Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 126 / Tuesday, July 1, 1997 / Notices 35519 issuance of permits for import of giant consider all comments received during Register. Those interested persons not panda will be reopened to obtain the previous two comment periods and on the DEIS mailing list may request a comments on new information that this comment period in drafting a final copy from the project leader at the should be considered in determining the policy. address below. It is anticipated that the final policy. Authority: This notice was prepared under Environmental Protection Agency will DATES: Public comment received on or the authority of the Endangered Species Act publish a notice on this DEIS in the before September 29, 1997, will be of 1973, as amended (16 U.S. C. 1531 et seq.). Federal Register on July 11, 1997, considered by the Service. Dated: June 23, 1997. which will start a 90-day review period. ADDRESSES: Comments may be Robert G. Streeter, Public comment on the DEIS is solicited submitted to the Chief, Office of Director. pursuant to the National Environmental Management Authority, U.S. Fish and [FR Doc. 97–17135 Filed 6–30–97; 8:45 am] Policy Act regulations (40 CFR 1503.1). All agencies and individuals are urged Wildlife Service, 4401 North Fairfax BILLING CODE 4310±55±P Drive, Room 430, Arlington, Virginia to provide comments and suggestions 22203. for improving the DEIS and the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR proposed experimental population rule. Kenneth Stansell, Chief, Office All comments received by October 9, Management Authority, at the above Fish and Wildlife Service 1997, will be considered in preparation address, or call (703) 358–2093; fax of the Final EIS and rule. Notice of Availability of a Draft (703) 358–2280. Public hearings on the DEIS will be Environmental Impact Statement scheduled at a later date for the cities of SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The (DEIS) for Grizzly Bear Recovery in the Boise, Lewiston, and Salmon, Idaho; Service published a proposed policy on Bitterroot Ecosystem and Helena, Missoula, and Hamilton, issuance of permits for giant panda Montana. The location, dates and times imports on March 30, 1995 (60 FR AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, of these hearings will be announced in 16487). The comment period was Interior. the Federal Register at least 15 days reopened in a notice published June 27, ACTION: Notice of document availability. prior to the first hearing, and in local 1995 (123 FR 33224) in response to a newspapers. request from the American Zoo and SUMMARY: To further the recovery of the Aquarium Association. Subsequent to grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis), the ADDRESSES: Written comments should the closure of this comment period, two Fish and Wildlife Service announces the be addressed to Dr. Christopher events took place in which new availability of the DEIS for Grizzly Bear Servheen, U.S. Fish and Wildlife information was received that should be Recovery in the Bitterroot Ecosystem Service Project Leader, Bitterroot considered in finalizing this policy. The (BE). The DEIS evaluates a proposal to Grizzly Bear EIS, P.O. Box 5127, events and resulting information are as establish an experimental population Missoula, Montana 59806. follows: rule and reintroduce grizzly bears into FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: (1) During the 36th Meeting of the the Bitterroot Ecosystem in east central Dr. Christopher Servheen, Grizzly Bear CITES Standing Committee Meeting, Idaho and western Montana. The Recovery Coordinator (see ADDRESSES January 30–February 2, 1996, proposed rule to establish the above), at telephone (406) 243–4903. discussions of giant panda loans nonessential experimental population is The authority for this action is section resulted in the CITES Secretariat issuing published elsewhere in this Federal 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act, 16 Notification No. 932 which Register. Four alternatives, including U.S.C. 1533(f). recommended conditions under which the No Action Alternative, are discussed Dated: June 25, 1997. in the DEIS. giant panda loans should occur. Terry T. Terrell, (2) Dr. U.S. Seal, of the Conservation The BE consists of approximately Deputy Regional Director, Denver Colorado. Breeding Specialist Group (CBSG), 44,400 square miles in 10 central Idaho Species Survival Commission, The and four western Montana counties, of [FR Doc. 97–17260 Filed 6–30–97; 8:45 am] World Conservation Union (IUCN), and which 