Ellen Paul wrote:
>
> See below. The USFWS is going to prepare an Environnmental Impact
> Statement pertaining to its plans to manage theCaspian Tern
> population in the Columbia River Estuary. As a preliminary step, they
> are holding scoping meetings. You need not attend a scoping
> meeting to submit comments. Instructions for submitting written comments
> are given below. DEADLINE: RECEIVED by 22 May 2003.
>
> --
> Ellen Paul
> Executive Director
> The Ornithological Council
> Mailto:epaul at concentric.net
> Ornithological Council Website: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET
> "Providing Scientific Information about Birds"
>
> [Federal Register: April 7, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 66)]
> [Page 16826-16827]
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
>
> Fish and Wildlife Service
>
> Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
> Caspian Tern Management in the Columbia River Estuary and Notification
> of Six Public Scoping Meetings
>
> AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
>
> ACTION: Notice of intent.
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as
> amended (NEPA), this notice advises the public that the U.S. Fish and
> Wildlife Service (Service), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps),
> and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) are preparing an
> Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia)
> Management in the Columbia River estuary, and announces six public
> scoping meetings. The proposed project study area includes the States
> of Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, and Nevada. We are furnishing
> this notice in compliance with NEPA and implementing regulations for
> the following purposes: (1) To advise other agencies and the public of
> our intentions; (2) to obtain suggestions and information on the issues related to the proposed
> project to be addressed in the EIS; and (3) to announce public meetings
> for scoping.
>
> DATES: Written comments are encouraged, and should be received no later
> than 5 p.m. Pacific time on May 22, 2003. Interested parties may
> contact the Service for more information at the address below. Proposed
> project information will be presented, and comments will be accepted at
> each meeting. The meeting dates and times are:
>
> 1. April 14, 2003, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Oakland, CA.
> 2. April 15, 2003, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Arcata, CA.
> 3. April 28, 2003, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Aberdeen, WA.
> 4. April 29, 2003, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Olympia, WA.
> 5. May 5, 2003, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Astoria, OR.
> 6. May 6, 2003, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Portland, OR.
>
> ADDRESSES: Address comments, requests for more information related to
> the preparation of the EIS, or requests to be added to the mailing list
> for this project to: Nanette Seto, Migratory Birds and Habitat
> Programs, 911 NE 11th Avenue, Portland, OR 97232, telephone (503) 231-
> 6164, facsimile (503) 231-2019.
> The meeting locations are:
>
> 1. Oakland, Marriott, 1001 Broadway, Oakland, CA.
> 2. Arcata, Redwood Park Lodge, East Park Road, Arcata, CA.
> 3. Aberdeen, Grays Harbor College, 1620 Edward P. Smith Dr., Aberdeen,
> WA.
> 4. Olympia, Washington State Capital Museum, 211 West 21st Ave.,
> Olympia, WA.
> 5. Astoria, Duncan Law Seafood Center, 2021 Marine Drive 200,
> Astoria, OR.
> 6. Portland, Double Tree Hotel, Lloyd Center, 1000 North East
> Multnomah, Portland, OR.
>
> SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
>
> Background
>
> In 2000, Seattle Audubon, National Audubon, American Bird
> Conservancy, and Defenders of Wildlife filed a lawsuit against the
> Corps alleging that compliance with NEPA for the proposed action of
> relocating a large colony of Caspian terns from Rice Island to East
> Sand Island, to reduce tern predation on salmon smolts, was
> insufficient; and against the Service in objection to the potential
> take of eggs as a means to prevent nesting on Rice Island. In 2002, all
> parties reached a settlement agreement. Terms of the agreement require
> the provision of approximately 6 acres of habitat for Caspian terns on
> East Sand Island and the prohibition of lethal take of adults or eggs
> on Rice Island. The settlement agreement also stipulates that the
> Service, Corps, and NMFS prepare an EIS to address salmon smolt
> predation and Caspian tern management in the Columbia River estuary.
>
> Current Planning Effort
>
> The Service, Corps, and NMFS are beginning the process of
> developing an EIS for Caspian tern management in the Columbia River
> estuary. The EIS will address the following issues: (1) Caspian tern
> predation on salmon smolts in the Columbia River estuary; (2)
> management of Caspian terns in the Pacific Coast/Western region,
> particularly the colony on East Sand Island in the Columbia River
> estuary; and (3) long-term ownership and management of East Sand Island
> in the Columbia River estuary.
>
> Preliminary Scoping Issues
>
> The following preliminary issues and questions have been identified
> for consideration in the EIS. Additional issues will be identified
> during public scoping.
> 1. Predation by the current Caspian tern colony on East Sand Island
> may have impacts on listed salmonids in the Columbia River estuary.
> Salmon experience high mortality rates as juveniles during the
> freshwater, estuary and early ocean stages, leading researchers to
> suggest that reducing mortality during the juvenile stage has the
> potential to increase population growth rates. NMFS is concerned over
> the increasing impact of avian predation on listed salmonids in the
> Columbia River estuary.
> 2. Is there a need to actively manage the Caspian tern colony on
> East Sand Island to ensure long-term conservation of this species in
> the Pacific Coast/Western region? Natural and human-caused events have
> reduced or eliminated habitat in the Pacific Coast/Western region; 8 of
> 15 historic colonies have been lost or abandoned in the last 20 years.
> Currently, about 24 colonies of Caspian terns are breeding in the
> region, with many concentrated on few remaining suitable sites. In
> particular, East Sand Island contains about 70 percent of the tern
> population in the region. This large colony may be vulnerable to
> catastrophic accidents in the Columbia River and stochastic events such
> as storms, predators, human disturbance, and disease.
> 3. Management actions may be required to protect salmonid stocks
> and the Caspian tern colony in the Columbia River estuary. Federal and
> State agencies, and nongovernmental organizations have agreed to
> explore the need and opportunity to restore, create, and enhance
> nesting habitat for Caspian terns in the Pacific Coast/Western region
> as one means to reduce and disperse the large tern colony on East Sand
> Island in the Columbia River estuary. The benefits of this action would
> reduce the level of tern predation on out-migrating Columbia River
> smolts and lower the vulnerability of a significant portion of the
> breeding Caspian terns in the Pacific Coast/Western region to
> catastrophic events.
>
> Public Comments
>
> Comments and materials received will be available for public
> inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours, at the above
> address. All comments received from individuals on Environmental Impact
> Statements become part of the official public record. Requests for such
> comments will be handled in accordance with the Freedom of Information
> Act, the Council on Environmental Quality's NEPA regulations (40 CFR
> 1506.6(f)), and other Service and Departmental policy and procedures.
> When requested, the Service generally will provide comment letters with
> the names and addresses of the individuals who wrote the comments.
> However, the telephone number of the commenting individual will not be
> provided in response to such requests to the extent permissible by law.
> Additionally, public comment letters are not required to contain the
> commentator's name, address, or other identifying information. Such
> comments may be submitted anonymously to the Service.
> The environmental review of this project will be conducted in
> accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy
> Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), NEPA Regulations (40
> CFR parts 1500-1508), other appropriate Federal laws and regulations,
> and Service policies and procedures for compliance with those
> regulations.

--
Mike Patterson
Astoria, OR
celata at pacifier.com

A child who becomes acquainted with the birds about him
hears every sound and puzzles out its meaning with a cleverness
that amazes those with ears who hear not.

-Neltje Blanchan

http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters/bird/bird.html