[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 6, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9094-9095]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-3031]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

[INT-DES-01-03]


Potholes Reservoir Resource Management Plan, Grant County, 
Washington

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability and notice of public hearings for the 
Potholes Reservoir Resource Management Plan (RMP) draft environmental 
impact statement.

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

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, as amended, the Department of the Interior, Bureau 
of Reclamation (Reclamation), has prepared a draft environmental impact 
statement (Draft EIS) to document the analysis of four alternatives, 
including the No Action Alternative, for resource management in the 
Potholes Reservoir Study area. The alternatives respond differently to 
the issues and concerns identified during project planning. The 
Preferred Alternative is Alternative B, which balances the management 
agencies' and public's long-term vision for Potholes Reservoir and 
recognizes the need to protect the natural and cultural environment 
while supporting the overall recreational interest of the visitors.

DATES: Written comments on the Draft EIS must be received no later than 
March 27, 2001 at the address listed in ADDRESSES section below.
    On March 13, 2001, two public hearings will be held to accept oral 
comments on the Draft EIS in Moses Lake, Washington. The first public 
hearing will be held from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The second will be 
from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The facilities are physically accessible to 
people with disabilities.
    Please contact Mr. Blanchard (see below) for sign language 
interpretation for the hearing impaired or other auxiliary aids by 
March 5, 2001, so arrangements can be made.

ADDRESSES: The public hearings will be held at the Midway Learning 
Center, 502 South C Street (corner of West Ivy and South C Street), 
Moses Lake, Washington.
    Written comments on the Draft EIS should be submitted to Mr. Jim 
Blanchard, Bureau of Reclamation, Ephrata Field Office, 32 C Street, 
Box 815, Ephrata, WA 98823; or by fax (509) 754-0239.
    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 
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.
    See Supplementary Information section for locations where copies of 
the Draft EIS are available for public review and inspection.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information, or to obtain a copy 
of the Draft EIS, contact Mr. Jim Blanchard at (509) 754-0226.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of developing a RMP for Potholes 
Reservoir is to balance the resource protection and conservation 
objectives with the rising demand for increased recreation 
opportunities, visitor facilities, and support services.

Review and Inspection of the Draft EIS

    Copies of the Draft EIS are 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, NW, Washington, D.C.
 Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Regional Office, 1150 
North Curtis Road, Suite 100, Boise, Idaho.
 Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Columbia Area Office, 1917 Marsh 
Road, Yakima, Washington.
 Bureau of Reclamation, Ephrata Field Office, 32 C Street, Box 
815, Ephrata, WA.

Libraries

 Bridgeport Community Library, Bridgeport WA
 Des Moines Library, 21620 11th Avenue S., Des Moines, WA
 Coulee City Community Library, Coulee City, WA

[[Page 9095]]

 East Wenatchee Community Library, 271 9th Street NE, East 
Wenatchee, WA
 Ephrata Public Library, 45 Alder NW, Ephrata, WA
 Moses Lake Public Library, 418 E. 5th Avenue, Moses Lake, WA
 Royal City Community Library, Royal City, WA
 Soap Lake Community Library, Soap Lake, WA
 Wenatchee Public Library, 310 Douglas Street, Wenatchee, WA

Internet

    The Draft EIS will also soon be available on the Internet at http://www.pn.usbr.gov/

Hearing Process Information

    Requests to make oral comments at the public hearings may be made 
at each hearing. Comments will be recorded by a court reporter. 
Speakers will be called in the order of their requests. In the interest 
of available time, each speaker will be asked to limit oral comments to 
five (5) minutes. Longer comments should be summarized at the public 
hearing and submitted in writing either at the public hearing or 
identified as hearing comments and mailed to be received by Mr. 
Blanchard no later than March 27, 2001 (the end of the public comment 
period).

    Dated: February 1, 2001.
Kenneth R. Pedde,
Deputy Regional Director, Pacific Northwest Region.
[FR Doc. 01-3031 Filed 2-5-01; 8:45am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-P