Notice2023-23140
Notice of Availability of the Draft Hult Reservoir and Dam Safety Environmental Impact Statement in Lane County, Oregon
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
October 20, 2023
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentLand Management Bureau
Abstract
In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of the Hult Reservoir and Dam Safety Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 202 (Friday, October 20, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 202 (Friday, October 20, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72530-72531]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-23140]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[BLM_OR_FRN_MO4500173143]
Notice of Availability of the Draft Hult Reservoir and Dam Safety
Environmental Impact Statement in Lane County, Oregon
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act
of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
announces the availability of the Hult Reservoir and Dam Safety Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
DATES: To afford the BLM the opportunity to consider comments in the
Final EIS, please ensure that the BLM receives your comments within 45
days following the date the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
publishes its Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Draft EIS in the
Federal Register. The EPA usually publishes its NOAs on Fridays. The
BLM will hold at least one public meeting in Blachly, Horton, or
Triangle Lake; the date(s) and location(s) of public meetings will be
announced at least 15 days in advance on the BLM National NEPA Register
at: <a href="https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/99598/510">https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/99598/510</a>.
Interested parties can also register for email notifications of the
scoping meetings by submitting an email request to:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f2b0bebfadbda0adbcbdada1bba7adba879e86adb6939fadb7bba1b2909e9fdc959d84"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0d4f414052425f524342525e4458524578617952496c605248445e4d6f6160236a627b">[email protected]</span></a>.
ADDRESSES: The Draft EIS is available for review on the BLM ePlanning
project website at <a href="https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/99598/510">https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/99598/510</a>.
Written comments related to the Hult Reservoir and Dam Safety Draft
EIS may be submitted by any of the following methods:
<bullet> ePlanning website: <a href="https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/99598/510">https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/99598/510</a>.
<bullet> Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#edafa1a0b2a2bfb2a3a2b2bea4b8b2a5988199b2a98c80b2a8a4bead8f8180c38a829b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6a2826273525383524253539233f35221f061e352e0b07352f23392a080607440d051c">[email protected]</span></a>.
<bullet> Mail: Bureau of Land Management, Northwest Oregon
District, ATTN: Hult Reservoir and Dam Safety EIS, 3106 Pierce Parkway,
Springfield, OR 97477.
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined online at
<a href="https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/99598/510">https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/99598/510</a> and at the
Siuslaw Field Office, 3106 Pierce Pkwy., Springfield, OR 97477.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dianne Olson, Public Involvement Lead,
at (971) 213-4970 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#bdfff1f0e2f2efe2f3f2e2eef4e8e2f5c8d1c9e2f9dcd0e2f8f4eefddfd1d093dad2cb"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="450709081a0a171a0b0a1a160c101a0d3029311a0124281a000c16052729286b222a33">[email protected]</span></a>. Individuals in
the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a
speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access
telecommunications relay services for contacting Ms. Olson. Individuals
outside the United States should use the relay services offered within
their country to make international calls to the point-of-contact in
the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Hult Reservoir and Hult Pond Dam are
located near the community of Horton, Oregon. The reservoir is fed by
Lake Creek and smaller tributaries. The earthen embankment dam was
built in the 1930s or 1940s to create a log holding pond for the Hult
Lumber Company sawmill. Today, the 54-acre reservoir and surrounding
area are primarily used as a recreation destination. The dam serves no
other water retention purposes and provides no flood protection. The
average lifespan for an earthen embankment dam is 50 years, which the
Hult Dam has exceeded by over 3 decades. The BLM believes that the dam
it is at the end of its lifecycle.
When the BLM took ownership of the reservoir and dam in a 1994 land
exchange, the dam had been poorly maintained, but a 1990 Bureau of
Reclamation inspection found it was in no immediate danger of failing.
Since then, the BLM has made improvements to the dam, including
repairs, reinforcement, and installation of
[[Page 72531]]
monitoring equipment. BLM staff continuously monitor the reservoir
level and adjust the dam outlet during winter weather events to avoid
overtopping.
In 2017, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) inspected the dam
and found multiple failure points due to its age and condition. The
2018 USACE report based on this inspection described that flooding
resulting from dam failure could impact 70 to 130 people downstream and
cause damage to Oregon Highway 36, as well as potential loss of life.
The project's purpose and need is to decommission the current Hult
Dam structure to reduce the potential for failure of the aging
structure and associated loss of life and critical services, and to be
fiscally responsible to the public in managing the costs associated
with the dam.
