Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision on the Diamond Fork System, Central Utah Project

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 230 (Wednesday, December 1, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 67370]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-31136]


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UTAH RECLAMATION MITIGATION AND CONSERVATION COMMISSION


Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision on the Diamond 
Fork System, Central Utah Project

AGENCY: The Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission 
(Mitigation Commission).

ACTION: Notice of availability of the Record of Decision (ROD)

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SUMMARY: On November 19, 1999, Don A. Christiansen, Chairman of the 
Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission (Mitigation 
Commission) signed the Record of Decision (ROD) which documents the 
selection of the Proposed Action as presented in the 1999 Final 
Supplement to the 1984 Diamond Fork Power System Final Environmental 
Statement (1999 FS-FEIS; FEIS 99-25) filed with the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency on July 1, 1999. The Mitigation Commission, Central 
Utah Water Conservancy District and the Department of the Interior 
served as joint lead agencies in the preparation of the 1999 FS-FEIS. 
The Proposed Action and a No Action alternative are described and 
evaluated in the FS-FEIS upon which the ROD is based. Implementation of 
the Proposed Action responds to the Mitigation Commission's and the 
Department of the Interior's need to mitigate for impacts of the 
Bonneville Unit of the Central Utah Project and other federal 
reclamation projects. The Proposed Action also responds to the need to 
transport, on average, 147,600 acre-feet of water annually from the 
Colorado River drainage to the Utah Lake drainage including 86,100 
acre-feet of CUP water to facilitate exchanges of water from Utah Lake 
to Jordanelle Reservoir for municipal and industrial supplies. Under 
the Proposed Action, the water will be conveyed through the Diamond 
Fork System and Strawberry Tunnel (an existing feature). The Assistant 
Secretary for Water and Science, Department of the Interior, has issued 
a separate ROD for the Diamond Fork System. The Assistant Secretary's 
separate decision is necessitated by the responsibility and authority 
of the Department of the Interior for other aspects of the project 
beyond the scope of the Mitigation Commission to mitigate for 
reclamation projects.
    The Proposed Action will accomplish these measures by construction 
and operation of a series of pipelines, tunnels, and other facilities 
which will convey the transmountain diversions of the Central Utah 
Project (CUP) and Strawberry Valley Project (SVP). These facilities 
will remove environmentally damaging high flows from natural stream 
courses that have been released since the early part of the 20th 
century. Additionally, minimum instream flows will be provided. Removal 
of high flows and provision of minimum flows will allow for the 
restoration of a more natural ecosystem, improvement of fish and 
wildlife habitats and populations, and increases in recreational uses.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Additional information on matters related to 
this Federal Register notice can be obtained at the address and 
telephone number set forth below:

Mr. Mark Holden, Projects Manager, Utah Reclamation Mitigation and 
Conservation Commission, 102 West 500 South, Suite 315, Salt Lake City, 
UT 84601, Telephone: (801) 524-3146.

    Dated: November 22, 1999
Michael C. Weland,
Executive Director.
[FR Doc. 99-31136 Filed 11-30-99; 8:45 am]
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