing is available for review at the Commission in the Public Reference Room or may be viewed on the Commission’s Web site at https://www.ferc.gov using the ‘‘eLibrary’’ link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket number field to access the document. For assistance, contact FERC VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:47 Nov 13, 2015 Jkt 238001 at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or call toll-free, (886) 208–3676 or TYY, (202) 502–8659. Any questions concerning this application may be directed to Patrick Stewart, Senior Counsel, Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, L.L.C., 1001 Louisiana Street, Houston, Texas 77002, by telephone at (713) 369–8765, by facsimile at (713) 420–1601, or by email at Patrick_Stewart@kindermorgan.com. Pursuant to section 157.9 of the Commission’s rules, 18 CFR 157.9, within 90 days of this Notice, the Commission staff will either: Complete its environmental assessment (EA) and place it into the Commission’s public record (eLibrary) for this proceeding; or issue a Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review. If a Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review is issued, it will indicate, among other milestones, the anticipated date for the Commission staff’s issuance of the final environmental impact statement (FEIS) or EA for this proposal. The filing of the EA in the Commission’s public record for this proceeding or the issuance of a Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review will serve to notify federal and state agencies of the timing for the completion of all necessary reviews, and the subsequent need to complete all federal authorizations within 90 days of the date of issuance of the Commission staff’s FEIS or EA. There are two ways to become involved in the Commission’s review of this project. First, any person wishing to obtain legal status by becoming a party to the proceedings for this project should, on or before the comment date stated below file with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, a motion to intervene in accordance with the requirements of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214 or 385.211) and the Regulations under the NGA (18 CFR 157.10). A person obtaining party status will be placed on the service list maintained by the Secretary of the Commission and will receive copies of all documents filed by the applicant and by all other parties. A party must submit five copies of filings made in the proceeding with the Commission and must mail a copy to the applicant and to every other party. Only parties to the proceeding can ask for court review of Commission orders in the proceeding. However, a person does not have to intervene in order to have comments considered. The second way to participate is by filing with the Secretary of the Commission, as soon as possible, an original and two copies of comments in support of or in opposition PO 00000 Frm 00025 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 70771 to this project. The Commission will consider these comments in determining the appropriate action to be taken, but the filing of a comment alone will not serve to make the filer a party to the proceeding. The Commission’s rules require that persons filing comments in opposition to the project provide copies of their protests only to the party or parties directly involved in the protest. Persons who wish to comment only on the environmental review of this project should submit an original and two copies of their comments to the Secretary of the Commission. Environmental commenters will be placed on the Commission’s environmental mailing list, will receive copies of the environmental documents, and will be notified of meetings associated with the Commission’s environmental review process. Environmental commenters will not be required to serve copies of filed documents on all other parties. However, the non-party commenters will not receive copies of all documents filed by other parties or issued by the Commission (except for the mailing of environmental documents issued by the Commission) and will not have the right to seek court review of the Commission’s final order. The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings of comments, protests and interventions in lieu of paper using the ‘‘eFiling’’ link at https:// www.ferc.gov. Persons unable to file electronically should submit an original and five copies of the protest or intervention to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426. Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on November 30, 2015. Dated: November 9, 2015. Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr., Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. 2015–29148 Filed 11–13–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717–01–P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP16–14–000] Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC; Notice of Request Under Blanket Authorization Take notice that on November 2, 2015, Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC (Columbia), pursuant to its blanket certificate authorization granted in E:\FR\FM\16NON1.SGM 16NON1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 220 (Monday, November 16, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70770-70771]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-28936]



[[Page 70770]]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Bonneville Power Administration


Melvin R. Sampson Hatchery, Yakima Basin Coho Project

AGENCY: Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Department of Energy 
(DOE).

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) and notice of floodplain and wetlands assessment.

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

SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA), BPA intends to prepare an EIS to determine whether to fund the 
Confederated Tribes of the Yakama Nation's proposal to construct and 
operate a hatchery for coho salmon in the upper Yakima basin.
    The Melvin R. Sampson Hatchery would involve construction of a 
hatchery on 50 acres of land owned by the Yakama Nation in Kittitas 
County, Washington. Hatchery operations would include collection of 
adult coho for broodstock at the existing Roza and Sunnyside dams, 
incubation and rearing of up to 200,000 juvenile coho salmon, and 
release of smolts into the Yakima and Naches rivers.
    Coho were extirpated from the Yakima basin by the early 1980s. The 
proposal would augment anadromous fish populations available for 
harvest and aid natural spawning of coho in the Yakima basin.
    With this Notice of Intent, BPA is initiating the public scoping 
process for the EIS. BPA is requesting comments about potential 
environmental impacts that should be considered as an EIS is prepared.
    In accordance with DOE floodplain and wetland regulations, BPA will 
analyze impacts to floodplain and wetlands as well as measures to avoid 
or minimize potential effects. The assessment will be included in the 
EIS.

