12160 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 50 / Friday, March 14, 1997 / Notices

from 7:45 am to 10:00 pm, Monday

through Thursday; 7:45 am to 5:00 pm

on Friday; 8:30 am to 12:00 noon on

Saturday; and 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm on

Sunday, except for Federal holidays.

Additionally, there is a Public Reading

Room located at the Carson County

Public Library, 401 Main Street,

Panhandle, TX phone (806) 537–3742.

Hours of operation are from 9:00 am to

7:00 pm on Monday; 9:00 am to 5:00

pm, Tuesday through Friday; and closed

Saturday and Sunday as well as Federal

Holidays. Minutes will also be available

by writing or calling Tom Williams at

the address or telephone number listed

above.

Issued at Washington, DC on March 11,

1997.

Rachel M. Samuel,

Acting Deputy Advisory Committee

Management Officer.

[FR Doc. 97–6468 Filed 3–13–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

Bonneville Power Administration

Billy Shaw Dam and Reservoir

AGENCY: Bonneville Power

Administration (BPA), Department of

Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Finding of no significant impact

(FONSI) and floodplain/wetland

statement of findings.

SUMMARY: This notice announces BPA’s

decision to fund the construction,

operation, and maintenance of the Billy

Shaw Dam and Reservoir on the Duck

Valley Reservation. This project is part

of a continuing effort to address systemwide fish and wildlife losses caused by

the development of the hydropower

system in the Columbia River Basin.

BPA has prepared an Environmental

Assessment (EA) (DOE/EA–1167)

evaluating the potential environmental

impacts of the proposed project. Based

on the analysis in the EA, BPA has

determined that the Proposed Action is

not a major Federal action significantly

affecting the quality of the human

environment, within the meaning of the

National Environmental Policy Act

(NEPA) of 1969. Therefore, the

preparation of an Environmental Impact

Statement (EIS) is not required and BPA

is issuing this FONSI.

A finding is included that there is no

practicable alternative to locating the

project within a 100-year floodplain.

ADDRESS: For copies of this FONSI,

please call BPA’s toll-free document

request line: 800–622–4520.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Kathy Fisher—ECN, Bonneville Power

Administration, P.O. Box 3621,

Portland, Oregon, 97208–3621, phone

number 503–230–4375, fax number

503–230–5699.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under

provisions of the Pacific Northwest

Electric Power Planning and

Conservation Act of 1980 (Act), BPA

protects, mitigates, and enhances fish

and wildlife and their habitats affected

by the construction and operation of the

Federal hydroelectric system in the

Columbia River Basin. This is

accomplished through funding of

measures that are consistent with the

Northwest Power Planning Council’s

(Council) Fish and Wildlife Program

and other purposes of the Act [16 U.S.C.

839b(h)(10)(A)]. The site-specific fish

and wildlife mitigation projects that

BPA funds are intended to help reach

the Council’s mitigation goals and are

‘‘in addition to, not in lieu of, other

expenditures authorized or required

from other entities under other

agreements or provisions of law.’’

The Proposed Action is for BPA to

fund the construction and operation of

the Billy Shaw Dam and Reservoir

(Project) on the Duck Valley Reservation

(Reservation). It is consistent with the

objectives of the Council’s Program

goals and satisfies the Council’s

recommendation to implement an

additional lake fishery at Coyote Sink

on the Duck Valley Reservation.

Developing the Project would help BPA

meet the need to provide off-site

mitigation in the Duck Valley area for

the loss of salmon and steelhead caused

by the construction and operation of the

Federal hydroelectric dams and

reservoirs on the Columbia River. The

No Action Alternative considered in the

EA would not satisfy BPA’s need to

provide off-site mitigation in the Duck

Valley Reservation area for salmon and

steelhead.

The Project would include the

construction of an earthen dam to create

a reservoir in the Billy Shaw Slough on

the Reservation. The water for the new

reservoir would come from natural high

spring flows that would be diverted

from the Owyhee River at the China

Diversion Dam and supplied through

the Duck Valley Canal and the new Billy

Shaw Feed Canal. The new reservoir

would have a surface area of 174

hectares (430 acres) and volume of 3300

acre-feet. The reservoir would be

stocked with trout from an existing fish

hatchery.

