Notice of Availability of the Lake Powell Pipeline Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Draft Resource Management Plan Amendment; Coconino and Mohave Counties, Arizona and Washington and Kane Counties, Utah

CourtInterior Department,Reclamation Bureau
Citation85 FR 34748
Record Number2020-12382
SectionNotices
Published date08 June 2020
Federal Register, Volume 85 Issue 110 (Monday, June 8, 2020)
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 110 (Monday, June 8, 2020)]
                [Notices]
                [Pages 34748-34749]
                From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
                [FR Doc No: 2020-12382]
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                DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
                Bureau of Reclamation
                [RR04963000, XXXR0680R1, RR.17549661.1000000]
                Notice of Availability of the Lake Powell Pipeline Project Draft
                Environmental Impact Statement/Draft Resource Management Plan
                Amendment; Coconino and Mohave Counties, Arizona and Washington and
                Kane Counties, Utah
                AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation and Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
                ACTION: Notice of availability.
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                SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
                1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of
                1976, as amended, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), in
                coordination with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and four other
                cooperating agencies, announce the availability of the Lake Powell
                Pipeline (LPP) Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and
                the Arizona Strip Field Office Draft Resource Management Plan Amendment
                (RMPA) (Draft EIS/Draft RMPA) for public review and comment for 90
                days. The Draft EIS/Draft RMPA describes the potential environmental
                impacts of the No Action Alternative and two action alternatives for
                the LPP, proposed by the Utah Board of Water Resources (UBWR).
                DATES: To ensure that comments will be considered, Reclamation must
                receive written comments on the Draft EIS/Draft RMPA within 90 days of
                the date that this Federal Register notice is published. Send written
                comments on the Draft EIS/Draft RMPA on or before September 8, 2020.
                Due to unforeseen circumstances, this notice was issued after the
                Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) weekly publication of EIS
                filings in the Federal Register on June 5, 2020. A correction
                representing the revised comment period will be sent to the EPA after
                this notice is published. Reclamation will host two virtual, online
                public meetings on July 8 and 9, 2020 due to the continuing public
                health concerns and a desire to facilitate maximum public participation
                without the need to limit attendees. Details regarding those meetings,
                including web login, conference line and registration information will
                be published on Reclamation's website at https://www.usbr.gov/uc/envdocs/eis/LakePowellPipeline/index.html at least 15 days prior to
                July 8, 2020.
                ADDRESSES: Send written comments or requests for copies of the Draft
                EIS/Draft RMPA to Mr. Rick Baxter, Project Manager, Bureau of
                Reclamation, 302 East Lakeview Parkway, Provo, Utah 84606 or via email
                to [email protected]. The Draft EIS/Draft RMPA is accessible from the
                following website: https://www.usbr.gov/uc/envdocs/eis/LakePowellPipeline/index.html.
                FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Rick Baxter, Project Manager, 801-
                379-1078; or by email at [email protected]. Persons who use a
                telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal
                Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above
                individual during normal business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours
                a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question with the above
                individual. You will receive a reply during normal business hours.
                SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Draft EIS/Draft RMPA analyzes the
                potential direct, indirect, and cumulative physical, biological, and
                socioeconomic environmental effects that may result from construction
                and operation of the two action alternatives: The Highway Alternative
                and the Southern Alternative, including three RMPA sub-alternatives for
                the Southern Alternative. Both alternatives consist of a water delivery
                pipeline that begins at Lake Powell near Glen Canyon Dam in Page,
                Arizona, and ends at Sand Hollow Reservoir near St. George, Utah. The
                pipeline would deliver up to 86,249 acre-feet of water from Lake Powell
                to Washington County. Both alternatives also include a water exchange
                contract between Reclamation and UBWR.
                 The BLM Arizona Strip Field Office is considering amending a
                portion of the Arizona Strip Field Office (ASFO) Resource Management
                Plan (RMP) related to the Kanab Creek Area of Critical Environmental
                Concern (ACEC). Pursuant to 43 CFR 1610.7-2(b), the BLM is required to
                publish a notice in the Federal Register of proposed ACECs, including
                changes to existing ACECs, and specify the resource use limitations.
                This notice announces a concurrent 60-day public comment period for
                proposed changes to the existing Kanab Creek ACEC. The BLM proposes
                three sub-alternatives under the Southern Alternative to amend the ASFO
                RMP to consider allowing development of the LPP within the Kanab Creek
                ACEC or adjust the ACEC boundary. The Kanab Creek ACEC would not change
                under the No Action or Highway alternatives. Pertinent information
                regarding changes to the Kanab Creek ACEC, including proposed
                designation acreage and resource use limitations are described in the
                table below.
                [[Page 34749]]
                 Kanab Creek ACEC Acres and Use Restrictions Under the Alternatives
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                 Southern alternative
                 No action alternative and highway alternative -----------------------------------------------------------------
                 Sub-alternative 1 Sub-alternative 2 Sub-alternative 3
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                13,148 acres--MA-LR-06: ROWs, permits, leases, 13,148 acres--Amend 12,243 acres--Change 13,148 acres--Amend
                 easements will be evaluated on a case-by-case MA-LR-06 to allow VRM designation on MA-LR-06 and LA-VR-
                 basis. New land use authorizations will be new land use 230.6 acres from 01 as in RMPA Sub-
                 discouraged within avoidance areas, allowed authorizations when VRM Class II to VRM alternative 1.
                 only when no reasonable alternative exists effects on ACEC Class III. Maintain Amend MA-LR-12: The
                 and impacts to sensitive resources can be sensitive resources utility corridor as utility corridor
                 mitigated. Route new ROWs away from high- could be mitigated. VRM Class IV. within Kanab Creek
                 density listed species' populations, cultural Amend LA-VR-01: ACEC would be less
                 sites, and along edges of avoidance areas. Designated utility than 1 mile wide.
                 Include mitigation such as underground corridor inside Manage area outside
                 placement of linear ROWs along existing roads ACEC would be utility corridor as
                 in the House Rock Valley area and special Visual Resource VRM Class II or
                 protection measures for archaeological Management (VRM) Class III. Maintain
                 resources. Class IV. utility corridor as
                LA-VR-01: Class I: 80,760 acres, Class II: VRM Class IV.
                 368,032 acres, Class III: 1,459,374 acres,
                 Class IV: 72,897 acres.
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                Authority
                 The LPP was authorized by the Utah State Legislature under the Lake
                Powell Pipeline Development Act of 2006 (40 CFR 1501.7; 43 CFR 1610.2
                and 1610.7).
                Public Review of Draft EIS/Draft RMPA
                 Copies of the Draft EIS/Draft RMPA are available upon request. See
                information under the ADDRESSES section.
                Special Assistance for the Online/Virtual Public Meeting
                 If special assistance is required at the public meetings, please
                contact Ms. Ellen Hopp, Galileo Project, LLC, Project Administrator, at
                [email protected]. Please notify Ms. Hopp as far in advance as
                possible to enable Reclamation to secure the needed services. If a
                request cannot be honored, the requestor will be notified.
                Public Disclosure
                 Please note that public comments and information submitted
                including names, street addresses, and email addresses of persons who
                submit comments will be available for public review and disclosure at
                the above address during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.),
                Monday through Friday, except holidays. Before including your address,
                phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information
                in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--
                including your personal identifying information--may be made publicly
                available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold
                your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot
                guarantee that we will be able to do so.
                Brent Esplin,
                Regional Director, Upper Colorado Basin--Interior Region 7, Bureau of
                Reclamation.
                [FR Doc. 2020-12382 Filed 6-4-20; 4:15 pm]
                 BILLING CODE 4332-90-P
                

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