LEAVENWORTH — The Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Wednesday they will delay issuing a draft environmental assessment for the proposed Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery intake replacement project.

Project engineers have identified the need for additional design modifications to better address de-icing of the fish screens before the environmental assessment can be released for public review, a bureau news release said.

Both federal partners are working to respond to design questions so the environmental effects associated with any changes can be fully analyzed and anticipate this reanalysis will take two to three months to complete.

The current proposed project plan, designed to get rid of the intake-clogging ice, would bring in warm water, sterilized with ultraviolet light, and spray it onto the fish screens, said Bob Hamilton, the reclamation activities manager for the bureau’s Pacific Northwest regional office in Boise.

Hamilton on Wednesday said department engineers had a concern that the warm water “won’t be warm enough under all conditions.”

Hamilton said they needed more time to see if the design will work before the environmental assessment is completed.

The press release said that when the draft assessment is completed, it will be broadly released for public comment and that interested parties could check for updates at: http://www.fws.gov/leavenworth/.

“Although an (environmental assessment) does not require public comment, we will be seeking public input to ensure we have not overlooked important environmental aspects necessary to meet the water supply and fish passage needs at the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery,” Hamilton said in the release.

Several local people voiced their opposition to the proposed plan at an informational meeting in Leavenworth on Dec. 1. They could not be reached to comment on the delay.

According to the press release, an environmental assessment determines whether or not a federal undertaking would significantly impact the environment. If it is determined that no such impacts exist, a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) would then be issued. In the event that significant impacts are identified, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) would be developed.

“These processes are important so the public can be kept fully informed about the project’s environmental aspects and given ample opportunity to comment prior to a final decision,” said Jana Grote, Fisheries Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Pacific Region, in a news release.

The Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery is located in Chelan County along Icicle Creek. The wildlife service and bureau are preparing to replace a 70-year-old water intake and delivery system at the hatchery. The water intake and delivery system is deteriorating rapidly and is reaching the end of its design life.

Michele Mihalovich: 665-1188

mihalovich@wenatcheeworld.com