[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 22 (Wednesday, February 3, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5740-5741]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-02031]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Western Area Power Administration
[DOE/EIS-0370]
Record of Decision for the Windy Gap Firming Project
AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, Department of Energy.
ACTION: Record of decision.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation,
Eastern Colorado Area Office (Reclamation) prepared an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Windy Gap Firming Project
(Project) in North Central Colorado. The Municipal Subdistrict
(Subdistrict), Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, acting by
and through the Windy Gap Firming Project Water Activity Enterprise, on
behalf of the Project Participants, obtained approval from Reclamation
for additional physical connections to Colorado-Big Thompson Project
(C-BT) facilities in order to implement the proposed Project. Western
Area Power Administration (Western), an agency within the U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE), participated in the development of the EIS
as a cooperating agency.
The EIS evaluated a no action alternative, along with four action
alternatives each entailing the construction of new reservoirs along
with pipelines and operational facilities at different locations. The
action alternatives were designed to provide more reliable water
deliveries to Front Range and West Slope communities and industry.
Reclamation selected Alternative 2--Chimney Hollow Reservoir in its
Record of Decision (ROD) dated December 19, 2014. In order to support
Reclamation's decision, Western would need to relocate 3.8 miles of its
existing Estes-Lyons 115-kilovolt (kV) wood H-frame transmission line
away from the proposed Chimney Hollow Reservoir site to avoid its
inundation.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, please
contact Mr. Matt Blevins, Western Area Power Administration, P.O. Box
281213, Lakewood, CO 80228-8213, telephone (720) 962-7261, or email:
[email protected]. For general information on DOE's National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review process, please contact Carol M.
Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance, GC-54, U.S.
Department of Energy, Washington, DC 20585, telephone (202) 586-4600 or
(800) 472-2756, or email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Reclamation was the lead federal agency for
the EIS (FES 11-19) and Western was a cooperating agency. The Notice of
Availability for the Final EIS was published in the Federal Register on
November 30, 2011 (76 FR 74074). Reclamation signed its ROD on December
19, 2014, and selected Alternative 2--Chimney Hollow Reservoir as its
preferred alternative.
Reclamation's selected alternative directly affects a portion of
Western's existing Estes-Lyons 115-kV transmission line, which lies
within the design footprint of the proposed new Chimney Hollow
Reservoir. In order to support Reclamation's decision, Western would
need to relocate its transmission line away from the proposed reservoir
to an area that preserves system reliability, maintenance
accessibility, and safety. Western's relocation of the transmission
line at the Chimney Hollow Reservoir site was evaluated in the EIS,
including acquiring a 100 foot right-of-way, constructing access roads,
and rebuilding approximately 3.8 miles of transmission line to the west
of the proposed Chimney Hollow Reservoir. After an independent review
of the EIS, Western has concluded that its comments have been satisfied
and with this notice is adopting the EIS for its participation in the
Project.
Western's Action
Western's action is to support Reclamation's decision in selecting
Alternative 2--Chimney Hollow Reservoir and to relocate a 3.8 mile
portion of Western's existing Estes-Lyons 115-kV transmission line away
from the proposed Chimney Hollow Reservoir site to avoid its
inundation. Final transmission line location, pole placement, and
spacing will be determined by Western during final design.
Cultural Resources
Reclamation executed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the
Colorado State Historic Preservation Office regarding the Project on
April 19, 2012. Reclamation and Western must adhere to the stipulations
of that MOA. The MOA stipulates that prior to any construction of the
Project, Reclamation's Eastern Colorado Area Office will inventory the
remaining 17.2 acres in the Area of Potential Effect and consult with
the State Historic Preservation Office on eligibility and effects of
the Project pursuant to 36 CFR part 800, including mitigation that will
be set forth in an amendment to the MOA.
Endangered Species Act
Western's action would have no effect on federally listed
terrestrial wildlife species or plants. However, the Project's Colorado
River depletions could adversely impact four endangered Colorado River
fish species. Impacts to the endangered species in the Colorado River
were originally addressed in the 1981 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(Service) Biological Opinion for the original Windy Gap Reservoir based
on an estimated average annual diversion of 57,300 acre feet (AF) of
water. A
[[Page 5741]]
Recovery Implementation Program (RIP) for Endangered Fish Species in
the Upper Colorado River Basin was initiated on January 22, 1988.
The RIP was intended to be the reasonable and prudent alternative
for individual projects to avoid the likelihood of jeopardy to the
endangered fishes from depletions from the Upper Colorado River Basin.
