81_FR_67571 81 FR 67381 - Notice of Availability for the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Continued Implementation of the 2008 Operating Agreement for the Rio Grande Project, New Mexico and Texas

81 FR 67381 - Notice of Availability for the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Continued Implementation of the 2008 Operating Agreement for the Rio Grande Project, New Mexico and Texas

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 190 (September 30, 2016)

Page Range67381-67382
FR Document2016-23525

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) to analyze the environmental impacts of continuing to implement the 2008 Rio Grande Project Operating Agreement (Operating Agreement) through 2050, and by this Notice is announcing its availability. The Operating Agreement is a written agreement describing how Reclamation allocates, releases from storage, and delivers Rio Grande Project water to the Elephant Butte Irrigation District (EBID) in New Mexico, the El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1 (EPCWID) in Texas, and to Mexico. In addition, the FEIS evaluates the environmental effects of a proposal to renew a contract to store San Juan-Chama Project water in Elephant Butte Reservoir.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 190 (Friday, September 30, 2016)
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 190 (Friday, September 30, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67381-67382]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-23525]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

[RR04310000, 16XR0680A1, RX002361010021000]


Notice of Availability for the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Continued Implementation of the 2008 Operating 
Agreement for the Rio Grande Project, New Mexico and Texas

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has prepared 
a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) to analyze the 
environmental impacts of continuing to implement the 2008 Rio Grande 
Project Operating Agreement (Operating Agreement) through 2050, and by 
this Notice is announcing its availability. The Operating Agreement is 
a written agreement describing how Reclamation allocates, releases from 
storage, and delivers Rio Grande Project water to the Elephant Butte 
Irrigation District (EBID) in New Mexico, the El Paso County Water 
Improvement District No. 1 (EPCWID) in Texas, and to Mexico. In 
addition, the FEIS evaluates the environmental effects of a proposal to 
renew a contract to store San Juan-Chama Project water in Elephant 
Butte Reservoir.

DATES: Reclamation will not issue a final decision on the proposed 
action for a minimum of 30 days after the date that the Environmental 
Protection Agency publishes its Notice of Availability of Weekly 
Receipt of Environmental Impact Statements in the Federal Register. 
After the 30-day public review period, Reclamation will complete a 
Record of Decision (ROD). The ROD will state the action that will be 
implemented and discuss all factors leading to that decision.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the FEIS are available for public inspection at 
the following locations:
     Bureau of Reclamation, Albuquerque Area Office, 555 
Broadway NE., Suite 100, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102.
     Bureau of Reclamation, El Paso Field Division, 10737 
Gateway West, Suite 350, El Paso, Texas 79935.
     Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado Regional Office, 125 
South State Street, Room 8100, Salt Lake City, Utah 84138.

Libraries

     New Mexico State University--Branson Library, 1305 Frenger 
Street, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003.
     University of Texas at El Paso, 500 West University 
Avenue, El Paso, Texas 79968.
    Electronic copies of the FEIS are available at: http://www.usbr.gov/uc/envdocs/eis.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Jennifer Faler, Area Manager, 
Albuquerque Area Office, telephone: (505) 462-3600; address: 555 
Broadway NE., Suite 100, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102; email: 
[email protected]. Any persons wishing to be added to a mailing list of 
interested parties may write or call Ms. Faler at this address or 
telephone number.
    Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf may call 
the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to 
contact the above individual during normal business hours. The FIRS is 
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in order to leave a message or 
question with the above named individual. You will receive a reply 
during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Reclamation prepared the FEIS in cooperation 
with five agencies:
     United States Section of the International Boundary and 
Water Commission,
     Colorado Division of Water Resources,
     EBID,
     EPCWID, and
     Texas Rio Grande Compact Commissioner.
    The purpose for the proposed Federal action is to meet contractual 
obligations of Reclamation to EBID and EPCWID, and to comply with 
applicable law governing water allocation, delivery, and accounting. 
These obligations are currently fulfilled under the Operating 
Agreement. The need for the proposed Federal action is to resolve the 
long and litigious history of the Rio Grande Project, and to enter into 
mutually agreeable operational criteria that comply with applicable 
law, court decrees, settlement agreements, and contracts. The purpose 
and need for similar action is to respond to a request to store San 
Juan-Chama Project water in Elephant Butte Reservoir.

