Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge is seeking public review and comment on its Draft Compatibility Determination for an underground powerline right-of-way project. Northern Lights, Inc. has requested to relocate the existing above-ground power line within the Refuge by burying it beneath the county road right-of-way. This measure aims to mitigate fire hazards and decrease incidents involving wildlife. Under USFWS policy, compatibility determinations for existing uses on National Wildlife Refuges must be periodically reviewed and updated. The Service will accept comments received or postmarked on or before July 15, 2026.

The Service prepares Compatibility Determinations to ensure that public and economic uses of National Wildlife Refuges do not interfere with or detract from the purposes for which each refuge was established. Compatibility Determinations also describe how these uses would contribute towards achieving Refuge purposes and the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System. 

The following Draft Compatibility Determinations are available for review online: 

Draft Compatibility Determination for Underground Powerline Utility Right-of-way, Kootenai NWR 

You may submit comments or requests for additional information through any of the following methods: 

• Email: FW1KootenaiNWR@fws.gov, Include “Kootenai NWR Compatibility Determinations” in the subject line of the message. 
• U.S. Mail: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Attn: Refuge Manager, Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge, 287 Westside Road, Bonners Ferry, ID 83805 

All comments received from individuals become part of the official public record. The Service’s practice is to make comments, including names and home addresses of respondents, available for public review during regular business hours. Individual respondents can request that we withhold their home address from the record, which we will honor to the extent allowable by law. If you wish to have your name and/or address withheld, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your comments.