[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 219 (Wednesday, November 13, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61638-61639]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-24611]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

[RR06250000, 20XR0680A1, RN.07694998.0000600]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and 
Public Scoping Comment Period for the Eastern North Dakota Alternate 
Water Supply Project, Burleigh, Kidder, Sheridan, and Wells Counties, 
North Dakota

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) intends to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the Eastern North Dakota 
Alternate Water Supply Project. Reclamation is requesting public 
comment to identify significant issues or other alternatives to be 
addressed in the EIS.

DATES: Submit comments on the scope of the EIS on or before December 
13, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Provide written scoping comments and requests to be added to 
the mailing list to Mr. Damien Reinhart, EIS Team Lead, Bureau of 
Reclamation, Dakotas Area Office, 304 East Broadway Avenue, Bismarck, 
ND 58501; or email [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Damien Reinhart, Bureau of 
Reclamation, Dakotas Area Office, 304 East Broadway Avenue, Bismarck, 
ND 58501; telephone (701) 202-1275; facsimile (701) 250-4326; email 
[email protected]. Persons who use a telecommunications device for 
the deaf may call the Federal Relay Service (FedRelay) at 1-800-877-
8339 TTY/ASCII to contact the above individual during normal business 
hours or to leave a message or question after hours. You will receive a 
reply during normal business hours. Information on this project may 
also be found at: https://www.usbr.gov/gp/dkao/index.html.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Reclamation is issuing this notice pursuant 
to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), 42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.; the Council on Environmental Quality's regulations 
for implementing NEPA, 40 CFR parts 1500 through 1508; and the 
Department of the Interior's NEPA regulations, 43 CFR part 46.

Background

    Reclamation will prepare an EIS for the funding and construction of 
the Eastern North Dakota Alternate Water Supply Project (ENDAWS). This 
is a bulk water supply project which would deliver an alternate water 
supply to the State of North Dakota's Red River Valley Water Supply 
Project. Reclamation is authorized under the Dakota Water Resources Act 
of 2000 to work with the state of North Dakota to plan, design, and 
construct municipal, rural, and industrial water supply projects.
    Garrison Diversion Conservancy District, on behalf of the State of 
North Dakota, requested Reclamation consider issuing a contract for up 
to 165 cubic feet per second of water from Garrison Diversion Unit 
facilities. This would include the use of Reclamation's Snake Creek 
Pumping Plant, an intake and pump station located along the McClusky 
Canal, and a bulk transmission pipeline to deliver water to the main 
transmission pipeline of North Dakota's Red River Valley Water Supply 
Project. Reclamation's potential actions include:
     Construction of ENDAWS project features,
     Issuance of a water repayment contract for Garrison 
Diversion Unit facilities, and
     Issuance of permits to construct and maintain ENDAWS 
facilities on Reclamation rights-of-way.
    Reclamation anticipates the depletion of Missouri River water to 
supply ENDAWS will be an issue of concern. The evaluation of this will 
be a coordinated effort between Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers due to their knowledge, expertise, and management 
responsibilities of the Missouri River Mainstem System. Another key 
issue to be evaluated is the

[[Page 61639]]

potential risk and consequences of transferring aquatic invasive 
species from the Missouri River basin to the Hudson Bay basin, as a 
result of ENDAWS operations. Based on previous analyses of this issue, 
the following potential microorganisms of concern may be included in 
the analysis:

 Cyanobacteria
 Protozoa
 Fungi
 Bacteria
 Viruses
 Animal parasites
 Mollusk larvae
    Reclamation requests any information relative to these issues or 
other potential issues be submitted during the scoping period to assist 
in determining their significance. Reclamation intends to complete an 
EIS for ENDAWS pursuant to NEPA to study the potential environmental 
effects of the proposal and a reasonable range of alternatives designed 
to respond to the purpose and need for the ENDAWS, as well as a no-
action alternative. The scoping process is intended to inform the 
public about ENDAWS and to request public and agency comment to 
identify significant issues or alternatives to be addressed in the EIS. 
Three scoping open houses were held between October 22-24, 2019 in 
Bismarck, Jamestown, and Fargo, North Dakota. These open house meetings 
were held prior to the publication of this Notice as a means of 
gathering public input early in the process per NEPA Implementing 
Regulations (40 CFR 1501.7(b)(4)). Written comments received by 
December 15, 2019, and input received during the open houses will be 
given the same consideration.

Public Disclosure

    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you may 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

John Soucy,
Deputy Regional Director, Great Plains Region.
[FR Doc. 2019-24611 Filed 11-12-19; 8:45 am]
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