[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 68 (Monday, April 11, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 18422]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-7118]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[NV-050-1430-ER; N-79203]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for the Virgin and Muddy Rivers Surface Water Development Project

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
    Cooperating Agency: Cooperating agencies will be identified in the 
notice of availability when published.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Las Vegas 
Field Office, will be directing the preparation of an EIS for the 
Virgin and Muddy Rivers Surface Water Development pipeline and 
associated facilities and initiate the public scoping process.

DATES: The scoping comment period will commence on April 11, 2005, and 
will end on June 10, 2005. Comments on the scope of the EIS, including 
concerns, issues, or proposed alternatives that should be considered 
should be submitted in writing to the address below, and will be 
accepted throughout the scoping period. This scoping notice will be 
distributed by mail on or about the date of this notice. All scoping 
meetings will be announced 15 days in advance through the local news 
media, newsletters, and the BLM Web site at http://nv.blm.gov.

ADDRESSES: Please mail written comments to the BLM, Las Vegas Field 
Office, 4701 N. Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada 89130-2301, (fax 
(702) 515-5023). Comments submitted, including names and street 
addresses of respondents, will be available for public review at the 
Las Vegas Field Office during regular business hours from 7:30 a.m. to 
4:15 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. Individual 
respondents may request confidentiality. If you wish to withhold your 
name and address from public review or disclosure under the Freedom of 
Information Act, you must state this prominently at the beginning of 
your 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 CONTACT: For further information or to have 
your name added to the EIS mailing list, contact Michael N. Johnson at 
the Las Vegas Field Office (see address above), telephone (702) 515-
5117; e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Virgin and Muddy Rivers Surface Water 
Development Project is proposed by the Southern Nevada Water Authority 
(SNWA), and would be located in northeastern Clark County, Nevada. The 
proposed project would develop and convey existing surface water rights 
owned by the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) from the Virgin and 
Muddy Rivers to the Las Vegas Valley. SNWA holds permits for an average 
annual diversion of 113,000 acre-feet per year from the Virgin River, 
with a permitted point of diversion at Halfway Wash and a diversion 
period of October through May of each year. SNWA also owns and 
continues to purchase shares of the Muddy Valley Irrigation Company, 
which equate to permitted rights on the Muddy River.
    The proposed facilities include a diversion structure on the Virgin 
River near the confluence with Halfway Wash, radial wells in the Virgin 
River channel, a storage reservoir in Halfway Wash, approximately 60 
miles of water conveyance pipelines, pumping stations, water treatment 
facility, brine evaporation ponds, overhead power lines, and other 
appurtenances. The facilities would be generally located within and/or 
across the following public lands:

    Diversion Structure/Radial Wells--Townships 14 and 15 South, 
Range 69 East, various sections;
    Halfway Wash Reservoir--Township 14 South, Ranges 68 and 69 
East, various sections;
    Pipelines--Townships 14-19 South, Ranges 62-70 East, various 
sections;
    Pumping Stations--Townships 13-15 South, Ranges 67-69 and 71, 
various sections;
    Water Treatment/Evaporation Ponds--Township 17 South, Ranges 63 
and 64 East, various sections;
    Power Lines--Townships 14 and15 South, Ranges 67-69 East, 
various sections.

    A map of the proposed project is available for viewing at the 
Bureau of Land Management, Las Vegas Field Office, 4701 N. Torrey Pines 
Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89130-2301.

    Dated: March 1, 2005.
Angie Lara,
Acting Las Vegas Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 05-7118 Filed 4-8-05; 8:45 am]
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