Some environmental impacts would

occur as a result of the Project, but the

impacts would not be significant.

Approximately 223 hectares (550 acres)

of vegetation and wildlife habitat would

be removed or disturbed by the Project.

Approximately 174 hectares (430 acres)

of suitable foraging habitat for various

animal species, including federally

listed bald eagles, and suitable nesting

habitat for burrowing owls and pygmy

rabbits would be permanently replaced

by a reservoir. An additional 49 hectares

(120 acres) of habitat would be

temporarily disturbed by construction

activities. The vegetation and habitat

disturbance and removal would not be

significant because similar vegetation

and habitat is plentiful in the area. The

impact area represents less than 3% of

the Billy Shaw Slough monotypical

vegetation and habitat communities.

Another vegetation related impact

would be the increase in plant diversity

along the reservoir shoreline. This

impact would not be significant because

only native plants would be used for

reseeding and revegetating disturbed

areas. This would prevent non-native

plants from being introduced into the

local area by the Project.

Soil disturbance from construction

and maintenance activities would

increase the risk of erosion. However,

the impact would not be significant

because it would be limited to localized

increases in erosion and runoff.

Although foraging habitat for bald or

golden eagles would be replaced by the

new reservoir, the reservoir may

contribute to increased site use by bald

or golden eagles, especially at the

reservoir or riparian fringe areas. No

other threatened or endangered wildlife

are known to occur within the area.

Impacts to the bald eagle would not be

significant because similar foraging

opportunities are plentiful in the area.

Increased site utilization by bald or

golden eagles would not significantly

impact any other wildlife resource.

The addition of the reservoir would

increase the amount of fish habitat in

the area. The Project design and location

would prevent the reservoir fish from

leaving the reservoir so there would be

no impacts to other aquatic

environments. Approximately 1.2

hectares (3 acres) of intermittent

wetlands would be permanently

replaced by the reservoir. The impacts

would not be significant because the

wetlands are not part of a complete and

interrelated wetland area. New wetlands

and riparian areas would naturally

develop in shallow areas around the

reservoir perimeter and would offset the

loss of the existing intermittent

wetlands.

The Project would be developed

within an area prone to spring flooding

from the Owyhee River. The Project

would reduce seasonal flooding below

the dam site and would alter normal

runoff patterns. No impacts to lives or
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 50 / Friday, March 14, 1997 / Notices 12161

property would occur because no

facilities or habitation exist within the

area.

Impacts from construction activities

on visual resources, employment and

economic opportunities, air quality, and

public health and safety would be minor

and of short duration. After project

construction, the reservoir would attract

additional wildlife and diversify the

viewing opportunities in the valley.

The location of the Project borrow site

was not identified in the EA because it

is not known at this time. However,

impacts to vegetation, wildlife, and

cultural resources would not be

significant because preconstruction

surveys would be conducted if an

undeveloped borrow site is selected for

use. If the surveys determine the

presence of sensitive resources such as

endangered species or historic

properties, then the borrow site would

either be relocated or appropriate

mitigation measures would be applied

to ensure any impacts are at a level

below significant.

As stated in Chapter IV—Permit

Requirements and Contacts of the EA,

the Project is subject to certain

regulatory requirements. A permit to fill

in wetlands under Section 404 of the

Clean Water Act would be required. The

Nevada Division of Environmental

Protection may require a letter of water

quality certification or a rolling stock

water pollution control permit. The

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would

require an Impoundment Permit for the

emplacement of the reservoir. In

accordance with the National Historic

Preservation Act, a Class III cultural

resources survey was conducted and

found no significant resources. The

Nevada State Historic Preservation

Officer concurred in a letter dated June

17, 1996 that the Project site was not

eligible for the National Register of

Historic Places. In accordance with the

requirements of the Fish and Wildlife

Coordination Act, the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service (USFWS) was

consulted about this Project. The Project

is consistent with the Endangered

Species Act because the EA confirmed

that no plant or animal species federally

listed as threatened or endangered

would be adversely affected by the

Project.

