Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Land Use Authorization for Lakewood Raw Water Pipeline; Roosevelt National Forest, Boulder County, CO

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Land Use

Authorization for Lakewood Raw Water Pipeline; Roosevelt National

Forest, Boulder County, CO

AGENCY: Forest Service, Department of Agriculture.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National

Grassland is proposing to issue an easement to the City of Boulder

Colorado to cross 5 miles of National Forest System lands with a

replacement pipeline. The easement would allow the City to replace,

maintain and operate Lakewood Pipeline. The pipeline is a raw water

transmission line used to transport municipal water nine miles from

Lakewood Reservoir to Betasso Water Treatment Plant. The City proposes

to install the replacement pipeline in the vicinity of the 1906

pipeline, with some specific deviations to avoid potentially adverse

impacts to environmentally sensitive areas. The proposal is for a 27-

to 33-inch inside-diameter steel pipeline to be buried with a minimum

of 4 feet of cover.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received

in writing by January 20, 1996. The Draft Environmental Impact

Statement will be published mid-February, 1996 for a 45-day comment

period. The final Environmental Impact Statement will be issued at the

end of June 1996.

RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL: The Regional Forester, Region 2 Rocky Mountain

Region, will be the responsible official and will decide whether to

grant an easement for a pipeline on National Forest System lands and at

what location.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Submit written comments, suggestions

and questions to: Jean Thomas, Project Coordinator; Arapaho and

Roosevelt National Forests; 240 West Prospect; Fort Collins Colorado

80526; 970-498-1267.

[[Page 66254]]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The City of Boulder is proposing to maintain

the historical water delivery function of the Lakewood Pipeline

facility. Continued operation to serve this function will require

reconstruction of the facility. The City's proposal consists of

installing the replacement pipeline in the vicinity of the 1906

pipeline, with some specific deviations to avoid potentially adverse

impacts to environmentally sensitive areas. The City will restore, to

the extent reasonably possible, the contours and vegetation on National

Forest System lands, estimated to be 18 acres, and the private lands,

estimated to be 25 acres, along the Pipeline corridor. The City will

require access to the pipeline for repair and maintenance.

The existing Lakewood Pipeline must be replaced because air

entrainment, caused by the current pipeline, reduces the Betasso Water

Treatment Plant's capability to remove drinking water contaminants. New

stricter drinking water standards have been adopted by the EPA. The

City will not meet the new standards based on water tests performed

under current operating conditions. Also, the pipeline interior lining

is deteriorating and collecting in the pipeline low points, restricting

the flow in the pipeline. This has reduced the pipeline's capacity from

the historical rate of 20 million gallons per day (mgd) to 14 mgd.

The Forest Service is considering analyzing five alternatives in

the Lakewood Raw Water Pipeline Environmental Impact Statement. (1) A

No Action Alternative, where the Forest Service would not authorize the

use of National Forest System lands for the pipeline. The City would

not be required to remove the existing pipeline because removal would

create undesirable environmental impacts. (2) A Cleaning and Relining

Alternative which entails refurbishing the existing pipeline, and

reducing air entrainment to Betasso Water Treatment Plant through the

use of vacuum deaeration equipment. (3) Sugarloaf Road or a Pump-Driven

Replacement Pipeline alternative. The objective of the Sugarloaf Road

Alternative is to confine pipeline construction to established road

corridors, thereby avoiding the potential environmental effects from

construction disturbance along the existing pipeline and North Boulder

Creek, but would require pumping. (4) The Existing Pipeline Alignment

is the City of Boulder's proposed action. This alternative closely

follows the existing and 1906 Lakewood Pipeline alignment along North

Boulder Creek. (5) Peewink Alignment--Gravity-Fed Replacment Pipeline.

This alternative seeks to address concerns regarding impacts to the

North Boulder Creek riparian zone and to reduce pumping and traffic

concerns associated with the Sugarloaf Road alternative.

Lakewood Pipeline reconstruction has been considered since 1988.

Over the years both the City of Boulder and the Forest Service have

asked the public to express their concerns and issues. The primary

concerns are about impacts of reconstruction to aquatic and riparian

ecosystems in North Boulder Creek if the pipeline follows the

historical right-of-way, or concerns for personal safety and

convenience if Sugarloaf Road is closed for periods of time for

construction along the road. The environmental analysis will also

address impacts to air, soils, forested and nonforested terrestrial

ecosystems, recreation and visual resources, cultural resources and

private properties and residents.

The Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National

Grassland intend to publish the Draft Environmental Impact Statement

for public comment in mid-February, 1996. The Comment period on the

draft environmental impact statement will be 45 days from the date the

Environmental Protection Agency publishes the notice of availability in

the Federal Register.

The Forest Service believes, at this early stage, it is important

to give reviewers notice of several court rulings related to public

participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of

draft environmental impact statements must structure their

participation in the environmental review of the proposal so that it is

meaningful and alerts an agency to the reviewer's position and

contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. versus NRDC, 435 U.S.

519, 553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that could be raised at

the draft environmental impact statement stage but that are not raised

until after completion of the final environmental impact statement may

be waived or dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon versus Hodel, 803

F.2d 1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. versus

Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of these

court rulings, it is very important that those interested in this

proposed action participated by the close of the 45 day comment period

so that substantive comments and objections are made available to the

Forest Service at a time when it can meaningfully consider them and

respond to them in the final environmental impact statement.

To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues

and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft

environmental impact statement should be as specific as possible. It is

also helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the

draft statement. Comments may also address the adequacy of the draft

environmental impact statement or the merits of the alternatives

formulated and discussed in the statement. Reviewers may wish to refer

to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing

the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act as

40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.

The Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National

Grassland intend to issue the final Environmental Impact Statement the

end of June 1996.

Dated: December 13, 1995.

M.M. Underwood, Jr.,

Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 95-31070 Filed 12-20-95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-11-M