Emergency Stabilization and Rehabilitation Plan Programmatic Environment Assessment

The Bureau of Reclamation is developing a programmatic environmental assessment to describe and analyze Reclamation’s federal actions to support emergency stabilization and rehabilitation treatments implemented after a wildfire within public lands administered by Reclamation’s Ephrata Field Office in Washington State. This programmatic EA addresses the need to streamline National Environmental Policy Act analysis for wildfire recovery actions within the Ephrata Field Office and more quickly address post-fire public safety concerns, repair infrastructure, minimize degradation of natural and cultural resources, and rehabilitate resources where degradation occurs. Following a decision on this programmatic EA, Reclamation has the ability to act on specific emergency response actions needed to address impacts of individual wildfires covered under this analysis, either by tiering to this EA or through additional NEPA documentation.

The Emergency Stabilization and Rehabilitation Plan contains two components: emergency stabilization and burned area rehabilitation. Emergency stabilization addresses immediate needs to prevent risk to life and property or degradation of federally listed or state listed threatened and endangered species or cultural resources. Burned area rehabilitation objectives include emulating historical or pre-fire ecosystem structure, function, diversity, and dynamics and restoring or establish a healthy, stable ecosystem in which native species are well represented, and repairing or replacing facilities damaged by wildland fire.

Reclamation invites the public to identify issues or alternatives for consideration in the development of the proposed programmatic EA.

An additional purpose of this announcement is to provide notice and request public input on potential effects on historic properties in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (36 CFR 800.2(d)(3).

The 15-day public comment period is open from June 27 to July 11, 2025.

Written comments can be sent via email to scastle@usbr.gov or to:
Shawna Castle
Reclamation NEPA lead
Bureau of Reclamation, Columbia–Pacific Northwest Region
1150 Curtis Road, Boise, ID 83706-1234

All comments must be submitted/post-marked by July 11.

Documents
06/2025 EFO ESR EA Lands-Counties PPA 06112025 PDF 2.28MB

Contact

Shawna Castle
NEPA Lead
208-519-0311
scastle@usbr.gov

Bureau of Reclamation
Columbia–Pacific Northwest Region
1150 N. Curtis Road
Boise, Idaho 83706


Last Updated: 7/7/25