[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 250 (Friday, December 30, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77425-77427]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-24646]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Notice of Availability and Public Hearings for the Red River 
Valley Water Supply Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability and Notice of Pubic Hearings INT-DES-05-
79.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and the State of North 
Dakota, represented by the Garrison Diversion Conservancy District 
(Garrison Diversion), have as joint lead agencies prepared the Red 
River Valley Water Supply Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(DEIS). The DEIS was prepared in cooperation with the cities of Fargo, 
West Fargo, and Grand Forks, North Dakota and Moorhead, Minnesota, the 
Lake Agassiz Water Authority, North Dakota State Historic Preservation 
Office, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. 
Forest Service, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and pursuant 
to section 8(c) of the Dakota Water Resources Act of 2000 (DWRA) and 
section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(NEPA), as amended.
    The DEIS analyzes the environmental, cultural, and socioeconomic 
effects of eight alternatives. Seven alternatives would meet the water 
needs in the Red River Valley of North Dakota, and the cities of 
Breckenridge, Moorhead, and East Grand Forks in Minnesota, through 
2050. The document also discloses the effects of no action, or the 
future without implementing the federal Red River Valley Water Supply 
Project.

DATES: A 60-day public review period commences with the publication of 
this notice. Written comments on the DEIS are due by February 28, 2006, 
and should be submitted to Reclamation at the address given below.
    Public hearings will be held during February in North Dakota and 
Minnesota. See the Supplementary Information section for dates of the 
public hearings.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: Bureau of 
Reclamation, Attn: Signe Snortland, Dakotas Area Office, P.O. Box 1017, 
Bismarck ND 58502.

    See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for meeting addresses.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Signe Snortland, Red River Valley 
Water Supply Project EIS, Bureau of Reclamation, Dakotas Area Office, 
P.O. Box 1017, Bismarck ND 58502; Telephone: (701) 250-4242 extension 
3619; or Fax to (701) 250-4326. You may submit e-mail to 
[email protected] or access the Red River Valley Water Supply 
Project Web site at http://www.rrvwsp.com.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Public Hearing Dates:

     Thursday, February 2, 2006, 7 p.m., Bismarck, North Dakota
     Tuesday, February 7, 2006, 7 p.m., Grand Forks, North 
Dakota
     Wednesday, February 8, 2006, 7 p.m., Warroad, Minnesota
     Thursday, February 9, 2006, 7 p.m., Valley City, North 
Dakota
     Wednesday, February 15, 2006, 7 p.m., Fargo, North Dakota
     Thursday, February 16, 2006, 7 p.m., Perham, Minnesota
     Friday, February 17, 2006, 1 p.m., Red Lake, Minnesota

Public Hearing Locations:

     Bismarck--Best Western Doublewood Inn, 1400 E. Interchange 
Avenue, Bismarck, North Dakota
     Grand Forks--Holiday Inn, 1210 N. 43rd Street, Grand 
Forks, North Dakota
     Warroad--Warroad Public School Theatre, 510 Cedar Avenue, 
Warroad, Minnesota
     Valley City--AmericInn, 280 Winter Show Road SE., Valley 
City, North Dakota
     Fargo--Ramada Plaza Suites and Conference Center, 1635 
42nd Street, SW., Fargo, North Dakota
     Perham--Lakeside Golf Club, 2727 450th Street, Perham, 
Minnesota
     Red Lake--Red Lake Community Center, 15041 Great Nation 
Drive, Highway 1, Adjacent to the Seven Clans Casino, Red Lake, 
Minnesota

Public Review Locations

    Copies of the DEIS are available for public review at the following 
locations:

Iowa

     Des Moines Public Library, 100 Locust Street, Des Moines, 
Iowa

Kansas

     Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, 1515 SW. 10th 
Street, Topeka, Kansas

Minnesota

     Breckenridge Public Library, 205 7th Street North, 
Breckenridge, Minnesota
     East Grand Forks Public Library, 422 4th Street Northwest, 
East Grand Forks, Minnesota
     Moorhead Public Library, 118 5th Street South, Moorhead, 
Minnesota
     Perham Area Public Library, 225 2nd Avenue Northeast, 
Perham, Minnesota
     Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, PO Box 550, Red Lake, 
Minnesota
     St. Paul Public Library, 90 West 4th Street, St. Paul, 
Minnesota
     Warroad City Library, 202 Main Avenue Northwest, Warroad, 
Minnesota
     White Earth Reservation, 26246 Crane Road, White Earth, 
Minnesota

