Finding of No Significant Impact for Burlington Bottoms Wildlife Mitigation Project

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Bonneville Power Administration

Finding of No Significant Impact for Burlington Bottoms Wildlife

Mitigation Project

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

(DOE).

ACTION: Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).

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

SUMMARY: This notice announces BPA's proposal to fund wildlife

management and enhancement activities for the Burlington Bottoms

wetlands mitigation site. Acquired by BPA in 1991, wildlife habitat at

Burlington Bottoms would contribute toward the goal of mitigation for

wildlife losses and inundation of wildlife habitat due to the

construction of Federal dams in the lower Columbia and Willamette River

Basins. BPA has prepared an environmental assessment (DOE/EA-0928)

evaluating the potential environmental effects of the proposed project.

Alternative 1 (Proposed Action) evaluated maintenance and enhancement

of the property with limited public access; Alternative 2 evaluated

maintenance and enhancement of the property with no public access; and

Alternative 3 evaluated the No-Action Alternative. Maintenance and

enhancement under Alternative 1 would not cause significant

environmental impact because: (1) There would be no adverse impacts on

soils, air quality, water quality, wildlife (including no effect on

endangered species), vegetation, fish, and land use; and (2) there

would be no effect on cultural resources. Based on the analysis in the

environmental assessment (EA), BPA has determined that the proposed

action is not a major Federal action significantly affecting the

quality of the human environment, within the meaning of the National

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. Therefore, the preparation of

an environmental impact statement (EIS) is not required and BPA is

issuing this FONSI.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND COPIES OF THE EA, CONTACT: John Taves,

Bonneville Power Administration--EC-5, P.O. Box 3621, Portland, Oregon

97208-3621, phone number 503-230-4995, or Charles Craig, Bonneville

Power Administration--EWP/State, P.O. Box 3621, Portland, Oregon 97208-

3621, phone number 503-231-6964; or the Public Involvement and

Information office voice TTY 503-230-3478 in Portland, or toll free 1-

800-622-4519.

Public Availability: This FONSI will be distributed to all persons

and agencies known to be interested in or affected by the proposed

action or alternatives.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under provisions of the Pacific Northwest

Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act of 1980 (Northwest Power

Act), BPA has the authority and obligation to fund wildlife mitigation

activities approved by the Northwest Power Planning Council (Council)

and included in the Council's Fish and Wildlife Program (Program). The

initial phase of mitigation planning for wildlife habitat losses was

submitted to the Council for amendment into the Program in 1989. The

Program includes a process for review of habitat losses and design of

mitigation plans for each Federal hydro project in the Willamette and

Columbia River Basins (Section 1002). In 1989, the Council amended the

Program to include wildlife habitat losses resulting from construction

and operation of Bonneville, The Dalles, John Day, and McNary Dams.

Consistent with section 1003(7) of the Program's Wildlife Mitigation

Rule, BPA proposes to fund projects that are intended to help reach the

Council's mitigation goals. BPA funding would provide management of

habitat management, recreation, hydrology, cultural resources, and

public access to the area.

Under Alternative 1, the proposed action, control or eradication of

non-native invasive plant species and re-establishment or enhancement

of native plants would be beneficial to fish and wildlife and would not

significantly impact other environmental resources.

Control of non-native fish and wildlife populations through

trapping and netting would be beneficial by reducing competition with

native species for resources.

Control of non-native invasive plant species at Burlington Bottoms

may include the burning of vegetation (Reed canary grass) in certain

areas (pasture [[Page 2384]] habitat) and at certain times of the year.

This may cause, for the short term, an increase in carbon monoxide and

smoke particulates. Burning would be coordinated with the Oregon

Department of Environmental Quality to ensure that impacts to air

quality would be minimal.

To avoid adverse impacts to fish and wildlife habitat, management

of public access will include the use of interpretive signs to educate

visitors on the need to stay in designated areas, using vegetation as a

natural barrier to prevent off-trail use, and/or having seasonal

restrictions on visitor access.

Timing and location of management activities (burning of Reed

canary grass, mechanical removal of blackberries, and trapping of

bullfrogs) would occur in such a manner as to minimize disturbance to

native fish and wildlife, especially during such critical periods as

the breeding season for waterfowl.

A cultural resource survey was performed on the Burlington Bottoms

site in September of 1994. No prehistoric materials were observed,

possibly due to twentieth century fill material and dense vegetation

which obscure the ground surface, hindering recognition of these

resources. Any ground-disturbing activities (e.g., excavations or

surface leveling) related to the construction of the trail and wildlife

viewing areas and the placement of interpretive signs will be monitored

by an archaeologist since it is possible that unrecorded prehistoric

sites exist beneath the ground surface.

Determination: Based on the information in the EA, summarized here,

BPA determines that the proposed action is not a major Federal action

significantly affecting the quality of the human environment within the

meaning of NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. Therefore, an EIS will not be

prepared and BPA is issuing this FONSI.

Issued in Portland, Oregon, on December 28, 1994.

Randall W. Hardy,

Administrator and Chief Executive Officer.

[FR Doc. 95-438 Filed 1-6-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450-01-P-M