Pettit Lake Creek Weir Construction (DOE/EA-2140)

Blaine County, Idaho

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) has decided to fund the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes to construct a new weir on Pettit Lake Creek. The new weir would be located at the site of an existing weir that is undersized for the flows regularly encountered. The weir would utilize current technology for capture of both in-migrating Snake River sockeye adults and out-migrating Snake River sockeye juveniles and would be designed according to National Marine Fisheries Service criteria for this type of structure. Weir construction would require building a temporary access spur to the site and a temporary staging and equipment storage area.

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW

To understand the potential environmental impacts of this proposal, the Sawtooth National Recreation Area (SNRA), in cooperation with BPA, prepared an environmental assessment (EA) following the procedures of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The EA considered the Pettit Lake Creek weir construction proposal, as well as a No Action Alternative in which BPA funding would not be provided for construction and the current structure would remain in use. The EA describes anticipated impacts to to natural and human resources with a focus on impacts to fish, recreation, and scenic values.

The schedule for the environmental review was as follows:
Scoping comment period         February 19, 2020 - March 20, 2020
Draft EA comment period         Spring 2020
Final EA Summer 2020
Finding of No Signicant Impact (if warranted) Late Summer 2020
If decision to build, construction start Late Summer 2020

CURRENT STATUS

The SNRA and BPA have released their EA, and BPA has released its agency-specific Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The FONSI includes a Mitigation Action Plan to help avoid or lessen potential impacts. Additional project information can be found at the SNRA project website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=57096 

CONTACT

For environmental information, contact:
Rob Shull         Toll free: 800-622-4519
Contract Environmental Protection Specialist  Direct Line: 503-230-3962
CorSorce Technology  Email: rwshull@bpa.gov 
Bonneville Power Administration – EWF-4
P.O. Box 3621
Portland, Oregon 97208-3621

For project information, contact: 
Jonathan McCloud        Toll Free: 800-622-4519
Project Manager        Direct Line: 503-230-3509
Bonneville Power Administration – EWL-4 Email: jmmccloud@bpa.gov 
P.O. Box 3621
Portland, OR 97208-3621

DOCUMENTS

EA & FONSI
EA   (06/24/2020)
FONSI/Mitigation Action Plan  (08/10/2020)
Public Letter  (06/24/2020)

SCOPING
Public Letter  (02/14/2020)
Public Notification Map