[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 77 (Thursday, April 20, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21207-21208]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-9892]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NV-030-1920-00-4032]


Environmental Statements; Notice of Intent: Walker River Basin, 
NV; Water and/or Water Rights From Willing Sellers

    Amendment to the February 1, 2000 Notice of Intent to Prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement for obtaining water and/or water rights 
from willing sellers in the Walker River Basin for the purposes of 
protecting the Walker Lake ecosystem from degradation resulting from 
increasing total dissolved solids (TDS) in the lake; possible use in a 
settlement of the United States' water rights claims in the Walker 
River Basin should a settlement be negotiated; and to assist in 
recovery of the threatened Lahontan cutthroat trout in the Walker River 
Basin.
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Carson City Field Office, 5665 
Morgan Mill Road, Carson City, NV 89701.

ACTION: Amendment to the February 1, 2000 notice of intent to prepare 
an environmental impact statement for obtaining water and/or water 
rights from willing sellers in the Walker River Basin, notice of 
scoping period. The initial public scoping period will be extended to 
July 31, 2000. The public review and comment period on the draft EIS 
will be increased to 75 days.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Carson City Field Office, 
in cooperation with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Phoenix Area 
Office, The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), Lahontan Basin Area Office and 
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Nevada Fish and Wildlife 
Office, will extend the initial public scoping period until July 31, 
2000 and increase the time allowed for public review and comment on the 
draft EIS to 75 days. This extended initial public scoping period is 
necessary for the following reasons: (1) To allow potential cooperating 
agencies to make decisions in regards to their status in this project 
and participate early in the NEPA process, (2) the complex issues, to 
be investigated in this EIS, require additional time for consideration 
and refinement, and (3) additional time is needed to develop 
alternatives for consideration in the EIS. The increased time allowed 
for public review and comment on the draft EIS is necessary to allow 
local governments adequate time for review of the document and 
consideration of these matters at regularly scheduled meeting of the 
County Board of Commissioners.

EFFECTIVE DATES: The initial public scoping period is extended until 
July 31, 2000.
    A Draft EIS (DEIS) is expected to be completed by November 24, 2000 
and made available for public review and comment. The public review and 
comment period on the DEIS will be 75 days from the date the Notice of 
Availability (NOA) is published in the Federal Register which is 
anticipated to occur on November 24, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information, write to 
the Field Manager of the Carson City Field Office at the address listed 
in the agency section of this notice, call or email Walt Devaurs (BLM 
Team Leader) at (775) 885-6150, [email protected] or

[[Page 21208]]

Mike McQueen (BLM NEPA Coordinator) at (775) 885-6120, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed EIS schedule is as follows:

Begin Initial Public Comment Period....  Feb. 1, 2000.
End Initial Public Scoping Period......  July 31, 2000.
Issue Draft EIS (75 day public review).  Nov. 24, 2000.
End Draft EIS Public Review............  Feb. 7, 2000.
Issue Final EIS (30 day public review).  June 1, 2001.
Issue Record of Decision...............  Aug. 5, 2001.
End 30-day Appeal Period/Implementation  Sept. 5, 2001.
 


    Dated: April 14, 2000.
Mike McQueen,
Field Office Manager.
[FR Doc. 00-9892 Filed 4-19-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P