[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 53 (Friday, March 20, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11920-11921]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-6170]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Proposed Regional Watershed Supply Project in Wyoming and Colorado

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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

SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) is preparing an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze the direct, indirect, 
and cumulative effects of a proposed water supply project in Wyoming 
and Colorado, referred to as the Regional Watershed Supply Project 
(RWSP). Construction of the proposed RWSP is expected to require a 
Clean Water Act Section 404 permit. The Project is proposed by Million 
Conservation Resource Group (MCRG), which is a private water 
development group. The RWSP proposes to provide approximately 250,000 
acre-feet per year of new annual firm yield to meet a portion of the 
projected water supply needs of southeastern Wyoming and the Front 
Range of Colorado on a perpetual basis through 2030 and beyond. The 
water would be obtained from the Green River Basin as part of the 
unused portion of water allocated to the States of Wyoming and Colorado 
under the Upper Colorado River Compact. The RWSP would be a non-Federal 
project constructed, owned, and operated by MCRG.

DATES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for meeting dates.

ADDRESSES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for meeting addresses.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions and comments regarding the 
proposed action and EIS should be addressed to Ms. Rena Brand, Project 
Manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Denver Regulatory Office, 9307 
S. Wadsworth Blvd., Littleton, CO 80128-6901; (303) 979-4120; 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The COE will be conducting public scoping 
meetings at six locations to describe the Project, preliminary 
alternatives, the NEPA compliance process, and to solicit input on the 
issues and alternatives to be evaluated and other related matters. 
Written comments for scoping will be accepted until May 19, 2009. The 
COE has prepared a scoping announcement to familiarize agencies, the 
public and interested organizations regarding the proposed RWSP and 
potential environmental issues that may be involved. Copies of the 
scoping announcement will be made available at the public scoping 
meetings or can be requested by mail.
    Scoping meetings will be held on:
    1. April 14, 2009, 6:30 to 9 p.m., Green River High School, 1615 
Hitching Post Drive, Green River, WY.
    2. April 15, 2009, 6:30 to 9 p.m., Uintah High School, 1880 West 
500 North, Vernal, UT.
    3. April 16, 2009, 6:30 to 9 p.m., Laramie High School, 1257 North 
11th Street, Laramie, WY.
    4. April 20, 2009, 6:30 to 9 p.m., Fossil Ridge High School, 5400 
Ziegler Road, Fort Collins, CO.
    5. April 21, 2009, 6:30 to 9 p.m. West High School, 951 Elati 
Street, Denver, CO.
    6. April 22, 2009, 6:30 to 9 p.m. Risley Middle School, 625 N. 
Monument Ave., Pueblo, CO.
    The proponent of the project, MCRG, proposes the following 
configuration of the RWSP: Two water withdrawal facilities, one on the 
east side of Flaming Gorge Reservoir in Wyoming and the other on the 
east bank of the Green River in Wyoming approximately 200 feet 
downstream of the Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge; one water 
treatment storage reservoir located near the Green River intake system; 
water pipeline system (approximately 560 miles in length and a diameter 
of 72 to 120 inches) from the two withdrawal points to southeastern 
Wyoming and the Front Range of Colorado (Wyoming-Colorado State Line to 
Pueblo); one regulating reservoir located along the western end of the 
pipeline system; approximately sixteen natural gas-powered pump 
stations located along the pipeline route; temporary (construction 
phase) and permanent (operation and maintenance phase) access roads; 
three water storage/flow-regulation reservoirs (Lake Hattie in Wyoming 
[available volume of approximately 40,000 acre feet]; proposed Cactus 
Hill Reservoir near Fort Collins, CO [185,000 acre-foot capacity]; and 
the proposed T-Cross Reservoir to be constructed near Pueblo, CO 
[25,000 acre-foot capacity]); outlet structures at each reservoir 
consisting of water treatment facilities; on-site transformers and 
overhead power lines from local electrical grids for the water 
withdrawal and storage reservoir facilities; and water delivery systems 
from the storage reservoirs to water users.
    The potential water users for the proposed project would include 
agriculture, municipalities, and industries in southeastern Wyoming and 
the Front Range of Colorado. In Wyoming, approximately 25,000 acre-feet 
of water would be delivered annually to users in the Platte River 
Basin. The remaining 225,000 acre-feet of water would be delivered 
annually to the South Platte River and Arkansas River basins in 
Colorado.
    The EIS will be prepared according to the COE's procedures for 
implementing the NEPA of 1969, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 4232(2)(c), and 
consistent with the COE's policy to facilitate public understanding and 
review of agency proposals. As part of the EIS process, a full range of 
reasonable alternatives, including the Proposed Action and No Action, 
will be evaluated. Additional alternatives defined at this time by the 
applicant include four alternative withdrawal points that would involve 
withdrawal only from the Green River (two separate points) or Flaming 
Gorge Reservoir (two separate points). A different pipeline segment 
would connect each alternative withdrawal point to the mainstem 
pipeline route. Alternative storage reservoirs in the Front Range of 
Colorado also may be considered for the Project.
    The COE has invited the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Bureau of 
Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to be 
cooperating agencies in the preparation of the EIS. Other Federal and 
State agencies will participate in the EIS review process to ensure

[[Page 11921]]

compliance with relevant laws and regulations.

Timothy T. Carey,
Chief, Denver Regulatory Office.
[FR Doc. E9-6170 Filed 3-19-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P