Fish and Wildlife Service February 5, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announces the availability of the final EIR/EIS for the California Department of Fish and Game's (CDFG) Fish Hatchery and Stocking Program (Program). FWS is lead agency, under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, for the EIR/EIS jointly prepared with CDFG. Under the Sport Fish Restoration Act (SFRA), FWS proposes to fund actions associated with the operation of CDFG's 14 trout hatcheries and the Mad River Hatchery for the anadromous steelhead, and stocking from the 15 hatcheries. The Federal action does not include funding CDFG's other anadromous fish hatcheries and associated stocking, nor its issuance of private stocking permits. SFRA funding may also support CDFG's Fishing in the City and Classroom Aquarium Education Programs. CDFG is the lead agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and proposes to implement hatchery operations and stocking funded by FWS, as well as all other components of the CDFG Program, including anadromous fish hatchery operations and associated stocking, and issuance of stocking permits to private parties seeking to stock fish in California's inland waters. The final EIR/EIS presents Program impact analysis, mitigation for impacts, selection of the preferred alternative, and response to comments received during the comment period for the draft EIR/EIS.