Walla Walla Basin Spring Chinook Hatchery Program (DOE/EIS-0495)

Umatilla County, Oregon and Walla Walla County, Washington

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) has decided to fund the construction and operation of a spring Chinook hatchery on the South Fork Walla Walla River near Milton-Freewater in Umatilla County, Oregon. The hatchery will be located at the site of an existing adult holding and spawning facility managed by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), who will also operate the proposed hatchery. The hatchery will incubate and rear spring Chinook salmon, which were extirpated from the Walla Walla River basin in the early to mid-1900s. The project would augment fish populations available for harvest and aid in establishing a naturally spawning spring Chinook population in the Walla Walla basin.

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW

To understand the potential environmental impacts of this proposal, BPA prepared an environmental impact statement (EIS) following the procedures of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The EIS analyzes two action alternatives and a no action alternative. The EIS describes anticipated impacts to natural and human resources, as well as mitigation measures to help avoid or minimize impacts.

The schedule for the environmental review was as follows: 
Scoping comment period March 28, 2013 - May 15, 2013
Scoping meetings April 16, 2013 in Milton-Freewater, OR & April 17 in Dayton, WA
Additional scoping comment period June 2, 2014 - July 1, 2014
Draft EIS comment period October 7, 2014 - November 24, 2014
Public meetings Oct 29, 2014 in Dayton, WA & Oct 30, 2014 in Milton-Freewater, OR
Final EIS May 25, 2018
ROD August 31, 2018
If decision to build, construction start Fall 2018

CURRENT STATUS

BPA has prepared a Record of Decision, which explains the factors that were considered in reaching the decision to fund the Walla Walla Basin Spring Chinook Hatchery Program, and a Mitigation Action Plan that lists the measures that will be used to avoid or reduce environmental impacts.

CONTACT

For environmental information, contact:
Carolyn Sharp        Toll-free: 800-622-4519
Environmental Protection Specialist Direct line: 503-230-5206
Bonneville Power Administration - ECF-4 Email: casharp@bpa.gov 
P.O. Box 3621
Portland, OR 97208-3621

For project information, contact:
Gerald McClintock        Toll-free: 800-622-4519
Project Manager        Direct line: 503-230-5375
Bonneville Power Administration - EWB-4 Email: gmcclintock@bpa.gov 
P.O. Box 3621
Portland, OR 97208 - 3621

DOCUMENTS

SUPPLEMENT ANALYSES
SA-01 Staging Area Modification  (01/09/2020)
SA-02 Water Intake Redesign  (09/30/2020)

ROD
Federal Register Notice  (09/05/2018)
Record of Decision  (08/31/2018)
Mitigation Action Plan  (08/31/2018)
Public Letter  (08/31/2018)

FINAL EIS
Public letter  (05/25/2018)
Final EIS  (05/25/2018)

DRAFT EIS
Draft EIS comments received
Public letter  (10/03/2014)
Draft EIS  (10/03/2014)
Comment Form  (10/03/2014)

SCOPING
Scoping comments received
Public letter - update  (06/02/2014)
Project Map  (05/12/2014)
Comment Form  (06/02/2014)

Scoping comments received
Public letter  (03/28/2013)
Comment Form  (03/28/2013)
Project Map  (03/15/2013)

Notice of Intent  (03/20/2013)