Milltown Hill Project, Douglas County, Oregon

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

Milltown Hill Project, Douglas County, Oregon

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

[[Page 67891]]

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a supplement to the final

environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental

Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Reclamation

(Reclamation) proposes to prepare a supplement to the Final

Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Milltown Hill Project.

The FEIS for the project was filed with the Environmental Protection

Agency on August 14, 1992. Reclamation's Record of Decision (ROD) on

the project was signed on November 7, 1992. The FEIS was prepared in

conjunction with Douglas County's (County) application for a Small

Reclamation Projects Act loan and grants to develop a dam and reservoir

at the Milltown Hill site on Elk Creek above Drain, Oregon. To date,

the project has not yet been implemented. Reclamation believes that due

to the length of time since the ROD was signed, the recent listing of

the Umpqua River (UR) cutthroat trout as an endangered species, and the

subsequent jeopardy opinion received from the National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS) relative to the project's potential effects on the UR

cutthroat trout, it is appropriate to reexamine the potential effects

of the project to determine if there is any significant new information

that bears on the proposed action or its corresponding environmental

effects. This would encompass an evaluation of any new information

gathered and derived from: the Endangered Species Act (ESA)

consultation process, the Clean Water Act permitting process, and

public and agency comments. The proposed action and the no action

alternative will be evaluated in the supplement to the FEIS.

ADDRESSES: Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Regional Office,

1150 N Curtis Road, Suite 100, Boise ID 83706-1234.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the project contact

Robert Hamilton, telephone (208) 378-5087. For information regarding

the NEPA process contact Robert Christensen, telephone (208) 378-5039.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The County's loan application was approved

by the Commissioner of Reclamation and the Secretary of the Interior on

May 17, 1994, and May 18, 1994, respectively. Congress subsequently

approved the project and included implementation funding in

Reclamation's 1996 and 1997 budgets. These funds cannot be used until a

loan repayment/grant contract between the County and Reclamation has

been signed.

The major feature of the project is a 186-foot high roller-

compacted concrete dam, which would create a 24,143-acre-foot reservoir

on Elk Creek, a tributary of the North Umpqua River. The project dam,

reservoir, and associated facilities would provide regulated flows of

water to improve anadromous and resident fisheries; improve water

quality in Elk and Yoncalla Creeks; provide untreated water to the

communities of Rice Hill, Yoncalla, and Drain, allowing for municipal

expansion and industrial diversification; provide supplemental or full

irrigation service for up to 4,661 acres of arable lands; and provide

new water-related recreational opportunities. The project would also

provide limited flood control in and near the city of Drain and would

provide drainage facilities on project agricultural lands as needed.

On September 9, 1996, the UR cutthroat trout was listed as

endangered. On October 23, 1996, Reclamation and the County submitted a

biological assessment (BA) to NMFS analyzing the effects of the

proposed project on the listed and proposed species. On December 18,

1997, NMFS issued its biological opinion under Section 7 of the ESA,

stating that the proposed project is likely to jeopardize the continued

existence of UR cutthroat trout and result in adverse modification of

proposed critical habitat. A reasonable and prudent alternative was

identified by NMFS to minimize the take of UR cutthroat trout.

On February 28, 1997, Reclamation sent a letter to over 120

individuals and organizations and issued a news release regarding the

proposed Milltown Hill Project located in Douglas County, Oregon. The

letter and news release provided a public update on the project and

requested the public's help in identifying any new information or

issues that should be considered in reevaluating the environmental

effects of the proposed project. Reclamation received 36 letters of

comment--2 from Federal and state agencies, 3 from city and local

agencies, 5 from private organizations, and 26 from private

individuals. Issues and comments provided in these letters, along with

issues raised in consultation and permitting processes, have been

summarized in a scoping document and will guide the analysis presented

in the supplemental FEIS. The scoping document will be made available

to all interested parties. Reclamation also welcomes additional written

comments or any other new issues related to the environmental effects

of the proposed project. A draft supplemental FEIS will be made

available for public review and comment in early 1998.

Dated: December 22, 1997.

John W. Keys, III,

Regional Director, Pacific Northwest Region.

[FR Doc. 97-33847 Filed 12-29-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-94-M