[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 37 (Friday, February 24, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11155-11156]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-4293]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement on 
the Pojoaque Basin Regional Water System, Santa Fe County, NM

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) intends to prepare an 
environmental impact statement (EIS) on the Pojoaque Basin Regional 
Water System. Reclamation will serve as the lead Federal agency. The 
U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission, New Mexico 
Office of the State Engineer, County of Santa Fe, and the Pueblos of 
Namb[eacute], Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, and Tesuque will be invited to 
participate as cooperating agencies for the EIS. Other entities will be 
considered as necessary during the EIS process.
    The proposed Pojoaque Basin Regional Water System will divert, 
treat, and distribute potable water to the Pueblo and non-Pueblo 
residents of the Pojoaque Basin. The Regional Water System will consist 
of surface water diversion and water treatment facilities at San 
Ildefonso Pueblo on the Rio Grande and storage tanks, transmission and 
distribution pipelines, and aquifer storage and recovery well fields 
that will supply up to 4,000 acre-feet of water annually to customers 
within the Pojoaque Basin.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have 
your name added to the mailing list, please contact Marsha Carra, 
Bureau of Reclamation, Albuquerque Area Office, 555 Broadway NE., Suite 
100, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102; telephone (505) 462-3602; facsimile 
(505) 462-3780; email [email protected]. Persons who use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf may call the Federal Information 
Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above individual 
during normal business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 
days a week, to leave a message or question with the above individual. 
You will receive a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Federal Register notice provides the 
public with information regarding Reclamation's intent to prepare an 
EIS pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, 
as amended.
    The Pojoaque Basin Regional Water System is described in and 
authorized by the Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act (Settlement Act) 
which is Title VI of the Claims Resolution Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-
291, Title VI; 124 Stat. 3065). The Settlement Act authorizes 
implementation of a Settlement Agreement among the United States, the 
State of New Mexico, the County of Santa Fe, the City of Santa Fe, the 
four Pueblos, and other non-Pueblo parties, and allows for the annual 
diversion of up to 4,000 acre-feet of water per year and the 
construction of the Pojoaque Basin Regional Water System to treat and 
distribute the water to residents of the Pojoaque Basin. The Settlement 
Agreement provides for settlement of water rights claims of the 
Namb[eacute], Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, and Tesuque Pueblos in the 
Pojoaque Basin.
    As described in the Settlement Act, Congress is requiring 
compliance with relevant laws protecting the environment, including but 
not limited to NEPA and the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Pursuant to 
NEPA, Reclamation is preparing an EIS that will describe the existing 
environment and environmental impacts of the proposed Pojoaque Basin 
Regional Water System.
    Public scoping meetings will be held to solicit comments on the 
scope of the

[[Page 11156]]

EIS and the issues and alternatives that should be analyzed. Scoping 
meetings will be held for Pueblo members at or near each of the four 
Pueblos. In addition, public scoping meetings will be held in multiple 
locations in northern New Mexico. Additional information regarding 
specific dates and times for the upcoming meetings and identification 
of relevant comment periods will be provided in a future Federal 
Register notice, in the local news media, and through direct contact 
with interested parties.

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose is to provide safe and reliable potable water to the 
residents of the Pojoaque Basin. The need is to reduce reliance on 
groundwater and to allow the Pueblos to obtain the water rights 
provided under the Settlement Act.

Proposed Federal Action

    Reclamation proposes to plan, design, and construct the Pojoaque 
Basin Regional Water System in accordance with the Settlement Agreement 
and the Settlement Act. The Regional Water System shall divert and 
distribute water in the Pojoaque Basin and shall consist of surface 
water diversion facilities at San Ildefonso Pueblo on the Rio Grande, 
and treatment, transmission, storage and distribution facilities and 
well fields that are necessary to supply 4,000 acre-feet of water 
within the Pojoaque Basin in accordance with the Settlement Agreement 
and the Settlement Act.

Possible Alternatives

    Alternatives have not been developed at this time. However, the 
Settlement Act includes provisions for additional construction proposed 
and paid for by the four Pueblos, the County of Santa Fe, or a Pojoaque 
Basin Regional Water Authority. Such additional infrastructure would be 
designed to fully use the water delivered by the Pojoaque Basin 
Regional Water System or to improve existing, or develop new, water-
related infrastructure.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The decision to be made is which design alternative for the 
Pojoaque Basin Regional Water System will be constructed. Note: The 
information in the EIS regarding water rights will be presented for 
background and descriptive purposes only. The terms of the parties' 
water entitlement and use are established under state and Federal law 
through the Settlement Agreement and nothing in the EIS is intended to 
suggest that any of those provisions are subject to reconsideration, 
litigation, or alteration through the NEPA process.

Public Disclosure

    Before including a name, address, telephone number, email address, 
or other personal identifying information in the comment, please be 
advised that the entire comment--including personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While a 
commenter may request that Reclamation withhold personal identifying 
information from public review, Reclamation cannot guarantee that they 
will be able to do so.

    Dated: February 14, 2012.
Larry Walkoviak,
 Regional Director--Upper Colorado Region, Bureau of Reclamation.
[FR Doc. 2012-4293 Filed 2-23-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-P