[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 105 (Thursday, June 3, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29739-29740]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-11645]


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

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Upper Price River Watershed Project, Carbon County, Utah

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS).

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

SUMMARY: The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Utah State 
Office announces its intent to prepare an EIS for the Upper Price River 
Watershed Project within the Upper Price River Watershed in Carbon 
County, Utah. NRCS is requesting comments to identify significant 
issues and alternatives to be addressed in the EIS from all interested 
individuals. The EIS process will examine existing flood control 
measures and evaluate additional (new) alternatives identified during 
scoping.

DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by July 6, 2021. 
Comments

[[Page 29740]]

received after this date will be considered to the extent possible.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit formal scoping comments. You may 
submit your comments through one of the methods below:
     Email: [email protected].
     Mail or Hand Delivery: Upper Price River EIS, Horrocks 
Engineers, 2162 West Grove Parkway, Suite 400, Pleasant Grove, UT 
84062.
     Telephone: (435) 922-3882.
    To be included on the EIS mailing list, please respond to one of 
the options above with your contact information. Please note that any 
respondent's entire scoping comment, including their personal contact 
information, may be made publicly available at any time during the EIS 
process.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Norm Evenstad; telephone (801) 
524-4569; or email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need

    The primary purpose for watershed planning and preparation of an 
EIS is to increase and maintain safe and reliable supplies of water for 
the local community, increase water conservation, and improve water 
delivery efficiency in the Upper Price River Watershed in Carbon 
County, Utah. NRCS will provide technical assistance and financial 
support for the EIS and the implementation of the selected alternative. 
Watershed planning was authorized under Public Law 83-566, the 
Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act of 1954, as amended, and 
Public Law 78-534, the Flood Control Act of 1944.
    Because of a mismatch between the time when snowpack melts in the 
Upper Price River Watershed and the time when water is in highest 
demand for agricultural and municipal uses, several municipalities in 
Carbon County face regular shortages of water during the summer months 
and must obtain additional water from other sources.
    Initial agency scoping of this federally assisted action indicates 
that proposed alternatives may have significant local, regional, or 
national impacts on the environment. Norm Evenstad, NRCS Assistant 
State Conservationist-Water Resources, has determined that the 
preparation of an EIS is needed. This EIS will be prepared as required 
by section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(NEPA); the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 
1500-1508); and NRCS regulations that implement NEPA in 7 CFR part 650.
    Consultation with Tribal Nations and interested parties will be 
conducted as required by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 
(as amended through 1992) (16 U.S.C. 470f).

Description

    The project seeks to reduce the regular water shortages several 
municipalities in Carbon County experience during the summer months. 
Major problems consist of a lack of water for crops and pasture, 
fences, farmsteads, machinery, buildings, livestock, county and 
township roads and bridges, and urban areas in the cities of Price, 
Helper, and Wellington, as well as Price Canyon and Scofield Reservoir.
    The EIS process will evaluate alternatives that will increase and 
maintain safe and reliable supplies of water for the local community 
while increasing water conservation, and improving water delivery 
efficiency in the Upper Price River Watershed.
    Watershed planning under the EIS will evaluate the effectiveness, 
environmental effects, and socio-economic impacts of the original 
project measures over the last 64 years. The results of these analyses 
will provide the context for determining the environmental, economic, 
and social effects of considered alternatives for additional (new) 
water retention and supply options for the Carbon County 
municipalities.

Scoping Process

    One scoping meeting to present the project and develop the scope of 
the EIS was held online on Thursday, October 29, 2020. A presentation 
was conducted followed by a group question-and-answer period. Project 
team members were available for individual questions and discussions. 
Comments received, including the names and addresses of those who 
comment, will be part of the public record.

Alternatives

    The objective of the EIS is to formulate and evaluate alternatives 
that increase and maintain safe and reliable supplies of water for the 
community, that increase water conservation, and improve water delivery 
efficiency. Alternatives to be evaluated include the construction of a 
new reservoir somewhere in the Upper Price River drainage system, to 
use abandoned coal mines for water storage, to increase water 
conservation measures, or a combination of these options.
    Potential impacts include wetland and flood plain alteration. 
Permitting with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regarding potential 
wetland impacts will be pursued prior to final design and construction. 
A draft EIS will be prepared and circulated for review and comment by 
agencies and the public per 40 CFR 1503.1, 1502.20, 1506.11, 1502.17, 
and 7 CFR 650.13. NRCS invites agencies and individuals who have 
special expertise, legal jurisdiction, or interest in the Upper Price 
River Watershed to participate and identify potential alternatives.

Federal Assistance Programs

    The title and number of the Federal assistance program in the 
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance to which this NOFA applies: 
10.904 Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention and is subject to the 
provisions of Executive Order 12372, which requires intergovernmental 
consultation with State and local officials.

Emily Fife,
State Conservationist, Utah, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-11645 Filed 6-2-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-16-P