The Draft EIS includes a No Action Alternative (Alternative 1)
analyzing continued management and standard maintenance of Hult Dam
under the current conditions. The BLM analyzed three action
alternatives in detail:
Alternative 2 (Remove the Existing Dam and Build a New Dam to
Maintain Hult Reservoir) responds to public comments received during
the EIS scoping period. This alternative would remove all existing dam
infrastructure and build a new dam that meets necessary safety
standards and a new bridge. The poorly functioning fish ladder would be
replaced with a roughened channel to allow fish passage. Construction
would take place over 3 years, and dam construction would happen during
summer months when water levels would be lowest.
This alternative includes the creation of a developed camp host
site and cultural design features including signage with information
about the area's original indigenous inhabitants and the lumber mill
previously located near the reservoir.
Alternative 3 (Remove Hult Reservoir; Add Little Log Pond) would
permanently remove existing dam infrastructure and drain Hult
Reservoir, allowing a natural stream course to reestablish through the
former reservoir footprint. A new bridge would span the stream channel
near the current dam, replacing the existing bridge and road across the
dam.
A 5-acre pond for recreational use would be created downstream by
building a smaller dam across Lake Creek. This pond could be used for
fishing, swimming, and non-motorized boating. A roughened channel south
of the pond would be created to allow fish passage. This work would
take place over approximately 2 years, during summer months, when water
levels would be lowest.
Project design features would include:
<bullet> Riparian and wetland restoration in the former reservoir
area, with the creation of habitat for fish, western pond turtles, and
beavers;
<bullet> Improved recreation amenities, including a new day-use
area near the pond, a developed camp host site and a group campsite,
and a multi-use trail adjacent to the pond and restoration area; and
<bullet> Cultural design features, including signage with
information about the area's original indigenous inhabitants and the
lumber mill previously located at the site.
Alternative 4 (Remove Hult Reservoir) is the preferred alternative
and would permanently remove existing dam infrastructure. Hult
Reservoir would be drained, and a natural stream channel would be
reestablished through the former reservoir footprint. A new bridge
would span the stream channel near the current dam, replacing the
existing bridge and road across the dam. This work would take place
during summer months, when water levels would be lowest.
Project design features are similar to those for Alternative 3,
including:
<bullet> Riparian and wetland restoration in the former reservoir
area, with the creation of habitat for fish, western pond turtles, and
beavers;
<bullet> Improved recreation amenities, including a new day-use
area, a developed camp host site and a group campsite, and a multi-use
trail adjacent to the restoration area; and
<bullet> Cultural design features including signage with
information about the area's original indigenous inhabitants and the
lumber mill previously located at the site.
Nine other alternatives were considered but not analyzed in detail
because they did not meet the EIS purpose and need or were infeasible.
The public scoping period for the project was held in January 2022.
Issues identified by the public included changes to recreation access
and opportunities such as fishing, swimming, and boating; effects to
wildlife, plants, ecosystems, fish and fish passage; effects to the
local economy and community; availability of water for fire
suppression; impacts on water quality, availability, and rights; and
impacts on local Tribes.
Formal cooperating agencies on this EIS include:
<bullet> Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw
Indians of Oregon
<bullet> Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde
<bullet> Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
<bullet> Oregon Department of Forestry--Lane County
<bullet> U.S. Army Corps of Engineers--Regulatory Branch
With all formal cooperating agencies, the BLM has signed a
memorandum of understanding identifying the roles and responsibilities
of the BLM and the cooperating agency in the planning process.
The BLM will continue to consult with Indian Tribal Nations on a
government-to-government basis in accordance with Executive Order
13175, BLM MS 1780, and other Departmental policies. Tribal concerns,
including impacts on Indian trust assets and potential impacts to
cultural resources, will be given due consideration. The Confederated
Tribes of Umpqua, Coos, and Lower Siuslaw Indians and Confederated
Tribes of Grand Ronde are cooperators on the project, and the BLM has
been receiving their input during the EIS process.
The BLM will be holding at least one public meeting in Blachly,
Horton, or Triangle Lake; the date(s) and location(s) of public
meetings will be announced at least 15 days in advance on the BLM
National NEPA Register at: <a href="https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-Sui/project/99598/510">https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-Sui/project/99598/510</a>. Interested parties can also register for email
notifications of the scoping meetings by submitting an email request
to: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#41030d0c1e0e131e0f0e1e1208141e09342d351e05202c1e04081201232d2c6f262e37"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6d2f212032223f322322323e2438322518011932290c003228243e2d0f0100430a021b">[email protected]</span></a>.
During the 45-day public comment period, written comments on the
draft EIS may be submitted by mail, email, or on the ePlanning website
(see Address section above). Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available
at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
(Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10)
Amanda Hoffman,
Acting District Manager, Northwest Oregon.
[FR Doc. 2023-23140 Filed 10-19-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-24-P
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