DATES: Written comments are due to the address below no later than 
January 4, 2016. Comments may also be made at the scoping meeting to be 
held on December 9, 2015 at the addresses below.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the proposed scope of the Draft EIS and requests 
to be placed on the project mailing list may be mailed by letter to 
Bonneville Power Administration, Public Affairs Office--DKE-7, P.O. Box 
3621, Portland, OR 97208-3621, or sent by fax to 503-230-4019. You may 
also call BPA's toll-free comment hotline at 1-800-622-4519 and leave a 
message (please include the name of the project), or submit comments 
online at www.bpa.gov/comment. All comments received will be accessible 
from the project Web site at www.bpa.gov/goto/MelvinSampsonHatchery.
    On Wednesday, December 9, 2015, a scoping meeting will be held from 
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Hal Holmes Community Center, 209 N. Ruby 
Street, Ellensburg, Washington 98926. At this informal open-house 
meeting, BPA will provide project information and maps and will make 
members of the project team available to answer questions and accept 
verbal and written comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dave Goodman, Environmental Protection 
Specialist, Bonneville Power Administration, KEC-4, P.O. Box 3621, 
Portland, OR 97208-3621; toll-free telephone 1-800-282-3713; direct 
telephone 503-230-4764; or email jdgoodman@bpa.gov. Additional 
information can be found at the project Web site: www.bpa.gov/goto/MelvinSampsonHatchery.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: BPA's funding of the Yakama Nation's project 
would support efforts to protect, mitigate, and enhance fish and 
wildlife affected by the development and operation of the Federal 
Columbia River Power System in the mainstem Columbia River and its 
tributaries under the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and 
Conservation Act of 1980 (Act) (16 U.S.C. 839b(h)(10)). The Act 
requires BPA to fund fish and wildlife protection, mitigation, and 
enhancement actions consistent with the Northwest Power and 
Conservation Council's (Council) Fish and Wildlife Program and the 
purposes of the Act. Under this program, the Council makes 
recommendations to BPA concerning which fish and wildlife projects to 
fund. This project was recommended to BPA by the Council. In addition 
to its responsibilities under the Act, on May 2, 2008, BPA, the Bureau 
of Reclamation, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers signed the 2008 
Columbia Basin Fish Accords Memorandum of Agreement with the Yakama 
Nation. The agreement includes funding for this hatchery project, 
subject to compliance with NEPA and other environmental review 
requirements. The project is a component of the Yakima-Klickitat 
Fisheries Project EIS, which was completed in 1996. The proposal is 
also consistent with the policy direction in BPA's Fish and Wildlife 
Implementation Plan, which calls for protecting weak stocks while 
sustaining overall populations of fish for their economic and cultural 
value, including long-term harvest opportunities.
    The hatchery would be located approximately 5 miles northwest of 
Ellensburg, WA, between Interstate 90 and Highway 10. Construction of 
the hatchery would include a 28,000-square-foot hatchery and 
administration building, an adult holding and spawning facility, intake 
screens and a pump station to provide water from an existing irrigation 
canal, three new groundwater wells and acquisition of water rights, a 
new centralized degassing head box for groundwater treatment and 
supply, a waste treatment pond, and two 2,000-square-foot residences 
for hatchery staff.
    The proposed hatchery would produce up to 200,000 yearling coho 
smolts. Project operations would include collection of broodstock from 
the Roza Dam in Kittitas County, Washington and the Sunnyside Dam in 
Yakima County, Washington. Fish would be acclimated at existing 
acclimation sites adjacent to release locations and released into the 
tributaries and mainstem reaches of the upper Yakima and Naches rivers. 
Fish would be 100 percent coded wire-tagged and different wire tag 
codes would be used to distinguish release locations.
    BPA will be the lead agency for preparation of the EIS. Cooperating 
agencies for the EIS may be identified as the proposed project proceeds 
through the NEPA process.
    Alternatives Proposed for Consideration: In the EIS, BPA is 
considering two alternatives: To fund the proposed hatchery and a no 
action alternative of not funding the proposal. Other viable 
alternatives brought forth through the scoping process may also be 
evaluated in the EIS.
    Public Participation and Identification of Environmental Issues: 
The potential environmental issues identified so far for this project 
include effects of hatchery operations on water quality; the risk of 
competition between increasing numbers of coho and Endangered Species 
Act-listed fish such as bull trout; potential effects on soil, 
aesthetics, water quality, and climate change due to the construction 
of permanent facilities; and the social, cultural, and economic effects 
of project construction and operations, as well as harvest.
    BPA has established a 30-day scoping period during which affected 
landowners, concerned citizens, special interest groups, local 
governments, and any other interested parties are invited to comment on 
the scope of the proposed EIS. Scoping will help BPA ensure that a full 
range of issues related to this proposal are addressed in the EIS, and 
will help to identify significant

[[Page 70771]]

or potentially significant impacts that may result from the proposed 
project.
    When completed, the Draft EIS will be circulated for review and 
comment, and BPA will hold at least one public comment meeting for the 
Draft EIS. BPA will consider and respond in the Final EIS to comments 
received on the Draft EIS. BPA's subsequent decision will be documented 
in a Record of Decision.
    Maps and further information are available from BPA at the address 
above.

    Issued in Portland, Oregon on November 4, 2015.
Elliot E. Mainzer,
Administrator and Chief Executive Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-28936 Filed 11-13-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P

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