[Federal Register: April 11, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 68)]
[Notices]
[Page 18422]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr11ap05-117]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[NV-050-1430-ER; N-79203]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for the Virgin and Muddy Rivers Surface Water Development Project
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
Cooperating Agency: Cooperating agencies will be identified in the
notice of availability when published.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Las Vegas
Field Office, will be directing the preparation of an EIS for the
Virgin and Muddy Rivers Surface Water Development pipeline and
associated facilities and initiate the public scoping process.
DATES: The scoping comment period will commence on April 11, 2005, and
will end on June 10, 2005. Comments on the scope of the EIS, including
concerns, issues, or proposed alternatives that should be considered
should be submitted in writing to the address below, and will be
accepted throughout the scoping period. This scoping notice will be
distributed by mail on or about the date of this notice. All scoping
meetings will be announced 15 days in advance through the local news
media, newsletters, and the BLM Web site at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://nv.blm.gov.
ADDRESSES: Please mail written comments to the BLM, Las Vegas Field
Office, 4701 N. Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada 89130-2301, (fax
(702) 515-5023). Comments submitted, including names and street
addresses of respondents, will be available for public review at the
Las Vegas Field Office during regular business hours from 7:30 a.m. to
4:15 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. Individual
respondents may request confidentiality. If you wish to withhold your
name and address from public review or disclosure under the Freedom of
Information Act, you must state this prominently at the beginning of
your comments. Such requests will be honored to the extent allowed by
law. All submissions from organizations or businesses, and from
individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of
organizations or businesses, will be made available for public
inspection in their entirety.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information or to have
your name added to the EIS mailing list, contact Michael N. Johnson at
the Las Vegas Field Office (see address above), telephone (702) 515-
5117; e-mail Michael_Johnson@nv.blm.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Virgin and Muddy Rivers Surface Water
Development Project is proposed by the Southern Nevada Water Authority
(SNWA), and would be located in northeastern Clark County, Nevada. The
proposed project would develop and convey existing surface water rights
owned by the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) from the Virgin and
Muddy Rivers to the Las Vegas Valley. SNWA holds permits for an average
annual diversion of 113,000 acre-feet per year from the Virgin River,
with a permitted point of diversion at Halfway Wash and a diversion
period of October through May of each year. SNWA also owns and
continues to purchase shares of the Muddy Valley Irrigation Company,
which equate to permitted rights on the Muddy River.
The proposed facilities include a diversion structure on the Virgin
River near the confluence with Halfway Wash, radial wells in the Virgin
River channel, a storage reservoir in Halfway Wash, approximately 60
miles of water conveyance pipelines, pumping stations, water treatment
facility, brine evaporation ponds, overhead power lines, and other
appurtenances. The facilities would be generally located within and/or
across the following public lands:
Diversion Structure/Radial Wells--Townships 14 and 15 South,
Range 69 East, various sections;
Halfway Wash Reservoir--Township 14 South, Ranges 68 and 69
East, various sections;
Pipelines--Townships 14-19 South, Ranges 62-70 East, various
sections;
Pumping Stations--Townships 13-15 South, Ranges 67-69 and 71,
various sections;
Water Treatment/Evaporation Ponds--Township 17 South, Ranges 63
and 64 East, various sections;
Power Lines--Townships 14 and15 South, Ranges 67-69 East,
various sections.
A map of the proposed project is available for viewing at the
Bureau of Land Management, Las Vegas Field Office, 4701 N. Torrey Pines
Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89130-2301.
Dated: March 1, 2005.
Angie Lara,
Acting Las Vegas Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 05-7118 Filed 4-8-05; 8:45 am]