Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the “Over The River” Art Project in Colorado, 35289-35290 [E6-9529]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Bureau of Land Management
• Land Management Bureau

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 117 (Monday, June 19, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35289-35290]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-9529]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CO-200-7122-EA]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the ``Over The River'' Art Project in Colorado

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) and notice of public scoping.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 and in response to an application filed by the 
artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), 
Royal Gorge Field Office, announces its intention to prepare an EIS and 
conduct public scoping. The artists propose to hang fabric panels over 
a portion of the Arkansas River as an artistic exhibition. The reason 
for preparing an EIS is based upon several factors, including a 
specific request from the applicants; the increasing complexity of the 
project; the level of controversy related to the project; and the level 
of involvement during the scoping process.

DATES: Public scoping is ongoing due to an Environmental Assessment 
that was started on the proposed art project. The BLM hosted three 
public meetings in January in Canon City, Cotopaxi, and Salida, with 
over 700 people attending. The meetings were in an ``open house'' 
format and allowed the BLM, the artists, and other agencies with 
management interests to answer questions, explain project details, and 
gather information from interested individuals and groups. Over 1,100 
public scoping comments have already been submitted. The scoping period 
will be extended for 30 days after publication of this notice.

ADDRESSES: Please submit written comments to the Bureau of Land 
Management, Royal Gorge Field Office, Attn: Over The River, 3170 East 
Main Street, Canon City, CO 81212. Comments can also be submitted by 
FAX to (719) 269-8599. Electronic mail may be sent to: rgfo_comments@
blm.gov. Please write ``Over The River'' in the subject line. Your 
responses are important and will be considered in the environmental 
analysis process. If you do respond, we will keep you informed of the 
decision resulting from this analysis. Public comments, including names 
and addresses of respondents, will be available for public review at 
the Bureau of Land Management, Royal Gorge Field Office, 3170 East Main 
Street, Canon City, CO during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4:30 
p.m). Individual respondents may request confidentiality. If you wish 
to withhold your name, e-mail address, or street address from public 
review or from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, you 
must state this plainly at the beginning of your written comment. Such 
requests will be honored to the extent allowed by law. We will not, 
however, consider anonymous comments. All submissions from 
organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying 
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or 
businesses, are available for public inspection in their entirety.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roy L. Masinton, Field Manager, at the 
Royal Gorge Field Office address listed above, or Pete Zwaneveld, 
Environmental Coordinator. Both can be reached by

[[Page 35290]]

calling (719) 269-8500. Mr. Zwaneveld can also be reached via e-mail at 
rgfo_comments@blm.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude have 
submitted an application for an art project on the Arkansas River 
entitled ``Over The River'' (OTR). They propose to hang fabric panels 
over about 7 miles of a 45 mile stretch of the river, west of Canon 
City, Colorado. The translucent fabric panels would be attached to 
approximately 1,000 cables stretched across the river; they would cover 
the river but not the side slopes; hang from 10 to 24 feet above the 
water; be strong enough to withstand high winds; be porous enough to 
let rainwater pass through; and be displayed for a two-week period in 
early August. The earliest that the project would be exhibited is in 
2010. During the two-week project, an estimated 250,000 visitors are 
expected to visit the Arkansas River to view the art. All recoverable 
materials would be recycled after the project.
    On August 2, 2005, following several years of inactivity, the BLM, 
Royal Gorge Field Office and Colorado State Parks representatives met 
with Christo and Jeanne-Claude, to determine where the proposal is in 
the NEPA/approval process and to establish a logical timeline. BLM will 
review the contractor prepared EIS. If the proposal is approved, 
Colorado State Parks will issue a permit under the Cooperative 
Management Agreement between the agencies for the Arkansas Headwaters 
Recreation Area. The artists have and will continue to cover all of 
BLM's costs associated with this project (100% cost recovery). 
Oversight of the project is through a Permit Planning Team, consisting 
of Federal, state and local agencies that will review the permit 
request. Other agencies and entities participating in the project 
review include: CO State Parks, CO Dept. of Transportation, CO State 
Patrol, CO Division of Wildlife, Army Corps of Engineers, Fremont 
County Commissioners and Sheriff, Chaffee County Commissioners and 
Sheriff, and the cities of Canon City and Salida.
    Through public scoping, the BLM expects to identify various issues 
and concerns, potential impacts and mitigation measures, and 
alternatives to the proposed action. At present, the BLM has identified 
the following issues and concerns: Impacts on the environment, 
particularly on wildlife, including but not limited to bighorn sheep, 
bald eagles and waterfowl; socio-economic impacts on local citizen's 
travel and commercial trucks from restrictions as a result of heavy 
tourist traffic; safety of those people traveling Highway 50 and using 
the Arkansas River for boating, fishing and viewing the project; and 
the response time of emergency service vehicles such as police, fire, 
search and rescue and ambulance due to heavy traffic.
    The BLM will analyze the proposed action and no action 
alternatives, as well as other possible alternatives. Your comments 
concerning the OTR project as proposed and feasible alternatives, 
possible mitigation measures, and any other information relevant to the 
project are encouraged.

Sally Wisely,
Colorado State Director.
[FR Doc. E6-9529 Filed 6-16-06; 8:45 am]
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