[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 136 (Friday, July 14, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43783-43784]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-17638]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Animas-La Plata Project, Colorado and New Mexico

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the Final Supplemental Environmental

[[Page 43784]]

Impact Statement for the Animas-La Plata Project.

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INT-FES-00-23.
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 
1969 (as amended), the Department of the Interior, Bureau of 
Reclamation (Reclamation), has prepared a Final Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) for the Animas-La Plata Project 
(ALP). The proposed federal action is to implement the Colorado Ute 
Indian Water Rights Settlement Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 100-585) 
(Settlement Act) by providing the Colorado Ute Tribes an assured long-
term water supply and water acquisition fund in order to satisfy the 
Tribes' senior water rights claims as quantified in the Settlement Act, 
and to provide for identified municipal and industrial water needs in 
the project area.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the FSEIS may be obtained from Mr. Pat Schumacher, 
Four Corners Division Manager, Bureau of Reclamation, 835 East Second 
Avenue, Suite 300, Durango, Colorado 81301-5475; telephone: (970) 385-
6590. The document is available on CD-ROM or the Internet at http://www.uc.usbr.gov under the Environmental Studies, Summaries & Reports 
heading.
    Copies of the FSEIS are also available for public review and 
inspection at the following locations:
     Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Department of the Interior, 
Room 7455, 18th and C Streets, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240.
     Bureau of Reclamation, Denver Office Library, Denver 
Federal Center, Building 67, Room 67, Denver, Colorado 80225.
     Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado Regional Office, 125 
South State Street, Room 6107, Salt Lake City, Utah 84138.
     Bureau of Reclamation, Four Corners Division of the 
Western Colorado Area Office, 835 East Second Avenue, Suite 300, 
Durango, Colorado 81301-5475.
     Bureau of Reclamation, Western Colorado Area Office, 2764 
Compass Drive, Suite 106, Grand Junction, Colorado 81506.
     Local Affairs Department/Division of Local Government, 
Attention: Charles Unseld, 1313 Sherman Street, Room 521, Denver, 
Colorado 80203.
     Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, 
Attention: Jennifer A. Salisbury, Secretary, 2040 South Pacheco Street, 
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505.

Libraries

    Copies will also be available for public review and inspection at 
the following public libraries:

Colorado

Colorado State University Library, Ft. Collins
Cortez City Library
Denver City Library
Durango High School Library
Durango Public Library
Ft. Lewis College Library, Durango
University of Northern Colorado Library, Greeley
University of Denver, Penrose Library, Denver
University of Colorado, Norlin Library, Boulder

New Mexico

Albuquerque Public Library
Alturian Public Library, Aztec
Bloomfield City Library
Farmington Public Library
Navajo Community College Library, Shiprock
New Mexico State Library, Santa Fe
New Mexico State University Library, Las Cruces
San Juan College Library, Farmington
University of New Mexico Library, Albuquerque
Zimmerman Library, Albuquerque

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Pat Schumacher, Four Corners 
Division Manager, Bureau of Reclamation, 835 East Second Avenue, Suite 
300, Durango, Colorado 81301-5475; telephone (970) 385-6590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Animas-La Plata Project (DSEIS) was issued on January 
14, 2000. Responses to comments received from interested organizations 
and individuals on the DSEIS are addressed in the FSEIS. The FSEIS 
evaluates the environmental impacts of ten alternatives for final 
implementation of the Settlement Act. One of the alternatives analyzed 
is the Administration Proposal to finalize the Colorado Ute Settlement 
which includes a down-sized version of the original project. The 
Administration proposal also includes a non-structural element which 
allows for the acquisition of additional water supplies to the Ute 
tribes. The FSEIS identifies a Preferred Alternative, Refined 
Alternative 4 (a refined version of the Administration Proposal), which 
achieves the fundamental purpose of implementing the 1988 Settlement 
Act by securing the Colorado Ute Tribes an assured long-term water 
supply in satisfaction of their water rights as well as for identified 
municipal and industrial water needs in the project area.
    The FSEIS will be used by decisionmakers in Reclamation and the 
Department of the Interior. A record of decision can be executed 30 
days after publication of release of the FSEIS in the Federal Register. 
The record of decision will state the action that will be implemented 
and will discuss all factors leading to the decision.

    Dated: July 5, 2000.
Terrence N. Martin,
Acting Director, Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance, 
Department of the Interior.
[FR Doc. 00-17638 Filed 7-13-00; 8:45 am]
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