Columbia-Pacific Northwest Region

Phase 2 Implementation Plan: Testing the Feasibility of Reintroduced Salmon in the Upper Columbia River Basin (P2IP)

The Phase 2 Implementation Plan: Testing the Feasibility of Reintroducing Salmon in the Upper Columbia River Basin is a 20-year plan for evaluating strategies for reintroducing chinook and sockeye salmon into blocked areas upstream of Chief Joseph, Grand Coulee, Little Falls, Long Lake, and Nine Mile dams, which were constructed without fish passage. The P2IP was developed by the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Coeur d’ Alene Tribe, Spokane Tribe of Indians, and the Upper Columbia United Tribes, collectively referred to as the Project Proponents. The P2IP includes research studies, establishing fish-rearing and hatchery facilities, and testing the feasibility of fish passage concepts.

In September 2023, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Coeur d’ Alene Tribe, Spokane Tribe of Indians, and the federal government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and Mediated Settlement Agreement (P2IP Agreement) to resolve pending litigation and pursue a proactive, collaborative, and science-based approach to implementing the P2IP. The P2IP Agreement outlines funding and implementation commitments through the year 2043.

The P2IP Agreement further establishes a mutual understanding that P2IP implementation does not require any material changes to operations and maintenance of Columbia River System (CRS) project.

The Project Proponents are currently implementing juvenile survival outmigration studies. The applicable agencies have approved and permitted these activities, which would continue under the no action alternative described in the final programmatic EA.

Federal actions analyzed in the proposed action in the final programmatic EA include but are not limited to the following:

• Providing federal funding to support P2IP activities throughout the study area
• Reviewing, approving, and issuing permits for actions including, but not limited to, data collection, installation of equipment, or construction of facilities (for example, interim passage and/or rearing facilities) on federally managed lands and facilities
• Providing surplus eggs, juveniles, and adult salmon from existing hatcheries and non-hatchery collection actions
• Participating in planning, design, development, implementation, feasibility assessments, and operation of interim passage facilities and guidance structures

Documents

11/2024	P2IP Draft Programmatic EA PDF 22 MB
02/2024	P2IP Project Scoping Letter PDF 192 KB

Related Websites

Upper Columbia United Tribes webpage