A Section 7 agreement was implemented on October 15, 1993, by RIP
participants, and on December 20, 1999, the Service issued a Final
Programmatic Biological Opinion (PBO), Operation and Depletions, Other
Depletions, and Funding and Implementation of Recovery Program Actions
in the Upper Colorado River above the Confluence with the Gunnison
River. The Service determined that the Project fits under the umbrella
of the Colorado River RIP and PBO and would avoid the likelihood of
jeopardy and/or adverse modification of critical habitat for depletion
impacts. Under the PBO, the Subdistrict will make a monetary
contribution for the 21,317 AF of Colorado River water depletions to
support the recovery efforts for these species in accordance with the
RIP Recovery Action Plan.
Alternatives Considered
Reclamation considered in detail five alternatives, including
Alternative 1--the No-action Alternative. This alternative consisted of
continuation of operations under existing water rights and agreements
between Reclamation and the Subdistrict for conveyance of the Windy Gap
Project water through existing C-BT Project facilities and the
reasonably foreseeable enlargement of Ralph Price Reservoir.
Alternative 2--Chimney Hollow Reservoir (Proposed Action).
Alternative 2 included construction of a 90,000 AF Chimney Hollow
Reservoir on the East Slope, with the ability to store C-BT Project
water there. Water would be conveyed to Chimney Hollow Reservoir via a
new pipeline connection to existing East Slope C-BT Project facilities
but no new West Slope infrastructure would be constructed. This
alternative would require Western to move its existing Estes-Lyons 115-
kV transmission line away from the proposed Chimney Hollow Reservoir
site to avoid inundation.
Alternative 3--Chimney Hollow Reservoir and Jasper East Reservoir.
Alternative 3 was a combination of constructing a 70,000 AF Chimney
Hollow Reservoir on the East Slope and a 20,000 AF Jasper East
Reservoir on the West Slope. A new 1-mile pipeline would connect Jasper
East Reservoir to the existing Windy Gap pipeline that delivers water
to Granby Reservoir. The existing C-BT Willow Creek Pump Station,
forebay, and portions of the canal and pipeline would be relocated.
This alternative would require Western to move its existing Estes-Lyons
115-kV transmission line away from the proposed Chimney Hollow
Reservoir site to avoid inundation.
Alternative 4--Chimney Hollow Reservoir and Rockwell/Mueller Creek
Reservoir. This alternative is a combination of a 70,000 AF Chimney
Hollow Reservoir on the East Slope and a 20,000 AF Rockwell/Mueller
Creek Reservoir (Rockwell Reservoir) on the West Slope, a new pipeline
connection to the existing Windy Gap pump station and a new 3.3-mile
pipeline to Rockwell Reservoir. This alternative would require Western
to move its existing Estes-Lyons 115-kV transmission line away from the
proposed Chimney Hollow Reservoir site to avoid inundation.
Alternative 5--Dry Creek Reservoir and Rockwell/Mueller Creek
Reservoir. This alternative is a combination of a 60,000 AF Dry Creek
Reservoir on the East Slope, a 30,000 AF Rockwell Reservoir on the West
Slope, and a new 3.4-mile pipeline and connection to the existing Windy
Gap pump station. This alternative would require no action by Western.
Reclamation considers both the No Action Alternative and
Alternative 2--Chimney Hollow Reservoir to be the environmentally
preferable alternatives because of each alternative's relative overall
effect on natural resources as described in their ROD.
Mitigation
The EIS analysis includes identification of standard construction
mitigation measures for transmission line construction. Western will
adhere to its standard construction mitigation measures described in
the EIS. Long-term operations of the transmission line will follow
Western's standard operating procedures and will not be affected by
this action. A Mitigation Action Plan is not required for Western's
proposed action.
Decision
Western's decision is to modify its transmission system as
described above in support of Reclamation's decision to select
Alternative 2--Chimney Hollow Reservoir.\1\ This ROD was prepared
following the requirements of the Council on Environmental Quality
Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of the NEPA (40
CFR parts 1500-1508) and DOE's NEPA Implementing Procedures (10 CFR
part 1021).
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\1\ On November 16, 2011, DOE's Acting General Counsel restated
the delegations to Western's Administrator of all the authorities of
the General Counsel respecting Environmental Impact Statements.
Dated: January 14, 2016.
Mark A. Gabriel,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2016-02031 Filed 2-2-16; 8:45 am]
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