[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 59 (Monday, March 27, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16219-16220]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-7442]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement on the Construction and Operation of the Navajo-Gallup Water 
Supply Project and Announcement of Public Scoping Meetings

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement on the construction and operation of the Navajo-Gallup Water 
Supply Project and announcement of public scoping meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, 
announces its intent to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(DEIS) pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 
1969, as amended, on the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project to supply 
municipal and industrial water to the New Mexico portion of the Navajo 
Nation south of the San Juan River and the Window Rock area within 
Arizona, and the City of Gallup, New Mexico. The DEIS will evaluate 
alternatives for the construction and operation of the Navajo-Gallup 
Water Supply Project and act as the final planning report to support a 
request for construction authorization.
    A long-term high quality municipal and industrial water supply is 
needed to improve the standard of living for current and future 
populations and to support economic growth of the Navajo Nation and the 
City of Gallup. The Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project has evolved as a 
major infrastructure initiative to supply approximately 40,000 acre-
feet of municipal and industrial water annually from the San Juan River 
to meet these needs. To achieve this initiative, the following 
organizations have worked closely in a cooperative effort: the Navajo 
Nation Department of Water Resources, Northwest New Mexico Council of 
Governments, City of Gallup, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Bureau 
of Reclamation.
    Two structural alternatives for the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply 
Project are currently under study and proposed: The Navajo Indian 
Irrigation Project (NIIP) Alternative and the San Juan River Diversion 
Alternative. The DEIS will examine both of these proposed alternatives 
as well as a Non-Structural Water Conservation Alternative, a No Action 
Alternative, and any other proposed alternatives brought forth as a 
result of the public scoping meetings that will be conducted in April 
and May 2000 (See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section).
    Reclamation invites other federal agencies, states, Indian Tribes, 
local governments, and the general public to submit written comments or 
suggestions concerning the scope of the issues to be addressed in the 
DEIS. This is intended to meet the public involvement requirements of 
both NEPA and the National Historic Preservation Act. The public is 
invited to participate in a series of scoping meetings that will be 
held in late April and early May 2000 in New Mexico and Arizona (see 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section). Those not desiring to submit 
comments or suggestions at this time, but who would like to receive a 
copy of the DEIS, should write to the address given below. When the 
DEIS is complete, its availability will be announced in the Federal 
Register, local news media, and through direct contact with interested 
parties. Comments will be solicited on the document.
    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 law. If you 
want 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.

DATES AND LOCATIONS: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section meeting 
dates and locations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Rege Leach, Bureau of Reclamation, 
Western Colorado Area Office, 835 East Second Avenue, Suite 300, 
Durango, Colorado 81301; telephone (970) 385-6553; faxogram (970) 385-
6539; E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Recognizing the severe water supply problems facing the Navajo 
Nation and the City of Gallup, the Navajo Nation and the City signed a 
Memorandum of Agreement on April 17, 1998, to proceed with planning and 
developing the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project. The two parties, 
working as partners with the Bureau of Reclamation and the Bureau of 
Indian Affairs, propose to plan, implement environmental compliance, 
secure water supplies, obtain Congressional authorization, and 
construct and operate the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project. The 
project will serve the residents of the Navajo Nation and the City of 
Gallup.

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose and need of the proposed federal action is to provide a 
long-term, high quality municipal and industrial water supply to 
improve the standard of living for current and future populations and 
to support economic growth of the Navajo Nation and the City of Gallup.

Range of Alternatives

    As part of its NEPA analysis, Reclamation intends to evaluate the 
following alternatives:
    NIIP Alternative--This alternative would supply approximately 
40,000 acre-feet of water annually. The water would be diverted from 
the Navajo Reservoir through the Main and Burnham Lateral Canals of the 
NIIP and delivered to a proposed 8,800 acre-foot Moncisco Dam and 
Reservoir (to be constructed under this alternative). A treatment plant 
and pumping station would be constructed near Moncisco Reservoir. The 
pipeline alignment would run south from the treatment plant to an 
existing natural gas line corridor used by the El Paso San Juan 
Triangle Mainline and by the Transwestern San Juan Lateral System. The 
main pipeline route would follow the gas line corridor to the vicinity 
of Twin Lakes where it would turn south to Yah-ta-hey. At Yah-ta-hey, 
the main pipeline would connect to smaller spur water lines heading 
west along Highway 64 to Window Rock, Arizona, and south along Highway 
666 to the City of Gallup, and surrounding areas. Three other spur 
pipelines would connect to the mainline. They would include a pipeline 
from Naschitti north along Highway 666 to Sanostee, pipeline from Twin 
Lakes east along Indian Route 9 to Dalton Pass, and a pipeline from the 
treatment plant along Highway 44 to Nageezi and then south to Torreon. 
Storage tanks and rechlorination facilities would be included in the 
project.
    San Juan River Diversion Alternative--This alternative would

