Development of artificial production facilities in Northeast Oregon is authorized in Section 7.4 of the 1994 Northwest Power Conservation Council's (NPCC; formerly Northwest Power and Planning Council) Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Program (FWP). Specifically, Section 7.4L1 authorizes the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) to fund planning design, construction, operation, maintenance and evaluation of artificial production facilities to raise chinook salmon and steelhead for enhancement in the Hood, Umatilla, Grande Rhonde, and Imnaha Rivers.

The NPCC has adopted a 3-Step Review Process for reviewing and approving projects involving new production initiatives. This process involves submittal and review of a comprehensive master plan (Step-1), preliminary design and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis documents (Step-2), and final design documents (Step-3).

PROJECT SUMMARY
On April 14, 2000, the Nez Perce Tribe (NPT) submitted the Grande Ronde and Imnaha Spring Chinook Master Plan to the NPCC, fulfilling Step-1 requirements.  Following public and peer review and comment, the NPCC approved the Grande Ronde and Imnaha Spring Chinook Master Plan on September 20, 2000.

As part of the approval, the NPCC authorized implementation of Step-2 activities (preliminary design and NEPA analysis) for development of proposed facilities.  In addition, the NPCC requested that several issues raised during the review process be addressed.  

In October 2000, a Core Team was formed by the NPT from representatives of the co-managers and other involved parties:  the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), NOAA-Fisheries, BPA, NPCC, Montgomery Watson Harza (engineering consultants), U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and other team consultants.  The Core Team worked very hard in 2001 to develop the preliminary design of proposed new facilities and modifications to existing facilities (Lookingglass Hatchery and Imnaha satellite facility).  

On September 4, 2001 the preliminary design documents were submitted to the NPCC.  These documents included 1) response to Independent Scientific Review Panel (ISRP) and NPCC issues raised during the Step-1 review, 2) Preliminary Design Report, and 3) Preliminary Design Drawings.  This submittal was coordinated with the Blue Mountain Provincial Review timeline so that the Step-2 review of the preliminary design documents could take place in the Provincial Review forum.  Decisions regarding project funding in the Blue Mountain Province were made in January-April, 2002.  

On May 22, 2003 the Nez Perce Tribe again submitted step 2 documents to address the conditions placed on the project as part of the step 1 review.  The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the "Grande Ronde - Imnaha Hatchery Project" was completed by BPA and made available to the public on May 29, 2003.  

On June 2, 2003 the step 2 documents were submitted to the ISRP for review.  On August 12, 2003 the ISRP completed the review of the step submittal (ISRP document 2003-12).  The ISRP had some continuing concerns with some components of the program, primarily the detail of the monitoring and evaluation plan.  

On October 16, 2003 the NEOH Core Team responded to the ISRP's comments and questions raised in the step 2 review and on October 27, 2003 a meeting was arranged between members of the NEOH Core Team and the ISRP.  On November 17, 2003 the ISRP provided a follow up to their step 2 review (2003-12) which included specific recommendations for the development of an appropriate M&E plan.  

The NEOH Core Team re-submitted an M&E plan on March 1, 2004 for ISRP review.  On May 18, 2004 the ISRP provided their positive review of the M&E plan (ISRP document 2004-10).  The ISRP commented that the M&E plan was an excellent working draft for the NEOH Imnaha and Grande Ronde subbasin spring Chinook salmon program.

The Draft Biological Assessment (BA) was completed August 25, 2003.  The Final BA and request for formal consultation was mailed to USFWS and NOAA Fisheries on May 26, 2004.  The Biological Opinion from NOAA Fisheries was received on October 7, 2004.  Consultation with the USFWS is ongoing.

The Final Environmental Impact Statement was published in the federal register on July 30, 2004 for the Grande Ronde - Imnaha Spring Chinook Hatchery Project.  There is a 30-day period before a Record of Decision (ROD) can be written.  In addition, a determination is needed by the Wallowa-Whitman Forest Supervisor on whether to re-authorize the Special Use Permit to the USFWS for the Imnaha Satellite Facility.

On October 13, 2004, in Missoula, MT, the NPCC approved the step 2 review elements of the Northeast Oregon Hatchery Spring Chinook Master Plan and recommended, with conditions, activities associated with step 3.  Conditions identified by the NPCC were:

- An independent value analysis be initiated,

- Additional understanding is needed regarding the M&E plan and that a more confirmed regional approach is needed prior to providing additional direction to the M&E efforts in the Grande Ronde and Imnaha basins from the co-managers, and

- Currently Permitted Program and documents that provide co-managers responsibilities be continued to be developed and tracked as the proposal proceeds through step 3.

In addition, NPCC requested that the Independent Economic Analysis Board (IEAB) review the costs of the proposed project.

In a November 5, 2004, letter BPA announced it would proceed with funding step 3 of the NEOH Master Plan, as recommended by the NPCC.  

On May 9, 2006 the Council approved the final design and construction (Step 3) costs associated with the Northeast Oregon Hatchery (NEOH), Project 1988-053-01.

