20160906AVU to Staff 122 Attachment A.pdf

Avista – Clark Fork River
Annual Implementation Plans
Approval Process

Avista owns and operates the Noxon Rapids and Cabinet Gorge hydroelectric
developments (Clark Fork Project No. 2058). The operation of the Clark Fork Project is
conditioned by the Clark Fork Settlement Agreement (CFSA), signed in 1999, and
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) License No. 2058, effective date of
March 1, 2001. The CFSA and FERC license established Protection, Mitigation and
Enhancement measures (PM&Es). The CFSA and FERC license also established a
number of committees and a process for the review and approval of the implementation
of all the PM&Es (see attached organizational chart).

The ultimate decision making body is FERC, however, prior to Avista requesting FERC
approval, all proposed PM&E activities are approved by the Clark Fork Management
Committee (MC). The MC is comprised of the 28 signatories to the CFSA. The MC
includes representatives from federal, state, and local government, five Native American
tribes, non-governmental organizations and Avista. The MC strives to make all
decisions, including approval of planned activities and expenditures, by consensus.

The annual approval process begins on December 1st of each year, when the first drafts of
Annual Implementation Plans (AIPs) are due to Avista. These draft AIPs are prepared by
stakeholders and/or Avista. During this month all aquatic Protection, Mitigation and
Enhancement (PM&E) AIPs (CFSA Appendix A, B, C, D, E, F1, F2, F3, F4, F5 and T)
are reviewed by the Aquatic Implementation Team (Avista, IDFG, MFWP and USFWS
fishery biologists). The first drafts for the terrestrial PM&Es are also due December 1st
of each year, and are developed by Avista with input of our stakeholders. Depending
upon the resource being addressed, these draft Terrestrial AIPs are reviewed and refined
by subcommittees of the Terrestrial Resource Technical Advisory Committee (TRTAC
established in the CFSA) , such as the Riparian Implementation Team, Land Use
Subgroup, or Recreation Resources Subgroup.

Following this initial review process, all proposed individual projects that deal with
stream habitat restoration, habitat acquisitions/easements and total dissolved gas
mitigation efforts are ranked and prioritized following established Management
Committee (MC) approved ranking criteria. Usually, these types of proposed projects are
found within Appendix A, B, F1, H, and K. The process is undertaken by interested
participants from the Water Resources Technical Advisory Committee (WRTAC) and
TRTAC composed of representatives from the CFSA signatories.

After this ranking process, all of the draft AIPs, including the top ranked stream habitat
restoration, habitat acquisitions/easements and total dissolved gas mitigation projects, are
collated and mailed, depending on subject category, to either the WRTAC or TRTAC for
their review and consideration. The Cultural Resources Technical Advisory Committee
also receives all of the AIPs for their review and consideration. Formal meetings of these
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Technical Committees are held toward the end of January where all AIPs are reviewed,
modified and/or approved to be forwarded onto the Management Committee.

After a short internal editing period, all of the draft AIPs are collated and mailed to the
MC for their review and consideration in the middle of February. During their March
meeting, usually held in the middle of the month, the MC reviews, modifies and approves
the AIPs for the year. All AIPs are then submitted for FERC approval by April 15th.
Meeting notes from the Management Committee and all subcommittees are available
upon request.

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Management
Committee

The Clark Fork Project
Resource Protection, Mitigation and Enhancement Reporting
Process

The AIT was created by Avista and is not a requirement of the Settlement Agreement or FERC License.
AIT
RIT
(Riparian Implementation Team)

Concepts,
Proposals,
Plans and
Projects
TRTAC
(Terrestrial Resources Technical Advisory Committee)
WRTAC
(Water Resources Technical Advisory Committee)
FERC
CRMG
(Cultural Resource Management Group)
Terrestrial-Related Items Aquatic-Related Items
Cultural Resource Specific Items
Consultation regarding Ground-Disturbing Activities
Consultation regarding Ground-Disturbing Activities
Joint Projects
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