[Federal Register: November 16, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 220)] [Notices] [Page 62213-62215] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr16no99-107] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement To Evaluate Continued Sea Lamprey Control in Lake Champlain AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior; New York State Department of [[Page 62214]] Environmental Conservation; Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in cooperation with the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife (VTDFW) and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) announces its intention to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) pursuant to Sec. 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, in accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality regulations for implementing NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508). This SEIS will evaluate a proposal to continue sea lamprey control in Lake Champlain, to maintain reduced levels of sea lamprey and achieve further reductions. FWS invites other Federal agencies, states, Indian tribes, local governments, and the general public to submit written comments or suggestions concerning the scope of the issues to be addressed, alternatives to be analyzed, and the environmental impacts to be addressed in the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS). The public is invited to participate in scoping activities by submitting written comments or attending one or more public scoping hearings through which comments and suggestions will be received. Oral and written comments will be considered equally in preparation of the DSEIS. Those not desiring to submit comments or suggestions at this time, but who would like to receive a copy of the DSEIS for review, should send a request to Mr. Dave Tilton at the address given below. A notice of public hearings with the locations, dates, and times will be published in the Federal Register and in local news media. DATES: Written comments related to the scope and content of the DSEIS should be submitted to FWS by February 4, 2000 to the address below. ADDRESSES: Written comments and requests to be included on a mailing list of persons interested in receiving the DSEIS should be sent to Mr. Dave Tilton, Project Leader, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Lake Champlain Office, 11 Lincoln Street, Essex Junction, Vermont 05452. Alternatively, comments may be submitted electronically to the following address: dave__tilton@fws.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Dave Tilton, Project Leader, USFWS Lake Champlain Office, 111 Lincoln Street, Essex Junction, Vermont 05452, 802-951-6313, FAX: 802-951-6315. New York contact person is Mr. Larry Nashett, Supervising Aquatic Biologist, New York Department of Environmental Conservation, Region 5, P.O. Box 296, Ray Brook, New York 12977, 518-897-1333. Vermont contact person is Mr. Tim Hess, Director of Fisheries, Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife, 103 South Main Street, Waterbury, Vermont 05671, 802-241-3700. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background Sea lamprey are primitive marine invaders to Lake Champlain. They are parasitic fish that feed on the body fluids of other fish resulting in reduced growth and often the death of host fish. A substantial body of information collected on Lake Champlain indicates sea lamprey have a profound negative impact upon the lake's fishery resources and have suppressed efforts to establish new and historical sportfisheries. In 1990, the FWS, NYSDEC, and VTDFW initiated an eight-year experimental sea lamprey control program for Lake Champlain. The experimental program treated tributaries and deltas of Lake Champlain with the chemical lampricides TFM and Bayer 73, which substantially reduced larval sea lamprey numbers in treated waters. The program included monitoring and assessment of the effects of sea lamprey reduction on the characteristics of certain fish populations, the sport fishery and the area's growth and economy. A set of thirty evaluation standards were established. Overall, the experimental sea lamprey control program met or exceeded the majority of the standards. In addition to this evaluation, the cooperating agencies assessed the effects of the program on nontarget organisms. Two rounds of treatments were planned for each significantly infested stream and delta. From 1990 through 1996 twenty-four TFM treatments were conducted on fourteen Lake Champlain tributaries, and 9 Bayer 73 (5% granular) treatments were conducted on 5 deltas. A cumulative total of approximately 141 miles and 1220 delta acres were treated. In summary, trap catches of spawning-phase sea lamprey declined by 80-90%; nest counts were reduced by 57%. Sixteen of twenty-two TFM treatments reduced ammocoetes at index stations to less than 10% of pre-treatment levels. 8 of the 9 Bayer treatments resulted in mean mortality rates over 85% among caged ammocoetes. Relatively small number of nontarget amphibian and fish species were killed. Adverse effects on nontarget species were higher for Bayer treatments than TFM. Native mussels, snails and some other macroinvertebrates were significantly affected after the 1991 Bayer 73 treatments of the Ausable and Little Ausable deltas in New York. However, they recovered to pre-treatment levels within 4 years. American brook lamprey also experienced substantial treatment-related mortality. Yet, the finding of dead American brook lamprey in second-round treatments in each stream where they were negatively affected during the first-round suggested survival or immigration was adequate to maintain their populations. Wounding rates on lake trout and landlocked Atlantic salmon were reduced in the main lake basin, and catches of both species increased. A significant increase in survival of 3-4 year lake trout was noted; survival of older fish improved but did not change significantly. Returns of Atlantic salmon to tributaries increased significantly after treatment. Changes in wounding rates on brown and rainbow trout could not be evaluated, but angler catches increased since 1990. Catch per unit effort of rainbow smelt, the major forage species for salmonids, decreased significantly at one of two sampling stations in the main lake basin and in Malletts Bay, but not at other locations; length-at-age also decreased at most sites. Evaluation of angler responses to the program indicated a favorable 3.5:1 economic benefit:cost ratio. A Comprehensive Evaluation of an Eight Year Program of Sea Lamprey Control in Lake Champlain provides a detailed description of the results of the project. It is available on the FWS web-site at. [www.fws.gov/r51cfwro/lamprey/lamprey.html.], or from any of the contacts for further information listed above. Decision To Be Made The responsible officials in the FWS, NYSDEC, and VTDFW must decide whether to continue sea lamprey control for Lake Champlain. In addition, if sea lamprey control will continue, the agencies must also consider the following: (1) Should the following list be established as the long term program objectives? (a) Maintain reduced levels of sea lamprey on Main Lake and South Lake portions of Lake Champlain and achieve further Main Lake-South Lake reductions by targeting new areas where sea lamprey infestations are found. (b) Augment sea lamprey control activities in Mallets Bay and Inland Sea [[Page 62215]] areas of Lake Champlain and reduce sea lamprey population levels and associated impacts there. (c) Employ an integrated approach to continuing sea lamprey control using lampricides and nonchemical means. (2) What mitigation and monitoring measures are required for sound resource management? (3) Is sea lamprey control in the best interest for the resource and citizens of the states of New York and Vermont? The Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision is expected to be released by April, 2001. The Responsible Officials will make a decision regarding this proposal after considering public comments, and the environmental consequences displayed in the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, applicable laws, regulations, and policies. The decision and supporting reason will be documented in the Record of Decision. Dated November 3, 1999. Ronald E. Lambertson, Regional Director. [FR Doc. 99-29790 Filed 11-15-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-55-M