While it approved the final designs and recommended that Bonneville fund the construction of the facilities associated with this project, it conditioned the approval based on the following.

• That capital construction cost of the Northeast Oregon Hatchery facilities would not exceed $16,462,309.

• That projects associated with NEOH annual costs including O&M and M&E will be addressed through the prioritization process in the Blue Mountain Provincial budget.

• That Bonneville confirm that NEOH is expected to receive an appropriate amount of credit in the hydrosystem Biological Opinion and is consistent with NOAA Fisheries recovery goals.

• That Bonneville provide confirmation of the development of a management agreement.
This Statement of Work and associated budget identifies step 3 activities that we anticipate will occur in 2007

Concurrent with the development of the Lostine Hatchery facility is the necessary and important development of the associated monitoring and evaluation program. Proper planning, organization and communication is required prior to successful project implementation (Bisbal 2001). In recognition of its importance, the ISRP states, “we fully support funding for coordination of these efforts and integration with the NEOH M&E Plan” (ISRP 2004-10). NEOH M&E staff continue to participate as members of the NEOH planning team and with the NEOH M&E Core Team.

The co-managed nature of the NEOH program requires the NEOH M&E project leader to interact extensively with researchers, local management and production staff from ODFW and CTUIR. The project leader regularly participates in the Technical Oversight Team (TOT) and LSRCP AOP meetings. These co-manager meetings provide consensus building, information sharing and direction for the monitoring and evaluation activities in northeast Oregon. Hence, the project leader helps facilitate an adaptive management process that will benefit the NEOH program in the future. Continued funding for M&E staff will allow full participation in these NEOH-related forums

BPA, the Council, and the ISRP clearly encourage monitoring and evaluation of supplementation to develop within a common, regional framework and commit to a standard monitoring design (ISRP 2004; BPA 2005a; BPA 2005b; NPCC 2005). They promote two regional initiatives that can provide guidance that bond a regional framework with local endeavors like NEOH (Pacific Northwest Aquatic Monitoring Partnership and Collaborative Systemwide Monitoring and Evaluation Project). These groups seek a working relationship with local, on-the-ground M&E staff. NEOH M&E staff have and will continue to interact and collaborate with CSMEP in 2007. These local staff will provide the mechanism for implementing CSMEP and PNAMP priorities and protocols in northeast Oregon and help BPA and the Council advance their desire for regional coordination and standardization of monitoring efforts in the NEOH program.

Data collection, reporting and in-hatchery monitoring protocols are needed according to the ISRP Step-2 review (ISRP 2004-10). The panel recommended that the M&E plan be accompanied by protocol documents that detail procedures, timeframes and agency responsibilities. To develop and implement in-hatchery protocols at the Lostine facility will require prior coordination, planning and understanding between co-mangers. Preliminary meetings with the ODFW Fish Health Pathologist, ODFW Northeast Hatchery Coordinator, and ODFW M&E project leaders need to continue to formalize in-hatchery monitoring arrangements. This work needs to continue through 2007 to prepare for project implementation.

BPA strongly urges project proponents to actively seek cost sharing (BPA 2005). BPA looks favorably upon projects that are accompanied by cost-share participation from other entities. In response, NPT M&E staff will seek to develop grant proposals that address areas of biological uncertainty not directly addressed in the NEOH M&E Plan and/or to secure additional monies for under-funded M&E efforts related to the Lostine Hatchery. These grants have synergistic potential when combined with the BPA-funded NEOH contracts. Sustained support through 2007 will ensure the search for other funding sources continues.

Successful fisheries management is built upon habitat, fish populations, and people (Moring 1993). Conducting fisheries activities on private property without the support and endorsement of landowners and other local stakeholders is extremely difficult and exasperating. BPA’s investment within the largely private Lostine River watershed is substantial and certainly justifies public relations efforts. Local NEOH M&E staff will participate and provide information in public meetings, landowner communications and other PR endeavors. This work is too important to the Tribe and BPA for it not to continue during this critical time for the Lostine Hatchery.

BPA recently defined six common categories of M&E activities, one of which is Project Implementation/Compliance Monitoring (BPA 2005). Implementation/ compliance monitoring is directly linked to the construction of the NEOH facilities and “should not be separated from the project being implemented” according to the 2005 BPA directive. M&E staff are required to monitor construction activities, especially during the in-stream work window,to ensure compliance with NOAA and USFWS BIOp requirements. This aspect of work is to be supported under the existing "captial" contract ($41,000).

The Council, BPA and the ISRP have made clear the necessary link between supplementation and monitoring and evaluation (BPA 2005; NPCC 2004-17; ISRP/ISAB 2005-15). More recently, the region's policy makers have identified monitoring and evaluation as a programmatic issue in the 2007-2009 process when applied to "regional" assessment of hatcheries. Agencies cannot plan for one without planning for the other. Therefore, in addition to other components of a monitoring and evaluation program specific to NEOH, NEOH M&E staff have unique knowledge and skills to lead or support the NPCC's requirement to develop a regional hatchery M&E plan.