The FEIS Analyzes Five Alternatives

    The FEIS describes and analyzes five alternatives: The Preferred 
Alternative (Alternative 1) is continuation of the Operating Agreement 
and the San Juan-Chama storage contract through 2050.

[[Page 67382]]

Alternative 2 would not store San Juan-Chama Project water in Elephant 
Butte Reservoir. Alternative 3 would not include the carryover 
accounting provision. Alternative 4 would not include the diversion 
ratio adjustment. Alternative 5 is the No Action Alternative and it 
would eliminate both the carryover accounting and diversion ratio 
adjustment from Rio Grande Project allocation and accounting 
procedures.
    The FEIS analyzes the effect of these five alternatives on (1) 
water resources (total storage, Elephant Butte Reservoir elevations, 
allocation, releases, net diversion, farm surface water deliveries, 
farm groundwater deliveries, groundwater elevations, and water 
quality); (2) biological resources (vegetation communities including 
wetlands, wildlife, aquatic species, and special status species and 
critical habitat); (3) cultural resources (historic properties, Indian 
sacred sites, and resources of tribal concern); and (4) socioeconomic 
resources (Indian trust assets, recreation, hydropower, regional 
economic impacts and economic benefits, and environmental justice).
    On January 15, 2014, a Notice of Intent was published in the 
Federal Register (79 FR 2691) inviting public scoping comments on the 
proposed action of continuing to implement the Operating Agreement 
through 2050. A Notice of Availability was published in the Federal 
Register on March 18, 2016 (81 FR 14886), and the public was invited to 
provide comments on the Draft EIS during an 83-day comment period 
ending on June 8, 2016.

Public Disclosure

    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, please be 
advised that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

    Dated: September 7, 2016.
Brent Rhees,
 Regional Director, Upper Colorado Region.
[FR Doc. 2016-23525 Filed 9-29-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4332-90-P



                                                                              Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 190 / Friday, September 30, 2016 / Notices                                           67381

