Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Proposed Acreage Limitation and Water Conservation Rules and Regulations

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Proposed Acreage

Limitation and Water Conservation Rules and Regulations

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability on the draft environmental impact

statement; INT-DES-95-13.

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

SUMMARY: In response to a September 1993 contract for settlement of a

lawsuit filed by the Natural Resources Defense Council, National

Wildlife Federation, California Natural Resources Federation,

California Association of Family Farmers, California Action Network,

League of Rural Voters, Inc., and County of Trinity, California

(hereinafter NRDC et al.); and pursuant to the National Environmental

Policy Act of 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation)

has prepared a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) on proposed

acreage limitation and water conservation rules and regulations for

implementing the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982 (RRA), as amended,

throughout the 17 Western States.

The purpose of the DEIS is to evaluate potential impacts associated

with the proposed rules and alternatives. As such, the DEIS presents an

evaluation of five alternatives, including no action. This is

accomplished at a programmatic level and provides the required

environmental documentation for implementation of the RRA on a Westwide

basis.

DATES: Written comments on the DEIS should be submitted to the Bureau

of Reclamation by May 31, 1995. A recorded toll-free number (1-800-861-

5443) will be available to make oral comments during the public review

period. Comments received in this manner must include the commentor's

name in order to be included in the official record. Address and

affiliation are optional. Comments will be limited to 15 minutes per

call.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the DEIS and requests for copies should

be addressed to: Mr. Ronald J. Schuster (D-5010), Westwide Settlement

Manager, Bureau of Reclamation, PO Box 25007, Denver CO 80225. Requests

for copies may also be made over the telephone at (303) 236-1061

extension 237.

Copies of the DEIS are available for inspection at the address

above and also at the following locations:

Office of the Commissioner, Bureau of Reclamation, Room

7612, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington DC 20240

Reclamation Service Center, Bureau of Reclamation,

Library, Room 167, Building 67, Denver Federal Center, Denver CO 80225

Pacific Northwest Regional Office, Bureau of Reclamation,

Room 214, 1150 North Curtis Road, Boise ID 83706

Mid-Pacific Regional Office, Bureau of Reclamation,

Library, Room W-1522, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento CA 95825

Lower Colorado Regional Office, Bureau of Reclamation,

Library, Room M117, Nevada Highway and Park Street, Boulder City NV

89005

Upper Colorado Regional Office, Bureau of Reclamation,

Library, Room 7101, 125 South State Street, Salt Lake City UT 84147

Great Plains Regional Office, Bureau of Reclamation,

Library, Room 2037, Federal Office Building, 316 North 26th Street,

Billings MT 59101

Libraries

Arizona

Arizona Department of Water Resources Library, Phoenix

Arizona State Library, Department of Library, Archives and Public

Records, Phoenix

Arizona State Regional Library for the Blind and Physically

Handicapped, Phoenix

Arizona State University, Noble Science and Engineering Library,

Tempe

Arizona State University, Hayden Library, Tempe

Flagstaff City-Coconino County Public Library, Flagstaff

Maricopa County Library, Phoenix

Mesa Public Library, Mesa

Northern Arizona University, Cline Library, Flagstaff

Phoenix Public Library, Phoenix

Scottsdale Public Library, Scottsdale

Tempe Public Library, Tempe

Tucson Pima Library, Tucson

University of Arizona Library, Tucson

Yuma County Library District, Yuma

California

Bay Area Library and Information System, Oakland [[Page 16663]]

