80 FR 38730 - Notice of Availability of the Records of Decision for the Provo River Delta Restoration Project

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
UTAH RECLAMATION MITIGATION AND CONSERVATION COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 129 (July 7, 2015)

The Department of the Interior and the Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission have prepared separate Records of Decision (RODs) that disclose their selection of Alternative B for implementing the restoration of the Provo River Delta as described in the Provo River Delta Restoration Project (PRDRP) Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). Both agencies have also selected to implement Option 2 for the improvement of the existing Provo River Channel. The size of Alternative B may be increased by acquiring additional land described under Alternative A. However, such additional land acquisition will only be accomplished if the additional land can be acquired on a willing-seller basis. Therefore, a potentially enlarged Alternative B (the Preferred Alternative) and Option 2 are adopted as the Selected Action. The implementation of Alternative B as potentially modified and Option 2 will significantly aid in meeting recovery actions within the approved June Sucker Recovery Plan of 1999.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 129 (Tuesday, July 7, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38730-38731]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-16600]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

UTAH RECLAMATION MITIGATION AND CONSERVATION COMMISSION

[RC0ZCUPCA0, 155R0680R1, RR.17549897.2015101.02]


Notice of Availability of the Records of Decision for the Provo 
River Delta Restoration Project

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Water and Science, 
Interior; Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Interior and the Utah Reclamation 
Mitigation and Conservation Commission have prepared separate Records 
of Decision (RODs) that disclose their selection of Alternative B for 
implementing the restoration of the Provo River Delta as described in 
the Provo River Delta Restoration Project (PRDRP) Final Environmental 
Impact Statement (FEIS). Both agencies have also selected to implement 
Option 2 for the improvement of the existing Provo River Channel. The 
size of Alternative B may be increased by acquiring additional land 
described under Alternative A. However, such additional land 
acquisition will only be accomplished if the additional land can be 
acquired on a willing-seller basis. Therefore, a potentially enlarged 
Alternative B (the Preferred Alternative) and Option 2 are adopted as 
the Selected Action. The implementation of Alternative B as potentially 
modified and Option 2 will significantly aid in meeting recovery 
actions within the approved June Sucker Recovery Plan of 1999.

DATES: The Department of the Interior and the Utah Reclamation 
Mitigation and Conservation Commission signed separate RODs on May 26, 
2015 and subsequently made them available to the public.

ADDRESSES: Send written correspondence or requests for copies to Mr. W. 
Russ Findlay, Department of the Interior, Central Utah Project 
Completion Act Office, 302 East 1860 South, Provo, Utah 846060-7317; or 
Mr. Richard Mingo, Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation 
Commission, 230 South 500 East Suite

[[Page 38731]]

230, Salt Lake City, Utah 84102; or by email to [email protected] or 
[email protected]. The RODs are accessible at the following Web sites: 
www.cupcao.gov, www.provoriverdelta.us, www.mitigationcommission.gov. 
See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for locations where copies of 
the RODs are available for public review.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. W. Russ Findlay, 801-379-1084, 
[email protected]; or Mr. Richard Mingo, 801-524-3146, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Department of the Interior's Record of Decision for the Diamond 
Fork System Final Supplement to the Diamond Fork Power System Final 
Environmental Impact Statement, signed September 29, 1999, commits the 
Department of the Interior, Utah Reclamation Mitigation and 
Conservation Commission, and the Central Utah Water Conservancy 
District to ``. . . participate in the development of a Recovery 
Implementation Program for June sucker.'' Moreover, ``. . . [a]ny 
future development of the Bonneville Unit of CUP [Central Utah Project] 
will be contingent on the RIP [June Sucker Recovery Implementation 
Program (JSRIP)] making `sufficient progress' towards recovery of June 
sucker.'' The Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission 
signed its own Record of Decision for the Diamond Fork System Project 
on November 19, 1999. The JSRIP was established in 2002, and the Joint 
Lead Agencies are participants. The goals of the JSRIP are twofold, to 
recover June sucker so that it no longer requires protection under the 
Endangered Species Act and allow continued operation of existing water 
facilities and future development of water resources for human uses 
within the Utah Lake Basin in Utah.
    The June sucker exists naturally only in Utah Lake and spawns 
primarily in the lower Provo River, a Utah Lake tributary. Monitoring 
indicates young June sucker hatching in the lower Provo River do not 
survive to the adult stage due to habitat inadequacies in the lower 
Provo River and its interface with Utah Lake related to flow, food 
supply, and shelter. A compounding factor is likely predation by 
nonnative fishes. Dredging and channelization for flood control has 
eliminated the shallow, warm, complex wetland habitat at the mouth of 
the Provo River where it enters Utah Lake.

