[Federal Register: May 20, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 98)]
[Notices]
[Page 29144-29145]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20my04-59]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
Savage Rapids Pumping Facilities/Dam Removal Project, Josephine
County, Rogue River Basin, OR
AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental assessment (EA) to
determine need for a supplemental environmental impact statement (EIS).
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SUMMARY: Section 220 of the fiscal year 2004 Energy and Water
Appropriations Bill (Pub. L.108-137) authorized the Secretary of the
Interior to construct pumping facilities and remove Savage Rapids Dam.
These actions were evaluated in a 1995 EIS prepared by the Bureau of
Reclamation. Modifications to the preferred alternative identified in
the 1995 EIS are now being considered. Reclamation, pursuant to section
102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as
amended, will prepare an EA to determine if the proposed modifications
would result in significant impacts not addressed in the 1995 EIS. If
the EA indicates that such impacts are likely, Reclamation intends to
prepare a supplemental EIS.
DATES: Written comments identifying issues and concerns regarding the
proposed project's environmental effects will be accepted until June
21, 2004.
ADDRESSES: Comments and requests to be added to the mailing list may be
submitted to the Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Regional
Office, Attention: Robert Hamilton (PN-6309), 1150 North Curtis Road,
Suite 100, Boise, ID 83706-1234.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Hamilton, Bureau of
Reclamation, telephone: 208-378-5087, fax: 208-378-5102, or by e-mail
at Savage_Rapids@pn.usbr.gov. The hearing impaired may contact Mr.
Hamilton at the above number via a toll free TTY relay: 1-800-833-6388.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Savage Rapids Dam is located on the Rogue River in southwestern
Oregon, about 5 miles east of the city of Grants Pass. The privately
owned dam is the primary irrigation diversion facility of the Grants
Pass Irrigation District (GPID).
Fish passage at Savage Rapids Dam has been an issue since the dam
was constructed in 1921 by the GPID. The concrete structure has a
height of 39 feet. A fish ladder was constructed on the north side at
the time the dam was built and a ladder on the south side was completed
in 1934. Rotating fish screens were an initial part of the gravity
diversion. Early attempts to screen the pumping diversion were
unsuccessful, and it remained essentially unscreened until 1958. Fish
passage improvements made in the late 1970's helped reduce losses, but
fish passage problems continue. The existing fish screens at the pump
intake do not meet current criteria of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries.
An EIS for Fish Improvements at Savage Rapids Dam was issued in
August 1995. A Record of Decision was issued in March 1997 indicating
that Reclamation would not pursue implementation of the preferred
alternative (installation of pumping plants with dam removal)
identified in the EIS because of lack of public support.
In 1997 the National Marine Fisheries Service (now NOAA Fisheries)
listed the Southern Oregon-Northern California coho salmon as
threatened. In August 2001, a Consent Decree was issued to settle a
pending Federal court case against GPID under the Endangered Species
Act and a water right cancellation case pending in the Supreme Court of
the State of Oregon. The Consent Decree provided that the GPID should
seek authorization and funding for implementing the Pumping/Dam Removal
Plan as identified in the 1995 EIS, and that the GPID must cease
operating the Dam as its diversion facility by November 1, 2005, with
an extension to November 1, 2006, if necessary. Section 220 of the
fiscal year 2004 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill (Pub. L. 108-137)
authorized the Secretary of the Interior to construct pumping
facilities and remove Savage Rapids Dam.
The general need for the project remains the same as identified in
the 1995 EIS: to improve fish passage while maintaining a water
diversion for the GPID. The original preferred alternative included two
pumping stations (one located on each side of the river) and full dam
removal. Modifications now being considered include substituting a
single large pumping station for the two originally-planned stations;
constructing an overhead pipeline crossing the river; and using some of
the existing dam piers to support a pipe bridge or constructing new
piers. Alternatives related to pump station location may also be
evaluated. Cost-saving measures, including leaving portions of the dam
abutments in place, are also under consideration.
Reclamation will prepare an EA to update the analysis in the 1995
EIS and determine if significant impacts not identified in the 1995 EIS
would result from possible modifications to the original preferred
alternative. If the EA indicates that such impacts are likely,
Reclamation intends to prepare a supplemental EIS.
Identity Disclosure
Our practice is to make comments, including names and home
addresses of respondents, available for public review. Individual
respondents may request that we withhold their home address from public
disclosure, which we will honor to the extent allowable by law. There
also may be circumstances in which we would withhold a respondent's
identity from public disclosure, as allowable by law. If you wish us to
withhold your name and/or
[[Page 29145]]
address, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your
comment. We will make all submissions from organizations or businesses,
and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or
officials of organizations or businesses, available for public
disclosure in their entirety.
Dated: April 17, 2004.
J. William McDonald,
Regional Director, Pacific Northwest Region.
[FR Doc. 04-11403 Filed 5-19-04; 8:45 am]