76 percent is in Federal surface BILLING CODE 4310±55±M others, conducted a Captive ownership. A Citizen Management Management Planning Workshop in Committee would be delegated DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Chengdu, China, December 10–13, 1996. management implementation responsibility for the experimental The workshop was organized by the Bureau of Land Management Chinese Association of Zoological population. Reintroduction could result Gardens and the Ministry of in grizzly bear recovery in the BE in a [NV±020±1990±01] Construction in collaboration with the minimum of 50 years. A recovered Florida Canyon Mine Proposed CBSG. The Service received a copy of grizzly bear population (approximately Expansion and Comprehensive the report resulting from the workshop. 280 bears) would kill about 6 cattle and Copies of the CITES Notification and 22 sheep and up to 504 wild ungulates Reclamation Plan, Draft Environmental the report on the Captive Management per year. Nuisance bear incidents could Impact Statement Planning Workshop are available from average 59 per year. Economic analyses AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, the address listed above. Interested indicate grizzly bear recovery in the BE Interior. would lead to total net economic organizations and the public are invited ACTION: Notice of availability of the benefits of $40.4 to $60.6 million per to comment on the documents as they Draft Environmental Impact Statement year. relate to the previously published and the initiation of a 60-day comment proposed policy. In addition, comments DATES: Copies of the DEIS will be period. submitted during the previous comment mailed to interested parties on the periods, including those from the mailing list on July 1, 1997, and the SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) Chinese Ministry of Forestry and the proposed rule to establish the of the National Environmental Policy Ministry of Construction, are also nonessential experimental population is Act of 1969, notice is give that the available upon request. The Service will published elsewhere in this Federal Winnemucca Field Office of the Bureau 35520 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 126 / Tuesday, July 1, 1997 / Notices of Land Management (BLM) has south heap leach pad; haul road; ADDRESS: Comments should be sent to prepared, by third party contractor, a solution ponds; solution corridor/road; the Grand Junction Area Manager, Draft Environmental Impact Statement plant; monitoring wells/road; crusher Bureau of Land Management, 2815 H on Florida Canyon Mining site; diversion channels and sediment Road, Grand Junction, CO 81506, ATTN: Incorporated’s Florida Canyon Mine ponds; growth media stockpiles; Plateau Creek Pipeline Replacement Expansion and Comprehensive exploration roads and drill sites; water Project. Reclamation Plan. This document supply pipelines; realignment of the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: because available June 20, 1997, and Johnson Canyon access road; and a Dave Stevens, (970) 244–3009. public comment will be accepted for a revised comprehensive reclamation plan SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 60 day period beginning then. for the mine. Approval would extend existing Plateau Creek Pipeline is an DATES AND ADDRESSES: Written the life of the mine five years. essential part of the Ute Water system comments on the Draft Environmental Dated June 24, 1997. which provides water to more than Impact Statement must be received by Ron Wenker, 60,000 Grand Valley residents. The Ute the close of business August 18, 1997, District Manager. Water service area includes most of the to ensure consideration. Public meetings [FR Doc. 97–17074 Filed 6–30–97; 8:45 am] Grand Valley area surrounding the City to receive oral and written comments BILLING CODE 4310±HC±M of Grand Junction, Colorado, and have been scheduled for the following extends from east of the Town of dates, times, and places: July 15, 1997, Palisade to within 5 miles of the 7 pm, at the Pershing County DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Colorado-Utah stateline. Ute Water is a Community Center, 820 6th St., political subdivision of the State of Lovelock, Nevada; July 16, 1997, 7 pm, Bureau of Land Management Colorado formed under the Water at the Winnemucca Field Office, 5100 E. Conservancy Act of 1937, and is [CO±070±5101±CO12] Winnemucca Blvd., Winnemucca, considered to be a quasi-municipal Nevada. Notice of Availability of the Draft entity. In order for Ute Water to meet its A copy of the Draft Environmental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) commitment of providing a reliable, cost Impact Statement can be obtained from: on the Plateau Creek Pipeline effective, high quality water source, Bureau of Land Management, Replacement Project replacement of the pipeline is Winnemucca Filed Office, ATTN: Ken necessary. Water is conveyed via a 24- Loda, Project NEPA Coordinator, 5100 AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, inch-diameter pipeline approximately E. Winnemucca Boulevard, Interior. 