Columbian White-tailed Deer Translocation from Tenasillahe Island to Columbia Stock Ranch Final Environmental Assessment U.S. Department of Energy - Bonneville Power Administration Department of the Interior – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service August 2019 DOE/EA 2088 This page deliberately left blank Table of Contents Chapter 1 Purpose and Need........................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Purpose and Need ................................................................................................................ 3 1.3 Background ......................................................................................................................... 3 1.3.1 Bonneville Power Administration ................................................................................... 3 1.3.2 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ........................................................................................ 4 1.3.3 Columbian White-tailed Deer ......................................................................................... 4 1.3.4 Columbia Land Trust...................................................................................................... 4 1.3.5 Columbia Stock Ranch ................................................................................................... 5 1.4 Public Involvement .............................................................................................................. 6 1.4.1 Scoping and Scoping Comments ..................................................................................... 6 1.4.2 Issues outside the Scope of this Environmental Assessment ............................................. 7 1.4.3 Public Comments on the Draft Environmental Assessment .............................................. 7 1.4.4 Changes to the Environmental Assessment...................................................................... 7 Chapter 2 Proposed Action and the No Action Alternative .............................................................. 9 2.1 Proposed Action................................................................................................................... 9 2.2 No Action Alternative ........................................................................................................ 10 2.3 Mitigation Measures .......................................................................................................... 10 Chapter 3 Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences .............................................. 11 3.1 Wildlife and Fish ............................................................................................................... 11 3.1.1 Columbian White-tailed Deer ....................................................................................... 11 3.1.1.1 Population overview .............................................................................................. 12 3.1.1.2 Columbia River Distinct Population Segment ......................................................... 13 3.1.2 Other Wildlife .............................................................................................................. 15 3.1.3 Fish ............................................................................................................................. 16 3.1.4 ESA-listed Species ....................................................................................................... 16 3.1.4.1 Columbian White-tailed Deer................................................................................. 16 3.1.4.2 Streaked Horned Lark ............................................................................................ 16 3.1.4.3 Fish....................................................................................................................... 16 3.1.5 Effects to Wildlife and Fish .......................................................................................... 18 Columbian White-tailed Deer Translocation Environmental Assessment i 3.1.5.1 Effects of the Proposed Action on Wildlife and Fish ............................................... 18 3.1.5.2 Effects of the No Action Alternative on Wildlife and Fish....................................... 21 3.2 Land Use and Recreation.................................................................................................... 22 3.2.1 National Wildlife Refuge System and Julia Butler Hansen Refuge ................................. 22 3.2.2 Tenasillahe Island ........................................................................................................ 24 3.2.3 Columbia Stock Ranch ................................................................................................. 25 3.2.4 Private lands adjacent to CSR ....................................................................................... 25 3.2.5 Recreation.................................................................................................................... 25 3.2.6 Effects on Land Use and Recreation.............................................................................. 26 3.2.6.1 Effects of the Proposed Action on Land Use ........................................................... 26 3.2.6.1.1 Tenasillahe Island.............................................................................................. 26 3.2.6.1.2 Columbia Stock Ranch ...................................................................................... 26 3.2.6.1.3 Private Lands Adjacent to CSR .......................................................................... 26 3.2.6.2 Effects of the Proposed Action on Recreation ......................................................... 28 3.2.6.3 Effects of No Action on Land Use.......................................................................... 28 3.2.6.4 Effects of the No Action Alternative on Recreation................................................. 29 3.3 Socioeconomics and Environmental Justice ........................................................................ 29 3.3.1 Socioeconomic conditions ............................................................................................ 29 3.3.2 Environmental Justice .................................................................................................. 29 3.3.3 Effects of the No Action Alternative on Socioeconomics and Environmental Justice ...... 30 3.4 Cumulative Impacts ........................................................................................................... 30 3.4.1 Cumulative Effects of establishing a CWTD population at CSR..................................... 30 3.4.2 Cumulative Socioeconomic and Land Use Effects ......................................................... 31 Chapter 4 Coordination, Consultation, and Compliance................................................................. 33 4.1 Agency Coordination and Public Involvement .................................................................... 33 4.2 Environmental Review and Coordination ............................................................................ 33 4.2.1 National Environmental Policy Act ............................................................................... 33 4.2.2 Endangered Species Act ............................................................................................... 33 4.2.3 National Historic Preservation Act ................................................................................ 33 4.2.4 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act ................... 34 4.2.5 Executive Order 12372. Intergovernmental Review ...................................................... 34 4.2.6 Executive Order 13186. Responsibilities of Federal Agencies to Protect Migratory Birds 34 4.2.7 Other Federal Executive Orders .................................................................................... 34 Columbian White-tailed Deer Translocation Environmental Assessment ii 4.3 Tribal Consultation ............................................................................................................ 34 4.4 Distribution and Availability .............................................................................................. 35 Chapter 5 References ................................................................................................................... 37 Appendix A Public Comments on the Draft EA................................................................................ 39 Deer Island Stock Ranch Trust......................................................................................................... 1 Responses to Deer Island Stock Ranch Trust Comments ............................................................. 14 Deer Island Drainage Improvement Company .................................................................................. 1 Responses to Deer Island Drainage Improvement Company comments ......................................... 3 Marion Christensen, Deer Island Stock Ranch .................................................................................. 1 Responses to Marion Christensen, Deer Island Stock Ranch comments ......................................... 2 Agnes Marie Petersen .....................................................................................................................