Phase 2 Implementation Plan (P2IP) (DOE/EA-2250)

Chelan, Douglas, Ferry, Grant, Lincoln, Okanogan, Spokane, and Stevens counties, Washington

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

On September 21, 2023, the Bonneville Power Administration, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the US Army Corps of Engineers (co-lead agencies) entered into an agreement with the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, the Coeur d'Alene Tribe, and the Spokane Tribe of Indians to fund implementation of the Phase 2 Implementation Plan (P2IP) projects for reintroducing specific non-Federally protected salmonid stocks above Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee dams in the Upper Columbia River Basin. Under the agreement, Bonneville proposed to provide $200 million over 20 years to advance the Tribally-led P2IP effort. Phase 2 builds on Upper Columbia United Tribes’ Phase 1 planning and investigation of the feasibility of fish passage and reintroduction into blocked areas. Following this phased approach, a future phase may include construction of permanent fish passage facilities and habitat improvements. 

The co-lead agencies anticipate preparing a Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) to evaluate the projects and activities implementing the P2IP. 
 
Implementing the P2IP would involve various activities over an approximately 20-year period to test key biological assumptions through salmon research studies, to develop interim hatchery and passage facilities, to establish sources of donor and brood stocks for reintroduction, and to evaluate success. Other activities under consideration for P2IP implementation include:  research studies, interim fish passage, and fish rearing; reviewing, approving, and issuing permits for data collection, equipment installation, and interim facility construction on Federally-managed land or within existing facilities; and providing and handling eggs, juvenile, and adult salmon from existing facilities for research studies.   

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:

To understand the potential environmental impacts of this proposal, BPA and the other co-lead agencies anticipate preparing a PEA following the procedures of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This anticipated PEA would analyze the P2IP proposal, as well as a no-action alternative in which the co-lead agencies would not implement the P2IP. The PEA would describe anticipated impacts to natural and human resources and identify mitigation measures to help avoid or minimize impacts. 


The proposed schedule for the environmental review is as follows:

Scoping comment period    February 9, 2024 – March 11, 2024
Scoping public meetings    February 27, 2024 (Grand Coulee, WA) & February 28, 2024 (Spokane, WA)
Draft EA August 2024
Final EA Winter 2025
Finding of No Significant Impact (if warranted) Winter 2025

CURRENT STATUS:

The co-lead agencies will open a scoping comment period on February 9, 2024, and will hold public meetings in Grand Coulee, WA, on February 27, and in Spokane, WA, on February 28, 2024. This comment period will close on March 11, 2024. The deadline to submit comments to the Bureau of Reclamation is March 11, 2024. Instructions explaining how to submit comments are available at the Bureau of Reclamation project website at the link provided under the “contact” section below.  

CONTACT:

For more information, please visit the project website at https://www.usbr.gov/pn/programs/p2ip/index.html

 

DOCUMENTS:

SCOPING:
Public Letter: February 9, 2024