Notice of Intent (Notice) To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Proposed U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Habitat Protection Activities in Selected Areas Within the Western Portions of Washington, Oregon, and Northern California

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Notice of Intent (Notice) To Prepare an Environmental Impact

Statement for Proposed U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Habitat

Protection Activities in Selected Areas Within the Western Portions of

Washington, Oregon, and Northern California

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: This Notice advises the public the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service (Service) intends to gather information necessary for the

preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS); ``U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service Habitat Protection in Selected Areas of the Middle-

Upper Pacific Coast.'' This Notice is being furnished pursuant to

Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing National

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Regulations (40 CFR 1508.022).

WRITTEN COMMENTS INFORMATION: Interested agencies, organizations, and

individuals are encouraged to provide written comments to the Service

during the scoping period. Written comments should be received within

45 days after publication of this Notice. Address comments to the EIS

Team Leader as shown below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Paul Benvenuti, EIS Team Leader, Planning Branch, Division of Realty,

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 911 Northeast 11th Avenue, Portland,

Oregon 97232-4181, (503) 231-2231.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the proposed action is to

identify and implement a strategy for Service habitat protection

activities in support of the Pacific Coast Joint Venture (Joint

Venture) though the year 2010.

The Joint Venture is a nonfederal coalition of private groups and

government agencies that strives to coordinate efforts to protect and

maintain important wetlands and related habitats on the Pacific Coast

of North America, from northern California to northern British

Columbia. Its efforts are directed toward supporting the waterfowl

management goals of the North American Plan, maintenance of biological

diversity, protection of endangered and otherwise sensitive wildlife,

and maintenance and enhancement of anadromous fish and other native

fish and shellfish populations.

The Service proposes to support the goals of the Joint Venture by

ensuring increased habitat protection at selected target areas

identified in the Pacific Coast Joint Venture Strategic Plan (Strategic

Plan). Such protection could take the form of easements, leases,

cooperative agreements, or fee title purchases from willing sellers.

Loss and degradation of estuarine and freshwater and wetland

habitats have contributed significantly to decline in populations of

many of the region's wildlife species. In some areas, development has

eliminated thousands of hectares of tidal wetlands.

This EIS will explore a range of alternative methods for protecting

wildlife habitat within the Joint Venture. Some of the possible

alternatives could emphasize cooperative efforts in which most lands

remain in private ownership, other alternatives may recommend fee title

land acquisition from willing sellers and the establishment of new

units of the National Wildlife Refuge System.

The alternatives examined in the EIS will be limited to the habitat

protection activities of the Service. The activities of other Joint

Venture partners will not be considered, since they are not Federal

actions or contain Federal actions (such as grants or permits) that

cannot be controlled or adequately foreseen by the Service.

The actions under consideration are limited to those areas

identified in the Strategic Plan and do not consider possible actions

beyond the year 2010.

This EIS will focus on the methods of habitat protection. The scope

and timing of possible future site specific operational planning

efforts cannot be predicted at this time since it depends on which

protection methods are used, the willingness of landowners to

participate, and the availability of funding.

Significant issues identified for review include: natural resource

impacts, recreation and public use impacts, agricultural industry

impacts, forest industry impacts, fishing industry impacts, and other

socioeconomic impacts.

The Service urges all interested parties to provide comments

regarding this proposed scope for the EIS, the alternatives to be

developed, and the potential significant environmental impacts which

may occur from the implementation of alternative actions.

The environmental review of this project will be conducted in

accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy

Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C., et seq.), Council for Environmental

Quality Regulations for Implementing NEPA (40 CFR part 1500, et seq.),

and other appropriate Federal regulations and Service policies for

compliance with those regulations.

Dated: May 6, 1994.

Don Weathers,

Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

[FR Doc. 94-11634 Filed 5-12-94; 8:45 am]

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