Final Environmental Impact Statement Volume I, Main Text and Appendices A-J

• Description: related to the Platte River Endangered Species Partnership ‎(aka Platte River Recovery Implementation Program or PRRIP)‎
• State: NE
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 7/1/1998
• Author: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ‎(FERC)‎ Office of Hydropower Licensing
• Title: Final Environmental Impact Statement ‎(EIS)‎ - Volume I, Main Text and Appendices A-J - Kingsley Dam ‎(FERC Project No. 1417)‎ and North Platte/Keystone Dam ‎(FERC Project No. 1835)‎ Projects, Nebraska, FERC/FEIS-0063
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: EIS

On July 1, 1997, the Governors of Nebraska, Wyoming, and Colorado, and the Secretary of
the Interior signed a "Cooperative Agreement for Platte River Research and Other Efforts
Relating to Endangered Species Habitats Along the Central Platte River, Nebraska" (CA).
FWS issued a final Biological Opinion in July 1997 that transmitted the CA and an
"Agreement in Principle for License Conditions for Project Nos. 1417 and 1835" (AP).
The final Biological Opinion recommended a new RPA that is integrated with the basin -
wide CA, is consistent with the AP, and envisions ultimate implementation of a basin -wide
program for recovery of federally listed species along the central Platte River.
On January 15, 1998, the parties filed an "Agreement on All Issues Reached in FERC Trial
Staff Settlement Meetings" (AAI), in which the Trust, the National Audubon Society, the
Nebraska Wildlife Federation, the Sierra Club, and American Rivers agreed to the AP as
modified and supplemented by the AAI. On May 15, 1998, the parties filed an "Offer of
Settlement" proposing that this relicensing proceeding be settled based on the terms and
provisions of the AAI. The Offer of Settlement signatories are Central, NPPD, Interior, the
State of Colorado, the State of Wyoming, the National Audubon Society, the Trust,
American Rivers, the Nebraska Wildlife Federation, and the Sierra Club. The Nebraska
Water Users are also a party to the settlement, and the State of Nebraska has endorsed it.
1.4 PRINCIPAL RESOURCE CONSIDERATIONS
In considering the issuance of a license, the Commission accounts for multiple aspects of
the public interest: (1) potential benefits to interstate or foreign commerce; (2) use of the
site's hydroelectric potential; (3) adequate protection, mitigation, and enhancement of fish
and wildlife (including their spawning grounds and habitat); and (4) other beneficial public
uses, including energy conservation, irrigation, flood control, water supply, recreational
opportunities, and other aspects of environmental quality. In weighing the relative
importance of these various factors, the Commission is required by law to give equal
consideration to both developmental and nondevelopmental values.
The Commission staff has concluded, based on public, agency, and intervenor comments
during the EIS scoping, that there are four principal resource objectives relevant to the
licensing of the Kingsley Dam and Keystone/North Platte projects:
• provision of adequate irrigation water to sustain agricultural production on total
average currently served;
• protection and enhancement of significant wildlife and plant species, and the
aquatic and riparian habitats that support them;
• use of the projects' electric power generation potential; and
• maintenance of reservoir -based recreational opportunities available at Lake
McConaughy.
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