Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project, 15159-15161 [E7-5776]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 61 / Friday, March 30, 2007 / Notices Dated: February 26, 2007. John J. Donahue, Superintendent. [FR Doc. E7–5873 Filed 3–29–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4312–JG–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Park Service Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Review Committee: Meeting National Park Service, Interior. Notice. AGENCY: cprice-sewell on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES ACTION: Notice is here given in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. Appendix (1988), of a meeting of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Review Committee (Review Committee). The Review Committee will meet on April 19–20, 2007, at the Sidney R. Yates Auditorium, Main Interior Building, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240. Meeting sessions will begin at 8:30 a.m. each day. Meeting sessions will end at 5 p.m. on April 19 and noon on April 20. The agenda for the meeting includes an overview of activities of the National NAGPRA Program during the first half of fiscal year 2007; preparation of the Review Committee’s Report to Congress for 2006; consultation regarding regulations for disposition of unclaimed cultural items excavated or removed from Federal lands after November 16, 1990 (43 CFR 10.7); requests for recommendations regarding the disposition of culturally unidentifiable human remains from the University of Florida and the Intermountain Region, National Park Service; and presentations and statements by Indian tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, museums, Federal agencies, and the public. To schedule a presentation to the Review Committee during the meeting, submit a written request with an abstract of the presentation and contact information for the presenters. Persons also may submit written statements for consideration by the Review Committee during the meeting. Send requests and statements to the Designated Federal Officer, NAGPRA Review Committee by U.S. Mail to the National Park Service, 1849 C Street NW (2253), Washington, DC 20240; or by commercial delivery to the National Park Service, 1201 Eye Street NW, 8th floor, Washington, DC 20005. Because increased security in the Washington, DC, area may delay delivery of U.S. Mail to Government offices, copies of mailed requests and VerDate Aug<31>2005 15:49 Mar 29, 2007 Jkt 211001 statements should also be faxed to (202) 371–5197. Transcripts of Review Committee meetings are available approximately eight weeks after each meeting at the National NAGPRA Program office, 1201 Eye Street NW, 8th floor, Washington, DC. To request electronic copies of meeting transcripts, send an e-mail message to TimlMcKeown@nps.gov. Information about NAGPRA, the Review Committee, and Review Committee meetings is available at the National NAGPRA Web site, https:// www.cr.nps.gov/nagpra; for the Review Committee’s meeting procedures, select ‘‘Review Committee,’’ then select ‘‘Procedures.’’ The Review Committee was established by the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3001 et seq. Review Committee members are appointed by the Secretary of the Interior. The Review Committee is responsible for monitoring the NAGPRA inventory and identification process; reviewing and making findings related to the identity or cultural affiliation of cultural items, or the return of such items; facilitating the resolution of disputes; compiling an inventory of culturally unidentifiable human remains that are in the possession or control of each Federal agency and museum and recommending specific actions for developing a process for disposition of such human remains; consulting with Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations and museums on matters within the scope of the work of the committee affecting such tribes or organizations; consulting with the Secretary of the Interior in the development of regulations to carry out NAGPRA; and making recommendations regarding future care of repatriated cultural items. The Review Committee’s work is completed during meetings that are open to the public. Dated: March 12, 2007 C. Timothy McKeown, Designated Federal Officer, Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Review Committee. [FR Doc. E7–5969 Filed 3–29–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4312–50–S DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Reclamation [DES 07–09] Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior. PO 00000 Frm 00065 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 15159 Notice of Availability and Notice of Public Meetings for the Planning Report and Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project. ACTION: SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (as amended) and the general authority to conduct water resources planning under the Reclamation Act of 1902 and all acts amendatory thereof and supplementary thereto, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has prepared a Planning Report and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (PR/ DEIS). This document was undertaken to provide a discussion for the (1) various ways to provide a municipal and industrial (M&I) water supply to the Navajo Nation; City of Gallup, New Mexico; and Jicarilla Apache Nation; (2) identification of a