The Federal Action

    The PRDRP will restore the lower Provo River to a more natural 
deltaic ecosystem. The delta and associated habitat will provide needed 
habitat for the recovery of the endangered June sucker. These 
improvements will be accomplished through the implementation of 
Alternative B and Option 2 as analyzed in the PRDRP FEIS plus the 
option to increase the size of Alternative B by acquiring additional 
land described under Alternative A only if the additional land can be 
acquired on a willing-seller basis.

Purpose and Need for Action

    The PRDRP has been identified as an essential action needed to 
recover the endangered June sucker. It will restore functional habitat 
conditions in the lower Provo River and its interface with Utah Lake 
that are needed for spawning, hatching, larval transport, survival, 
rearing and recruitment of young June sucker into the population on a 
self-sustaining basis.
    The purposes of the PRDRP are to:
     Implement the specific criteria of the June Sucker 
Recovery Plan to restore a naturally functioning Provo River delta 
ecosystem essential for recruitment of June sucker;
     provide recreational improvements and opportunities 
associated with the PRDRP; and
     adopt flow regime targets for the lower Provo River and 
provide delivery of supplemental water to the lower Provo River, 
including additional conserved water.

Alternative B--Provo River Delta Restoration

    Alternative B was developed with substantial involvement from study 
area landowners and other stakeholders. It is the selected alternative 
for restoring the Provo River Delta. It will reduce the amount of 
private land required for the PRDRP and preserve the highest-value 
agricultural land, while still improving June sucker spawning and 
rearing habitat. The acquisition boundary for this alternative 
encompasses 310.3 acres. As previously described in this NOA, lands in 
addition to the minimum required under Alternative B could be acquired 
on a willing-seller basis, either in conjunction with Alternative B or 
at a later time. Implementing Alternative B as described in the Final 
EIS would result in splitting of three or more contiguous land 
ownerships/agricultural operations. It is possible that landowners may 
request as condition of sale of their property the acquisition of some 
or all of the remaining properties outside the delineated Alternative B 
boundary. Other landowners may also have interest in selling their land 
to the government for the project. Only if these agreements can be 
achieved on a willing-seller basis would they be consummated. Such 
lands could be acquired to enhance the habitat values for June sucker, 
to preserve habitat values for other wildlife or wetlands, or to 
provide additional related recreational opportunities.

Option 2--Provo River Existing Channel Improvement

    Option 2 will be implemented along with Alternative B above. Option 
2 will maintain the existing channel at a relatively constant elevation 
by constructing a small dam at the downstream mouth of the channel near 
Utah Lake State Park. An aeration system will be installed and operated 
as necessary to improve water quality. A minimum flow of 10 cubic feet 
per second will be provided to the existing Provo River channel which 
will be retained and managed for recreational and aesthetic purposes.
    A Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS) for the PRDRP was published in the Federal Register on 
February 28, 2014 (79 FR 11511). A Notice of Availability of the PRDRP 
FEIS was published in the Federal Register on April 8, 2015 (80 FR 
18940).
    Copies of the RODs are available for public review at:
     Department of the Interior, Central Utah Project 
Completion Act Office, 302 East 1860 South, Provo, Utah 84606-7317
     Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission, 
230 South 500 East Suite 230, Salt Lake City, Utah 84102

    Dated: June 8, 2015.
Reed R. Murray,
Program Director, Central Utah Project Completion Act Office, 
Department of the Interior.
    Dated: June 8, 2015.
Mark Holden,
Executive Director, Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation 
Commission.
[FR Doc. 2015-16600 Filed 7-6-15; 8:45 am]
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