Adopted 09/30/2020 as DOE/EA-2150 By Bonneville Power Administration (Bonneville) Bonneville Adoption of the Environmental Assessment Reducing Predation Impacts on At-Risk Fish by California and Steller Sea Lions in the Columbia River Basin National Marine Fisheries Service West Coast Region 1201 Lloyd Blvd., Suite 1100 Portland, OR 97232 August 14, 2020 Cover Sheet Environmental Assessment Reducing Predation Impacts on At-Risk Fish by California and Steller Sea Lions In the Columbia River Basin Proposed Action: Approval with certain conditions of an Application Requesting Authorization to Intentionally Take, by Lethal Methods, California and Steller Sea Lions in the Columbia River Basin Pursuant to Section 120(f) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Responsible Official: Barry A. Thom, Regional Administrator National Marine Fisheries Service West Coast Region 1201 Lloyd Blvd., Suite 1100 Portland, OR 97232 Cooperating Agency: Bonneville Power Administration 905 N.E 11th Avenue Portland, OR 97232 For Further Information: Robert Anderson National Marine Fisheries Service West Coast Region 1201 Lloyd Blvd., Suite 1100 Portland, OR 97232 i THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK ii List of Acronyms List of Acronyms ACC Animal Care Committee AWA Animal Welfare Act BPA Bonneville Power Administration CORPS U.S. Army Corps of Engineers CSL California Sea Lions CRITFC Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission DPS Distinct Population Segment EFH Essential Fish Habitat EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ESA Endangered Species Act ESU Evolutionarily Significant Unit IACUC Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee MMPA Marine Mammal Protection Act NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service NRHP National Register of Historical Places ODFW Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife OSP Optimum Sustainable Population PBR Potential Biological Removal SSL Steller Sea Lions WDFW Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife iii List of Acronyms TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. PURPOSE AND NEED FOR THE PROPOSED ACTION................................................................ 7 1.1 Bonneville Introduction................................................................................................. 7 1.2 Introduction and Background......................................................................................... 7 1.3 Bonneville Power Administration ................................................................................... 8 1.4 Sea Lion Predation ......................................................................................................10 1.5 Marine Mammal Protection Act Section 120 ...................................................................14 1.6 Marine Mammal Protection Act Section 120(f) ................................................................14 1.7 Proposed Action .........................................................................................................17 1.8 Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action.....................................................................18 2. ALTERNATIVES ...............................................................................................................19 2.1 Introduction ...............................................................................................................19 2.1.1 Action Area.............................................................................................................19 2.1.2 MMPA Requirements ...............................................................................................20 2.2 Alternatives................................................................................................................21 2.2.1 Alternative 1 – No Action ..........................................................................................22 2.2.2 Alternative 2 – Lethal and Non-Lethal Removal of Sea Lions...........................................22 2.2.3 Alternative 3 –Lethal and Non-Lethal Removal of Sea Lions and Modified Task Force Recommendations (Proposed Action).......................................................................................28 2.3 Alternatives Considered but Not Analyzed in Detail..........................................................36 3. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ...............................................................................................38 3.1 Introduction and Environmental Setting .........................................................................38 3.2 Marine Mammals........................................................................................................42 3.2.1 California Sea Lion (United States Stock) .....................................................................42 3.2.2 Steller Sea Lion (Eastern United States Stock) ..............................................................45 3.2.3 Harbor Seals (Oregon/Washington Coast Stock) ...........................................................46 3.3 Listed Salmonids and Critical Habitat .............................................................................48 3.3.1 Listed Salmonids......................................................................................................48 3.3.2 Designated Critical Habitats ......................................................................................63 3.3.3 Recovery Planning for ESA-Listed Salmonids ................................................................66 3.4 Non-Listed Fish Species ................................................................................................66 3.5 Fish Habitat................................................................................................................68 TOC-3 3.6 Recreation .................................................................................................................68 3.7 Cultural Resources ......................................................................................................70 3.8 Law Enforcement ........................................................................................................73 4. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ...................................................................................75 4.1 Introduction ...............................................................................................................75 4.2 Marine Mammals........................................................................................................75 4.2.1 Alternative 1 (No Action) ..........................................................................................75 4.2.2 Alternative 2 ...........................................................................................................76 4.2.3 Alternative 3 ..........................................................................................................77 4.3 ESA-Listed Salmonids and Critical Habitat ......................................................................78 ESA-Listed Salmonids..............................................................................................................78 4.3.1 Alternative 1 (No Action) ..........................................................................................78 4.3.2 Alternative 2 ...........................................................................................................79 4.3.3 Alternative 3 ...........................................................................................................80 Designated Critical Habitat ......................................................................................................81 4.4 Non-Listed Fish Species ................................................................................................81 4.5 Fish Habitat................................................................................................................84 4.6 Recreation .................................................................................................................84 4.7 Cultural Resources ......................................................................................................86 4.8 Law Enforcement ........................................................................................................87 5. CUMULATIVE EFFECTS .................................................................................................90 5.1 Climate Change...........................................................................................................90 5.2 Marine Mammals........................................................................................................91 5.3 ESA-Listed and Non-ESA Listed Fish Species ....................................................................92 6.0 AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS CONSULTED .................................................................94 7.0 COORDINATION, CONSULTATION AND COMPLIANCE............................................................96 7.1 National Environmental Policy Act ......................................................................................96 7.2 Endangered Species Act ....................................................................................................96 7.3 Marine Mammal Protection Act Section 120 .......................................................................97 7.4 Marine Mammal Protection Act Section 120(f) ....................................................................97 7.5 National Historic Preservation Act ......................................................................................97