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DATE:

November 19, 2001

TO:

Wildlife Committee (WC)

FROM:

Carl Scheeler, Chair

SUBJECT:

Action Notes for November 13, 2001 Wildlife Committee Meeting in Spokane

Attendees:

Susan Barnes (ODFW), Maureen Smith (USFWS), Matt Berger (CTCR); Robert Walker (NWPPC), Paul Ashley (WDFW), Carl Scheeler (CTUIR), Angela Sondenaa and Loren Kronemann (NPT), Dave Leptich (IDFG), B.J. Kieffer and Kelly Singer (STOI), Tracy Hames and Mike Livingston (YIN), and Frank Young (CBFWA)

By Phone:

Anders Mikkelsen (CdAT), Carol Perugini (SPT), Tom Iverson (CBFWA), Joe DeHerrera (BPA), Scott Soults (KTOI)

Time Allocation:

Objective 3. FY 2001 Adjustments

0%

ITEM 1:

Review and Approve Agenda

ACTION:

The agenda was approved without additions.

ITEM 2:

Review and Approval of IDFG Management Plans for Albeni Falls Projects

Discussion:

Dave Leptich provided an overview of management plans for the Cocolalla Lake, McMahon, Westmond Lake and Cove properties and responded to questions from the Committee.

ACTION:

The Wildlife Committee determined that the Cocolalla Lake, McMahon, Westmond Lake and Cove properties management plans were consistent with the CBFWA Operation and Maintenance Guidelines.

ITEM 3:

Review and Approval of the Province Review Team�s Project Proposal Ranking Recommendations for the Mountain Snake and Blue Mountain Provinces

Discussion:

The WC reviewed the proposals for the Blue Mountain and Mountain Snake provinces to determine the level of wildlife benefits.

ACTION:

The WC concurred with the review team�s comments and rated the following acquisition projects as having significant wildlife benefits using the criteria of permanence, size, connectivity to other habitat, and juxtaposition to public lands:

Projects 27025, 27011, 27012, 27023, 199608000, 200002100, 28021, 28018, and 28010.

ITEM 4:

Discussion of Merits of Alternative Habitat Protection Measures

Discussion:

The Committee discussed their confusion over apparent mixed signals from BPA and the Council over their support for land acquisition as an effective wildlife mitigation technique.

ITEM 5:

Election of Chair and Vice-chair

ACTION:

Carl Scheeler and Susan Barnes were elected Chair and Vice-chair for FY 2002.

ITEM 6:

Preparation and Schedule for 2002 Project HEPs

Discussion:

The WC discussed the possibility of developing a proposal for the funding of a HEP team for submittal to the Systemwide solicitation but no decision was made to do so.

ACTION:

Maureen Smith will develop a schedule for HEPs for next season. Please provide information on project name, number of acres, cover types, and approximate dates when help is needed, to Maureen by January 31, 2002.

ITEM 7:

Discussion of Strategy for Crediting Past and Future Wildlife Mitigation Activities and Fish Habitat Benefits to Wildlife

Discussion:

The Committee discussed the recent and longstanding positions of BPA on crediting projects against the construction and inundation loss assessments. It was agreed that these BPA positions were now impacting the managers� ability to move forward with regionally significant fish and wildlife habitat protections under the "non-breach" scenario. Further discussions are needed and may be conducted by conference call in the near future. However, the USFWS�s ongoing evaluations of the appropriate use of HEP in similar situations elsewhere in the Nation is needed prior to a significant additional investment of time.

ITEM 8:

Time and Place of Next Meeting To be announced.