Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 99 / Tuesday, May 23, 1995 / Notices 27327

NORTH CAROLINA

Chatham County

Deep River Camelback Truss Bridge,

Adjacent to NC 2153 over Deep R.,

Cumnock-Gulf vicinity, 95000696

OREGON

Jackson County

Ashland Cemetery (Historic

Cemeteries of Ashland MPS), Jct. of

E. Main and Morton Sts., Ashland,

95000687

Mountain View Cemetery (Historic

Cemeteries of Ashland MPS), Jct. of

Normal Ave. and OR 66, Ashland,

95000688

Linn County

Elkins Flour Mill, Bounded by US 20,

Industrial Way, the Santiam-Albany

Canal and the Callaghan RR tracks,

Lebanon, 95000689

Multnomah County

Hill Hotel, 2255–2261 Burnside St.,

Portland, 95000690

Wasco County

Trevitt’s Addition Historic District,

Roughly bounded by 2nd, Liberty

and 6th Sts. and Mill Cr., The

Dalles, 95000686

RHODE ISLAND

Providence County

Blackstone Boulevard Realty Plat

Historic District, Roughly bounded

by Blackstone Blvd., Rochambeau

Ave., Holly St. and Elmgrove Ave.,

Providence, 95000711

In order to assist in the preservation

of the following property, the 15-day

commenting period is being waived:

MASSACHUSETTS

Middlesex County

Bullard Farm, 7 Bullard Ln.,

Holliston, 95000710

[FR Doc. 95–12509 Filed 5–22–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–70–P

Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway,

Minnesota and Wisconsin

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice—temporary restricted

access.

SUMMARY: The National Park Service is

establishing a temporary restricted

access program for the Federallyadministered portion of the Lower Saint

Croix National Scenic Riverway for the

1995 boating season. This program is

being put in place to prevent the spread

of the exotic zebra mussel into the

upper section of the riverway. The

restrictions are now being implemented

and are effective through November 30,

1995. This notice is given pursuant to

36 CFR Sections 1.5, 1.6 and 1.7.

DATES: This action is effective

immediately and provides notice of the

implementation of restrictions on the

Federal portion of the Lower Saint Croix

National Scenic Riverway through

November 30, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the 1995 Zebra

Mussel Response Plan are available for

public review at the following locations.

Superintendent’s Office, Saint Croix

National Scenic Riverway, 401

Hamilton Street, St. Croix Falls, WI

54024.

St. Croix National Scenic Riverway,

Lower River Visitor Center, 117 Main

Street, Stillwater, MN 55082.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Anthony L. Andersen, Superintendent,

Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway,

P.O. Box 708, Saint Croix Falls,

Wisconsin 54024; telephone 715–483–

3284.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The exotic

zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha)

was accidently introduced into the

waters of the United States in 1986. The

zebra mussel is a small filter-feeding

mollusk that attaches itself to hard

surfaces. It has been identified as an

aquatic nuisance species in the

Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance

Prevention Control Act of 1990, 16

U.S.C. 4701. Since that time,

populations have spread from the Great

Lakes throughout the major eastern and

midwestern river systems, including the

Mississippi River as far upstream as

Minneapolis, Minnesota. The primary

vector in the spread of the zebra mussel

is by in-water vessels. Once established

in river systems the spread may be

downstream by current.

Prevention efforts are directed at

minimizing the risk of unintentional

introduction and spread of the zebra

mussels as a nuisance species.

Minimizing such risks is particularly

important since once the zebra mussel

has become established, it is nearly

impossible to eliminate. Research

suggests that the biological impact of the

zebra mussel may be dramatic due to:

(1) Its ability to filter large quantities of

water, thus limiting the food available to

other species and (2) its demonstrated

potential to extirpate native species

common of mussels.

At immediate threat on the St. Croix

River are a variety of natural and

economic resources, values and

interests dependent upon the river

including the Northern States King

Power Plant at Bayport, several marinas,

several communities and municipalities

and supporting infrastructure and

industry, thousands of individual

boatowners and riparian landowners,

native fauna and flora and the overall

water quality of the river itself.

