Tucson Aqueduct System Reliability Investigation, Central Arizona Project, INT-FES 98-12

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

Tucson Aqueduct System Reliability Investigation, Central Arizona

Project, INT-FES 98-12

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability on the final environmental impact

statement.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (as

amended) (NEPA), the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has prepared a

final environmental impact statement (FEIS) for the Tucson Aqueduct

System Reliability Investigation (TASRI) project, Tucson Division,

Central Arizona Project (CAP). The FEIS addresses alternatives that

have been studied to incorporate short-term delivery reliability into

the CAP system for the Tucson area. This short-term reliability would

ensure the delivery of CAP water to Tucson area users during periods of

planned maintenance outages of the CAP. Reclamation proposes the

construction of a 15,000 acre-foot surface storage reservoir, located

southwest of the Tucson metropolitan area, to provide reliability to

Tucson area CAP water users.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the FEIS are available for public inspection and

review at the following locations:

Bureau of Reclamation, Regional Liaison Office, Room 7624,

1849 C Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20240; telephone (202) 208-6269

Bureau of Reclamation, Denver Office Library, Building 67,

Room 167, Denver Federal Center, 6th and Kipling, Denver, CO 80225;

telephone (303) 236-6963

Bureau of Reclamation, Lower Colorado Regional Director's

Office, Nevada Highway and Park Street, Boulder City, NV 89005;

telephone (702) 293-8000

Bureau of Reclamation, Phoenix Area Office, Attn: PXAO-1500,

2222 W. Dunlap Avenue, Suite 100, Phoenix, AZ 85021-2801; telephone

(602) 216-3864

[[Page 18442]]

Bureau of Reclamation, Tucson Field Office, 4257 W. Ina Road,

Suite 101, Tucson, AZ 85742; telephone (520) 744-5180

Libraries: Copies of the FEIS are also available for inspection at

the following libraries: County Courthouse Law Library, University of

Arizona Main Library, City Hall Annex Library, and the City Hall

Government Reference Library (9th Floor), in Tucson, AZ; Arizona State

University Hayden Library, (Arizona Collection), in Tempe, AZ; and the

Phoenix (Burton Barr) Public Library in Phoenix, AZ.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Mike Pryor, TASRI Project Manager,

PXAO-2500, or Ms. Sandra Eto, NEPA Compliance Specialist, PXAO-1500,

Reclamation, PO Box 81169, Phoenix AZ 85069-1169; telephone (602) 216-

3931, or 216-3857, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The CAP, authorized as part of the Colorado

River Basin Project Act of 1968, is a multipurpose water project which

develops water for municipal and industrial use, as well as for Indian

uses and non-Indian agricultural uses in central and southern Arizona.

Because of Tucson's greater exposure to water service interruptions,

the TASRI was initiated in 1986 to study alternatives that would

provide as ``reasonably reliable'' a supply of CAP water to the Tucson

area as is available to Phoenix area cities. The FEIS analyzes the

environmental consequences of the construction and operation of a

15,000 acre-foot surface storage reservoir (the Agency proposed

action), two additional alternatives, and a no Federal action

alternative. The FEIS describes environmental consequences to the

following resources: Biological, cultural, geologic, air, water, land,

recreational, socio-economic, and Indian trust assets. Construction and

operation of a surface storage reservoir would provide opportunities

for incorporating recreational facilities. A local sponsor(s) would

need to agree to be responsible for at least 50 percent of the capital

costs to construct the recreational developments, as well as accept

responsibility for recreation-related operating and maintenance costs.

Reclamation estimates 214 Pima pineapple cacti would be impacted from

the proposed action. The Pima pineapple cactus is a federally

endangered plant that occurs on the proposed surface storage reservoir

site. Fish and Wildlife Service's Biological Opinion for this project

indicates implementation of a Reasonable and Prudent Alternative (RPA)

will avoid jeopardizing the continued existence of the Pima pineapple

cactus. One of the RPA actions directs Reclamation to establish a

refugium for the Pima pineapple cactus that is of similar acreage,

cactus population, and of similar or better habitat of the project

area, if this proposed action is implemented. Recreational development

within the project area is not precluded by the Opinion.

The draft EIS was issued April 18, 1995. Responses to comments

received from interested organizations and individuals, both in writing

and during two public hearings held in June 1995, are addressed in the

FEIS.

Reclamation's development and evaluation of the alternatives

described in the FEIS, and selection of the proposed action, were based

upon the assumption that the great majority of CAP water allocated to

the Tucson metropolitan area would be treated at Tucson Water's Hayden-

Udall Water Treatment Plant and delivered for direct use through Tucson

Water's delivery system. Many changes have occurred, since the draft

EIS was issued for public review and comment in April 1995, related to

water management in the Tucson area. Consequently, assumptions that

were used in developing and sizing the systems considered under the

action alternatives discussed in the FEIS may no longer be valid. In

light of the uncertainty regarding future use of CAP water in the

region, Reclamation does not intend to issue a Record of Decision in

the immediate future regarding implementation of the project. However,

the fiscal year 1997 Appropriations Act specifically directed

Reclamation to finalize the EIS; therefore, this FEIS is being filed

with the Environmental Protection Agency.

Dated: April 10, 1998.

Robert W. Johnson,

Regional Director.

[FR Doc. 98-9943 Filed 4-14-98; 8:45 am]

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