[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 164 (Wednesday, August 23, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51325-51326]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-21458]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and 
Hold an Informal Scoping Meeting on the Utah Lake Drainage Basin Water 
Delivery System of the Bonneville Unit, Central Utah Project

AGENCY: The Department of the Interior, Utah Reclamation Mitigation and 
Conservation Commission, and the Central Utah Water Conservancy 
District (District) are the joint lead agencies.

LOCATION: Wasatch Front Area, Utah (Salt Lake, Utah, and East Juab 
Counties).

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) and hold an informal scoping meeting on the Utah Lake Drainage 
Basin Water Delivery System (Utah Lake System) of the Bonneville Unit, 
Central Utah Project, for the purpose of assessing the needs for 
current and future water uses within the Wasatch Front Area.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to: Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, as amended; Section 202 (a)(1) of Public Law 102-
575, Central Utah Project Completion Act (CUPCA); and the October 14, 
1998, Federal Register Notice (FR Doc. 98-27484), the joint lead 
agencies are initiating a planning and EIS process with public 
involvement on the Utah Lake System of the Bonneville Unit, Central 
Utah Project. The Utah Lake System will connect to the Diamond Fork 
System and could make water available to the Wasatch Front Area for 
irrigation, municipal and industrial, fish and wildlife, and other 
authorized uses. Water could be delivered directly to locations within 
the Utah Lake Drainage Basin by the Utah Lake System as well as by 
exchange from other facilities. As indicated in the 1999 Diamond Fork 
Final Supplement to the Final EIS, the project water supply will 
consist of a transbasin diversion of 101,900 acre-feet, the United 
States' acquisition of the District's water rights in Utah Lake, and 
the United States' acquisition of other water rights as authorized in 
CUPCA. The water supply will be comprised of several sources including 
Strawberry Reservoir, Utah Lake, Jordanelle Reservoir, and the Provo 
River. A portion of the transbasin diversion has been previously 
committed to instream flows and exchange to Jordanelle Reservoir to 
meet contracts with water users from North Utah, Wasatch, and Salt Lake 
Counties. Therefore, the project's Utah Lake System water supply could 
vary from 30,000 to 70,000 acre-feet, depending on the place of use, 
availability, type and location of water conservation measures 
implemented, and the use of project return flows. Any other additional 
uses of Bonneville Unit water within the Wasatch Front Area and all 
remaining environmental issues and commitments associated with the 
Bonneville Unit will be addressed during this planning and EIS process. 
The Utah Lake System is the final component of the Bonneville Unit, 
Central Utah Project.
    Scoping Process: The joint lead agencies will conduct scoping on 
the Utah Lake System in two phases. The initial phase will be informal 
scoping during which input will be sought to determine existing and 
future water needs, potential service areas, and needs for water 
distribution facilities. With data gathered during the informal scoping 
process, alternatives will be developed and presented at the second 
phase of scoping. The second phase, or formal scoping, will begin 
within 12 months and will give the public an opportunity to review and 
provide comments on alternatives developed for the Utah Lake System and 
potential impacts associated with each alternative. Additional scoping 
information and meetings related to the second phase will be announced 
at a future time. Information obtained through the formal scoping 
process will be used to develop the final set of alternatives for 
analysis in an EIS for the Utah Lake System.
    Scoping Meeting: The joint lead agencies will hold an informal 
public scoping meeting to receive input from potential water 
purchasers/petitioners and the public on existing and future water 
needs and facilities to deliver water within the Wasatch Front Area. 
The scoping meeting will be conducted in an open house format during a 
3-hour period in which representatives of the joint lead agencies will 
be available to receive input, provide information, and answer 
questions. To allow sufficient time for all potential purchasers/
petitioners and the public, there will be a 30-minute time limit to 
meet with the joint lead representatives. The meeting will be held: 
Thursday, September 28, 2000, 5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m., Student Center 
Ballroom, Utah Valley State

[[Page 51326]]

College, 800 West 1200 South, Orem, Utah.
    The time and location of the meeting will also be announced in 
local media.
    Deadlines for Submitting First Phase Scoping Comments: Monday, 
October 31, 2000. All written comments should be submitted to : Mr. 
Harold Sersland, Central Utah Water Conservancy District, 355 West 
University Parkway, Orem, Utah 84058-7303.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Additional information on matters related to 
this Federal Register notice can be obtained at the address and 
telephone number set forth below: Mr. Reed Murray, Department of the 
Interior, 302 East 1860 South, Provo, Utah 84606-6154, Telephone (801) 
379-1237.

    Dated: August 17, 2000.
Ronald Johnston,
Program Director, Department of the Interior.
[FR Doc. 00-21458 Filed 8-22-00; 8:45 am]
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