Public Input Needed for Draft Environmental Assessment/Plan to

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has drafted an environmental assessment/plan (EA/Plan) for restoring a portion of the Lake Superior basin in Wisconsin using funds received from settlement with Burlington Northern following a1992 train derailment and chemical spill into the Nemadji River near Superior, Wisconsin. The chemical spill killed fish and affected other natural resources.

The draft (EA/Plan) outlines three action alternatives that might be used to restore the site and associated wetland and coastal areas.  A "No Action" alternative is also considered, as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).  The proposed alternative calls for preservation and restoration of equivalent aquatic habitat focusing on coastal and lakeplain wetlands within the Lake Superior basin in Wisconsin.

Trustees for the natural resources affected by the spill, including the Service, the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, and the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, along with the Fond du Lac Band of Chippewa Indians, worked together to assess damages from the spill and develop the restoration plan.

Copies of the draft EA/Plan are available below.  Copies are also available at:

Tribal Office, Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians Tribal Office
Natural Resources Department
One Maple Street
Odanah, Wisconsin

Tribal Office, Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians
88385 Pike Road, State Highway 13
Bayfield, Wisconsin

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Ashland Fishery Resource Office
2800 Lake Shore Drive East
Ashland, Wisconsin

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Green Bay Ecological Services Field Office
2661 Scott Tower Drive
New Franken, Wisconsin

Copies of the draft plan and environmental assessment may be obtained by contacting the Service's Green Bay Ecological Services Field Office at (920) 866-1717.  Written comments on the drafts may be sent to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Green Bay Ecological Services Field Office, 2661 Scott Tower Drive, New Franken, Wisconsin 54229.  Comments may also be faxed to 920-866-1710 or e-mailed to GreenBay@fws.gov.  Comments are due by the close of business on April 12, 2004 April 19, 2004.

Fish, wildlife and other resources were injured when a Burlington Northern train derailed in 1992 south of Superior, Wisconsin, releasing 30,000 gallons of a hazardous chemical -- called aromatic hydrocarbons -- into the Nemadji River. Following a Natural Resource Damage Assessment by the trustees and negotiations with Burlington Northern, $140,000 was made available to be used for restoration activities.

Draft EA/Plan