Finding of No Significant Impact and Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Implementation of Action 149 Fish Habitat Improvement Measures from the December 2000 National Marine Fisheries Service Biological Opinion of the Federal Columbia River Power System in Three John Day Subbasins in the Mid-Columbia River Steelhead Evolutionarily Significant Unit in Central Oregon

摘要

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has developed this Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) in order to implement its anadromous fisheries habitat improvement program within three John Day River subbasins. The intent is to tier additional National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis, as necessary, off this PEA document. This PEA analyzes the environmental impacts of implementing a 10-year program of improving streamflows and correcting fish passage and screening problems within the North Fork, Middle Fork, and Upper (main stem) subbasins of the John Day River. These subbasins comprise the project area for this document. It is important to note that the subject of this environmental assessment is the implementation of a program for which Reclamation currently has no construction authority. Legislation is pending which will grant Reclamation the authority to conduct the construction portion of the program. This PEA is prepared to disclose the potential impacts of Reclamations proposed program when that authority is received. In the interim, Reclamation will proceed with providing technical assistance to further the goals of the program. This technical assistance does not require NEPA compliance. This PEA is prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. In addition to the action alternative, this PEA also evaluates a no-action alternative as required by NEPA. The proposed action is discussed and analyzed in general terms, as this PEA describes generic types of projects suitable for wide application throughout the project area and, therefore, does not include any site-specific data or analysis. However, this assessment and its analysis of environmental consequences are based on numerous completed projects within the project area.