Notice of Public Scoping


NOAA Fisheries
to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
for Salmon and Steelhead Hatchery Programs
in the Puyallup-White River Basin


NOAA Fisheries is gathering information necessary to prepare a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) on proposed approval of eight salmon and steelhead plans for hatchery programs in the Puyallup-White River basin in Puget Sound. In particular, NOAA Fisheries seeks comments on the the scope of the DEIS (e.g., potential issues, potential impacts, and potential alternatives to be considered).


The hatchery plans specify the propagation of salmon and steelhead for release in rivers and marine areas in the Puyallup-White River basin. The hatchery programs would operate out of the Clarks Creek Hatchery, Voights Creek Hatchery, Diru Creek Hatchery, White River Hatchery, and Minter/Hupp Springs Hatchery.


The plans, in the form of hatchery and genetic management plans (HGMPs), have been submitted jointly to NOAA Fisheries for approval under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, and the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe.


Concurrent with this review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), NOAA Fisheries will review the hatchery programs under the ESA. This NEPA analysis will not indicate whether hatchery programs will meet ESA requirements. Rather, this NEPA analysis will provide information about the current and anticipated environmental effects of operating the eight salmon and steelhead hatchery programs under a range of alternatives.


Scoping comments may be submitted by email or regular mail to the address provided below. To be considered, comments will be accepted by NOAA Fisheries for 30 days from the date the notice of intent is published in the Federal Register.


Information on the project is available from the NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region website at
http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/hatcheries/salmon_and_steelhead_hatcheries.html



Please submit comments by 5 p.m. PDT, on October 12, 2016:


By email to: PuyallupHatcheriesEIS.wcr@noaa.gov
If you submit comments by email, please include "Puyallup Hatcheries Scoping" in the subject line.


or


In writing or by FAX to:


William W. Stelle, Jr.
Regional Administrator
NMFS, West Coast Region
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
7600 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115-0070
Fax (206) 526-6426




If you have questions, please contact Steve Leider by email to Steve.Leider@noaa.gov, or phone (360) 753-4650.