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Final NEPA Scoping Report
What is a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP)?
The purpose of the HCP process is to ensure that the effects of the authorized incidental take are adequately minimized and mitigated for. An HCP is a document that will identify agreed-upon actions to minimize potential ‘take’ of threatened or endangered ESA listed species. An HCP accompanies an application for an incidental take permit. The purpose of the incidental take permit is to authorize the incidental take of a listed species, not to authorize the activities that result in take. With a completed HCP, voluntary participants are eligible to apply for an incidental take permit providing federal government assurance. A HCP will encourage long-term conservation and restoration plans that will benefit the ecosystem while providing economic stability to landowners and water users.
What is take?
‘Take’ is defined in the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as “harass, harm, pursue,
hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect any threatened or endangered
species”.
What is happening in the Walla Walla Watershed?
Early over-appropriation of water rights in the Walla Walla basin led to
dewatering of the Walla Walla River and contentious relations among stakeholders
requiring water for municipalities, agriculture, and the two ESA listed species
in the Walla Walla basin: Summer Steelhead and Bull Trout.
A negotiated settlement agreement in June 2000 and has been renewed since between
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and three irrigation districts in the
Walla Walla basin, brought about a short-term resolution and initiated the HCP
process. With federal funding, a bi-state HCP effort has brought together
Oregon and Washington stakeholders with the federal agencies (FWS and NOAA) to
plan for agreed-upon actions to minimize potential take of endangered fish and
provide participants with federal assurance to continue their HCP-covered
activities.
The HCP Coordinating Committee (HCPCC) leads the HCP process and meets on an
as needed basis. The HCPCC consists of stakeholders and government
representatives from Washington and Oregon. To see if a meeting is scheduled
for the near future, please click on the Calendar
link.
For more information on Habitat Conservation Plans, visit U.S. Fish and
Wildlife’s website at:
http://endangered.fws.gov/hcp/
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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(FWS) and the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
, held a series of public meetings to aid in the preparation of
an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) related to the Bi-State Water Diversion
Habitat Conservation plan for the Walla Walla River Basin.
A
Notice of Intent to conduct public scoping meetings, as required under the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), was published in the Federal Register
on November 15, 2005.
The EIS will analyze the potential issuance of two Incidental Take Permits (ITPs),
one by NMFS and one by FWS. To obtain an ITP, the applicants must prepare a
Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) that meets criteria established by the Endangered
Species Act (ESA). The NEPA scoping process will identify and evaluate the range
of alternatives and issues to be addressed in the EIS.
The Walla Walla Basin is located in southeast Washington and northeast Oregon.
The basin encompasses approximately 1,800 square miles in Columbia and Walla Walla
counties in Washington, and Umatilla, Union and Wallowa counties in Oregon.
The activities anticipated to be covered in a habitat conservation plan include
all activities associated with the diversion and delivery of surface water that
have the potential to affect species protected under the ESA, as well as other
unlisted species of concern to the Services.
The species currently listed under the ESA that are being proposed for coverage
under an Incidental Take Permit include bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus),
under the jurisdiction of the FWS, and the Mid-Columbia River population of
steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss), under the jurisdiction of NMFS. Both species
are listed as threatened. Other listed or unlisted species may also be
considered and addressed.
Proposed conservation measures that the applicants may incorporate include,
but are not limited to, curtailment of surface diversions, seasonal diversion
reductions, water quality improvements and physical habitat enhancements.
Five scoping meetings were held in November 2005. These included one meeting
for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), one for
all interested and affected agencies, two for the public, and a fifth meeting
was also held with the Native Creek Society.
The primary purpose of the scoping process was for the public to assist the
Services in developing the EIS by identifying important issues and alternatives
related to the proposed action. Each scoping Meeting will allocate time for
informal discussion and questions with presentations by the Services and
potential applicants. All comments and materials received, including names and
addresses, were made part of the administrative record and can be viewed in the
NEPA documentation below.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible
for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their
habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages
the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 545
national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special
management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery
resources offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces
federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory
bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and
restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native
American tribal governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees
the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of
dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and
wildlife agencies.
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Final_Scoping_Report
FINAL SCOPING REPORT
HCP
Coordinating Committee List
A_Notice_of_Intent
B_Legal_Notice
C_News_Release
D_Cooperating_Agency
E_Dear_Interested
F_Email_Notifications
G_Walla_Walla_County
H_Upper_Columbia
I_Tribal_Invite_Letter
J_Scoping_Meeting
K_Powerpoint_Presentation
L_Written_Responses
M_Email_Responses
N_Final_Exhibit
FWS News Release
Gardena Farms Irrigation District #13 Fact Sheet
Hudson Bay District Improvement Company Fact Sheet
Walla Walla River Irrigation District Fact Sheet
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HCP Coordinating Committee Operating Rules
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