preferred alternative; and (3) associated environmental impacts and costs of such an endeavor, should it be undertaken. The PR/DEIS presents alternatives for providing an anticipated year 2040 M&I water supply for the project area. Alternatives considered include diverting and distributing water from the San Juan River using various configurations, water conservation using existing groundwater supplies, and no action. DATES: A 90-day public review period commences with the publication of this notice. Comments on the PR/DEIS should be submitted no later than June 28, 2007, to Mr. Rege Leach, Bureau of Reclamation, Western Colorado Area Office, 835 East Second Avenue, Suite 300, Durango, Colorado 81301. Comments may also be submitted electronically at navgal@uc.usbr.gov. Reclamation will conduct five public meetings to obtain public input on the PR/DEIS. All of the meetings will take place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The public meetings schedule is as follows: • Tuesday, May 22, 2007—University of New Mexico, Calvin Hall Room 248, 200 College Drive, Gallup, New Mexico • Wednesday, May 23, 2007— Crownpoint Chapter House, Building CO23–001, East Crownpoint Road, Crownpoint, New Mexico • Thursday, May 24, 2007—St. Michaels Chapter House, St Michaels, Arizona • Tuesday, June 5, 2007—Shiprock Chapter House, Highway 61, Shiprock, New Mexico • Wednesday, June 6, 2007—San Juan College, IT Building, Room 7103, 5001 College Blvd., Farmington, New Mexico E:\FR\FM\30MRN1.SGM 30MRN1 15160 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 61 / Friday, March 30, 2007 / Notices Copies of the PR/DEIS are available for public inspection and review at the following locations: • Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Library, 501 Copper Avenue, NW., Albuquerque, New Mexico • Aztec Public Library, 319 South Ash, Aztec, New Mexico • Bloomfield City Library, 333 South First Street, Bloomfield, New Mexico • Cortez Public Library, 202 N. Park, Cortez, Colorado ´ • Dine College Library, 1228 Yucca Street, Shiprock, New Mexico • Durango Public Library, 1188 E. 2nd Avenue, Durango, Colorado • Farmington Public Library, 2101 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, New Mexico • Fort Lewis College Library, 1000 Rim Drive, Durango, Colorado • Navajo Nation Library, Window Rock, Arizona • New Mexico State Library, 1209 Camino Carlos Rey, Santa Fe, New Mexico • New Mexico State University Library, Las Cruces, New Mexico • San Juan College Library, 4601 College Boulevard, Farmington, New Mexico • University of Colorado Libraries, Government Publications, 1720 Pleasant Street, Boulder, Colorado • Zimmerman Library, Government Information Department, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico The PR/DEIS is also available electronically at the following internet location: https://www.usbr.gov/uc/rm/ navajo/nav-gallup/. Alternatively, a hard copy or CD–ROM version is available upon written request to Mr. Rege Leach, Bureau of Reclamation, Western Colorado Area Office, 835 East Second Avenue, Suite 300, Durango, Colorado 81301. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Rege Leach, Bureau of Reclamation, Western Colorado Area Office, 835 East Second Avenue, Suite 300, Durango, Colorado 81301; telephone 970–385– 6500; facsimile 970–385–6539; e-mail: navgal@uc.usbr.gov. If special assistance is required regarding accommodations for attendance at any of the public meetings, please contact Mr. Leach no less than 5 working days prior to the applicable meeting(s). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed project is to provide a longterm supply, treatment, and transmission of M&I water to the Navajo Nation, the Jicarilla Apache Nation, and the City of Gallup, New Mexico. A sustainable water supply is needed for cprice-sewell on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES ADDRESSES: VerDate Aug<31>2005 15:49 Mar 29, 2007 Jkt 211001 the area to support current and future populations. The proposed project would be designed to serve a future population of approximately 250,000 people by the year 2040. The existing groundwater supplies are dwindling and have limited capacity and poor quality. More than 40 percent of Navajo households rely on water hauling to meet daily water needs. The City of Gallup’s groundwater levels have dropped approximately 200 feet over the past 10 years and the supply is not expected to meet current water demands within the decade. The Jicarilla Apache people are currently not able to live and work outside the Town of Dulce, New Mexico, on the reservation because of a lack of water supply. The cost analysis contained in this PR/DEIS is based on an appraisal level of analysis. As part of Reclamation’s efforts to attain greater transparency and accountability with regards to its engineering analyses, the cost estimate is being repriced. This means that instead of updating the 2005 cost estimates using engineering cost indices, the components of the project will be individually repriced in order to gain greater confidence in the estimate. Once the repricing is completed, which we anticipate to occur during the 90-day public comment period, Reclamation will update the PR/DEIS through an addendum or potentially the use of errata sheets. Reclamation historically supports projects for construction after a feasibility report is completed which includes a feasibility level cost estimate. This appraisal level