[[Page 16220]]

divert water directly out of the San Juan River below the confluence of 
the La Plata and San Juan Rivers. The existing Hogback Diversion 
structure or the Public Service Company of New Mexico's nearby weir 
would be used to divert the water. The Hogback structure is located on 
the San Juan River at river mile 158.9 downstream of the La Plata River 
confluence and upstream from Chaco Wash. A treatment plant, storage 
reservoir, and pumping plant would be constructed near the point of 
diversion. From the pumping plant, the pipeline alignment would proceed 
south along Highway 666 of Yah-ta-hey. At Yah-ta-hey, the main pipeline 
would connect to smaller spur water lines for the Window Rock, Arizona, 
and Gallup areas. Compared to the water from Navajo Reservoir, the 
water quality of the San Juan River is poorer and will require 
additional water treatment.
    To service the eastern portion of the Navajo Reservation, an 
additional mainline would be constructed. This eastern pipeline would 
originate at a treatment and pumping plant to be constructed at Cutter 
Reservoir. The eastern pipeline would carry water from the pumping 
plant south to Huerfano, follow Highway 44 to Nageezi, and then head 
south to Torreon. Cutter Reservoir, part of the NIIP canal system, 
receives water from Navajo Reservoir.
    Under both structural alternatives, the locations of the points of 
diversion have critical hydrologic implications for the endangered 
species in the San Juan River and project purposes of the Navajo 
Reservoir as authorized by the Colorado River Storage Project Act.
    Non-Structural Water Conservation Alternative--Non-structural 
alternatives to developing a water supply project include water 
conservation and reuse. Significant and cost effective water 
conservation opportunities may not be available due to the already low 
water use. Current safe Drinking Water Act regulations limit water 
reuse applications.
    No Action Alternative--Under this alternative, the project would 
not be constructed and there would be no federal action taken to meet 
the current and future water needs of the Navajo Nation and the City of 
Gallup.

Public Scoping

    Public scoping meetings will be held in New Mexico and Arizona in 
late April and early May 2000 to obtain input on the significant issues 
related to the proposed action. The schedule and locations of the 
meetings are shown below. The public is asked to provide input on the 
following:
    1. Whether the overall range of alternative is appropriate and are 
there additional alternatives to consider.
    2. Identification of relevant issues related to the proposed 
action.

Schedule of Scoping Meetings

    Each of the scoping meetings will begin with a one-hour open house 
where the public can informally discuss issues and ask questions of 
staff and managers. The open house will be followed by a more formal 
scoping hearing in which participants will be given time to make 
official comments. These comments will be formally recorded. Speakers 
are encouraged to provide written versions of their oral comments, and 
any other additional written materials, for the record.
    Comments may also be sent directly to the Bureau of Reclamation's 
Western Colorado Area Office, 835 East Second Avenue, Suite 300, 
Durango, CO 81301. Written comments should be received no later than 
Friday, May 26, 2000, to be most effectively considered.

Dates of Scoping Meetings

     April 25, 2000, 6 to 9 p.m., Crownpoint Chapter House, 
Crownpoint, New Mexico.
     April 26, 2000, 6 to 9 p.m., St. Michaels (Chi'hootso) 
Chapter House, St. Michaels, Arizona.
     April 27, 2000, 6 to 9 p.m., University of New Mexico 
Gallup Campus, Auditorium 248,200 College Road, Gallup, New Mexico.
     May 2, 2000, 6 to 9 p.m., Dine College, Shiprock Campus 
Gymnasium, Shiprock, New Mexico.
     May 3, 2000, 6 to 9 p.m., San Juan College Lecture Hall 
7103, Computer Science Building, 4601 College Boulevard, Farmington, 
New Mexico.

    Dated: March 21, 2000.
Charles A. Calhoun,
Regional Director, Upper Colorado Region.
[FR Doc. 00-7442 Filed 3-24-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-M