2022-11-28-minutes-public-works-study-session

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Finding of No Significant Impact Section 7(a)(2) Biological Opinion (BO) and Magnuson—Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Essential Fish Habitat Consultation for the Kachess Dam Safety of Dams Modification, Kittitas County, Washington (NMFS BO; NMFS 2022). Over the course of the project, Reclamation anticipates that the maximum disturbance area would be approximately 11 acres, with 4 acres of permanent disturbance because of the project. For the other 7 acres that would be reclaimed, all earth areas capable of supporting vegetation, which the project has exposed or disturbed, would be graded to a stable grade and revegetated. Where seeding is expected to have a high probability of success, the site would be seeded with a suitable native seed mix and protected from erosion with weed -free mulch or other suitable biodegradable erosion - control protection. Reclamation would collaborate with the US Forest Service on revegetation practices to develop the revegetation plan, with input from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the US Army Corps of Engineers. Construction is expected to occur between April 2023 and July 2025. Construction sequencing would occur as follows: • Phase 1: During the first phase of construction (April to October 2023), Reclamation would work on developing the access road and contractor use areas. Accordingly, this phase of construction would involve clearing and grubbing of trees on the site. Reclamation plans to work on tree clearing, chipping, and shredding between May and June 2023.. Reclamation would haul trees to a designated US Forest Service lot. Hauling would occur between June and July 2023. Access road construction would occur from July to early October 2023. Contractor use areas would be developed from May to July 2023. • Phase 2: During the second phase of construction Qanuary 2023 to July 2025), Reclamation would focus on fabrication and delivery of pipes to the project area. It also would work on replacing the outlet works. Excavating the foundation for the conduit extension would occur between January and February 2024. Reclamation would expect sand delivery to occur in May 2024, but this schedule could be revised closer to the actual construction. The remaining elements would occur after May 2024, with refinements to this schedule occurring closer to the actual construction date. Other details related to site preparation and construction can be found in the USFWS's ESA Section 7(a)(2) BO Habitat Consultation for the Kachess Dam Safety of Dams Modification, Kittitas County, Washington (USFWS BO; USFWS 2022) Summary of Impacts Reclamation's resource specialists analyzed and reviewed 16 resources. The following eight resources were eliminated from full consideration in the EA: utilities, recreation, Indian trust assets, sacred sites, land use, environmental justice, public health and safety, and visual resources. The rationale for their exclusion can be found in Section 2.4 of the EA. In addition, resource reports on these resources are included in Appendix B of the EA. There would be a range of effects on the other eight resources, as summarized below. Kochess Safety of Dams Final Environmental Assessment