                                                     Public Meetings: BOEM will also hold                 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR                            Libraries
                                                  public meetings to solicit comment                                                                               • New Mexico State University—
                                                  regarding the Draft Programmatic                        Bureau of Reclamation
                                                                                                                                                                Branson Library, 1305 Frenger Street,
                                                  Environmental Impact Statement. The                                                                           Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003.
                                                  meetings are scheduled as follows:                      [RR04310000, 16XR0680A1,                                 • University of Texas at El Paso, 500
                                                     • New Orleans, Louisiana:                            RX002361010021000]                                    West University Avenue, El Paso, Texas
                                                  Wednesday, November 9, 2016,                                                                                  79968.
                                                                                                          Notice of Availability for the Final                     Electronic copies of the FEIS are
                                                  Wyndham Garden New Orleans Airport,
                                                                                                          Environmental Impact Statement for                    available at: http://www.usbr.gov/uc/
                                                  6401 Veterans Memorial Boulevard,
                                                                                                          the Continued Implementation of the                   envdocs/eis.html.
                                                  Metairie, Louisiana 70003; one meeting                  2008 Operating Agreement for the Rio
                                                  beginning at 4:00 p.m. CST and ending                   Grande Project, New Mexico and Texas                  FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
                                                  at 7:00 p.m. CST;                                                                                             Jennifer Faler, Area Manager,
                                                     • Gulfport, Mississippi: Thursday,                   AGENCY:   Bureau of Reclamation,                      Albuquerque Area Office, telephone:
                                                  November 10, 2016, Courtyard by                         Interior.                                             (505) 462–3600; address: 555 Broadway
                                                  Marriott, Gulfport Beachfront MS Hotel,                 ACTION: Notice.                                       NE., Suite 100, Albuquerque, New
                                                  1600 East Beach Boulevard, Gulfport,                                                                          Mexico 87102; email: jfaler@usbr.gov.
                                                  Mississippi 39501; one meeting                          SUMMARY:   In accordance with the                     Any persons wishing to be added to a
                                                  beginning at 4:00 p.m. CST and ending                   National Environmental Policy Act of                  mailing list of interested parties may
                                                  at 7:00 p.m. CST;                                       1969, as amended, the Bureau of                       write or call Ms. Faler at this address or
                                                                                                          Reclamation (Reclamation) has prepared                telephone number.
                                                     • Fort Walton Beach, Florida:                                                                                 Persons who use a
                                                                                                          a Final Environmental Impact Statement
                                                  Monday, November 14, 2016, Four                                                                               telecommunications device for the deaf
                                                                                                          (FEIS) to analyze the environmental
                                                  Points By Sheraton Destin-Fort Walton                                                                         may call the Federal Information Relay
                                                                                                          impacts of continuing to implement the
                                                  Beach, 1325 Miracle Strip Parkway SE.,                                                                        Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 to
                                                                                                          2008 Rio Grande Project Operating
                                                  Fort Walton Beach, Florida 32548; one                                                                         contact the above individual during
                                                                                                          Agreement (Operating Agreement)
                                                  meeting beginning at 4:00 p.m. CST and                                                                        normal business hours. The FIRS is
                                                                                                          through 2050, and by this Notice is
                                                  ending at 7:00 p.m. CST;                                                                                      available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
                                                                                                          announcing its availability. The
                                                     • Mobile, Alabama: Tuesday,                          Operating Agreement is a written                      in order to leave a message or question
                                                  November 15, 2016, The Admiral Hotel                    agreement describing how Reclamation                  with the above named individual. You
                                                  Mobile, Curio Collection by Hilton, 251                 allocates, releases from storage, and                 will receive a reply during normal
                                                  Government Street, Mobile, Alabama                      delivers Rio Grande Project water to the              business hours.
                                                  36602; one meeting beginning at 4:00                    Elephant Butte Irrigation District (EBID)             SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                                  p.m. CST and ending at 7:00 p.m. CST;                   in New Mexico, the El Paso County                     Reclamation prepared the FEIS in
                                                  and                                                     Water Improvement District No. 1                      cooperation with five agencies:
                                                     • Houston, Texas: Thursday,                          (EPCWID) in Texas, and to Mexico. In                     • United States Section of the
                                                  November 17, 2016, Houston Marriott                     addition, the FEIS evaluates the                      International Boundary and Water
                                                  North, 255 North Sam Houston Pkwy.                      environmental effects of a proposal to                Commission,
                                                  East, Houston, Texas 77060; one                         renew a contract to store San Juan-                      • Colorado Division of Water
                                                  meeting beginning at 4:00 p.m. CST and                  Chama Project water in Elephant Butte                 Resources,
                                                  ending at 7:00 p.m. CST.                                Reservoir.                                               • EBID,
                                                                                                          DATES: Reclamation will not issue a
                                                                                                                                                                   • EPCWID, and
                                                     Public Disclosure of Names and                                                                                • Texas Rio Grande Compact
                                                  Addresses: Before including your                        final decision on the proposed action for
                                                                                                          a minimum of 30 days after the date that              Commissioner.
                                                  address, phone number, email address,                                                                            The purpose for the proposed Federal
                                                  or other personal identifying                           the Environmental Protection Agency
                                                                                                                                                                action is to meet contractual obligations
                                                  information in your comment, you                        publishes its Notice of Availability of
                                                                                                                                                                of Reclamation to EBID and EPCWID,
                                                  should be aware that your entire                        Weekly Receipt of Environmental
                                                                                                                                                                and to comply with applicable law
                                                  comment, including your personal                        Impact Statements in the Federal
                                                                                                                                                                governing water allocation, delivery,
                                                  identifying information, may be made                    Register. After the 30-day public review
                                                                                                                                                                and accounting. These obligations are
                                                  publicly available at any time. While                   period, Reclamation will complete a
                                                                                                                                                                currently fulfilled under the Operating
                                                  you can ask us in your comments to                      Record of Decision (ROD). The ROD will
                                                                                                                                                                Agreement. The need for the proposed
                                                  withhold your personal identifying                      state the action that will be
                                                                                                                                                                Federal action is to resolve the long and
                                                  information from public review, we                      implemented and discuss all factors
                                                                                                                                                                litigious history of the Rio Grande
                                                  cannot guarantee that we will be able to                leading to that decision.
                                                                                                                                                                Project, and to enter into mutually
                                                  do so.                                                  ADDRESSES: Copies of the FEIS are                     agreeable operational criteria that
                                                    Authority: This Notice of Availability is             available for public inspection at the                comply with applicable law, court
                                                  published pursuant to the regulations (40               following locations:                                  decrees, settlement agreements, and
                                                  CFR part 1503 and 43 CFR part 46)                          • Bureau of Reclamation,                           contracts. The purpose and need for
                                                  implementing the provisions of the National             Albuquerque Area Office, 555 Broadway                 similar action is to respond to a request
                                                  Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as                    NE., Suite 100, Albuquerque, New                      to store San Juan-Chama Project water
                                                                                                          Mexico 87102.
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES




