Final Environmental Impact Statement Volume II Appendix K, Part 2

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COMMENTS OF U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY RESPONSES TO U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY EPA -23 2. Protection of Sutherland Canal Trout Habitat • Current designation - Priority 2 • Recommendation - Reduce designation to Priority 4; emphasis of supplemental measures should be focused on recovery of riverine ecosystem for endemic and threatened and endangered species. C. Supplemental Measures Related to Wildlife and Botanical Resources EPA -24 In order to reduce implementation costs of items 1 -4 listed below, EPA requests that FERC reevaluate how the maintenance costs for the various management areas could be restructured to reduce the number of years costs are assessed and how costs could be reduced by changing the proposed size of buffer areas to 0.25 - mile instead of 0.5 -mile. Reducing the buffer areas could help lower acquisition and maintenance costs, and thus make more money available to include more habitat restoration areas in the Priority 1 and 2 categories. EPA -25 11. River Bed Stabilization and Habitat Restoration - Keystone Diversion to North Platte • Current designation - Priority 1 17 EPA -25 The staff agrees that the focus of the Districts' management plan for wet meadow tracts to be acquired in the North Platte, as stipulated in the Agreement in Principal and the Interior Plan (Program), should be on restoration of adequate surface waic:r conditions. EPA -22 See response to EPA -19. Staff agrees with EPA; the RPA does not impose limits on Lake McConaughy levels relating to EPA -21 meet the water obligations developed under the three p rotection of walleye spawning. state /DOI MOA.) (cunt.) • A provision that specifies that such saved new water will be used only for release for instream flow EPA -23 See response to EPA -19. We agree that other measures, dealing purposes for fish and wildlife. Provisions that would define when this cannot be done due to lack of with protected species and their habitats, are more important. The reservoir storage should be specified. RPA does not require the Districts to construct devices to improve • In order to expedite its implementation, the fish habitat in the Sutherland Canal. conservation plan should be filed with FERC no later than 3 years after issuance of the license rather then the 4 years currently suggested. EPA -24 See response to EPA -19. The efficient use of appropriate monies B. Supplemental Measures Related to Aquatic Resources and resources available to the Districts for habitat protection and 1. Reservoir Water Level Fluctuation enhancement has been re- evaluated. Staff believes the adaptive EPA -22 component of the RPA, and the various plans • Current designation - Priority 1 management • Recommendation - Reduce designation to Priority 3; required as part of the license orders, will ensure that supplemental emphasis of supplemental measures should be focused on 7� recovery of riverine ecosystem for endemic and measures are implemented efficiently. �n threatened and endangered species. v 00 EPA -23 2. Protection of Sutherland Canal Trout Habitat • Current designation - Priority 2 • Recommendation - Reduce designation to Priority 4; emphasis of supplemental measures should be focused on recovery of riverine ecosystem for endemic and threatened and endangered species. C. Supplemental Measures Related to Wildlife and Botanical Resources EPA -24 In order to reduce implementation costs of items 1 -4 listed below, EPA requests that FERC reevaluate how the maintenance costs for the various management areas could be restructured to reduce the number of years costs are assessed and how costs could be reduced by changing the proposed size of buffer areas to 0.25 - mile instead of 0.5 -mile. Reducing the buffer areas could help lower acquisition and maintenance costs, and thus make more money available to include more habitat restoration areas in the Priority 1 and 2 categories. EPA -25 11. River Bed Stabilization and Habitat Restoration - Keystone Diversion to North Platte • Current designation - Priority 1 17 EPA -25 The staff agrees that the focus of the Districts' management plan for wet meadow tracts to be acquired in the North Platte, as stipulated in the Agreement in Principal and the Interior Plan (Program), should be on restoration of adequate surface waic:r conditions.