14 miles along Plateau Creek Canyon Winnemucca, Nevada 89445. ACTION: Notice of Availability of the and adjacent to Interstate Highway 70 to The Draft Environmental Impact Draft Environmental Impact Statement Ute Water’s treatment plant located on Statement is also available for (EIS) on the Plateau Creek Pipeline Rapid Creek, near the Town of Palisade. inspection at the following additional Replacement Project. As of 1994, the pipeline was no longer locations: Bureau of Land Management, able to provide an adequate flow rate to Nevada State Office, 850 Harvard Way, SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102 (2) (C) meet the peak day customer demands. Reno, Nevada; Humboldt County of the National Environmental Policy The pipeline is presently subject to Library, Winnemucca, Nevada; Pershing Act of 1969 (NEPA), the Grand Junction frequent breaks due to deteriorated pipe County Library, Lovelock, Nevada; Resource Area office, Grand Junction condition, and is unreliable due to its Lander County Library, Battle District, had an Environmental Impact location within geologic hazards and Mountain, Nevada; and the University Statement prepared to address impacts stream erosion areas. of Nevada Library in Reno, Nevada. of the Plateau Creek Pipeline The Bureau of Land Management and FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACTT: Replacement project proposed by the Ute Water had performed scoping to: (1) Ken Loda, Project NEPA Coordination at Ute Water Conservancy District (Ute identify interested stakeholders and the above Winnemucca Filed Office Water). The project is a raw water agencies, (2) define key issues, and (3) address or telephone (702) 623–1500. conveyance system proposed on private identify initial project alternatives for SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Draft and public lands in Mesa County, preparation of an Environmental Environmental Impact Statement Colorado to replace a deteriorated and Assessment. The initial filing of the analyzes the potential environmental under sized pipeline currently approved Notice of Intent was on March 14, 1995. impact that could result from the under BLM ROW grant C 081282. On the basis of subsequent information implementation of the proposed mine Copies of the EIS and the Technical and comments provided to the BLM it expansion and comprehensive Memoranda will be available at the was determined that issues and reclamation plan. Alternatives analyzed Mesa County Public Library in Grand concerns would best be analyzed in an are the north extension of the heap Junction, Colorado, at the Grand EIS. leach pad alternative and the no action Junction Resource Area, 2815 H Road, During the initial scoping, 16 alternative. Grand Junction, Colorado 81506 at the alternatives were developed. These The mine is located on public and BLM, Colorado State Office, 2850 include seven alternatives along the private lands adjacent to Interstate Youngfield Street, Lakewood, Colorado Plateau Creek corridor, three different Highway 80, approximately 35 miles 80215 and at the Ute Water Conservancy alternatives involving use of water from northeast of Lovelock, Nevada and 38 District, 560 25 Road, Grand Junction, nearby utilities, a Colorado River pump miles southwest of Winnemucca, Colorado. station alternative, two alternatives for Nevada. Approximately 860 acres DATES: Written comments will be supplying water from the Kannah Creek would be disturbed by the proposed accepted until 4:00 PM, MST, on August watershed, two alternatives for mine expansion, of which 447 are 29, 1997. A public meeting will be held supplying water from the Whitewater public and 413 private. The proposed from 5:00–8:00 p.m. on August 12, 1997, Creek watershed, and a No Action project would include expansion of the at the Two Rivers Convention Center, alternative. Groundwater alternatives open pit and north and south waste rock 159 Main Street, Grand Junction, and conservation actions are also storage areas; development of the new Colorado. addressed in the EIS. Four of the