Feds: No significant impact for native trout restoration, enhancement projects in southwest Utah

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has determined that the proposed Native Trout Restoration and Enhancement Projects in southwest Utah will not have a significant impact on the human environment and will not require the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement.

The FWS previously released a Draft Environmental Assessment on the restoration program to satisfy NEPA requirements and allow public comment on the proposal.

The DEA detailed the project and analyzed potential impacts and effects on affected resources. It was released for a 30-day public commenting period that ended in July. Two comment letters were received and considered.

The project will be funded in part with a grant under the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, in cooperation with the Fishlake and Dixie national forests and Bureau of Land Management in Richfield are proposing to establish populations of native Bonneville cutthroat trout or Colorado River cutthroat trout in 10 streams in south central and southwestern Utah.

Non-native trout in project streams would be removed where they are present through rotenone applications.

Fish migration barriers would be constructed where necessary to prevent the reinvasion of nonnative trout. Native trout from core populations or fish produced from DWR's native trout brood stocks would be introduced to establish self-sustaining populations. In addition, non-native fish would be removed from one marsh area, where they impact waterfowl use and production.

A copy final assessment is available online at mountain-prairie.fws.gov/federalassistance.