[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 62 (Wednesday, March 31, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16953-16954]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-7186]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

[INT-DES-04-3]


Platte River Recovery Implementation Program

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Extension of review and comment period for draft environmental 
impact statement (DEIS).

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SUMMARY: The notice of availability for the DEIS was published in the 
Federal Register on January 26, 2004 (69 FR 3600), with the public 
review and comment period originally scheduled to end April 2, 2004. It 
was the intent of the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) that the 
comment period for the DEIS overlap with the release of the National 
Academy of Sciences (NAS) report, entitled, ``Endangered and Threatened 
Species in the Platte River Basin'' that was expected January 30, 2004. 
Because the NAS report has been significantly delayed, Reclamation is 
extending the review and comment period for the DEIS to June 1, 2004, 
to allow the public the opportunity to have both reports available 
during the DEIS review and comment period.

DATES: Submit comments on the DEIS on or before June 1, 2004. Public 
hearings on the DEIS will be held during the month of May. Times and 
locations will be announced in the Federal Register and local media.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on, or requests for copies of, the DEIS 
should be addressed to the Platte River EIS Office (PL-100), P.O. Box 
25007, Denver, Colorado, 80225-0007, telephone (303) 445-2096, or by 
sending an e-mail to [email protected]. A copy of the DEIS summary, 
and/or technical reports or appendices may also be obtained by calling 
(303) 445-2096. The DEIS summary is also accessible at http://www.platteriver.org.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Lynn Holt, Platte River EIS Office 
(303) 445-2096, or by sending an e-mail to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Reclamation and the Fish and Wildlife 
Service (Service) have prepared this DEIS to analyze the impacts of the 
First Increment (13 years) of a proposed Recovery Implementation 
Program (Program) to benefit the target species (whooping crane, 
interior least tern, piping plover, and pallid sturgeon) and their 
habitat in the Platte River Basin and to provide compliance with the 
Endangered Species Act (ESA) for certain historic and future water uses 
in the Platte River Basin in Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming. The 
habitat objectives of the proposed Program include: Improving flows in 
the Central Platte River through water re-regulation and conservation/
supply projects; and protecting, restoring, and maintaining at least 
10,000 acres of habitat in the Central Platte River area between 
Lexington and Chapman, Nebraska. The DEIS analyzes the impacts of four 
alternatives to implement the Program.
    The programmatic DEIS focuses on impacts that the Program may have 
on hydrology, water quality, land, target species and their habitat, 
other species, hydropower, recreation, economics, and social and 
cultural resources. Subsequent National Environmental Policy Act and 
ESA documents required for implementation of specific Program actions 
will be tiered off of this document.

Public Disclosure Statement

    Comments received in response to this notice will become part of 
the administrative record for this project and are subject to public 
inspection. Comments, including names and home addresses of 
respondents, will be available for public review. Individual 
respondents may request that Reclamation withhold their home address 
from public disclosure, which will be honored to the extent allowable 
by law. There also may be circumstances in which Reclamation would 
withhold a respondent's identity

[[Page 16954]]

from public disclosure, as allowable by law. If you wish to have your 
name and/or address withheld, you must state this prominently at the 
beginning of your comment. Reclamation 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.

    Dated: March 12, 2004.
Mary Josie Blanchard,
Acting Director, Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 04-7186 Filed 3-30-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-P