Floodplain Statement of Findings

This is a Floodplain Statement of

Findings prepared in accordance with

10 CFR Part 1022. A Notice of

Floodplain and Wetlands Involvement

was published in the Federal Register

on May 17, 1996 and a floodplain and

wetlands assessment was incorporated

in the EA. BPA proposes to fund the

construction of an earth dam and

reservoir in the Billy Shaw Slough of

the Duck Valley Reservation near

Owyhee, Nevada. The Proposed Action

would be located in the floodplain

because that area offers the

topographical qualities needed to fill

and maintain a permanent reservoir.

The alternative to the Proposed Action,

the No Action Alternative, would not

satisfy BPA’s need to provide off-site

mitigation on the Duck Valley

Reservation for the loss of salmon and

steelhead. The Proposed Action

conforms to applicable State or local

floodplain protection standards.

Preliminary designs for the spillway

and outlet works of the dam included

the small dam criteria available from the

U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural

Resources Conservation Services

(NRCS). The inflow design floods were

computed based upon NRCS, Idaho

Department of Water Resources, and

Nevada Division of Water Resources

criteria for structures of this size and

hazard classification. Although studies

indicated that a probable maximum

flood event could be stored without the

use of the spillway, an emergency

spillway would be included in the plan.

These design considerations would

minimize any potential harm to the

floodplain should a significant flood

event occur. Also, the downstream

hazard classification for the reservoir

site is considered low because no

permanent or temporary human

habitation or permanent property

development lies in the floodplain

downstream from the proposed damsite.

BPA will endeavor to allow 15 days

of public review after publication of this

statement of findings before

implementing the Proposed Action.

Determination

Based on the information in the EA,

as summarized here, BPA determines

that the Proposed Action is not a major

Federal action significantly affecting the

quality of the human environment

within the meaning of NEPA, 42 U.S.C.

4321 et seq. Therefore, an EIS will not

be prepared and BPA is issuing this

FONSI.

Issued in Portland, Oregon, on March 3,

1997.

Alexandra B. Smith,

Vice President, Environment, Fish, & Wildlife.

[FR Doc. 97–6464 Filed 3–13–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission

[Docket No. CP94–161–006]

Avoca Natural Gas Storage; Notice of

Site Visit

March 10, 1997.

On March 25 and 26, 1997, the Office

of Pipeline Regulation (OPR) staff will

inspect on the ground, along with Avoca

Natural Gas Storage (Avoca) personnel,

locations related to the facilities

proposed by Avoca in New York for the

Avoca Gas Storage Project Supplement.

All interested parties may attend.

Those planning to attend the March 25

and 26, 1997, site inspection must

provide their own transportation.

For further information, call Paul

McKee, Office of External Affairs, at

(202) 208–1088.

Lois D. Cashell,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 97–6439 Filed 3–13–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M

[Docket No. CP97–275–000]

Columbia Gas Transmission

Corporation; Notice of Request Under

Blanket Authorization

March 10, 1997.

Take notice that on March 4, 1997,

Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation

(Columbia Gas), 1700 MacCorkle

Avenue S.E., Charleston, West Virginia

25314–1599, filed in Docket No. CP97–

275–000 a request pursuant to Sections

157.205 and 157.211 of the

Commission’s Regulations under the

Natural Gas Act (18 CFR 157.205 and

157.211) for authorization to construct

and operate a new point of delivery in

McKean County, Pennsylvania, so that

interruptible volumes can be delivered

to Minard Run Oil Company (MRO).

Columbia Gas makes such request under

its blanket certificate issued in Docket

No. CP83–76–000 pursuant to Section 7

of the Natural Gas Act, all as more fully

set forth in the request on file with the

Commission and open to public

inspection.

Specifically, Columbia Gas indicates

its intent to render the interconnecting

delivery facility operational by making

use of an existing 4-inch tap, installing

a 4-inch turbo meter setting and an 8-

inch filter separator. It is averred that

the delivery facility will be used to

provide up to 950 Mcf of natural daily

to MRO for industrial use, and up to

346,750 Mcf annually. Columbia Gas

states that the interruptible

transportation service will be provided

to MRO pursuant to Columbia Gas’