California State Library, Sacramento

California State University, Hayward Library, Hayward

California State University, University Library, Los Angeles

California State University Library, Sacramento

Colorado River Board of California Library, Glendale

Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX Library, San Francisco

Fresno County Free Library, Fresno

Fresno State University Library, Fresno

Kern County Library, Bakersfield

Los Angeles Public Library, Los Angeles

Los Angeles Public Library, Water and Power Section, Los Angeles

Sacramento Public Library, Sacramento

San Francisco Public Library, San Francisco

Stanford University Libraries, Stanford

University of California Water Resources Center Library, Berkeley

University of California, General Library, Berkeley

University of California, University Research Library, Los Angeles

University of California, Shields Library, Davis

University of Southern California, Doheny Memorial Library, Los

Angeles

Colorado

Colorado State University Libraries, Fort Collins

Denver Central Library, Denver

University of Colorado at Boulder, Norlin Library, Boulder

University of Denver, Penrose Library, Denver

U.S. Air Force Academy, Academy Library, Colorado Springs

Grand Junction Public Library, Grand Junction

Idaho

University of Idaho Library, Moscow

Ada Community Library, Boise

Idaho State Library, Boise

Pocatello Public Library, Pocatello

Kansas

University of Kansas, Lawrence

Kansas State Library, Topeka

Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, Topeka

Montana

University of Montana, Maurene and Mike Mansfield Library, Missoula

Billings Gazette Library, Billings

Parmly Billings Library, Billings

Missoula Public Library, Missoula

Nebraska

University of Nebraska, D.L. Love Memorial Library, Lincoln

Lincoln City Library, Lincoln

North Platte Public Library, North Platte

Omaha Public Library, Omaha

Nevada

Boulder City Library, Boulder City

Carson City Library, Carson City

Clark County Library District, Las Vegas

Nevada State Library, Carson City

University of Nevada, Reno Library, Reno

University of Nevada at Las Vegas, James Dickinson Library, Las

Vegas

Washoe County Library, Reno

New Mexico

Albuquerque Public Library, Albuquerque

New Mexico State Library, Santa Fe

New Mexico State Library, Las Cruces

University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

North Dakota

Bismarck Public Library, Bismarck

Fargo Public Library, Fargo

North Dakota State University, Fargo

Minot Public Library, Minot

Oklahoma

Metropolitan Library System in Oklahoma County Area, Oklahoma City

Oklahoma Department of Libraries, Oklahoma City

Oklahoma State University, Edmon Low Library, Stillwater

University of Oklahoma, University Libraries, Norman

Oregon

Oregon Institute of Technology, Klamath Falls

Portland State University, Millar Library, Portland

University of Oregon Library, Eugene

South Dakota

Rapid City Public Library, Rapid City

Sioux Falls Public Library, Sioux Falls

South Dakota State Library, Pierre

Texas

Amarillo Public Library, Amarillo

Dallas Public Library, Dallas

El Paso Public Library, El Paso

Harris County Public Library, Houston

Texas State Library, Austin

Texas Technical University Library, Lubbock

Utah

Brigham Young University, Harold B. Lee Library, Provo

Cedar City Public Library, Cedar City

Salt Lake City Public Library, Salt Lake City

Salt Lake County Library System, Salt Lake City

Southern Utah State University Library, Cedar City

University of Utah, Marriott Library, Salt Lake City

Utah State University, Merrill Library, Logan

Utah State Library, Salt Lake City

Washington County Library, St. George

Weber State University, Stewart Library, Ogden

Washington

King County Library System, Seattle

Seattle Public Library, Seattle

Spokane Public Library, Spokane, Washington

University of Washington Libraries, Allen Library, Seattle

Washington State Library, Olympia

Yakima Valley Regional Library, Yakima

Wyoming

Laramie County Library System, Cheyenne

Rock Springs Public Library, Rock Springs

University of Wyoming, Coe Library, Laramie

Western Wyoming Community College, Rock Springs

Wyoming State Library, Cheyenne

Other States

District of Columbia Public Library, Washington DC

Library of Congress, Washington DC

Library Program Service, Government Printing Office, Washington DC

New York State Library, Albany, New York

New York Public Library, New York, New York

Research Libraries, New York, New York

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Ronald J. Schuster (D-5010),

Westwide Settlement Manager, Bureau of Reclamation, Denver Office, PO

Box 25007, Denver CO 80225; telephone: (303) 236-9336 ext 237.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Reclamation Act of 1902 established a

Federal program for irrigation project construction and financing to

create farming opportunities and thereby encourage the economic

development of the arid West. In recognition of organizational,

economic, and technological changes in farming that occurred since

1902, the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982 (RRA), Title II, Public Law

97-293 (96 Stat. 1263), was signed into law on October 12, 1982. The

RRA revised the threshold of acres upon which a landowner could receive

Reclamation irrigation water. RRA provisions established how much land

upon which a landowner could receive Reclamation irrigation water,

established reporting requirements and water conservation planning, and

set specific criteria for the price at which an individual or legal

entity could receive Reclamation water. Amendments to the RRA were

included in the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of December 22, 1987

(Reconciliation Act), Title V, Public Law 100-203 (101 Stat. 1330).

Rules and regulations for implementing the RRA, initially becoming

effective on January 5, 1984, were amended in 1987, 1988, and 1991.

Environmental assessments and associated supplements were prepared in

1983, 1987, and 1988 that resulted in ``Findings of No Significant

Impact'' from implementation of the proposed rules and regulations.

A lawsuit was filed by NRDC et al., challenging in part the

inadequacy of the environmental documentation prepared for the 1987 and

1988 amendments to the rules. In September 1993, NRDC et al., the

Department of Justice, and the Department of the Interior entered into

a contract for the settlement of the lawsuit. Reclamation agreed to

comprehensively reexamine implementation of the RRA and existing

regulations, possibly resulting in the adoption of revised regulations

implementing RRA requirements on a Westwide basis. [[Page 16664]]

The DEIS presents impact analyses of five alternatives, including

no action, that encompass varying levels of regulation necessary to

implement the RRA as it currently exists. A Proposed Rule Alternative

reflects potential impacts associated with implementing the proposed

rules and regulations.

Because the DEIS is programmatic, alternatives were not

quantitatively analyzed. Specific assumptions were made to estimate

changes to lands, soils, drainage, water, water quality, biological,

socioeconomic, recreation, and cultural resources resulting from

specific rule changes. While the significance of these impacts on a

Westwide basis is small, localized impacts could be significant. Future

site-specific actions resulting from any acreage limitation or water

conservation provisions will be subject to all applicable Federal laws,

including the National Environmental Policy Act.

Dated: March 17, 1995.

J. Austin Burke,

Director, Operations.

[FR Doc. 95-7864 Filed 3-30-95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-94-P