Missouri

     Kansas City Public Library, 14 West 10th Street, Kansas 
City, Missouri
     Missouri River Regional Library, 214 Adams Street, 
Jefferson City, Missouri

Montana

     Bureau of Reclamation, Great Plains Regional Office, 316 
N. 26th Street, Billings, Montana

Nebraska

     Lincoln City Libraries, 136 South 14th Street, Lincoln, 
Nebraska

North Dakota

     Alfred Dickey Public Library, 105 3rd Street Southeast, 
Jamestown, North Dakota
     Bureau of Indian Affairs, Turtle Mountain Agency, PO Box 
60, Belcourt/Highway 5 West, North Dakota
     Bureau of Indian Affairs, Fort Berthold Agency, 202 Main 
Street, New Town, North Dakota
     Bureau of Indian Affairs, Fort Totten Agency, PO Box 270/
Main Street, Fort Totten, North Dakota
     Bureau of Reclamation, Dakotas Area Office, 304 E. 
Broadway Avenue, Bismarck, North Dakota
     Fargo Public Library, 102 3rd Street North, Fargo, North 
Dakota
     Garrison Diversion Conservancy District, 401 Highway 281 
Northeast, Carrington, North Dakota
     Grand Forks Public Library, 2110 Library Circle, Grand 
Forks, North Dakota
     Leach Public Library, 417 2nd Avenue North, Wahpeton, 
North Dakota

[[Page 77426]]

     North Dakota State Library, 603 East Boulevard Avenue, 
Bismarck, North Dakota
     Standing Rock Administrative Service Center, Building 
1, North Standing Rock Avenue, Fort Yates, North Dakota
     West Fargo Public Library, 109 3rd Street East, West 
Fargo, North Dakota

South Dakota

     Bureau of Indian Affairs, Sisseton Agency, Veterans 
Memorial D, Agency Village, South Dakota
     South Dakota State Library, 800 Governors Drive, Pierre, 
South Dakota

Province of Manitoba

     Millennium Library, 251 Donald Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, 
Canada

Province of Ontario

     Kenora Branch Library, 24 Main Street South, Kenora, 
Ontario, Canada

Background

    In 1944, the U.S. Congress passed the Flood Control Act (the 
Missouri-Basin Pick Sloan Act), which authorized the construction of 
dams on the Missouri River and its tributaries. The Garrison Diversion 
Unit (GDU) was authorized in 1965, and construction began in 1967. The 
project was designed to divert Missouri River water to central and 
eastern North Dakota for irrigation; fish and wildlife enhancement; 
municipal, rural, and industrial (MR&I) water supply; and recreation 
development. Most of the currently authorized principal supply works 
have been completed, except for about a 20-mile reach between the end 
of the McClusky Canal and beginning of the New Rockford Canal.
    The project was reformulated in 1986 to reduce the emphasis on 
irrigation and increase the emphasis on meeting the MR&I water needs 
throughout North Dakota. The 1986 Reformulation Act authorized a 
Sheyenne River water supply and release feature and water treatment 
plant capable of delivering 100 cubic feet per second of water to 
eastern North Dakota.
    The GDU authorization was amended again in December 2000 by DWRA. 
Among other things, DWRA states that, ``the Secretary of the Interior 
shall conduct a comprehensive study of the water quality and quantity 
needs of the Red River Valley in North Dakota and possible options for 
meeting those needs'' (Section 8(b)(1)). In addition, the DWRA states 
that, ``pursuant to an agreement between the Secretary and State of 
North Dakota as authorized under section 1(g) * * * the Secretary and 
the State of North Dakota shall jointly prepare and complete a draft 
environmental impact statement concerning all feasible options to meet 
the comprehensive water quality and quantity needs of the Red River 
Valley and the options for meeting those needs'' (Section 8(c)(2)(A)).
    DWRA also states, ``the Secretary shall maintain the Snake Creek 
Pumping Plant, New Rockford Canal, and McClusky Canal features of the 
principal supply works. Subject to the provisions of section (8) of 
this Act, the Secretary shall select a preferred alternative to 
implement the Dakota Water Resources Act of 2000. In making this 
selection, one of the alternatives the Secretary shall consider is 
whether to connect the principal supply works in existence on the date 
of enactment'' [Section 5(a)(5)].

