Designating a Segment of the Klamath River a Component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Secretary

Designating a Segment of the Klamath River a Component of the

National Wild and Scenic Rivers System

AGENCY: Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the authority granted the Secretary of the

Interior by section 2 of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (82 Stat. 906,

16 U.S.C. 1273), and upon proper application of the Governor of the

State of Oregon, an 11-mile segment of the Klamath River is hereby

designated as a State-administered component of the National Wild and

Scenic Rivers System. This action is based on the designation of the

river by the State of Oregon and the protection offered this river and

its immediate environment by and pursuant to applicable State laws and

regulations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan Haas, National Park Service,

Pacific Northwest Regional Office, 909 First Avenue, Seattle,

Washington 98104-1060, telephone (206) 220-4120.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 22, 1993, Oregon Governor Barbara

Roberts petitioned the Secretary of the Interior to add a segment of

the Klamath River to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. (See

Federal Register of March 4, 1994, page 10423.) Section 2(a)(ii) of the

Wild and Scenic Rivers Act allows a governor to request that rivers

already protected in a State System be included in the National System.

In her application, Governor Roberts requested that the 11-mile reach

of the Klamath River from the J.C. Boyle Powerhouse (river mile 220.3)

downstream to the Oregon-California border (river mile 209.3) be

protected as a wild and scenic river. Pursuant to section 2(a)(ii), the

river will be managed by the State of Oregon at no cost to the Federal

Government except for those lands currently managed by the Bureau of

Land Management (BLM).

For a State-managed river to be eligible for the National System,

three conditions must be met: (1) The river must be free-flowing and

possess at least one ``outstandingly remarkable'' natural, cultural or

recreational value, (2) the river must be part of a State system; and

(3) the State must have effective mechanisms in place to protect the

outstandingly remarkable values.

The responsibility for making determinations of eligibility has

been delegated to the National Park Service (NPS). The NPS Pacific

Northwest Region conducted a study and environmental assessment with

the BLM acting as a cooperating agency. In February of 1994, the NPS

released the Draft Klamath Wild & Scenic River Eligibility Report and

Environmental Assessment for public review and comment. A period for

public comment on the report was provided from March 4, 1994, to April

28, 1994. The draft report was finalized based on comments received. On

August 12 the NPS published in the Federal Register a notice that it

had found that designation would not result in impacts significantly

affecting the quality of the environment and invited public comment

through September 9. The notice also announced that the river under

consideration had been found eligible for the National Wild and Scenic

Rivers System and the State of Oregon had met the criteria for

designation.

This action is taken following public involvement and consultation

with the Departments of Agriculture, Army, Energy and Transportation;

the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; all Department of the

Interior agencies; the National Marine Fisheries Service; the States of

Oregon and California; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and

all other Federal agencies that might have an interest.

Based on the recommendations of the NPS and a review of all

relevant documents, I have determined that the 11-mile stretch of the

Klamath River should be designated as a State-administered component of

the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, as provided for in section

2(a)(ii) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Notice is hereby given that

effective upon this date, the segment of the Klamath River from the

J.C. Boyle Powerhouse to the Oregon-California border is approved for

inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System as a National

Scenic River.

Dated: September 22, 1994.

Bruce Babbitt,

Secretary of the Interior.

[FR Doc. 94-25917 Filed 10-18-94; 8:45 am]

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