[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 37 (Friday, February 24, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11155-11156]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-4293]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement on
the Pojoaque Basin Regional Water System, Santa Fe County, NM
AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) intends to prepare an
environmental impact statement (EIS) on the Pojoaque Basin Regional
Water System. Reclamation will serve as the lead Federal agency. The
U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission, New Mexico
Office of the State Engineer, County of Santa Fe, and the Pueblos of
Namb[eacute], Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, and Tesuque will be invited to
participate as cooperating agencies for the EIS. Other entities will be
considered as necessary during the EIS process.
The proposed Pojoaque Basin Regional Water System will divert,
treat, and distribute potable water to the Pueblo and non-Pueblo
residents of the Pojoaque Basin. The Regional Water System will consist
of surface water diversion and water treatment facilities at San
Ildefonso Pueblo on the Rio Grande and storage tanks, transmission and
distribution pipelines, and aquifer storage and recovery well fields
that will supply up to 4,000 acre-feet of water annually to customers
within the Pojoaque Basin.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have
your name added to the mailing list, please contact Marsha Carra,
Bureau of Reclamation, Albuquerque Area Office, 555 Broadway NE., Suite
100, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102; telephone (505) 462-3602; facsimile
(505) 462-3780; 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: This Federal Register notice provides the
public with information regarding Reclamation's intent to prepare an
EIS pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969,
as amended.
The Pojoaque Basin Regional Water System is described in and
authorized by the Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act (Settlement Act)
which is Title VI of the Claims Resolution Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-
291, Title VI; 124 Stat. 3065). The Settlement Act authorizes
implementation of a Settlement Agreement among the United States, the
State of New Mexico, the County of Santa Fe, the City of Santa Fe, the
four Pueblos, and other non-Pueblo parties, and allows for the annual
diversion of up to 4,000 acre-feet of water per year and the
construction of the Pojoaque Basin Regional Water System to treat and
distribute the water to residents of the Pojoaque Basin. The Settlement
Agreement provides for settlement of water rights claims of the
Namb[eacute], Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, and Tesuque Pueblos in the
Pojoaque Basin.
As described in the Settlement Act, Congress is requiring
compliance with relevant laws protecting the environment, including but
not limited to NEPA and the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Pursuant to
NEPA, Reclamation is preparing an EIS that will describe the existing
environment and environmental impacts of the proposed Pojoaque Basin
Regional Water System.
Public scoping meetings will be held to solicit comments on the
scope of the
[[Page 11156]]
EIS and the issues and alternatives that should be analyzed. Scoping
meetings will be held for Pueblo members at or near each of the four
Pueblos. In addition, public scoping meetings will be held in multiple
locations in northern New Mexico. Additional information regarding
specific dates and times for the upcoming meetings and identification
of relevant comment periods will be provided in a future Federal
Register notice, in the local news media, and through direct contact
with interested parties.
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose is to provide safe and reliable potable water to the
residents of the Pojoaque Basin. The need is to reduce reliance on
groundwater and to allow the Pueblos to obtain the water rights
provided under the Settlement Act.
Proposed Federal Action
Reclamation proposes to plan, design, and construct the Pojoaque
Basin Regional Water System in accordance with the Settlement Agreement
and the Settlement Act. The Regional Water System shall divert and
distribute water in the Pojoaque Basin and shall consist of surface
water diversion facilities at San Ildefonso Pueblo on the Rio Grande,
and treatment, transmission, storage and distribution facilities and
well fields that are necessary to supply 4,000 acre-feet of water
within the Pojoaque Basin in accordance with the Settlement Agreement
and the Settlement Act.
Possible Alternatives
Alternatives have not been developed at this time. However, the
Settlement Act includes provisions for additional construction proposed
and paid for by the four Pueblos, the County of Santa Fe, or a Pojoaque
Basin Regional Water Authority. Such additional infrastructure would be
designed to fully use the water delivered by the Pojoaque Basin
Regional Water System or to improve existing, or develop new, water-
related infrastructure.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The decision to be made is which design alternative for the
Pojoaque Basin Regional Water System will be constructed. Note: The
information in the EIS regarding water rights will be presented for
background and descriptive purposes only. The terms of the parties'
water entitlement and use are established under state and Federal law
through the Settlement Agreement and nothing in the EIS is intended to
suggest that any of those provisions are subject to reconsideration,
litigation, or alteration through the NEPA process.
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: February 14, 2012.
Larry Walkoviak,
Regional Director--Upper Colorado Region, Bureau of Reclamation.
[FR Doc. 2012-4293 Filed 2-23-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-P