Purpose and Need for the Federal Action

    The purpose of the action proposed in this DEIS is to meet the 
``comprehensive water quality and quantity needs of the Red River 
Valley'' [DWRA Section 8(c)(2)(A)] through year 2050. The quality and 
quantity needs are defined by DWRA as MR&I supplies, water quality, 
aquatic environment, recreation, and water conservation measures [DWRA 
Section 8(b)(2)].

Alternatives

    Eight alternatives are evaluated in the DEIS including three in-
basin alternatives, four Missouri River import alternatives, and no 
action. All of the proposed pipelines in these alternatives would be 
buried. Reclamation has not identified a preferred alternative at this 
time. The Garrison Diversion Unit (GDU) Import to Sheyenne River 
Alternative is the State of North Dakota's preferred alternative. The 
alternatives are:
     No Action Alternative. This alternative represents the 
reasonably foreseeable future condition if the federal Red River Valley 
Water Supply Project is not constructed.
     North Dakota In-Basin. This in-basin alternative would use 
surface and groundwater sources primarily within the Red River Valley 
of North Dakota to meet shortages. The primary feature would capture 
flows in the Red River downstream of Grand Forks and would recirculate 
flows back to Lake Ashtabula via pipeline.
     Red River Basin. For this alternative, in-basin surface 
water and groundwater from the Red River Basin in Minnesota and North 
Dakota would be used to meet shortages. The primary feature would be a 
new well field and pipeline network in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
     Lake of the Woods. This in-basin alternative would 
transport water via pipeline from Lake of the Woods, Minnesota, to the 
Red River Valley, and also use water sources in North Dakota to meet 
water shortages.
     GDU Import to Sheyenne River. This import alternative 
would meet water shortages by transporting Missouri River water through 
the GDU Principal Supply Works to the Sheyenne River via pipeline. 
Water would be treated at the end of the McClusky Canal using 
coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation and ultraviolet disinfection. 
Water would be further treated to SDWA (Safe Drinking Water Act) 
standards at treatment plants in the Red River Valley. The Sheyenne and 
Red Rivers would be used to convey water further in the basin. The 
Principal Supply Works include the Snake Creek Pumping Plant on Lake 
Sakakawea, Audubon Lake, and McClusky Canal.
     GDU Import Pipeline. This import alternative would use the 
GDU Principal Supply Works and a pipeline system to convey treated 
Missouri River water directly to the local water systems in the Red 
River Valley to meet water shortages. Water would be treated at the end 
of the McClusky Canal using coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation 
and ultraviolet disinfection. Water would be further treated to SDWA 
standards at treatment plants in the Red River Valley.
     Missouri River Import to Red River Valley. This import 
alternative would use a pipeline from the Missouri River south of 
Bismarck, North Dakota, to import treated water to Fargo, Grand Forks, 
and Lake Ashtabula. Water would be treated at the source using 
coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation and ultraviolet disinfection. 
Water would be further treated to SDWA standards at treatment plants in 
the Red River Valley. Water delivered to Lake Ashtabula in off peak 
times would be stored for later release to downstream users to meet 
water shortages.
     GDU Water Supply Replacement Pipeline. This import 
alternative would use the GDU Principal Supply Works and pipelines to 
replace existing MR&I water supplies in the service area with potable, 
imported Missouri River water. Water would be treated to SDWA standards 
at the source.

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. Our practice is to make comments,

[[Page 77427]]

including names and home addresses of respondents, available for public 
review. Individual respondents may request that we withhold their home 
address from public disclosure, which we will honor to the extent 
allowable by law. There also may be circumstances in which we would 
withhold a respondent's identity from public disclosure, as allowable 
by law. If you wish us to withhold your name and/or address, you must 
state this prominently at the beginning of your comment. We 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: December 21, 2005.
Donald E. Moomaw,
Assistant Regional Director, Great Plains Region.
[FR Doc. 05-24646 Filed 12-29-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-P