Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is proposing to provide funding to the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho to restore floodplain connectivity to the Kootenai River historic floodplains within the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge.
The project’s reconnection activities would include breaching levees, raising roads, replacing water control structures, enhancing wetlands, and re-establishing wetland connections. All of these actions would occur within an overall project area of about 2,330 acres.
A month long scoping comment period is now underway through May 18 and a public scoping meeting will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 30, in the Boundary County Annex Building, 6566 Main Street, Bonners Ferry.
BPA is requesting comments on issues to be considered during the environmental review of the project. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service would cooperate in the environmental review. For information about the project, the environmental review process, upcoming public meetings, and how to comment, please visit the project website at: http://www.bpa.gov/nepa/kootenai-natl-wildlife-refuge.
Please send your comments by May 18, 2024, so they may be considered in the environmental review. When commenting, refer to the full project name; “Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge Floodplain Reconnection Project.” All comments will be posted on the BPA comment website. There are several ways to comment:
- Online: https://publiccomments.bpa.gov/OpenCommentListing.aspx
- Mail: Bonneville Power Administration
Public Affairs – DKE-7
P.O. Box 14428
Portland, OR 97291-4428 - Toll-Free: 800-622-4519
- Fax: 503-230-4019
For additional environmental information, contact Ted Gresh, Senior Environmental Protection Specialist, Bonneville Power Administration – ECF-4, PO Box 3621, Portland, OR 97208-3621, toll-free at 1-800-622-4519 or by email, esgresh@bpa.gov.
For additional project information, contact Lee Watts, Fish and Wildlife Project Manager, Bonneville Power Administration – EWM-4, PO Box 3621, Portland, OR 97208-3621, toll-free at 1-800-622-4519 or by mail, vlwatts@bpa.gov.