cost estimate does not meet that requirement. Additional analysis, detail, and updating of the appraisal level cost estimate presented in this draft report are needed before project construction authorization can be supported. Failure to complete this additional effort may result in reliance on a cost estimate for the project which is not sufficient to characterize the expected project cost. The appraisal level design must be upgraded to feasibility level before Reclamation would begin construction. The cost of, and time for completing this additional work, would be substantial. Reclamation has developed this PR/ DEIS pursuant to Public Law 92–199 and the general authority to conduct water resources planning under the Reclamation Act of 1902 and all acts amendatory thereof and supplementary thereto. This document was undertaken to provide a discussion for the (1) various ways to provide an M&I water supply to the Navajo Nation; City of Gallup, New Mexico; and Jicarilla Apache Nation; (2) identification of a PO 00000 Frm 00066 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 preferred alternative; and (3) associated environmental impacts and costs of such an endeavor, should it be undertaken. Reclamation, however, does not have the current substantive or budgetary authorization that is required to construct, operate, and maintain any proposed facilities discussed in this PR/ DEIS, and it will take an act of Congress to provide such authority. In addition, Reclamation takes no position on whether such a project should be authorized. The indication of a preferred alternative is solely to meet the requirements of NEPA and is not an indication that a particular alternative should be pursued since, as noted earlier, there is no project authorization that would allow Reclamation to commence this project. Finally, we are aware that the Navajo Nation and the State of New Mexico have reached an agreement concerning the settlement of the Navajo’s water rights in the San Juan River Basin in New Mexico and that a part of the settlement is the construction, operation, and maintenance of the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project. We wish to be clear that neither Reclamation, the Department of the Interior, or the Administration have taken a position on the Navajo-San Juan Settlement executed between the Navajo Nation and the State of New Mexico and that nothing herein is any indication of any position regarding the overall settlement. Public Disclosure It is our practice to make comments, including names, home addresses, home telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses of respondents, available for public review. Individual respondents may request that we withhold their names and/or home addresses, etc., but if you wish us to consider withholding this information you must state this prominently at the beginning of your comments. In addition, you must present a rationale for withholding this information. This rationale must demonstrate that disclosure would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy. Unsupported assertions will not meet this burden. In the absence of exceptional, documentable circumstances, this information will be released. We will always make submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, available for public inspection in their entirety. E:\FR\FM\30MRN1.SGM 30MRN1 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 61 / Friday, March 30, 2007 / Notices Dated: March 22, 2007. Rick L. Gold, Regional Director—Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado Region. [FR Doc. E7–5776 Filed 3–29–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–MN–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Reclamation Delta-Mendota Canal Recirculation Project, Calaveras, Contra Costa, Fresno, Kings, Merced, San Benito, San Joaquin, Santa Clara, Stanislaus, and Tuolumne Counties, CA Bureau of Reclamation, Interior Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/ Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) and notice of public scoping meetings. AGENCY: cprice-sewell on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES ACTION: SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) intend to prepare an EIS/EIR for the Delta-Mendota Canal (DMC) Recirculation Project. Reclamation is the Federal lead agency for NEPA and DWR is the State lead agency for CEQA. The purpose of the project is to prepare a feasibility study of the DMC Recirculation Project that will evaluate the costs, benefits, feasibility, and impacts of possibly recirculating water from the DMC Canal for release to the San Joaquin River. Recirculation may provide additional flows for fishery objectives and may help to meet San Joaquin River water quality objectives, while reducing the reliance on the New Melones Reservoir for water releases. As part of the feasibility study process, a Draft EIS/EIR is expected to be available in 2008. DATES: Public scoping meetings will be held to solicit public input on the alternatives, concerns, and issues to be addressed in the EIS/EIR. The meetings dates and times are as follows: • Monday, April 16, 2007, 10 a.m.–12 p.m, Sacramento, CA. • Monday, April 16, 2007, 6 p.m.–8 p.m., Los Banos, CA. • Tuesday, April 17, 2007, 6 p.m.