[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 118 (Friday, June 19, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33692-33693]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-16332]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Assessment for 
Determining the Future Role of Leadville National Fish Hatchery, 
Leadville, CO

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the Draft Environmental Assessment 
for determining the future role of the Leadville National Fish 
Hatchery, a whirling disease and bacterial kidney disease positive 
facility.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mountain-Prairie Region, 
has developed a draft environmental assessment on the future operation 
of the Leadville National Fish Hatchery in light of the discovery of 
whirling disease at the Hatchery in May, 1995. This notice advises the 
public that the Service proposes to continue fish production at the 
Leadville Hatchery and line all earthen rearing units in order to 
reduce tubifex worm populations which host whirling disease, and 
therefore control (reduce) whirling disease infection levels at the 
Hatchery. Lining earthen rearing units will also help prevent bacterial 
kidney disease epidemics.
    This draft environmental assessment has been developed by Service 
biologists in coordination with the Colorado Division of Wildlife, 
private conservation organizations, and the general public. The 
assessment considers the biological, environmental, and socioeconomic 
effects of operating the Hatchery, stocking whirling disease-positive 
trout in Colorado, and lining earthen rearing units. The assessment 
evaluates nine alternative actions and potential impacts of those 
alternatives on the environment. Written comments or recommendations 
concerning the proposal are welcomed, and should be sent to the address 
below.

DATES: The draft assessment will be available to the public for review 
and comment on June 15, 1998. Written comments must be received no 
later than July 20, 1998, to be considered in developing a final 
environmental assessment.

ADDRESSES: Comments and requests for copies of the assessment should be 
addressed to Mr. John Hamill, Associate Manager (Colorado), U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service, Denver Federal Center, P.O. Box 25486, Denver, 
Colorado 80225.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Leadville Hatchery currently produces 
39,000 pounds of fish annually for Fryingpan-Arkansas Project waters 
mitigation per a Memorandum of Agreement with the Bureau of 
Reclamation: 13,000 pounds for the Grand Valley as per an agreement 
with Colorado Division of Wildlife to mitigate lost recreational 
fishing opportunities due to recovery activities on the Colorado River 
authorized under the Endangered Species Act; 30,000 pounds (cost 
reimbursable) for Military waters in Colorado Springs and Denver as per 
an agreement with the

[[Page 33693]]

Department of Defense authorized by the Sikes Act; and 3,000 pounds for 
the Hatchery public fishing ponds.
    Whirling disease was first detected in Colorado in 1987 and has 
since been detected in 13 major river basins, 16 State fish hatcheries, 
and the Leadville Hatchery. Reports that whirling disease was 
responsible for decreases in wild rainbow trout recruitment in the 
upper Colorado River in Colorado during 1994 and 1995, and population 
declines of wild rainbow trout in the upper Madison River, Montana 
beginning in 1991 caused significant concern over the disease's effects 
on wild trout populations in Colorado. Colorado Division of Wildlife 
has responded to this concern by adopting new policies and regulations 
in January 1997 which severely restrict the stocking locations of fish 
produced at hatcheries were whirling disease has been detected.
    Nine alternatives for the disposition of the Leadville Hatchery 
were formulated utilizing input from the public, environmental 
organizations, and resource agencies. Each alternative was evaluated 
for consistency with Service priorities, compliance with Service 
operational and fish health policies, compliance with Colorado Division 
of Wildlife regulations, preservation of the historical value of the 
Hatchery, potential for spreading whirling disease and other fish 
diseases to native fish and wild fish in Colorado, and cost 
effectiveness. Alternative 1 (current program, no action) was used as a 
baseline for evaluation of the environmental impacts of the other 
alternatives.
    The Service designated Alternative 2a as the preferred alternative. 
This is strictly a preliminary decision which will be reevaluated after 
comments from the public are received. Alternative 2a was chosen as the 
most feasible means of fulfilling fish stocking obligations while 
taking progressive action towards controlling whirling disease 
infection levels. Disease monitoring indicates that the earthen lakes 
and ponds used for fish production are the most significant sources of 
disease on the Hatchery. Lining these rearing units would vastly reduce 
tubifex worm populations at the Hatchery which host the disease. 
Alternative 2b (installing hatchery influent ozonation facility) will 
be considered in the future if funding can be attained.
    Although construction costs are lower for Alternatives 3a and 3b, 
these alternatives would necessitate termination of production for 
Fryingpan-Arkansas Project waters. These alternatives are not as cost 
effective in the long run due to a significant decrease in fish 
production and increase in cost per pound of fish produced.
    Alternatives 4, 5a, and 5b emphasize production of native cutthroat 
trout utilizing spring water in the Hatchery building. Under current 
Service policies and Colorado Division of Wildlife regulations, such 
trout can only be certified as whirling disease-negative if all fish 
production utilizing open water supplies is terminated. Therefore, 
Alternative 4 (maintaining production using open water supplies) cannot 
be achieved under current Service policies and Colorado Division of 
Wildlife regulations. Alternatives 5a and 5b (ceasing all production 
using open water supplies) are not cost effective since only 500 to 
3,000 pounds of trout could be achieved in producing whirling disease 
negative fingerlings due to the proximity of whirling disease to the 
Hatchery building. It would be more practical to use currently whirling 
disease-negative hatchery facilities to produce disease-free native 
cutthroat trout for restoration purposes.
    Alternative 6 (closing the Hatchery and transferring ownership) was 
not chosen due to opposition from the general public, and because the 
Service desires to continue to honor the obligations for fish 
production currently being fulfilled by the Leadville Hatchery. Since 
the Leadville Hatchery stocks waters where there is no trout 
reproduction, where whirling disease already exists, and at 
considerable distances from uncontaminated waters, the Service believes 
that the most feasible means of fulfilling these obligations is by 
continuing to produce the fish at the Leadville Hatchery.
    Author: The primary author of this notice is Mr. John Hamill (See 
ADDRESSES section) (telephone 303/236-8155, extension 252).

    Authority: The authority for this action is the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (P.L. 91-190, 42 U.S.C. 
et seq.).

    Dated: June 12, 1998.
Ralph O. Morgenweck,
Regional Director, Region 6, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 98-16332 Filed 6-18-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M