Bostwick Division, Frenchman-Cambridge Division, and Kanaska Division, Almena Unit

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

INT-DES-99-39

Bostwick Division, Frenchman-Cambridge Division, and Kanaska

Division, Almena Unit

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability and public hearing on draft

environmental impact statement (DEIS).

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental

Policy Act of 1969, as amended, the Department of the Interior, Bureau

of Reclamation, has prepared a DEIS on the proposed renewal of long-

term water supply contracts for irrigation water from Federal projects

in the Republican River basin in Nebraska and Kansas. The DEIS

describes five alternatives, including no action, and evaluates the

environmental consequences of renewing the long-term water supply

contracts and of modifications to reservoir operations. Public hearings

have been scheduled to provide interested parties an opportunity to

provide oral or written comments on the proposed renewal of long-term

water supply contracts.

DATES: A 60-day public review and comment period commences with the

publication of this notice. Written comments on the DEIS should be

submitted by December 13, 1999.

Written comments from interested parties unable to attend the

hearings, those not wanting to make oral presentations, or those

wishing to supplement their oral presentations at the public hearing

should be transmitted to the Nebraska-Kansas Area Office by December

13, 1999, for inclusion in the public record.

Public hearings have been scheduled from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on the

following dates:

November 2, 1999, Belleville, Kansas.

November 3, 1999, Alma, Nebraska.

November 4, 1999, McCook, Nebraska.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing locations are:

Harvester Room in the Jensik Insurance Building, 1309

Eighteenth Street, Belleville, Kansas.

Johnson Community Center, 509 Main Street, Alma, Nebraska.

Community Building, West Fifth and O Streets, McCook,

Nebraska.

Written comments on the DEIS should be submitted to the Area

Manager (Attention: Judy O'Sullivan), Nebraska-Kansas Area Office, P.O.

Box 1607, Grand Island NE 68802.

You may request a Summary of the DEIS or the entire DEIS (with

appendices) in printed copy or on computer disk. Copies may be obtained

from the above address or by telephone (308) 389-4622 x211. Copies are

also available for public inspection and review on the Internet at

``www.gp.usbr.gov'' in the ``Current Activities'' section under

``Environmental Activities.''

See Supplementary Information section for additional addresses

where the DEIS is available for public inspection and review.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jill Manring, Basin Study Coordinator,

Nebraska-Kansas Area Office, P.O. Box 1607, Grand Island NE 68802--

telephone (308) 389-4622 x214.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

DEIS Public Inspection and Review Locations

Offices

Bureau of Reclamation, Nebraska-Kansas Area Office, 203

West Second Street, Grand Island NE 68801--telephone (308) 389-4622

Bureau of Reclamation, Great Plains Regional Office, 316

North 26th Street, Billings MT 59101--telephone (406) 247-7638

Bureau of Reclamation, Reclamation Service Center Library,

Building 67, Room 167, Denver Federal Center, Sixth and Kipling, Denver

CO 80225--telephone (303) 445-2072

Bureau of Reclamation, Program Analysis Office, Room 7456,

1849 C Street NW, Washington DC 20240--telephone (202) 208-4662

Bostwick Irrigation District in Nebraska, Red Cloud NE

Kansas Bostwick Irrigation District No. 2, Courtland KS

Frenchman-Cambridge Irrigation District, Cambridge NE

Frenchman Valley and H&RW Irrigation District, Culbertson

NE

Almena Irrigation District, Almena KS

Libraries

Alma Public Library, West Second Street, Alma NE 68920-

3378

[[Page 55747]]

Blue Hill Public Library, 317 West Gage Street, Blue Hill

NE 68930-2068

Butler Memorial Library, 621 Pennsylvania, Cambridge NE

69022

Franklin Public Library, 1502 P Street, Franklin NE 68939-

1200

Hastings Public Library, 517 West Fourth Street, Hastings

NE 68901-7560

Imperial Public Library, 703 Broadway Street, Imperial NE

69033-4017

Kearney Public Library, 2020 First Avenue, Kearney NE

68847-5306

McCook Library, 802 Norris Avenue, McCook NE 69001-3143

Nelson Public Library, 10 West Third Street, Nelson NE

68961-1246

Red Cloud Public Library, 537 North Webster Street, Red

Cloud NE 68970-2421

Carnegie Public Library, 449 North Kansas Street, Superior

NE 68978-1852

Trenton Village Library, 406 East First Street, Trenton NE

69044

Wauneta City Library, 319 North Tecumseh, Wauneta NE

69045-2011

Almena Public Library, 415 Main, Almena KS 67622

Belleville Public Library, 1327 Nineteenth Street,

Belleville KS 66935

Courtland City Library, 403 Main Street, Courtland KS

66939

Northwest Kansas Library System, 2 Washington Square,

Norton KS 67654

Hearing Process Information

Organizations and individuals wishing to present oral statements

are strongly encouraged to contact Judy O'Sullivan, Bureau of

Reclamation, Nebraska-Kansas Area Office, at the address above or

telephone (308) 389-4622 x211 to announce their intention to

participate in the public hearing. Requests to make presentations will

also be accepted at the hearings. Written statements may also be

submitted at the hearings.

Oral statements at the public hearings will be limited to 5

minutes. If time permits, the hearing officer may allow speakers to

extend their oral statement after all persons wishing to comment have

been heard. Whenever possible, speakers will be scheduled according to

the time preference requested in their letter or telephone request.

Scheduled speakers not present at the public hearing when called will

lose their privilege in the scheduled order and will be recalled at the

end of all the scheduled speakers. Those registering at the meetings

may choose from the remaining time slots.

Please notify Reclamation at least 2 weeks in advance of the

scheduled hearing if you require special needs in order to participate

in the public hearing. Those having special needs should contact Judy

O'Sullivan at (308) 389-4622 x211 or through the Federal Relay System

at (800) 877-8339 or via e-mail at ``[email protected]''. Smoking

will be prohibited in the hearing room and surrounding area.

Dated: September 25, 1999

Fred R.Ore,

Area Manager, Nebraska-Kansas Area Office.

[FR Doc. 99-26633 Filed 10-13-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-94-P