[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 178 (Monday, September 15, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54000-54001]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-23447]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NV-030-5700-ER; N-76800, N-76897]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the North Valleys Water Projects

AGENCY: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Carson 
City Field Office, Nevada.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for the North Valleys Water Projects (Projects) located in Washoe 
County, Nevada.

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

SUMMARY: This document provides notice that the Bureau of Land 
Management (BLM), Carson City Field Office intends to prepare an EIS to 
address the impacts (direct, indirect, and cumulative) resulting from 
construction and operation of two separate water supply and 
transmission projects located in Washoe County, Nevada. Rights-of-way 
applications were submitted to the BLM from Intermountain Water Supply, 
LTD and Fish Springs Ranch, LLC for production wells, pump stations, 
transmission pipelines, terminal water storage tanks and access road 
rights-of-way.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process. Comments can 
be submitted in writing to the address listed below and will be 
accepted throughout the preparation of the Draft EIS. All public 
meetings will be announced through the local news media, scoping 
documents, and the BLM Web site at http://www.nv.blm.gov/carson at 
least 15 days prior to the event. Public meetings will be held 
throughout the EIS scoping and preparation period.
    In order to ensure the widest range of public participation and 
input, presentations will be held, at a minimum, in Reno and Stead, 
Nevada. Early participation is encouraged and will assist in 
preparation of the EIS. In addition to the ongoing public scoping 
process, formal opportunities for public participation will be provided 
through comment on the draft and final documents.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to BLM Carson City Field 
Office, 5665 Morgan Mill Road, Carson City, NV 89701; Fax (775) 885-
6147; email address [email protected]. Comments, including names and 
addresses of respondents, will be available for public review at the 
above address during regular business hours (7:30 am-5 pm), Monday 
through

[[Page 54001]]

Friday, except holidays, and may be published as part of the EIS. 
Individual respondents may request confidentiality. If you wish to 
withhold your name or street address from public review or from 
disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, you must state this 
prominently at the beginning of your written comment. However, we will 
not consider anonymous comments. Such requests will be honored to the 
extent allowed by law. All submissions from organizations or 
businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as 
representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, will be 
made available for public inspection in their entirety.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Written comments should be sent to BLM Carson 
City Field Office, 5665 Morgan Mill Road, Carson City, NV 89701; Fax 
(775) 885-6147; email address [email protected]. For additional 
information, write to the above address or call Terri Knutson (BLM 
Environmental Planner) at (775) 885-6156 or Ken Nelson (BLM Realty 
Specialist) at (775) 885-6114.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM Carson City Field Office received 
separate water supply and transmission rights-of-way applications from 
the Fish Springs Ranch, LLC and Intermountain Water Supply, LTD, two 
independent water companies, proposing projects in Washoe County, 
Nevada. The BLM determined that due to the same timing, geography, and 
similarity of the types of actions, the two proposals would be analyzed 
in one EIS, together known as the North Valleys Water Projects. Each 
company is proposing to construct and operate water supply and 
transmission projects to meet present and future water demands of the 
Stead/Silver Lake/Lemmon Valley areas (North Valleys) in Washoe County. 
The proposed Projects consist of groundwater production wells, pump 
station(s), transmission pipeline(s) and terminal water storage tank(s) 
to convey water. The Fish Springs Ranch LLC proposed pipeline (carrying 
approximately 8000 acre-feet per year) would begin at the Fish Springs 
Ranch, and proceed south approximately 33 miles to the North Valleys. 
The Intermountain Water Supply, LTD proposed pipeline (carrying 
approximately 3500 acre-feet per year) would begin in Dry Valley, 
proceed east a short distance before tying into the same general route 
south to the North Valleys, a total of approximately 24 miles.
    The EIS will assess the impacts of the two proposed rights-of-way 
actions and the No Action alternatives and may consider alternative 
locations or alignments of the water project facilities, as 
appropriate. The EIS will address issues brought forth through scoping 
and will be evaluated by an interdisciplinary team of specialists. Key 
issues likely to be considered in analyzing each alternative include 
groundwater hydrology; groundwater quality; threatened and endangered 
species; cultural resources; land use; and socioeconomic effects of the 
project. Federal, state, and local agencies and other individuals or 
organizations who may be interested in or affected by the decisions to 
be made on the proposed project are invited to participate in the 
scoping process and, if eligible, may request, or be requested by the 
BLM, to participate as a cooperating agency.

    Dated: July 22, 2003.
John O. Singlaub,
Manager, Carson City Field Office.
[FR Doc. 03-23447 Filed 9-12-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P