13730 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 49 / Tuesday, March 14, 1995 / Notices

Dated: March 8, 1995. which provides water to more than Plateau Creek such that impacts to all Susan K. Feldman, 55,000 Grand Valley residents. The Ute resources are minimized. Committee Management Officer, NIH. Water service area includes most of the Alternative B—Replacement of the [FR Doc. 95–6187 Filed 3–13–95; 8:45 am] Grand Valley area surrounding the City pipeline parallel to Plateau Creek BILLING CODE 4140±01±M of Grand Junction, Colorado, and entirely within the existing state extends from east of the Town of highway 65 and 330 rights-of-way. Palisade to within 5 miles of the Alternative C—Replacement of the DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Colorado-Utah stateline. Ute Water is a political subdivision of the State of pipeline in either alignment A or B with Bureau of Land Management Colorado formed under the Water a smaller pipeline. This alternative Conservancy Act of 1937, and is includes provisions for construction of [CO±070±5101±CO12] considered to be a quasi-municipal a booster station at the mouth of Plateau entity. Canyon to be built at a future date to Notice of Intent To Prepare an meet long-term demands. Environmental Assessment (EA) and The existing prestressed concrete pipe Notice To Scoping Meetings, and, if was installed in the early 1960s. A Alternative D—A ‘‘no federal action’’ Determined To Be Necessary, Prepare pipeline consisting of 42-inch and 36- alternative. an Environmental Impact Statement inch diameter pipe carries raw water for Major issues identified during the (EIS) on a Proposed Replacement Raw approximately 4.5 miles from the Lower preliminary scoping include: (1) Molina Power Plant tail race to two Water Pipeline in Mesa County, CO wetlands and riparian areas, (2) storage reservoirs. From the reservoirs, threatened and endangered species, (3) AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, water is conveyed via a 24-inch- wildlife habitat, (4) need for demand Interior. diameter pipeline approximately 14 projections, and (5) water depletion ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an miles along Plateau Creek Canyon and issues. Preliminary review by the Environmental Assessment (EA), and adjacent to Interstate Highway 70 to Ute Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Notice to Scoping Meetings, and, if Water’s treatment plant located on Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and determined to be necessary, prepare an Rapid Creek, near the Town of Palisade. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) As of 1994, the pipeline was no longer indicates that the anticipated impacts on a Proposed Replacement Raw Water able to provide an adequate flow rate to Pipeline in Western Colorado. meet the peak day customer demands. may be entirely mitigable, and may be The pipeline is presently subject to limited to temporary disturbance. SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) frequent breaks due to deteriorated pipe However, there is a potential that of the National Environmental Policy condition, and is unreliable due to its significant impacts may be identified Act of 1969 (NEPA), the Grand Junction location within geologic hazards and during the EA process and it may be Resource Area Office, Grand Junction stream erosion areas. In order for Ute necessary to convert this documentation District, will be directing the Water to meet its commitment of effort into an EIS. Therefore, it is also preparation of a NEPA document. The providing a reliable, cost effective, high the intent of this NOI to provide for NEPA document will be initiated as an quality water source, replacement of the public notice and review necessary for EA, with the understanding that it may pipeline is necessary. The pipeline size an EIS pursuant to NEPA. be upgraded to an EIS. The document and capacity will be determined from The tentative project schedule is: will be prepared by a third party independent water demand projections Begin Public Comment Period—March 1995 contractor, and will address impacts of based on population estimates to be the Plateau Creek Pipeline Replacement Complete Final EA—January 1996 generated and documented as part of EA Finding—March 1996 project proposed by the Ute Water this effort. Conservancy District (Ute Water). The Complete Final Design—January 1997 Ute Water has preliminary scoping to: Begin Construction—March 1997 project is a raw water conveyance (1) identify interested stakeholders and system proposed on private and public agencies, (2) define key issues, and (3) The BLM’s scoping process will lands in Mesa County, Colorado to identify initial alternatives. On the basis include: (1) Identification of additional replace a deteriorated and under sized of the preliminary scoping, 16 issues to be addressed; (2) Identification pipeline currently approved under BLM alternatives were developed. These of additional viable alternatives, and (3) ROW grant C 081282. include seven alternatives along the Notification of interested groups, DATES: Written comments will be Plateau Creek corridor, three different individuals and agencies so that accepted until 4:00 p.m., MST, on April alternatives involving use of water from additional information concerning these 13, 1995. A public scoping meeting will nearby utilities, a Colorado River pump issues can be obtained. be held at 7:00 p.m. on March 29, 1995, station alternative, two alternatives for at the Two Rivers Convention Center, The scoping process will be initiated supplying water from the Kannah Creek by publication of this NOI in the 159 Main Street, Grand Junction, watershed, two alternatives for Colorado. Federal Register and issuance of a news supplying water from the Whitewater release announcing the start of the ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Creek watershed, and a No Action process; letters of invitation to the Grand Junction Area Manager, alternative. Groundwater alternatives participate in the scoping process, and Bureau of Land Management, 2815 H and conservation actions will be distribution of a scoping document Road, Grand Junction, CO 81506, ATTN: addressed in the EA. Four of the describing the proposed action, Plateau Creek Pipeline Replacement initially considered alternatives, alternatives and significant issues being Project. selected on the basis of screening considered is available upon request. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: criteria described in Section 404(b) of Dave Stevens, (303) 244–3009. the Clean Water Act, are proposed for Mark T. Morse, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The evaluation in the EA. These are: District Manager. existing Plateau Creek Pipeline is an Alternative A—Replacement of the [FR Doc. 95–6280 Filed 3–13–95; 8:45 am] essential part of the Ute Water system pipeline on an alignment parallel to BILLING CODE 4310±JB±M