From: Subject: FR Doc E8-279 Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2008 20:52:56 -0800 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-279.htm X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3198 FR Doc E8-279 
[Federal Register: January 11, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 8)]
[Notices]              =20
[Page 2061-2062]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr11ja08-64]                        =20

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WY-010-07-5440]

=20
Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement=20
for the Westside Irrigation District Land Conveyance Project, Big Horn=20
and Washakie Counties, WY

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA) of Draft Environmental Impact=20
Statement (DEIS).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act=20
(NEPA) of 1969 as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)=20
announces the availability of the Westside Irrigation District Land=20
Conveyance Project DEIS for public review and comment. The DEIS=20
analyzes the consequences of a legislated conveyance of all right,=20
title and interest, excluding mineral interest, of a parcel of land=20
administered by the BLM to the Westside Irrigation District, Worland,=20
Wyoming.

DATES: The DEIS will be available for public review and comment for 45=20
calendar days starting on the date the Environmental Protection Agency=20
(EPA) publishes its NOA in the Federal Register. The BLM can best use=20
public comments if they are submitted within the 45-day review period.
    Any public meetings or other involvement activities for the=20
Westside Irrigation District Land Conveyance (Westside Conveyance)=20
project will be announced to the public by the BLM at least 15 days in=20
advance through public notices, media news releases, Web site=20
announcements, or mailings.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the DEIS has been sent to affected Federal, State,=20
and local governments and to interested parties. The DEIS and its=20
supporting documents will be available electronically on the following=20
Web site: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=3Dleavin=
gFR.html&log=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp://www.wy.blm.gov/nepa/wfodocs/we=
stside.

    Copies of the DEIS are available for public inspection during=20
normal business hours at the following locations:
     Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming State Office, 5353=20
Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82003; and
     Bureau of Land Management, Worland Field Office, 101 S.=20
23rd, Worland, Wyoming 82401.
    Copies of the DEIS will also be delivered to the public libraries=20
in the following communities:
     Worland, Wyoming;
     Basin, Wyoming;
    A limited number of copies of the document will be available as=20
long as supplies last. To request a copy, contact Don Ogaard, Project=20
Manager, as described below. Written comments may be submitted by the=20
following methods:
     E-mail: wymail_westside@blm.gov;
     Mail: Don Ogaard, Project Manager, Bureau of Land=20
Management, Worland Field Office, P.O. Box 119, Worland, Wyoming 80401;
     Hand-delivered to the Worland Field Office at the street=20
address listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Don Ogaard, Project Manager, Bureau of=20
Land Management, Worland Field Office, P.O. Box 119, 101 S. 23rd,=20
Worland, Wyoming 82401. Mr. Ogaard may also be reached by telephone at=20
(307) 347-5160.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public Law 106-485 (Nov. 9, 2000; 114 Stat.=20
2199) directs the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the BLM, to=20
convey a parcel of public land in Big Horn County and Washakie County,=20
to the Westside Irrigation District (Irrigation District), Worland,=20
Wyoming. Public Law 106-485 also directs the BLM to complete an=20
environmental analysis under NEPA.
    The Westside Conveyance project area is located in southern Big=20
Horn County and northern Washakie County. The southern end of the=20
project area is approximately 5 miles northwest of Worland, Wyoming.=20
The study area and tract of land comprises 16,500 acres, in Townships=20
92 W., 92\1/2\ W., and 93 W.; Ranges 48 N. and 49 N.
    On February 22, 2005, the BLM published in the Federal Register a=20
Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)=20
under the NEPA.
    The DEIS considers the environmental consequences of three=20
alternatives:
     The No Action Alternative;
     Alternative 1--the legislated proposed action transferring=20
16,500 acres; and,
     Alternative 2--an alternative under which only those lands=20
actually suitable for irrigation and those needed for project=20
infrastructure, approximately 11,500 acres, would be transferred.
    Alternative 2 is the BLM's Preferred Alternative.
    After the sale and conveyance of the land to the Irrigation=20
District, the Irrigation District would offer the conveyed land for=20
sale to qualified individuals in parcels no less than 160 acres per=20
individual. The parcels of land would be specified for use to serve=20
agricultural purposes. The Irrigation District would select qualified=20
individuals through a lottery. Successful individuals then would be=20
required to be members of and their lands included in the Irrigation=20
District.
    The law directing the conveyance of the land specifies that acreage=20
may be added to or subtracted from the original 16,500 acres to satisfy=20
any mitigation as required in the Final EIS and its Record of Decision=20
(ROD). Alternative 2 would subtract 5,000 acres in accordance with this=20
provision. The law further provides that proceeds from the sale of the=20
public lands to the Irrigation District will be deposited in a special=20
account ``for the acquisition of land and interests in land in the=20
Worland District of the Bureau of Land Management that will benefit=20
public recreation, public access, fish and wildlife habitat, or=20
cultural resources.''
    The State of Wyoming Water Development Commission (WWDC) is joint=20
lead agency as provided in 40 Code of Federal Regulations 1500-1580. In=20
the future the WWDC would use the FEIS and ROD in support of any future=20
funding decisions made by the WWDC should the Irrigation District apply=20
for water supply development assistance. Cooperating agencies in the=20
preparation of the DEIS include Big Horn and Washakie Counties.
    All comments submitted must include the commenter's name and street=20
address. Comments including the names and addresses of the respondent=20
will be available for public inspection at the Worland Field Office=20
during its business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Monday through=20
Friday, except Federal holidays. Before including your address, phone=20
number, e-mail address, or any other personal identifying information=20
in your comment, be advised that your entire comment, including your=20
personal

[[Page 2062]]

identifying information may be publicly available at any time. While=20
you can ask us in your comment to withhold from public review your=20
personal identifying information, we cannot guarantee that we will be=20
able to do so.

Robert A. Bennett,
State Director.
[FR Doc. E8-279 Filed 1-10-08; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-22-P