[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 3 (Wednesday, January 5, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 504-505]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-132]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Derby Dam Fish Passage, Newlands Project, Nevada

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental document 
(environmental assessment or environmental impact statement) and notice 
of public meetings.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), 
proposes to prepare an environmental document for the purpose of 
evaluating options to provide fish passage at Derby Dam, a facility of 
the Newlands Project located on the Truckee River approximately 20 
miles east of Reno, Nevada. The environmental document will evaluate 
the effects of the construction and implementation of fish passage at 
Derby Dam.
    At present it is not clear whether the scope of the action and 
anticipated project impacts will require preparation of an 
environmental impact statement (EIS) instead of an environmental 
assessment (EA). However, to ensure the timely and appropriate level of 
NEPA compliance and to limit potential future delays to the project 
schedule, Reclamation is proceeding as if the project impacts would 
require preparation of an EA. Reclamation will reevaluate the need for 
an EIS after obtaining written and oral comments on the project scope, 
alternatives and environmental impacts and after Reclamation's 
evaluation of potential impacts of the proposed project. Reclamation 
will publish a notice of change if a decision is made to prepare an EIS 
rather than an EA. However, the scoping process to be conducted will 
suffice for either course of action.
    There are no known Indian Trust Asset or environmental justice 
issues associated with the proposed action. The project is designed to 
benefit fishes of both Pyramid Lake and the lower Truckee River and is 
anticipated to have a beneficial impact for this Indian Trust Asset.

DATES: Four scoping meetings will be held to solicit comments from 
interested parties to assist in determining the scope of the 
environmental analysis and to identify the significant issues related 
to this proposed action. The meeting dates are:

Monday, February 7, 2000, at 4 p.m., in Fernley, NV
Monday, February 7, 2000, at 7 p.m., in Fallon, NV
Tuesday, February 8, 2000, at 7 p.m., in Nixon, NV
Wednesday, February 9, 2000, at 7 p.m., in Reno, NV

ADDRESSES: The meeting locations are as follows:

Fernley: Fernley Town Complex, 595 Silver Lace Blvd., Suite 117, 
Fernley, NV 89408; telephone: (775) 575-5455
Fallon: Fallon Convention Center, 100 Campus Way, Fallon, NV 89406; 
telephone: (775) 423-4556
Nixon: Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Council Chambers, 208 Capital Hill 
(Highway 447) Nixon, NV 89424; telephone: (775) 574-1000
Reno: Bartley Ranch Park Interpretive Center, 6000 Bartley Ranch Road, 
Reno, NV 89511; telephone: (775) 828-6612

    Written comments on the scope of the environmental documents should 
be submitted by February 29, 2000, to Caryn Huntt, Environmental 
Specialist, Bureau of Reclamation, Lahontan Basin Area Office, 
Attention: LO-450, P.O. Box 640, Carson City, NV 89702.
    Our practice is to make comments, including names and home 
addresses of respondents, available for public review. Individual 
respondents may request that we withhold their home address from public 
disclosure, which we will honor to the extent allowable by

[[Page 505]]

law. There also may be circumstances in which we would withhold a 
respondent's identity from public disclosure, as allowable by law. If 
you wish us to withhold your name and/or address, you must state this 
prominently at the beginning of your comment. We will make all 
submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals 
identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations 
or businesses, available for public disclosure in their entirety.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Caryn Huntt or Steve Alcorn, Deputy 
Area Manager, telephone and TDD: (775) 882-3436, Lahontan Basin Area 
Office, Attention: LO-450 or LO-101, P.O. Box 640, Carson City, NV 
89702.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Derby Dam was constructed in 1903 through 
1905 and is located on the Truckee River approximately 20 miles east of 
Reno, Nevada. The dam is an integral part of the Newlands Project and 
diverts Truckee River water into the Truckee Canal. Water from the 
Truckee Canal is used for irrigation of the Truckee Division lands 
along the canal and for supplemental storage at Lahontan Reservoir on 
the Carson River. Water stored at Lahontan Reservoir is used to 
irrigate land in the Carson Division of the Newlands Project.
    Historically, the endangered cui-ui and threatened Lahontan 
cutthroat trout (LCT) species inhabited Pyramid Lake and migrated 
upstream in the Truckee River to spawn. Water diversions, commercial 
fishing, construction of dams, and other changes in the watershed 
impacted the ability of both species to spawn in the river. Currently 
three structures impede fish movements between Pyramid Lake and the 
lower Truckee River. Fish must negotiate Marble Bluff Dam, immediately 
upstream of the lake; Numana Dam, 8.3 miles upstream from the lake; and 
Derby Dam about 34 miles upstream from Pyramid Lake. Marble Bluff Dam 
and Numana Dam have fish passage facilities. A fish ladder was 
installed at Derby Dam in 1908, but the ladder is no longer present. 
Providing fish passage at Derby Dam will allow access for fish species, 
including LCT and possibly cui-ui, to habitat upstream of Derby Dam.
    The purpose of the Derby Dam Fish Passage Project is to provide 
fish species with access to habitat upstream and downstream of Derby 
Dam, consistent with existing Derby Dam operations, Pyramid Lake and 
Newlands Project water rights, and flood control operations at Derby 
Dam. This project would not alter the operations of Derby Dam during 
flood or non-flood conditions, or change the 1997 adjusted Newlands 
Project Operating Criteria and Procedures. The project would enhance 
the Federal Government's ability to meet Federal trust responsibilities 
in the Truckee River basin.

Special Services

    Persons requiring any special services should contact Caryn Huntt 
at (775) 882-3436. Please notify Ms. Huntt as far in advance of the 
particular meeting as possible, but no later than 3 working days prior 
to the meeting to enable Reclamation to secure the services. If a 
request cannot be honored, the requester will be notified.

    Dated: December 29, 1999.
Lester A. Snow,
Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 00-132 Filed 1-4-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-P