[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 10 (Friday, January 14, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 2651]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-785]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR


Central Utah Project Completion Act

AGENCIES: Department of the Interior, Office of the Assistant 
Secretary--Water and Science (Interior); Utah Reclamation Mitigation 
and Conservation Commission (Mitigation Commission); and Central Utah 
Water Conservancy District (CUWCD).

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision on the Utah 
Lake Drainage Basin Water Delivery System Final Environmental Impact 
Statement documenting the Department of the Interior's approval to 
proceed with the construction of the Proposed Action Alternative.

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SUMMARY: On December 22, 2004, R. Thomas Weimer, Acting Assistant 
Secretary--Water and Science, Department of the Interior, signed the 
Record of Decision (ROD) which documents the selection of the Proposed 
Action Alternative as presented in the Utah Lake Drainage Basin Water 
Delivery System (Utah Lake System) Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(ULS FEIS), INT FES 04-41, filed September 30, 2004. The ROD also 
approves the initiation of construction of the Utah Lake System, in 
accordance with statutory and contractual obligations. The following 
features will be constructed as part of the Proposed Action: (1) Sixth 
Water Hydropower Plant, Substation, and Transmission Facilities, (2) 
Upper Diamond Fork Hydropower Plant and Underground Transmission 
Facilities, (3) Spanish Fork Canyon Pipeline, (4) Spanish Fork--
Santaquin Pipeline, (5) Santaquin--Mona Reservoir Pipeline, (6) 
Mapleton--Springville Lateral Pipeline, and (7) Spanish Fork--Provo 
Reservoir Canal Pipeline. The ROD acknowledged that value engineering 
studies would be conducted that could result in minor modifications to 
the physical facilities to further reduce environmental impacts and 
reduce construction costs.
    The Proposed Action specifically fulfills project needs to: (1) 
Complete the Bonneville Unit by delivering 101,900 acre-feet on an 
average annual basis from Strawberry Reservoir to the Wasatch Front 
Area and project water from other sources to meet some of the municipal 
and industrial (M&I) demand in the Wasatch Front Area; (2) implement 
water conservation measures; (3) address all remaining environmental 
commitments associated with the Bonneville Unit; and (4) maximize 
current and future M&I water supplies associated with the Bonneville 
Unit.
    Interior, the Mitigation Commission, and CUWCD serve as the Joint 
Lead Agencies for the ULS. During preparation of the ULS FEIS, the 
Joint Lead Agencies formally consulted with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C.A. 
sections 1531 to 1544, as amended). The Joint-Lead Agencies will also 
obtain an exemption from Section 404 requirements provided by Section 
404(r) of the Clean Water Act by including a Section 404(b)(1) analysis 
within the ULS FEIS.
    In addition to this notification, notices will be published in 
local newspapers.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Additional information on matters 
related to this notice can be obtained from Mr. Reed Murray at (801) 
379-1237, or [email protected].

    Dated: January 7, 2005.
Ronald Johnston,
Program Director, Department of the Interior.
[FR Doc. 05-785 Filed 1-13-05; 8:45 am]
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