[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 38 (Monday, February 27, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11585-11586]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-4558]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Notice of Availability of the Aspinall Unit Operations Final 
Environmental Impact Statement, Wayne N. Aspinall Unit, Colorado River 
Storage Project, Gunnison River, Colorado

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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FES 12-01

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), the Federal agency 
responsible for operation of the Aspinall Unit, announces the 
availability of the final environmental impact statement (FEIS) on 
proposed Aspinall Unit operations, Gunnison and Montrose Counties, 
Colorado.

DATES: Reclamation will not make a decision on the proposed action 
until at least 30 days after release of the FEIS. After the 30-day 
public review period, Reclamation will complete a Record of Decision 
(ROD). The ROD will state the action that will be implemented and 
discuss all factors leading to that decision.

ADDRESSES: The FEIS is available for review at http://www.usbr.gov/uc/ 
(click on Environmental Documents). Send requests for paper copies or 
compact discs to Mr. Steve McCall, Bureau of Reclamation, Western 
Colorado Area Office, 2764 Compass Drive, Suite 106, Grand Junction, 
Colorado 81506. See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for locations 
where copies are available for public review and inspection.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Steve McCall, telephone (970) 248-
0638; facsimile (970) 248-0601; 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: Pursuant to the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (as amended) and the Colorado River Storage Project 
Act of 1956, Reclamation, in cooperation with the State of Colorado, 
Colorado River Water Conservation District, Southwestern Water 
Conservation District, National Park Service, Platte River Power 
Authority, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Western Area Power 
Administration, has prepared a FEIS on Aspinall Unit operations. The 
Aspinall Unit consists of Blue Mesa, Morrow Point, and Crystal dams, 
reservoirs, and powerplants on the Gunnison River in western Colorado. 
The FEIS describes the potential effects of modifying the operation of 
the Aspinall Unit to provide sufficient releases of water at times and 
duration necessary to avoid jeopardy to endangered fish species and 
adverse modification of their designated critical habitat while 
maintaining and continuing to meet all authorized purposes of the 
Aspinall Unit. The intent of the new operations is to also assist in 
recovery of the species.
    The programmatic biological opinion (PBO) prepared by the U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service in conjunction with the FEIS completes Endangered 
Species Act (ESA) compliance for the Aspinall Unit and provides ESA 
coverage for other

[[Page 11586]]

Federal projects and private water uses in the Gunnison Basin. The PBO 
also completes ESA compliance for the Dolores Project.
    Consultation was held with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and 
other cooperating agencies to develop alternatives that better met 
peak, duration, and base flow recommendations for the endangered fish. 
In the FEIS, a no action alternative and four action alternatives were 
analyzed. The preferred alternative provides operational guidance for 
the Aspinall Unit for specific downstream spring peak and duration 
flows that are dependent on forecasted inflow to the Aspinall Unit 
reservoirs. It also provides base flows outside of the spring runoff 
period.
    The Aspinall Unit Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was 
issued to the public on February 13, 2009, and a Notice of Availability 
of the DEIS was published in the Federal Register on February 13, 2009 
(74 FR 7260). A 70-day public review and comment period for the DEIS 
ended on April 24, 2009. During the public comment period, two public 
hearings were held. The FEIS contains responses to all comments 
received on the DEIS.
    Copies of the FEIS are available for public review and inspection 
at the following locations:
     Main Interior Building, Natural Resources Library, Room 
1151, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240-0001.
     Bureau of Reclamation, Denver Office Library, Denver 
Federal Center, Sixth and Kipling, Building 67, Room 167, Denver, 
Colorado 80225-0007.
     Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado Regional Office, 125 
South State Street, Room 7418, Salt Lake City, Utah 84138-1147.
     Bureau of Reclamation, Western Colorado Area Office, 2764 
Compass Drive, Suite 106, Grand Junction, Colorado 81506.

Libraries

     Western State College Library, 600 N. Adams Street, 
Gunnison, Colorado 81231.
     Montrose Public Library, 320 South 2nd Street, Montrose, 
Colorado 81401.
     Delta Public Library, 211 West 6th Street, Delta, Colorado 
81416-0052.
     Mesa County Public Library, 443 North 6th Street, Grand 
Junction, Colorado 81501.
     Colorado Mesa University Library, 1100 North Avenue, Grand 
Junction, Colorado 81501.

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: January 20, 2012.
Larry Walkoviak,
Regional Director--Upper Colorado Region, Bureau of Reclamation.
[FR Doc. 2012-4558 Filed 2-24-12; 8:45 am]
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