Print Version

Home   News   Sports   Social   Obituaries   Events   Letters BPA proposes to buy 87 acres at Twin Rivers Canyon January 21, 2012 The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is proposing to fund the purchase of 87 acres in the Kootenai River watershed in Boundary County, Idaho for fish and wildlife habitat protection. BPA is sending this letter to inform nearby residents and other interested parties of this proposed land purchase. Additional information is available online at www.efw.bpa.gov. When the transaction is complete the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho will own and manage the land. BPA will receive a conservation easement to ensure the habitat is protected in perpetuity. The Kootenai Tribe of Idaho will provide long-term stewardship and develop a management plan to guide the protection and enhancement of habitat on the property. The public will an opportunity to comment on the management plan before BPA approves it. The plan will prevent activities that could damage fish and wildlife habitats (such as open pit mining, grazing, etc.) from occurring on this land. The purchase is expected in the winter of 2012. BPA proposes to fund the acquisition of this property as part of ongoing efforts to mitigate for wildlife habitat losses due to the construction and inundation of Albeni Falls Dam. The Kootenai River watershed supports local populations of resident fish species, Kootenai River white sturgeon, migratory waterfowl, neotropical birds, raptors, elk, deer and moose. The parcel is located in an area significant to the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho and evidence of traditional use goes back thousands of years. Purchasing this property will not impact surround prime agricultural lands and farming operations. BPA has prepared a memo and environmental checklist documenting that funding the conservation easement on this property is categorically excluded under the National Environmental Policy Act, and that further environmental review of this funding action is therefore not required. This categorical exclusion was approved on November 17, 2011 and has been posted on BPA’s website at: http://www.efw.bpa.gov/environmental_services/categoricalexclusions.aspx If you have any questions about this proposal or would like additional information, please contact Virgil Lee Watts, BPA, at (503) 230-4625, via e-mail at vlwatts@bpa.gov, or toll free at (800) 622-4519. Be sure to reference the “Upper Twin Rivers Purchase." The area outlined in red indicates the are proposed for purchase near Twin Rivers.