At the Council’s request of November 1, 2022, the ISRP reviewed a response submittal from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MFWP) to address a Council and ISRP condition regarding the nutrient fertilization component of Project #1995-004-00, Libby Reservoir Mitigation Restoration and Research, Monitoring and Evaluation (RM&E). MFWP proposes nutrient fertilization in the Kootenai River directly downstream of Libby Dam in Montana. The response submittal from MFWP’s includes a point-by-point response to issues previously raised by the ISRP, an Implementation Plan, and a Best Management Plan for the five-year nutrient addition experiment. The ISRP finds that MFWP's response documents sufficiently address the review condition, and the ISRP recommends “Meets Scientific Review Criteria.” The Implementation Plan and support documents are highly detailed, well organized, and carefully written. The Implementation Plan is a model for other proponents about the detail and planning required to prepare for such a large project in a large river. The ISRP’s review includes suggestions to improve the project’s likelihood of success.
