Johnson Creek Artificial Propagation Enhancement Program (DOE/EA-2083)

Valley County, Idaho

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) has decided to continue to fund the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho (Nez Perce Tribe) under the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act of 1980 (Northwest Power Act) for the Johnson Creek Artificial Propagation Enhancement (JCAPE) hatchery program. BPA would fund the Nez Perce Tribe for continued operation and maintenance of a temporary adult Chinook salmon trap and weir; adult holding and spawning at the South Fork Salmon River Satellite; egg incubation and juvenile rearing of JCAPE fish at McCall Fish Hatchery; transportation of broodstock, eggs, and smolts between facilities; the direct release of smolts into Johnson Creek; and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) in support of production. Total Chinook production would be up to 150,000 juveniles.

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW

To understand the potential environmental impacts of this proposal, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) prepared an environmental assessment (EA), in cooperation with BPA, following the procedures of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The EA analyzes BPA’s proposed continued funding of the JCAPE program, including a potential production increase of 50,000 juveniles, as well as a no-action alternative under which BPA would no longer fund the program, and a Reduced Production Alternative in which 50 percent of the production levels described in the Hatchery Genetic Management Plan would be funded for the JCAPE hatchery program. The EA describes anticipated impacts to natural and human resources. During this process, BPA and NMFS worked with tribes and federal and state agencies.

CURRENT STATUS

NMFS and BPA have released their final EA, and BPA has released its agency-specific Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). Additional project information can be found at the NMFS project website.

CONTACT

For environmental information, contact:
Carolyn Sharp        Toll-free: 800-622-4519
Environmental Protection Specialist Direct Line: 503-230-5206
Bonneville Power Administration - ECF-4 Email: casharp@bpa.gov 
PO Box 3621
Portland, Oregon 97208-3621

For project information, contact:
Eric McOmie Toll-free: 800-622-4519
Fish and Wildlife Administrator Direct Line: 503-230-4964
Bonneville Power Administration - EWU-4  Email: ermcomie@bpa.gov 
PO Box 3621
Portland, Oregon 97208-3621

DOCUMENTS

FINAL EA & FONSI
Final EA(September 22, 2021)
FONSI (March 16, 2022)
Public Letter (May 20, 2022)

DRAFT EA
Draft EA (06/28/2019)