Longley Meadows Fish Habitat Enhancement Project
The following comments were submitted in response to the open comment period described below.
Comments are numbered consecutively as they are received. Breaks in the number sequence result when comments are deleted because they
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BPA and the Forest Service are considering a proposal to restore aquatic habitat on a 1.4-mile stretch of the Grande Ronde River to benefit Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listed spring Chinook salmon, summer steelhead, and bull trout. Approximately 1.0 miles of the project would be implemented on National Forest System Lands, 0.4 miles on State and private lands. This is the second phase of restoration work in a
reach of the Grande Ronde River which was disconnected from its floodplain when the Grande Ronde River Road (Highway 244) and the railroad grade were constructed. BPA is considering whether to fund the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation to implement this proposal and the Forest Service is deciding whether to issue a special use permit. Under Forest Service requirements, as a project or activity
implementing the land management plan not authorized under the Healthy Forest Act, this project is subject to subparts A and B of the project level pre-decisional administrative review process as described in 36 Code of Federal Regulations 218.
For More Information: https://www.bpa.gov/efw/Analysis/NEPADocuments/Pages/Longley-Meadows-Fish-Habitat.aspx
Close of comment: 1/15/2019
- LMFHE18180001 -
Hayes/Oregon Department of TransportationODOT has reviewed propsed project area. It appears to involve Tax Lots 400 and 500. Both of these tax lots are adjacent to Oregon Highway 341 (OR 244). ODOT has jurisdiction of this transportation facility. The applicant’s use of the property is subject to state laws administered by ODOT, which require the applicant to obtain a permit if access to the state highway is being requested. Tax Lot 500 has a presumed to be permitted access at milepoint 43.83. Tax lot 400 has two permitted accesses, one at milepoint 43.99 and the other at 44.20. Any additional accesses whether permanent or temporary will need to be applied for, approved, and a permit obtained by ODOT prior to construction of the accesses. In addition, any other work that will be done within ODOT's right of way will need to be approved and under permit. To obtain permits from ODOT please contact District 13 Permit Specialist Lynn Elliott at 541-963-8407.
Thank you for providing this opportunity to comment.
Lisa Hayes
ODOT District 13 Operations Coordinator
3014 Island Avenue
La Grande, Oregon 97850
541-963-1331 (Phone)
541-963-0249 (Fax)
- LMFHE18180002 -
PaceOK, well is there any nexus whatsoever between the impacts of the FCRPS on fish and wildlife and this proposal, which appears to address a problem with road building. I have a suggestion. Take the money BPA would spend on this project and use it to make per capital payments directly to tribal members. ALL tribal members, not just the members connected to the tribe’s government through familia ties or otherwise. If the tribal members want to spend their FCRPS mitigation money on road redesign, well, get after it! Knock themselves out.
- LMFHE18180003 -
LarsonThe Bird Track Springs EA lacked a reference to a scientific sampling and analysis text. Although the EA states Best Available Science is used, many of the references lack on-the-ground data collected at the site prior to implementation. The 13 pages of references did not give assurances that the project will do no harm.
Study this Principles and Procedures of Statistics:
Steel, R. G. D. and J. H. Torrie. 1980. Principles and procedures of statistics. McGraw-Hill. Page 119 provides a way to determine a proper number of samples needed to verify a level of confidence.
1. Sample the stream substrate to determine the kind and amount of sediments in the stream prior to the finalization of the Longley Meadow EA. Clearly explain how the project intends to sample and measure the results of the project.
2. Provide some background on the geology of the area in order to justify the EA statements regarding the stream substrate.
3. The Bird Track Springs EA page 49 states; "Airborne thermal infrared remote sensing information from Watershed Sciences (Watershed Sciences Inc. 2010) indicated that the Bird Track Springs project reach contains a concentration of cooler water influences and inputs, when compared to the rest of the Upper GRR."
See Larson, S.L., L.L. Larson, P.A. Larson. 2002. Perspectives on water flow and the interpretation of FLIR Images. J. Rng. Mgmt. 55 (2): 106-111. Explain how The remote sensing determined the Bird Track Springs concentration of cooler water, how cool the water was compared to other areas and how that impacts the Longley Meadows reach.
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