[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 62 (Friday, March 31, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16662-16664]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-7864]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation


Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Proposed Acreage 
Limitation and Water Conservation Rules and Regulations

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability on the draft environmental impact 
statement; INT-DES-95-13.

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SUMMARY: In response to a September 1993 contract for settlement of a 
lawsuit filed by the Natural Resources Defense Council, National 
Wildlife Federation, California Natural Resources Federation, 
California Association of Family Farmers, California Action Network, 
League of Rural Voters, Inc., and County of Trinity, California 
(hereinafter NRDC et al.); and pursuant to the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) 
has prepared a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) on proposed 
acreage limitation and water conservation rules and regulations for 
implementing the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982 (RRA), as amended, 
throughout the 17 Western States.
    The purpose of the DEIS is to evaluate potential impacts associated 
with the proposed rules and alternatives. As such, the DEIS presents an 
evaluation of five alternatives, including no action. This is 
accomplished at a programmatic level and provides the required 
environmental documentation for implementation of the RRA on a Westwide 
basis.

DATES: Written comments on the DEIS should be submitted to the Bureau 
of Reclamation by May 31, 1995. A recorded toll-free number (1-800-861-
5443) will be available to make oral comments during the public review 
period. Comments received in this manner must include the commentor's 
name in order to be included in the official record. Address and 
affiliation are optional. Comments will be limited to 15 minutes per 
call.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the DEIS and requests for copies should 
be addressed to: Mr. Ronald J. Schuster (D-5010), Westwide Settlement 
Manager, Bureau of Reclamation, PO Box 25007, Denver CO 80225. Requests 
for copies may also be made over the telephone at (303) 236-1061 
extension 237.
    Copies of the DEIS are available for inspection at the address 
above and also at the following locations:
     Office of the Commissioner, Bureau of Reclamation, Room 
7612, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington DC 20240
     Reclamation Service Center, Bureau of Reclamation, 
Library, Room 167, Building 67, Denver Federal Center, Denver CO 80225
     Pacific Northwest Regional Office, Bureau of Reclamation, 
Room 214, 1150 North Curtis Road, Boise ID 83706
     Mid-Pacific Regional Office, Bureau of Reclamation, 
Library, Room W-1522, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento CA 95825
     Lower Colorado Regional Office, Bureau of Reclamation, 
Library, Room M117, Nevada Highway and Park Street, Boulder City NV 
89005
     Upper Colorado Regional Office, Bureau of Reclamation, 
Library, Room 7101, 125 South State Street, Salt Lake City UT 84147
     Great Plains Regional Office, Bureau of Reclamation, 
Library, Room 2037, Federal Office Building, 316 North 26th Street, 
Billings MT 59101

Libraries

Arizona

Arizona Department of Water Resources Library, Phoenix
Arizona State Library, Department of Library, Archives and Public 
Records, Phoenix
Arizona State Regional Library for the Blind and Physically 
Handicapped, Phoenix
Arizona State University, Noble Science and Engineering Library, 
Tempe
Arizona State University, Hayden Library, Tempe
Flagstaff City-Coconino County Public Library, Flagstaff
Maricopa County Library, Phoenix
Mesa Public Library, Mesa
Northern Arizona University, Cline Library, Flagstaff
Phoenix Public Library, Phoenix
Scottsdale Public Library, Scottsdale
Tempe Public Library, Tempe
Tucson Pima Library, Tucson
University of Arizona Library, Tucson
Yuma County Library District, Yuma

California

Bay Area Library and Information System, Oakland [[Page 16663]] 
California State Library, Sacramento
California State University, Hayward Library, Hayward
California State University, University Library, Los Angeles
California State University Library, Sacramento
Colorado River Board of California Library, Glendale
Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX Library, San Francisco
Fresno County Free Library, Fresno
Fresno State University Library, Fresno
Kern County Library, Bakersfield
Los Angeles Public Library, Los Angeles
Los Angeles Public Library, Water and Power Section, Los Angeles
Sacramento Public Library, Sacramento
San Francisco Public Library, San Francisco
Stanford University Libraries, Stanford
University of California Water Resources Center Library, Berkeley
University of California, General Library, Berkeley
University of California, University Research Library, Los Angeles
University of California, Shields Library, Davis
University of Southern California, Doheny Memorial Library, Los 
Angeles

Colorado

Colorado State University Libraries, Fort Collins
Denver Central Library, Denver
University of Colorado at Boulder, Norlin Library, Boulder
University of Denver, Penrose Library, Denver
U.S. Air Force Academy, Academy Library, Colorado Springs
Grand Junction Public Library, Grand Junction

Idaho

University of Idaho Library, Moscow
Ada Community Library, Boise
Idaho State Library, Boise
Pocatello Public Library, Pocatello

Kansas

University of Kansas, Lawrence
Kansas State Library, Topeka
Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, Topeka

Montana

University of Montana, Maurene and Mike Mansfield Library, Missoula
Billings Gazette Library, Billings
Parmly Billings Library, Billings
Missoula Public Library, Missoula

Nebraska

University of Nebraska, D.L. Love Memorial Library, Lincoln
Lincoln City Library, Lincoln
North Platte Public Library, North Platte
Omaha Public Library, Omaha

