[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 110 (Thursday, June 8, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30315-30316]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-13986]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation


Tongue River Basin Project

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability and notice of public hearings on draft 
environmental impact statement INT-DES-95-26.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Polcy Act of 1969, as 
amended, the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation 
(Reclamation), in conjunction with the Northern Cheyenne Tribe (NCT) 
and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation 
(DNRC), has prepared a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) on 
the proposed Tongue River Basin Project. The DEIS describes and 
presents the environmental effects of three alternatives, including no 
action, for a dam repair and enlargement project that would provide 
additional water to the NCT in partial fulfillment of the Northern 
Cheyenne Indian Reserved Water Rights Settlement Act of 1992 and 
enhance fish and wildlife habitat in the Tongue River Basin. Public 
hearings will be held to receive comments from interested organizations 
and individuals on the environmental impacts of the proposal.

DATES: A public review period commences with the publication of this 
notice and ends August 4, 1995. The public hearings are scheduled as 
follows:

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              Date                     Time           City and state    
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July 17, 1995...................  12:30 p.m....  Busby, MT.             
July 17, 1995...................  5:30 p.m.....  Lame Deer, MT.         
July 18, 1995...................  12:30 p.m....  NCT Reservation.       
July 18, 1995...................  5:30 p.m.....  Ashland, MT.           
July 19, 1995...................  12:30 p.m....  Birney Village, MT.    
July 19, 1995...................  5:30 p.m.....  Sheridan, WY           
July 20, 1995...................  5:30 p.m.....  Miles City, MT.        
July 21, 1995...................  5:30 p.m.....  Billings, MT.          
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ADDRESSES: Addresses for public hearings are as follows:
     Busby, MT, Busby School Auditorium.
     Lame Deer, MT, Dull Knife Auditorium.
     NCT Reservation, Muddy Community Center.
     Ashland, MT, St. Labre Mission Auditorium.
     Birney Village, MT, Catholic Church.
     Sheridan, WY, Holiday Inn Conference Room.
     Miles City, MT, Miles City Community College.
     Billings, MT, Fireside Inn Conference Room.
    Requests for copies of the DEIS should be addressed to:
     Area Manager, Bureau of Reclamation, Attention: MT-422, 
P.O. Box 30137, Billings, MT 59107-0137; telephone: (406) 247-2312.
     Director, Northern Cheyenne Natural Resources Department, 
P.O. Box 128, Lame Deer, MT 59043: telephone: (406) 477-6503.
     Director, Montana Department of Natural Resources and 
Conservation, 1520 East Sixth Avenue, Helena, MT 59620-2301: telephone: 
(406) 444-6701.
    Copies of the DEIS will be available for inspection at the above 
addresses and libraries in the project vicinity.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Albers, Tongue River Basin 
Project Coordinator, Montana Area Office; telephone (406) 247-7312.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Tongue River Basin Project, which 
includes the repair and enlargement of the Tongue River Dam and the 
partial fulfillment of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reserved Water 
Rights Settlement Act of 1992 (Pub. L. 102-374, 106 Stat. 1186) 
(Settlement Act), is being undertaken to alleviate dam safety concerns 
and protect downstream lives and property, to protect all existing 
water use contracts held in the Tongue River Reservoir, and to provide 
up to an additional 20,000 acre-feet of water to the Northern Cheyenne 
Tribe. An additional requirement of the project is to enhance fish and 
wildlife habitat throughout the Tongue River Basin. All project goals 
are components of the Settlement Act, which ratified the Water Rights 
Compact entered into on June 11, 1991, by the Northern Cheyenne Tribe 
and the State of Montana.
    Three alternatives, including no action, are considered in the 
draft statement. The two action alternatives are: (1) Labyrinth Weir 
Spillway Design, and (2) Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) Spillway 
Design. Both action [[Page 30316]] alternatives would rehabilitate the 
inadequate Tongue River Dam spillway and raise its crest elevation 4 
feet. The resultant increased in Tongue River Reservoir capacity would 
provide additional water to the NCT and thus partially fulfill the 
provisions of the Settlement Act. A fundamental component of both 
action alternatives provides for the enhancement of fish and wildlife 
habitat in the Tongue River Basin. In addition to the two action plans 
and the No Action Plan, the DEIS also evaluates in less detail several 
nonviable alternatives.
    The principle environmental consequences that would result from the 
two action plans include:
     Hydrology. Increased reservoir capacity and contents 
following construction; short-term reductions in downstream flows 
during construction; increased upstream ice formation due to increased 
reservoir contents; short-term reductions in downstream water quality 
during construction; increased peak outflow from the spillway following 
construction (Alternative 1 only).
     Aquatics/Fisheries. Short-term drawdown and reduced 
reservoir capacity during construction; increased reservoir capacity 
and contents following construction; more stable downstream releases 
following construction.
     Vegetation. Inundation of approximately 400 acres of 
vegetation due to increased reservoir capacity and contents following 
construction; short-term disturbances and reduced productivity to 
vegetation due to staging area activities, county road realignment, and 
aggregate mining activities.
     Biodiversity. Potential short-term reductions in 
biodiversity during construction; increased biodiversity following 
completion of fish and wildlife habitat enhancement component of 
project.
     Economic Environment. Increased employment due to project 
construction; cost to public sector for project construction and 
operation.
     Transportation. Short-term impacts to local roads from 
project construction; potential short-term impacts to streets in 
Sheridan, WY during construction (only if the Sheridan rail load-out 
facility is used to transport construction-related materials).
     Recreation. Short-term reductions in Tongue River State 
Park access during construction; short-term reductions in project area 
recreational experience during construction; short-term increases in 
exposure to navigational hazards in the reservoir due to construction-
related drawdowns; short-term limitations in access to boating 
facilities due to construction-related drawdowns; short-term 
limitations in access to boating facilities due to construction-related 
drawdowns.
     Appearance. Permanent alterations in dam and spillway 
appearance following construction (Alternative 1 would differ in 
appearance from the existing spillway due to its labyrinth (zigzag) 
crest, and Alternative 2 would have a different dam embankment profile 
as compared to the existing embankment due to the RCC secondary and 
emergency spillways).
     Project Cost. Alternative 1 is estimated to have a cost 50 
percent greater than Alternative 2.
    Hearing Process Information: Organizations and individuals wishing 
to present statements at the hearings should contact the Bureau of 
Reclamation, Great Plains Region, at the above address. Requests for 
scheduled presentations will be accepted through 4 p.m. on June 30, 
1995.
    Oral comments at the hearings will be limited to 10 minutes. The 
hearing officer may allow any speaker to provide additional oral 
comments after all persons wishing to comment have been heard. Whenever 
possible, speakers will be scheduled according to the time preference 
mentioned in their letter or telephone requests. Speakers not present 
when called will lose their privilege in the scheduled order and will 
be recalled at the end of the scheduled speakers.
    Written comments from those unable to attend or those wishing to 
supplement their oral presentations at the hearing should be received 
by Reclamation's Montana Area Office at the address above by August 4, 
1995, for inclusion in the hearing record.

    Dated: May 30, 1995.
Katherine Jabs,
Area Manager.
[FR Doc. 95-13986 Filed 6-7-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-M