The 1995 Zebra Mussel Response Plan

expands upon activities initiated in

1993 and continued in 1994. The

change for the 1995 boating season is

the implementation of a zebra mussel

free certification/pass program for

vessels traveling upstream past the

Arcola Sandbar, approximately 5 miles

upstream of the north city limits of

Stillwater, Minnesota.

The components of this program

include:

1. ‘‘Passes’’: Free daily passes will be

issued for vessels traveling downstream

from upstream of the Arcola Sandbar.

These passes will be issued at the

Arcola Ranger Station and will allow

the vessel to return upstream of the

Arcola Sandbar before 12 midnight on

the same day the pass is issued. Any

vessel not returning on the same day

before 12 midnight must be

decontaminated at an approved cleaning

station and certified free of zebra

mussels before proceeding upstream of

the Arcola Sandbar. To receive a pass,

boat operators must certify that they

will not travel downstream of

Kinnickinnic Narrows, approximate

mile 6 of the St. Croix River.

2. ‘‘Certification of Decontamination’’:

Any vessel may travel upstream of the

Arcola Sandbar that has been

decontaminated at an approved cleaning

station and certified free of zebra

mussels before proceeding upstream of

the Arcola Sandbar. The upstream travel

must be done before 1200 midnight on

the same day of cleaning and

certification.

Vessel cleaning and certification are

available at Wolf Marine in Stillwater,

MN. At the time of this notice Wolf

Marine is the only officially approved

cleaning station.

Dated: May 18, 1995.

Bob Marriott,

Acting Chief, Ranger Activities Division.

[FR Doc. 95–12590 Filed 5–22–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–70–P

Bureau of Reclamation

Yakima River Basin Water

Enhancement Project, Yakima,

Washington

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a

programmatic environmental impact

statement.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of

1969, as amended, the Bureau of
27328 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 99 / Tuesday, May 23, 1995 / Notices

Reclamation (Reclamation) intends to

prepare a programmatic environmental

impact statement (PEIS) for

implementing provisions of the

legislation authorizing the Yakima River

Basin Water Enhancement Project

(Enhancement Project). The purpose of

the Enhancement Project is to meet the

competing needs of the Yakima River

basin through improved water

conservation and management, and

other appropriate means. This may

include reducing water diversions by

improving conveyance, distribution,

and onfarm irrigation facilities; and

changing operations, management, and

administration of Yakima River basin

water. Conserved water will be used to

increase instream flows and provide a

more stable irrigation supply. The

Enhancement Project legislation also

authorizes actions on the Yakima Indian

Reservation to benefit the members of

the Yakima Indian Nation.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Cline Sweet, Environmental

Program Manager, Upper Columbia Area

Office, Bureau of Reclamation, PO Box

1749, Yakima, WA 98907–1749;

telephone (509) 575–5848.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Federal involvement in the Yakima

River basin began in 1905 with

authorization of the first facilities of the

Yakima Project. The Yakima Project

now consists of seven divisions: A

storage division consisting of seven

reservoirs and six water service

divisions with separate diversion,

conveyance, and distribution facilities.

The Yakima River basin is highly

dependent upon water from the Yakima

River and its tributaries to meet a

multitude of economic, environmental,

and societal needs. The Yakima Project

provides the primary facilities for the

regulation and use of basin waters.

Congress first authorized a study of

the Enhancement Project in 1979. Phase

one of the Enhancement Project was

implemented in 1984 when Congress

authorized the Secretary of the Interior,

through Reclamation, to construct fish

passage and protective facilities in the

Yakima River basin. The work was

performed in partnership with the

Bonneville Power Administration, the

State of Washington, and others under

the auspices of the Fish and Wildlife

Program of the Northwest Power

Planning Council.

