News Release Archive

Reclamation and California Department of Fish and Game Release Nimbus Hatchery Fish Passage Project Final EIS/EIR

Media Contact: Pete Lucero, Reclamation, 916 978-5100, 08/11/2011 11:48
Dana Michaels, DFG, 916-322-2420 , dmichaels@dfg.ca.gov

For Release: August 11, 2011

The Bureau of Reclamation and the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) have released the Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) for the Nimbus Hatchery Fish Passage Project (Project). Reclamation is the lead federal agency for the EIS under the National Environmental Policy Act. DFG is the lead state agency for the EIR under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

The Final EIS/EIR identifies alternative #1 as the proposed action from the three alternatives that were evaluated in the Draft EIS/EIR:

(1) extend the fish ladder from the hatchery to the Nimbus Dam stilling basin, using the basin itself to hold and divert fish into the ladder,

(2) replace the existing weir with a new weir structure, and

(3) no action. With the proposed action, the existing weir would be permanently removed and DFG would recommend changes in local fishing regulations to the California Fish and Game Commission (Commission).

The Final EIS/EIR includes responses to all comments received during the public comment period, which ended November 30, 2010.

The Final EIS/EIR may be viewed online. If you encounter problems accessing the document online, please call 916-978-5100 or e-mail mpPublicAffairs@usbr.gov. The document may also be viewed at Reclamation's Central California Area Office, 7794 Folsom Dam Road, Folsom, CA 95630; at Reclamation's Regional Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825; or at the DFG Regional Office, 1701 Nimbus Road, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670.

A decision on the proposed action will not be made until at least 30 days following release of the Final EIS/EIR. After the 30-day waiting period, Reclamation will complete a Record of Decision, stating the action that will be implemented and discussing all factors leading to that decision. DFG will complete a Notice of Determination (NOD) and file it with the Office of Planning and Research within 5 days of the decision.  The filing of the NOD starts a 30-day statute of limitations on court challenges to the approval under CEQA. Following this period, DFG will provide its recommendation for regulatory change to the Commission for consideration. The Commission will hold public hearings on the recommendation and receive public comments for 45 days prior to issuing a final statement of reasons for any change in regulation.

The Nimbus Fish Hatchery is located along the lower American River, one quarter mile downstream from Nimbus Dam in Rancho Cordova. Reclamation built the hatchery in 1955 to mitigate for the loss of spawning habitat for Chinook salmon and steelhead trout by the construction of Nimbus Dam; DFG operates and maintains the hatchery. The existing fish weir, which helps adult salmon enter the fish ladder, is aging, susceptible to damage from high flows, and requires annual flow reductions for maintenance activities.

For additional information or for a CD or paper copy of the Final EIS/EIR, please contact David Robinson, Reclamation, Central California Area Office, at 916-989-7179 (TTY 916-989-7285) or e-mail HatchPass@usbr.gov, or Joe Johnson, DFG, at 916-358-2943 or e-mail jrjohnson@dfg.ca.gov, or visit the project website at www.usbr.gov/mp/ccao/hatchery.

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Relevant Link:

NEPA Documents