Bird Track Springs Fish Habitat Enhancement Project (DOE/EA-2032)

Union County, Oregon

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and the Forest Service are considering a proposal to restore aquatic habitat on a 1.9-mile stretch of the Grande Ronde River to benefit Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listed spring Chinook salmon, summer steelhead, and bull trout.  Approximately 1.2 miles of the project would be implemented on National Forest System Lands, 0.1 miles on state lands, and the remaining 0.6 miles on private lands. This reach of the Grande Ronde River was disconnected from its floodplain when the Grande Ronde River Road (Highway 244) and the railroad grade were constructed.  BPA is considering whether to fund the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation to implement this proposal, and the Forest Service is deciding whether to issue a special use permit. 

Proposed actions include:
1. Excavation of new channel meander bends to improve aquatic and riparian habitat diversity and                      complexity, and increase channel-floodplain interactions.
2. Creation of secondary channels to increase the available area of juvenile salmon rearing habitat.
3. Placement of wood structures to increase habitat complexity. 
4. Vegetation planting and seeding to improve streambank stability and provide protective cover for                     juvenile salmonids.

For more detailed information including maps, please visit: http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=47283  
 

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW

To understand the potential environmental impacts of this proposal, the USPS and BPA prepared an environmental assessment (EA) following the procedures of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

BPA and the USFS released the Draft EA for public review and comment in September 2017. The comment period ended on October 15, 2017.  Five letters and two phone calls were received during this scoping period.  You may find these comments and responses on the draft EA on the USFS site, located here.  The final EA & BPA FONSI was released in June 2018.

The schedule for the environmental review was as follows:

Scoping comment period         February 16, 2016 - March 15, 2016
Draft EA available for public comment September 2017
Final EA June 2018
USFS Draft Decision         June 2018
Finding of No significant Impact (if warranted) June 2018
If decision to build, construction to start June 2018

CURRENT STATUS

BPA and USFS has released its final EA, Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).

CONTACT

For environmental information, contact:
Daniel Gambetta        Toll-free:  800-622-4519
Environmental Protection Specialist Direct line:  503-230-3493
Bonneville Power Administration - ECF-4 Email:  dagambetta@bpa.gov 
P.O. Box 3621
Portland, OR 97208-3621
 
For project information, contact:
Tracy Hauser         Toll-free:  800-622-4519
Project Manager         Direct line:  503-230-4296
Bonneville Power Administration - EWL-4 Email:  tlhauser@bpa.gov 
P.O. Box 3621
Portland, OR 97208-3621
 
Forest Service contact information:
Bill Gamble, District Ranger        Phone:  541-962-8582
La Grande Ranger District        FAX:  541-962-8580
3502 Highway 30 Email:  bgamble@fs.fed.us 
La Grande, OR 97850

DOCUMENTS

Bird Track Springs Fish Habitat Enhancement Project - Short Documentary

FINAL EA & FONSI
Final EA  (06/27/2018)
FONSI  (06/27/2018)
Public Letter  (06/27/2018)

USFS
Public Letter, Decision Notice and Correction Notice  (06/27/2018)

DRAFT EA
Public Letter  (09/15/2017)
Draft EA  (09/15/2017)

SCOPING
Public Letter  (02/16/2016)
Project Map  (01/12/2016)