Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for a Proposed Lease To Construct and Operate a Combined Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) and Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste Facility on the Nambe Indian Reservation, Santa Fe County, NM

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for

a Proposed Lease To Construct and Operate a Combined Municipal Solid

Waste (MSW) and Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste Facility on the

Nambe Indian Reservation, Santa Fe County, NM

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent and public scoping meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian

Affairs, in cooperation with the Pueblo of Nambe, the Nambe Pueblo

Development Corporation and their environmental consultants, intends to

prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed lease to

construct and operate a combined municipal solid waste (MSW) and

construction and demolition (C&D) waste facility in Santa Fe County,

New Mexico. A description of the proposed project, location, and

environmental issues to be addressed in the EIS are provided below

(Supplementary Information). In addition to this notice, a public

meeting will be held to describe the proposed action and to receive

public comments regarding the scope of the EIS. The public will be

invited to participate in the scoping process, review of the draft EIS

and public meeting.

This notice is published in accordance with the National

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations found in 40 CFR 1501.7. The

purpose of this notice is to solicit suggestions and information from

other agencies and the public on the scope of issues to be addressed in

the EIS. Comments and participation in this scoping process are

encouraged.

DATES: Written comments must arrive by October 25, 1997. A public

scoping meeting will be held on September 25, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Address comments to Mr. Rob Baracker, Area Director,

Albuquerque Area Office, P.O. Box 26567, Albuquerque, NM 87125-6567.

The public scoping meeting will be held at 6:00 p.m. on September 25,

1997, at the Nambe Pueblo Fuel Terminal east of Allsup's Convenience

Store, at the Cuyamungue Arroyo on U.S. Route 84/285.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Al Sedik, Area Environmental

Scientist, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Albuquerque, NM 87125-6567,

telephone number (505) 766-1039.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: High Mesa Environmental LLC (High) proposes

to lease 100 acres of the Nambe Indian Reservation for the purposes of

constructing and operating a combined MSW and C&D waste facility for a

variety of non-hazardous wastes. The project will meet all applicable

environmental standards and regulations.

The proposed project includes an initial C&D-only waste cell, with

an operations area, and a site well. Ultimately, the facility will

include five additional cells for combined MSW and C&D waste, two

collection ponds, monitoring wells and a leachate evaporation pond. The

combined waste cells will be lined. Approximately 200 to 400 tons per

day of waste material would be delivered to the facility by truck.

Offsite roadway improvements would be necessary.

The project area is in the central portion of the Espanola Basin,

part of the Alamosa-Santa Fe segment of Rio Grande rift, 17 miles

northwest of Santa Fe, New Mexico. This is an isolated site, located

three miles from the Pueblo proper with no infrastructure such as

water, power, or roads. The terrain in this area is steep and mostly

clay, with

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very little to no vegetation. The area is considered badlands, with no

potential for recreational use now or in the future.

The EIS will assess alternatives to the proposed project, including

(1) a smaller project, (2) alternative waste stream management, and (3)

no action. The EIS will address numerous environmental issues,

including geology, topography, soils, water resources, air quality,

living resources, cultural resources, traffic, land use, visual

resources, socioeconomics, public health and safety, and noise. The

range of issues addressed may change, depending on comments received

during the scoping process.

Dated: September 2, 1997.

Ada E. Deer,

Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.

[FR Doc. 97-23902 Filed 9-9-97; 8:45 am]

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