                                                  amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. (1988)).                                                                      in Elephant Butte Reservoir.
                                                                                                             • Bureau of Reclamation, El Paso
                                                    Dated: September 22, 2016.                                                                                  The FEIS Analyzes Five Alternatives
                                                                                                          Field Division, 10737 Gateway West,
                                                  Abigail Ross Hopper,                                    Suite 350, El Paso, Texas 79935.                         The FEIS describes and analyzes five
                                                  Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy                           • Bureau of Reclamation, Upper                     alternatives: The Preferred Alternative
                                                  Management.                                             Colorado Regional Office, 125 South                   (Alternative 1) is continuation of the
                                                  [FR Doc. 2016–23664 Filed 9–29–16; 8:45 am]             State Street, Room 8100, Salt Lake City,              Operating Agreement and the San Juan-
                                                  BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P                                  Utah 84138.                                           Chama storage contract through 2050.


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                                                  67382                       Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 190 / Friday, September 30, 2016 / Notices

                                                  Alternative 2 would not store San Juan-                 DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE                                 name, address, etc.) voluntarily
                                                  Chama Project water in Elephant Butte                                                                         submitted by the commenter may be
                                                  Reservoir. Alternative 3 would not                      Department of the Army, U.S. Army                     publicly accessible. Do not submit
                                                  include the carryover accounting                        Corps of Engineers                                    confidential business information or
                                                  provision. Alternative 4 would not                                                                            otherwise sensitive or protected
                                                  include the diversion ratio adjustment.                 DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY                                  information.
                                                  Alternative 5 is the No Action
                                                                                                          Bonneville Power Administration                       FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:    Call
                                                  Alternative and it would eliminate both
                                                  the carryover accounting and diversion                                                                        the toll-free telephone 1–(800) 290–5033
                                                                                                          DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR                            or email info@crso.info. Additional
                                                  ratio adjustment from Rio Grande
                                                  Project allocation and accounting                                                                             information can be found at the project
                                                                                                          Bureau of Reclamation                                 Web site: www.crso.info.
                                                  procedures.
                                                                                                          [RR01041000, 16XR0680G3,                              SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                                     The FEIS analyzes the effect of these                RX.16786921.2000100]
                                                  five alternatives on (1) water resources                                                                      Background
                                                  (total storage, Elephant Butte Reservoir                Notice of Intent To Prepare the
                                                  elevations, allocation, releases, net                   Columbia River System Operations                         The fourteen Federal multiple
                                                  diversion, farm surface water deliveries,               Environmental Impact Statement                        purpose dams and related facilities are
                                                  farm groundwater deliveries,                                                                                  operated as a coordinated system within
                                                                                                          AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S.
                                                  groundwater elevations, and water                                                                             the interior Columbia River basin in
                                                                                                          Army Corps of Engineers, DoD;
                                                  quality); (2) biological resources                      Bonneville Power Administration,                      Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and
                                                  (vegetation communities including                       Energy; Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.              Washington. A map identifying the
                                                  wetlands, wildlife, aquatic species, and                                                                      locations of these dams can be found on
                                                                                                          ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an
                                                  special status species and critical                                                                           the project Web site at www.crso.info.
                                                                                                          environmental impact statement.
                                                  habitat); (3) cultural resources (historic                                                                    The Corps was authorized by Congress
                                                  properties, Indian sacred sites, and                    SUMMARY:    In accordance with the                    to construct, operate and maintain
                                                  resources of tribal concern); and (4)                   National Environmental Policy Act, the                twelve of these projects for flood
                                                  socioeconomic resources (Indian trust                   U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps),                 control, power generation, navigation,
                                                  assets, recreation, hydropower, regional                Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation),                  fish and wildlife, recreation, and
                                                  economic impacts and economic                           and the Bonneville Power                              municipal and industrial water supply
                                                  benefits, and environmental justice).                   Administration (BPA) (Action Agencies)                purposes. The Corps’ projects that will
                                                                                                          intend to prepare an environmental                    be addressed in this EIS include Libby,
                                                     On January 15, 2014, a Notice of                     impact statement (EIS) on the system                  Albeni Falls, Dworshak, Chief Joseph,
                                                  Intent was published in the Federal                     operation and maintenance of fourteen                 Lower Granite, Little Goose, Lower
                                                  Register (79 FR 2691) inviting public                   Federal multiple purpose dams and                     Monumental, Ice Harbor, McNary, John
                                                  scoping comments on the proposed                        related facilities located throughout the             Day, The Dalles, and Bonneville.
                                                  action of continuing to implement the                   Columbia River basin. The Action                      Reclamation was authorized to
                                                  Operating Agreement through 2050. A                     Agencies will use this EIS process to                 construct, operate, and maintain two
                                                  Notice of Availability was published in                 assess and update their approach for                  projects for purposes of flood control,
                                                  the Federal Register on March 18, 2016                  long-term system operations and                       power generation, navigation, and
                                                  (81 FR 14886), and the public was                       configuration through the analysis of                 irrigation. The Reclamation projects that
                                                  invited to provide comments on the                      alternatives and evaluation of potential              will be addressed in this EIS include
                                                  Draft EIS during an 83-day comment                      effects to the human and natural
                                                                                                                                                                Hungry Horse and Grand Coulee. BPA is
                                                  period ending on June 8, 2016.                          environments, including effects to
                                                                                                                                                                responsible for marketing and
                                                                                                          socio-economics and species listed
                                                  Public Disclosure                                                                                             transmitting the power generated by
                                                                                                          under the Endangered Species Act
                                                                                                                                                                these dams. Together, these Action
                                                                                                          (ESA). The Action Agencies will serve
                                                    Before including your address, phone                                                                        Agencies are responsible for managing
                                                                                                          as joint lead agencies in developing the
                                                  number, email address, or other                         EIS.                                                  the system for these various purposes.
                                                  personal identifying information in your                                                                         In the 1990s, the Action Agencies
                                                                                                          DATES: Written comments for the Action
                                                  comment, please be advised that your                    Agencies’ consideration are due to the                analyzed the socio-economic and
                                                  entire comment—including your                           addresses below no later than January                 environmental effects of operating the
                                                  personal identifying information—may                    17, 2017. Comments may also be made                   system in the Columbia River System
                                                  be made publicly available at any time.                 at public meetings. Information on the                Operation Review (SOR) EIS and issued
                                                  While you can ask us in your comment                    public meetings is provided under the                 respective Records of Decision in 1997
                                                  to withhold your personal identifying                   SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of                  that adopted a system operation
                                                  information from public review, we                      this notice.                                          strategy, which included operations
                                                  cannot guarantee that we will be able to                ADDRESSES: Written comments, requests                 supporting ESA-listed fish while
                                                  do so.                                                  to be placed on the project mailing list,             fulfilling all other congressionally-
                                                    Dated: September 7, 2016.                             and requests for information may be                   authorized purposes. Since the
                                                                                                          mailed by letter to U.S. Army Corps of                completion of the SOR EIS, the Action
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES




