[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 80 (Wednesday, April 25, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 20827]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-10219]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR


Central Utah Project Completion Act

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary--Water and Science, 
Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Assessment 
(EA) and Public Scoping Meetings on the Lower Duchesne River Wetlands 
Mitigation Plan of the Bonneville Unit, Central Utah Project.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to: Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, as amended; Council on Environmental Quality 
Regulations at 40 CFR 1501.7 and section 315 of Public Law 102-575, 
Central Utah Project Completion Act (CUPCA), the joint lead agencies 
are initiating an environmental impact analysis, with public 
involvement, for the Lower Duchesne River Wetlands Mitigation Plan of 
the Bonneville Unit, Central Utah Project. The Mitigation Plan includes 
land and water acquisition, wetland construction, and land and water 
management alterations, for the creation and enhancement of wetland 
resources along the lower Duchesne River in eastern Utah. The project 
is intended to offset the environmental impacts to wetland resources 
resulting from construction and operation of the Strawberry Aqueduct 
and Collection System of the Bonneville Unit, Central Utah Project. 
Many plan features are proposed to occur on lands held in trust by the 
Secretary of the Interior for the benefit of the Ute Indian Tribe. The 
Tribe has served as the lead planning entity and the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs, as Trustee for the Ute Indian Tribe, will serve as a 
Cooperating Agency, along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and 
Bureau of Reclamation, in the preparation of the EA. The EA will 
evaluate the significant environmental impacts associated with each 
alternative including the No Action Alternative.
    The joint lead agencies will conduct scoping meetings on the Lower 
Duchesne River Wetlands Mitigation Plan to give the public an 
opportunity to review project plans and identify the significant 
environmental impacts associated with the Proposed Action and each 
alternative. Information obtained through the scoping process will be 
used to identify the scope and significant issues to be analyzed in 
depth in the environmental document.

DATES: Three public scoping meetings will be held in the local 
geographic area of the project to receive input from Federal, State and 
local governments and agencies and the general public. The meetings 
will be held in:

Salt Lake City, Utah: Utah State Office, Bureau of Land Management, 
Conference Room, 4th Floor, 324 South State Street, Salt Lake City, 
Utah 84138.
Fort Duchesne, Utah: Ute Indian Tribal Headquarters Auditorium, Ft. 
Duchesne, Utah 84026.
Roosevelt, Utah: Conference Room, Mood Lake Electric Association, 188 
West 200 North, Roosevelt, Utah 84066.

    The dates and times for each meeting will be announced in local 
media. The deadline for submitting scoping comments will also be 
announced.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Additional information on matters 
related to this Federal Register notice can be obtained at the address 
and telephone number set forth below: Mr. Ralph G. Swanson, Department 
of the Interior, 302 East 1860 South, Provo, Utah 84606-6154, Telephone 
(801) 379-1254, E-mail: [email protected].

    Dated: April 19, 2001.
Ronald Johnston,
Program Director, Department of the Interior.

    Dated: April 19, 2001.
Michael Weland,
Executive Director, Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation 
Commission.
[FR Doc. 01-10219 Filed 4-24-01; 8:45 am]
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