[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 77 (Thursday, April 20, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21209-21210]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-9894]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
State of Nevada Assembly Bill 380, Newlands Project, NV
AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental document
(environmental assessment or environmental impact statement) and notice
of public meetings.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Reclamation
(Reclamation)
[[Page 21210]]
proposes to prepare an environmental document. The environmental
document is for the purpose of evaluating the effects of Reclamation
providing approximately $7,000,000 of Federal funds over a period of
years, along with monies from other entities, to partially support the
Newlands Project Water Rights fund, a program for the acquisition and
retirement of 6,500 acres of surface water rights in Reclamation's
Newlands Project. This action is outlined in the State of Nevada
Assembly Bill Number 380 (A.B. 380).
At present it is not clear whether the scope of the action and
anticipated project impacts will require preparation of an
environmental impact statement (EIS) instead of an environmental
assessment (EA). However, to ensure the timely and appropriate level of
NEPA compliance and to limit potential future delays to the project
schedule, Reclamation is proceeding as if the project impacts can be
adequately analyzed through preparation of an EA. Reclamation will
reevaluate the need for an EIS after obtaining written and oral
comments on the project scope, alternatives and environmental impacts,
and after Reclamation's evaluation of potential impacts of the proposed
project. Reclamation will publish a notice of change if a decision is
made to prepare an EIS rather than an EA. However, the scoping process
to be conducted will suffice for either course of action.
There are no known environmental justice issues associated with the
proposed action. The water acquisition program supported by Reclamation
funds will avoid, where possible, any adverse impacts to Indian Trust
Assets. If adverse impacts cannot be avoided, appropriate mitigation or
compensation will be provided.
DATES: Four scoping meetings will be held to solicit comments from
interested parties to assist in determining the scope of the
environmental analysis and to identify the significant issues related
to this proposed action. The meeting dates are:
Monday, May 8, 2000, at 7:00 p.m., in Fallon, Nevada.
Tuesday, May 9, 2000, at 7:00 p.m., in Fernley, Nevada.
Wednesday, May 10, 2000, at 7:00 p.m., in Nixon, Nevada.
Thursday, May 11, 2000, at 7:00 p.m., in Carson City,
Nevada.
Written comments on the scope of the environmental documents should
be submitted by May 25, 2000, to the address listed below.
ADDRESSES: The meeting locations are as follows:
Fallon--Fallon Convention Center, 100 Campus Way, Fallon,
NV 89406; telephone: (775) 423-4556.
Fernley--Fernley Town Complex, 595 Silver Lace Blvd.,
Suite 117, Fernley, NV 89408; telephone: (775) 575-5455.
Nixon--Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Council Chambers, 208
Capital Hill (Highway 447) Nixon, NV 89424; telephone: (775) 574-1000.
Carson City--Nevada State Library, 100 N Stewart Street,
Conference Room A, Carson City, NV 89701; telephone: (775) 684-3313.
Written comments on the scope of the environmental documents should
be submitted to Caryn Huntt DeCarlo, Environmental Specialist, Bureau
of Reclamation, Lahontan Basin Area Office, Attention: LO-450, P.O. Box
640, Carson City, NV 89702.
Our practice is to make comments, including names and home
addresses of respondents, available for public review. Individual
respondents may request that we withhold their home address from public
disclosure, which we will honor to the extent allowable by law. There
also may be circumstances in which we would withhold a respondent's's
identity from public disclosure, as allowable by law. If you wish us to
withhold your name and/or address, you must state this prominently at
the beginning of your comment. We will make all submissions from
organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or
businesses, available for public disclosure in their entirety.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Caryn Huntt DeCarlo at telephone and
TDD: (775) 882-3436, Lahontan Basin Area Office, Attention: LO-450,
P.O. Box 640, Carson City, NV 89702.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the Newlands Project Water
Rights Fund program is to provide a mechanism for meeting some of the
goals outlined in A.B. 380 through acquisition and retirement of 6,500
acres of surface water rights. The goals of A.B. 380 include resolving
certain administrative and judicial proceedings involving challenges to
Newlands Project and Truckee Meadows water rights. These proceedings
are time consuming and costly for all parties involved, and the need
for resolution is the purpose of A.B. 380 and the water rights
acquisition and retirement program.
Special Services
Persons requiring any special services should contact Caryn Huntt
DeCarlo at (775) 882-3436. Please notify Ms. Huntt DeCarlo as far in
advance of the particular meeting as possible, but no later than 3
working days prior to the meeting to enable Reclamation to secure the
services. If a request cannot be honored, the requester will be
notified.
Dated: April 14, 2000.
Frank Michny,
Regional Environmental Officer.
[FR Doc. 00-9894 Filed 4-19-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-P