[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 79 (Tuesday, April 23, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17911-17912]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-9979]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Elwha River Ecosystem
Restoration Implementation, Olympic National Park, WA
ACTION: Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of a draft
environmental impact statement (DEIS) for the restoration of the Elwha
River Ecosystem in Olympic National Park, Washington. This notice also
announces public meetings for the purpose of receiving comments on the
draft document.
DATES: There will be a 60-day public review period for comment on this
document. Comments on the DEIS should be received no later than June
26, 1996. Public meetings will be held in Seattle, Washington, on
Tuesday, May 21, 1996, from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. at The Mountaineer's
Building, Olympus Room, 300 3rd Ave. West; and in Port Angeles,
Washington, on Wednesday, May 22, 1996, from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m. and from
5:30 to 9:00 p.m. at the Vern Burton Community Center, 308 E. 4th
Street.
ADDRESSES: Comments on the DEIS should be submitted to: Sarah Bransom,
National Park Service--RP, P.O. Box 25287, Denver, CO 80225-0287.
Public reading copies of the DEIS will be available for review at
the following locations:
Office of Public Affairs, National Park Service, Department of the
Interior, 18th & C Streets, NW, Washington, DC 20240, Telephone: (202)
208-6843
Columbia/Cascades System Support Office, National Park Service, Rm.
650, 909 First Ave., Seattle, WA 98104-1060, Telephone: (206) 220-4154
Olympic National Park, National Park Service, 600 E. Park Ave., Port
Angeles, WA 98362, Telephone: (360) 452-4501
North Olympic Library System, Port Angeles Branch, 207 S. Lincoln St.,
Port Angeles, WA, Telephone: (360) 452-9253
Government Documents, Seattle Public Library, 1000 4th Ave., Seattle,
WA 98104-1193, Telephone (206) 386-4686
Government Publications, Suzzallo Library, University of Washington,
Seattle, WA 98195, Telephone: (206) 543-1937
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Brian Winter, Elwha River Restoration Coordinator, Olympic National
Park, 600 E. Park Ave., Port Angeles, WA 98362, Telephone: (360) 452-
0302. A limited number of copies of the DEIS are available on request.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 1994 and 1995, draft and final EISs were
released which determined the Department of the Interior's policy on
Elwha River Restoration. The Record of Decision on that EIS process,
documenting the decision to purse removal of the dams, is available
from the Superintendent, Olympic National Park at the above address.
This document and analysis has resulted from the passage of Public
Law 102-495, the Elwha River Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act of
1992. The DEIS has been completed by the National Park Service in
cooperation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of
Reclamation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Lower Elwha Klallam
Tribe.
This draft environmental impact statement on implementing ecosystem
restoration describes and analyzes a
[[Page 17912]]
proposed action and two alternatives. Under the proposed action, the
Secretary of the Interior would remove both the Elwha and Glines Canyon
dams, and allow natural river erosion to transport accumulated
reservoir sediments to the ocean. The other alternatives are: remove
both dams and dredge accumulated sediments into a slurry pipeline for
transport to the ocean; and no action--continue to operate the dams
without anadromous fish mitigation.
Impacts are analyzed on the following topics: fluvial processes and
sediment transport, flooding, groundwater, surface water, native
anadromous and resident fisheries, vegetation, wildlife, species of
special concern, living marine resources, air quality and noise,
cultural resources, socioeconomics, public health and safety, traffic,
Indian trust resources, recreation, land use, and aesthetics.
All review comments received will become part of the public record
and copies of comments, including names, addresses and telephone
numbers provided by respondents, may be released for public inspection.
Dated: April 8, 1996
William C. Walters,
Deputy Field Director, Pacific West Area, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 96-9979 Filed 4-22-96; 8:45 am]
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