[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 234 (Tuesday, December 7, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68372-68373]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-31604]


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DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[CA-690-00-5101-01-B109; CACA-CACA-40467]


Proposed Cadiz Groundwater Storage Dry--Year Supply Program, 
Pipeline Right of Way and Plan Amendment

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior, Needles 
Field Office, Desert District, California.

ACTION: Notice of availability of draft environmental impact statement 
for proposed cadiz groundwater storage and dry--year supply program 
pipeline right-of-way and plan amendment.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, notice is hereby given that the Bureau of Land Management has 
prepared a joint draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and 
Environmental Impact Record (EIR) in conjunction with the Metropolitan 
Water District (MWD). The draft EIR/EIS evaluates a range of 
alternatives for conveying water between the Colorado River Aqueduct 
and the aquifer underlying the Cadiz and Fenner Valleys across a 
proposed right-of-way for a pipeline. A plan amendment to the 
California Desert Conservation Area Plan (1980) is also proposed to 
allow for the proposed right-of-way.
    The aim of the Cadiz Project is to ensure the reliability of 
Metropolitan's existing water supply in the Colorado River Aqueduct. 
The project achieves this goal by storing Colorado River water in the 
Cadiz/Fenner aquifer and withdrawing the stored indigenous groundwater 
during dry years. Proposed facilities reviewed in the Draft EIR/EIS are 
a pipeline or canal for conveying water between the Colorado River 
Aqueduct and the Cadiz/Fenner area, a pumping plant, spreading basins 
for percolation of Colorado River water into the groundwater basin in 
the Cadiz/Fenner area, a well field for extracting stored and 
indigenous groundwater from the Cadiz/Fenner groundwater basin, and 
associated power poles and lines along the conveyance pipeline and in 
the well field. The project area is located in the eastern Mojave 
Desert region of San Bernardino County in the Cadiz and Fenner valleys. 
The proposed action includes an amendment of the California Desert 
Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan, because the propose right-of-way across 
federal lands is outside an utility corridor.
    The Draft EIR/EIS addresses existing environmental conditions, 
potential impacts, and proposed mitigation measures. The Draft EIR/EIS 
indicates the possibility of some significant adverse effects, even 
after the implementation of the mitigation measures for the parameters 
of paleontological resources, air quality, and hazardous materials.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Copies of the draft EIR/EIS and supporting 
technical reports will be available for 90-day public review from 
November 26, 1999 through February 22, 2000 at the following locations:

Needles Branch Library, 1111 Bailey Avenue, Needles, California 92363
Twentynine Palms Branch Library, 6078 Adobe Road, Twentynine Palms, 
California 92277
Barstow Branch Library, 304 East Buena Vista, Barstow, California 92311
San Bernardino County Public Library, 104 West 4th Street, San 
Bernardino, California 92415
Bureau of Land Management, Riverside Office, 6221 Box Spring Road, 
Riverside, California 92507
Bureau of Land Management, Needles Office, 101 West Spike's Road, 
Needles, California 92363
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, 700 North Alameda 
Street, Los Angeles, California 90012

    There will be three public hearings as follows:

Wednesday, December 15, 1999, at 11 am
    Cadiz Ranch, 96-726 Highway 66, Cadiz, California 92319
Wednesday, December 15, 1999, at 7 pm
    Twentynine Palms City Hall, 6136

[[Page 68373]]

Adobe Road, Twentynine Palms, California 92277
Thursday, December 16, 1999 at 7 pm
    Needles City Hall, 1111 Bailey Avenue, Needles, California 92363

DATES: Comments must be received in writing to the Metropolitan Water 
District no later than February 22, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the Draft EIR/EIS should be mailed to: 
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Post Office Box 
54153, Los Angeles, California 90054-0153, Attention: Mr. Dirk Reed.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Further information regarding the 
project may be obtained from Mr. Reed at (213) 217-6163 or Mr. Jack 
Safely at (213) 217-6981.

    Dated: December 1, 1999.
Douglas Romoli,
Acting District Manager.
[FR Doc. 99-31604 Filed 12-6-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P