                                                  Brent Rhees,
                                                                                                          Engineers Northwestern Division Attn:                 Agencies have operated the system
                                                  Regional Director, Upper Colorado Region.
                                                                                                          CRSO EIS, P.O. Box 2870, Portland, OR                 consistent with the analyses in the SOR
                                                  [FR Doc. 2016–23525 Filed 9–29–16; 8:45 am]                                                                   EIS, while some changes to system
                                                                                                          97208–2870; or online at comment@
                                                  BILLING CODE 4332–90–P                                  crso.info. All comment letters will be                operations have been adopted under
                                                                                                          available via the project Web site at                 subsequent ESA consultations and
                                                                                                          www.crso.info. All personally                         project-specific National Environmental
                                                                                                          identifiable information (for example,                Policy Act documents.


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Document Created: 2018-02-09 13:34:15
Document Modified: 2018-02-09 13:34:15
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice.
DatesReclamation will not issue a final decision on the proposed action for a minimum of 30 days after the date that the Environmental Protection Agency publishes its Notice of Availability of Weekly Receipt of Environmental Impact Statements in the Federal Register. After the 30-day public review period, Reclamation will complete a Record of Decision (ROD). The ROD will state the action that will be implemented and discuss all factors leading to that decision.
ContactMs. Jennifer Faler, Area Manager,
FR Citation81 FR 67381 

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