–8 p.m., Modesto, CA. Written comments on the scope of the EIS/EIR should be mailed to the Bureau of Reclamation at the address below by May 9, 2007. ADDRESSES: The public scoping meeting locations are: • Sacramento at the Federal Building, 2800 Cottage Way, Cafeteria Conference Rooms C–1001 and C–1002. VerDate Aug<31>2005 15:49 Mar 29, 2007 Jkt 211001 • Los Banos at the Miller and Lux Senior Center Building, 830 6th Street. • Modesto at the Modesto Centre Plaza, 1000 L Street, Pistache Room. Written comments on the scope of the EIS/EIR should be sent to: Ms. Sammie Cervantes, Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825, via e-mail scervantes@mp.usbr.gov, or faxed to 916–978–5094. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Maury Kruth, Reclamation Project Manager, at the above address, at 916– 978–5078, TDD 916–978–5608, via fax at 916–978–5094, or e-mail at mkruth@mp.usbr.gov. The DMC is located on the western side of Central California’s San Joaquin Valley and runs for approximately 120 miles, beginning near the City of Tracy at the southern edge of the Sacramento River and San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary (Delta) and terminating at the Mendota Pool of the San Joaquin River. The project study area can be defined as the lower main stem of the San Joaquin River below its confluence with the Merced River, the areas served by the Merced, Tuolumne, and Stanislaus Rivers on the western side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and the areas served by the DMC, including approximately 30 water agencies. Immediately downstream from the confluence with the Stanislaus River, the San Joaquin River becomes part of the Delta, which serves as a source of water supply for agricultural, environmental, municipal, and urban uses. The south Delta will be considered part of the project study area. The SWRCB has established Delta water quality and flow objectives that are to be met as a condition of the operation of the C.W. ‘‘Bill’’ Jones Pumping Plant (formerly the Tracy Pumping Plant) and the State Water Project Harvey O. Banks Pumping Plant. The current objectives for operation of the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project facilities in the Delta are the SWRCB’s 1995 Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay/ Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary, and the SWRCB’s Water Rights D–1641, as amended. In D–1641, SWRCB required Reclamation to prepare a Plan of Action (POA) to evaluate the potential impacts of recirculating water from DMC through the Newman Wasteway, in consultation with National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Game, DWR, and the South Delta Water Agency. The POA has been SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PO 00000 Frm 00067 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 15161 completed and is being implemented by this feasibility study. Federal authorization comes from Public Law 108–361, Section 103(d)(2)(D)(ii) of the CALFED BayDelta Authorization Act, which states in part that ‘‘* * * the Secretary [of the Interior] shall include, to the maximum extent feasible, the measures described in clauses (iii) through (vii).’’ Section 103(d)(2)(D)(iii) states ‘‘the Secretary shall incorporate into the program a recirculation program to provide flow, reduce salinity concentrations in the San Joaquin River, and reduce the reliance on the New Melones Reservoir for meeting water quality and fishery flow objectives through the use of excess capacity in export pumping and conveyance facilities.’’ Section 103(f)(1)(G) states ‘‘* * * funds may be used to conduct feasibility studies, evaluate, and if feasible, implement the recirculation of export water to reduce salinity and improve dissolved oxygen in the San Joaquin River.’’ Previous recirculation studies have consisted of modeling and physically discharging water from the DMC to the San-Joaquin River via one of the wasteways that connect the DMC to the river. Ongoing studies that might affect the DMC Recirculation Project include Vernalis Adaptive Management Plan, CALFED Conveyance Program—South Delta Improvements Program, the New Melones Revised Plan of Operations, and the West Side Regional Drainage Plan. A recent litigation settlement regarding the San Joaquin River from Friant Dam to the Merced River may also affect the DMC Recirculation Project. If special assistance is required at the scoping meetings, please contact Ms. Sammie Cervantes at 916–978–5189, TDD 916–978–5608, or via e-mail at scervantes@mp.usbr.gov. Please notify Ms. Cervantes as far in advance of the meetings as possible to enable Reclamation to secure the needed services. If a request cannot be honored, the requestor will be notified. A telephone device for the hearing impaired (TDD) is available at 916–978– 5608. Comments received in response to this notice will become part of the administrative record and are subject to public inspection. Our practice is to make comments, including names, home addresses, home phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of respondents, available for public review. Individual respondents may request that we withhold their names and/or home addresses, etc., but if you wish us to consider withholding this information, you must state this prominently at the E:\FR\FM\30MRN1.SGM 30MRN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 61 (Friday, March 30, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15159-15161]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-5776]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