Nevada

Boulder City Library, Boulder City
Carson City Library, Carson City
Clark County Library District, Las Vegas
Nevada State Library, Carson City
University of Nevada, Reno Library, Reno
University of Nevada at Las Vegas, James Dickinson Library, Las 
Vegas
Washoe County Library, Reno

New Mexico

Albuquerque Public Library, Albuquerque
New Mexico State Library, Santa Fe
New Mexico State Library, Las Cruces
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

North Dakota

Bismarck Public Library, Bismarck
Fargo Public Library, Fargo
North Dakota State University, Fargo
Minot Public Library, Minot

Oklahoma

Metropolitan Library System in Oklahoma County Area, Oklahoma City
Oklahoma Department of Libraries, Oklahoma City
Oklahoma State University, Edmon Low Library, Stillwater
University of Oklahoma, University Libraries, Norman

Oregon

Oregon Institute of Technology, Klamath Falls
Portland State University, Millar Library, Portland
University of Oregon Library, Eugene

South Dakota

Rapid City Public Library, Rapid City
Sioux Falls Public Library, Sioux Falls
South Dakota State Library, Pierre

Texas

Amarillo Public Library, Amarillo
Dallas Public Library, Dallas
El Paso Public Library, El Paso
Harris County Public Library, Houston
Texas State Library, Austin
Texas Technical University Library, Lubbock

Utah

Brigham Young University, Harold B. Lee Library, Provo
Cedar City Public Library, Cedar City
Salt Lake City Public Library, Salt Lake City
Salt Lake County Library System, Salt Lake City
Southern Utah State University Library, Cedar City
University of Utah, Marriott Library, Salt Lake City
Utah State University, Merrill Library, Logan
Utah State Library, Salt Lake City
Washington County Library, St. George
Weber State University, Stewart Library, Ogden

Washington

King County Library System, Seattle
Seattle Public Library, Seattle
Spokane Public Library, Spokane, Washington
University of Washington Libraries, Allen Library, Seattle
Washington State Library, Olympia
Yakima Valley Regional Library, Yakima

Wyoming

Laramie County Library System, Cheyenne
Rock Springs Public Library, Rock Springs
University of Wyoming, Coe Library, Laramie
Western Wyoming Community College, Rock Springs
Wyoming State Library, Cheyenne

Other States

District of Columbia Public Library, Washington DC
Library of Congress, Washington DC
Library Program Service, Government Printing Office, Washington DC
New York State Library, Albany, New York
New York Public Library, New York, New York
Research Libraries, New York, New York

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Ronald J. Schuster (D-5010), 
Westwide Settlement Manager, Bureau of Reclamation, Denver Office, PO 
Box 25007, Denver CO 80225; telephone: (303) 236-9336 ext 237.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Reclamation Act of 1902 established a 
Federal program for irrigation project construction and financing to 
create farming opportunities and thereby encourage the economic 
development of the arid West. In recognition of organizational, 
economic, and technological changes in farming that occurred since 
1902, the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982 (RRA), Title II, Public Law 
97-293 (96 Stat. 1263), was signed into law on October 12, 1982. The 
RRA revised the threshold of acres upon which a landowner could receive 
Reclamation irrigation water. RRA provisions established how much land 
upon which a landowner could receive Reclamation irrigation water, 
established reporting requirements and water conservation planning, and 
set specific criteria for the price at which an individual or legal 
entity could receive Reclamation water. Amendments to the RRA were 
included in the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of December 22, 1987 
(Reconciliation Act), Title V, Public Law 100-203 (101 Stat. 1330).
    Rules and regulations for implementing the RRA, initially becoming 
effective on January 5, 1984, were amended in 1987, 1988, and 1991. 
Environmental assessments and associated supplements were prepared in 
1983, 1987, and 1988 that resulted in ``Findings of No Significant 
Impact'' from implementation of the proposed rules and regulations.
    A lawsuit was filed by NRDC et al., challenging in part the 
inadequacy of the environmental documentation prepared for the 1987 and 
1988 amendments to the rules. In September 1993, NRDC et al., the 
Department of Justice, and the Department of the Interior entered into 
a contract for the settlement of the lawsuit. Reclamation agreed to 
comprehensively reexamine implementation of the RRA and existing 
regulations, possibly resulting in the adoption of revised regulations 
implementing RRA requirements on a Westwide basis. [[Page 16664]] 
    The DEIS presents impact analyses of five alternatives, including 
no action, that encompass varying levels of regulation necessary to 
implement the RRA as it currently exists. A Proposed Rule Alternative 
reflects potential impacts associated with implementing the proposed 
rules and regulations.
    Because the DEIS is programmatic, alternatives were not 
quantitatively analyzed. Specific assumptions were made to estimate 
changes to lands, soils, drainage, water, water quality, biological, 
socioeconomic, recreation, and cultural resources resulting from 
specific rule changes. While the significance of these impacts on a 
Westwide basis is small, localized impacts could be significant. Future 
site-specific actions resulting from any acreage limitation or water 
conservation provisions will be subject to all applicable Federal laws, 
including the National Environmental Policy Act.

    Dated: March 17, 1995.
J. Austin Burke,
Director, Operations.
[FR Doc. 95-7864 Filed 3-30-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-P