The Columbia River Basin Fish and

Wildlife Program adopted by the

Northwest Power Planning Council in

1982 identified the Yakima River basin

as one of the areas with the greatest

potential for the production of salmon

and steelhead. With the existing project

facilities and operational requirements,

maintaining a stable irrigation water

supply and instream flows for the

maintenance and enhancement of

salmon and steelhead in the Yakima

River basin is difficult to achieve.

In dry years, the water supply

available is allocated among the water

users pursuant to entitlements set forth

in a Federal District Court Judgment of

January 31, 1945 (1945 Consent Decree).

The 1945 Consent Decree requires

reductions in the water supply available

to junior water right holders before any

reductions to senior right holders.

Additionally, a Federal Court directive

on November 28, 1980, requiring

Reclamation to make releases from

Yakima Project reservoirs to assure

adequate instream flows for anadromous

fish spawning and rearing further

reduces the reliability of irrigation water

supplies.

Current Activities

The Enhancement Project legislation

established the Yakima River Basin

Water Conservation Program which is

central to balancing the competing

demands on the basin’s water supply.

This voluntary program will reduce

demands on the available water supply

by promoting conservation measures to

improve:

• The efficiency of water delivery and

use.

• Instream flows for fish and wildlife.

• The reliability of the irrigation

water supply.

The actual measures that will be

adopted depend on the preparation of

water conservation plans detailing what

can be done. Cost effectiveness will be

considered and separate NEPA

compliance will be completed when

recommending water conservation

actions for implementation. The water

conservation measures will occur in

steps over a period of years providing

the opportunity to monitor, evaluate,

and adjust subsequent measures.

The legislation also directs the

Secretary of the Interior to establish a

conservation advisory group, in

consultation with the State of

Washington, the Yakama Indian Nation,

the Yakima River basin irrigators, and

other interested parties. A charter for

the group has been drafted and

nominees are being sought.

The legislation was developed by a

consortium of local, tribal, State, and

Federal entities involved with water

resource activities in the basin and is

the result of a consensus building effort

to structure an acceptable,

comprehensive approach to the basin’s

water problems. An extensive scoping

effort will be conducted by mail along

with public scoping sessions which will

be scheduled at a later date.

Alternative Measures

The PEIS will serve as an umbrella

document to ensure that the interaction

and cumulative effects of all activities

proposed for implementation under

Title XII of the Act of October 31, 1994

(Pub. L. 103–434), which authorized the

Enhancement Project, are addressed.

The provisions and measures for the

legislation will set the limits on

activities to be evaluated in the PEIS.

Two major alternatives are being

considered: action, i.e., implementing

the legislation, and no action. The

action alternative will be an incremental

analysis showing impacts at different

levels of implementation of project

components. Separate NEPA analyses

addressing various alternatives will be

conducted for site specific actions not

covered in sufficient detail in the PEIS.

Potential Federal Action

Reclamation is seeking funding to

implement Public Law 103–434. The

draft PEIS is expected to be completed

in June of 1996.

Anyone interested in more

information concerning the study, or

who has information concerning the

study or suggestions as to significant

environmental issues, should contact

Mr. Sweet as provided above.

Dated: April 27, 1995.

John W. Keys, III,

Regional Director, Pacific Northwest Region.

[FR Doc. 95–12559 Filed 5–22–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–94–M

INTERSTATE COMMERCE

COMMISSION

[Docket No. AB–55 (Sub-No. 506X)]

CSX Transportation, Inc.—

Abandonment Exemption—in Fannin

County, GA

CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSXT), has

filed a notice of exemption under 49

CFR 1152 Subpart F—Exempt

Abandonments to abandon

approximately 14.23 miles of rail line

extending between milepost LKX–

382.47 at McCaysville and milepost

LKX–396.7 at Blue Ridge, in Fannin

County, GA.

CSXT has certified that: (1) No local

traffic has moved over the line for at

least 2 years; (2) there is no overhead

traffic on the line; (3) no formal

complaint filed by a user of rail service

on the line (or by a state or local