[DES 07-09]


Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability and Notice of Public Meetings for the 
Planning Report and Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project.

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

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 
1969 (as amended) and the general authority to conduct water resources 
planning under the Reclamation Act of 1902 and all acts amendatory 
thereof and supplementary thereto, the Bureau of Reclamation 
(Reclamation) has prepared a Planning Report and Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (PR/DEIS). This document was undertaken to provide a 
discussion for the (1) various ways to provide a municipal and 
industrial (M&I) water supply to the Navajo Nation; City of Gallup, New 
Mexico; and Jicarilla Apache Nation; (2) identification of a preferred 
alternative; and (3) associated environmental impacts and costs of such 
an endeavor, should it be undertaken.
    The PR/DEIS presents alternatives for providing an anticipated year 
2040 M&I water supply for the project area. Alternatives considered 
include diverting and distributing water from the San Juan River using 
various configurations, water conservation using existing groundwater 
supplies, and no action.

DATES: A 90-day public review period commences with the publication of 
this notice. Comments on the PR/DEIS should be submitted no later than 
June 28, 2007, to Mr. Rege Leach, Bureau of Reclamation, Western 
Colorado Area Office, 835 East Second Avenue, Suite 300, Durango, 
Colorado 81301. Comments may also be submitted electronically at 
navgal@uc.usbr.gov.
    Reclamation will conduct five public meetings to obtain public 
input on the PR/DEIS. All of the meetings will take place from 6 p.m. 
to 9 p.m. The public meetings schedule is as follows:

 Tuesday, May 22, 2007--University of New Mexico, Calvin Hall 
Room 248, 200 College Drive, Gallup, New Mexico
 Wednesday, May 23, 2007--Crownpoint Chapter House, Building 
CO23-001, East Crownpoint Road, Crownpoint, New Mexico
 Thursday, May 24, 2007--St. Michaels Chapter House, St 
Michaels, Arizona
 Tuesday, June 5, 2007--Shiprock Chapter House, Highway 61, 
Shiprock, New Mexico
 Wednesday, June 6, 2007--San Juan College, IT Building, Room 
7103, 5001 College Blvd., Farmington, New Mexico

[[Page 15160]]


ADDRESSES: Copies of the PR/DEIS are available for public inspection 
and review at the following locations:

 Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Library, 501 Copper Avenue, NW., 
Albuquerque, New Mexico
 Aztec Public Library, 319 South Ash, Aztec, New Mexico
 Bloomfield City Library, 333 South First Street, Bloomfield, 
New Mexico
 Cortez Public Library, 202 N. Park, Cortez, Colorado
 Din[eacute] College Library, 1228 Yucca Street, Shiprock, New 
Mexico
 Durango Public Library, 1188 E. 2nd Avenue, Durango, Colorado
 Farmington Public Library, 2101 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, 
New Mexico
 Fort Lewis College Library, 1000 Rim Drive, Durango, Colorado
 Navajo Nation Library, Window Rock, Arizona
 New Mexico State Library, 1209 Camino Carlos Rey, Santa Fe, 
New Mexico
 New Mexico State University Library, Las Cruces, New Mexico
 San Juan College Library, 4601 College Boulevard, Farmington, 
New Mexico
 University of Colorado Libraries, Government Publications, 
1720 Pleasant Street, Boulder, Colorado
 Zimmerman Library, Government Information Department, 
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
    The PR/DEIS is also available electronically at the following 
internet location: https://www.usbr.gov/uc/rm/navajo/nav-gallup/
index.html. Alternatively, a hard copy or CD-ROM version is available 
upon written request to Mr. Rege Leach, Bureau of Reclamation, Western 
Colorado Area Office, 835 East Second Avenue, Suite 300, Durango, 
Colorado 81301.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Rege Leach, Bureau of Reclamation, 
Western Colorado Area Office, 835 East Second Avenue, Suite 300, 
Durango, Colorado 81301; telephone 970-385-6500; facsimile 970-385-
6539; e-mail: navgal@uc.usbr.gov. If special assistance is required 
regarding accommodations for attendance at any of the public meetings, 
please contact Mr. Leach no less than 5 working days prior to the 
applicable meeting(s).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed project is to provide a long-
term supply, treatment, and transmission of M&I water to the Navajo 
Nation, the Jicarilla Apache Nation, and the City of Gallup, New 
Mexico. A sustainable water supply is needed for the area to support 
current and future populations. The proposed project would be designed 
to serve a future population of approximately 250,000 people by the 
year 2040. The existing groundwater supplies are dwindling and have 
limited capacity and poor quality. More than 40 percent of Navajo 
households rely on water hauling to meet daily water needs. The City of 
Gallup's groundwater levels have dropped approximately 200 feet over 
the past 10 years and the supply is not expected to meet current water 
demands within the decade. The Jicarilla Apache people are currently 
not able to live and work outside the Town of Dulce, New Mexico, on the 
reservation because of a lack of water supply.
    The cost analysis contained in this PR/DEIS is based on an 
appraisal level of analysis. As part of Reclamation's efforts to attain 
greater transparency and accountability with regards to its engineering 
analyses, the cost estimate is being repriced. This means that instead 
of updating the 2005 cost estimates using engineering cost indices, the 
components of the project will be individually repriced in order to 
gain greater confidence in the estimate. Once the repricing is 
completed, which we anticipate to occur during the 90-day public 
comment period, Reclamation will update the PR/DEIS through an addendum 
or potentially the use of errata sheets.
    Reclamation historically supports projects for construction after a 
feasibility report is completed which includes a feasibility level cost 
estimate. This appraisal level cost estimate does not meet that 
requirement. Additional analysis, detail, and updating of the appraisal 
level cost estimate presented in this draft report are needed before 
project construction authorization can be supported. Failure to 
complete this additional effort may result in reliance on a cost 
estimate for the project which is not sufficient to characterize the 
expected project cost. The appraisal level design must be upgraded to 
feasibility level before Reclamation would begin construction. The cost 
of, and time for completing this additional work, would be substantial.
    Reclamation has developed this PR/DEIS pursuant to Public Law 92-
199 and the general authority to conduct water resources planning under 
the Reclamation Act of 1902 and all acts amendatory thereof and 
supplementary thereto. This document was undertaken to provide a 
discussion for the (1) various ways to provide an M&I water supply to 
the Navajo Nation; City of Gallup, New Mexico; and Jicarilla Apache 
Nation; (2) identification of a preferred alternative; and (3) 
associated environmental impacts and costs of such an endeavor, should 
it be undertaken. Reclamation, however, does not have the current 
substantive or budgetary authorization that is required to construct, 
operate, and maintain any proposed facilities discussed in this PR/
DEIS, and it will take an act of Congress to provide such authority. In 
addition, Reclamation takes no position on whether such a project 
should be authorized. The indication of a preferred alternative is 
solely to meet the requirements of NEPA and is not an indication that a 
particular alternative should be pursued since, as noted earlier, there 
is no project authorization that would allow Reclamation to commence 
this project.
    Finally, we are aware that the Navajo Nation and the State of New 
Mexico have reached an agreement concerning the settlement of the 
Navajo's water rights in the San Juan River Basin in New Mexico and 
that a part of the settlement is the construction, operation, and 
maintenance of the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project. We wish to be 
clear that neither Reclamation, the Department of the Interior, or the 
Administration have taken a position on the Navajo-San Juan Settlement 
executed between the Navajo Nation and the State of New Mexico and that 
nothing herein is any indication of any position regarding the overall 
settlement.

Public Disclosure

    It is our practice to make comments, including names, home 
addresses, home telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses of respondents, 
available for public review. Individual respondents may request that we 
withhold their names and/or home addresses, etc., but if you wish us to 
consider withholding this information you must state this prominently 
at the beginning of your comments. In addition, you must present a 
rationale for withholding this information. This rationale must 
demonstrate that disclosure would constitute a clearly unwarranted 
invasion of privacy. Unsupported assertions will not meet this burden. 
In the absence of exceptional, documentable circumstances, this 
information will be released. We will always make submissions from 
organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying 
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or 
businesses, available for public inspection in their entirety.


[[Page 15161]]


    Dated: March 22, 2007.
Rick L. Gold,
Regional Director--Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado Region.
 [FR Doc. E7-5776 Filed 3-29-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-P
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