Northwest Area Water Supply Project, North Dakota, 48986-48988 [2010-19903]
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48986
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 155 / Thursday, August 12, 2010 / Notices
Estimation of the total number of
hours needed to prepare the information
collection including number of
respondents, frequency of response, and
hours of response:
Number of Respondents ..............................................................................................................................................................
Estimate Responses per Respondent .........................................................................................................................................
Time (minutes) per Respondent ..................................................................................................................................................
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Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary.
Status of the proposed information
collection: Pending OMB approval.
Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. Section 9(a),
and Title 12, U.S.C., Section 1701z–1 et seq.
Dated: August 3, 2010.
Edward J. Szymanoski,
Acting Director, Division of Housing &
Demographic Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2010–19876 Filed 8–11–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210–67–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Office of the Secretary
Vendor Outreach Workshop for Small
Businesses in the National Capitol
Region of the United States
Office of the Secretary, Interior.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Office of Small and
Disadvantaged Business Utilization of
the Department of the Interior are
hosting a Vendor Outreach Workshop
for small businesses in the National
Capitol region of the United States that
are interested in doing business with the
Department. This outreach workshop
will review market contracting
opportunities for the attendees.
Business owners will be able to share
their individual perspectives with
Contracting Officers, Program Managers
and Small Business Specialists from the
Department.
DATES: The workshop will be held on
August 31, 2010, from 9 a.m. to 1:30
p.m.
ADDRESSES: The workshop will be held
at the U.S. Department of the Interior
Main Auditorium, 1849 C Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20240. Register online
at: https://www.doi.gov/osdbu.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mark Oliver, Director, Office of Small
and Disadvantaged Business Utilization,
1951 Constitution Ave., NW., MS–320
SIB, Washington, DC 20240, telephone
1–877–375–9927 (Toll-Free).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In
accordance with the Small Business
Act, as amended by Public Law 95–507,
the Department has the responsibility to
promote the use of small and small
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
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16:22 Aug 11, 2010
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disadvantaged business for its
acquisition of goods and services. The
Department is proud of its
accomplishments in meeting its
business goals for small, small
disadvantaged, 8(a), woman-owned,
HUBZone, and service-disabled veteranowned businesses. In Fiscal Year 2009,
the Department awarded 56 percent of
its $2.6 billion in contracts to small
businesses.
This fiscal year, the Office of Small
and Disadvantaged Business Utilization
are reaching out to our internal
stakeholders and the Department’s small
business community by conducting
several vendor outreach workshops. The
Department’s presenters will focus on
contracting and subcontracting
opportunities and how small businesses
can better market services and products.
Over 3,000 small businesses have been
targeted for this event. If you are a small
business interested in working with the
Department, we urge you to register
online at: https://www.doi.gov/osdbu and
attend the workshop.
These outreach events are a new and
exciting opportunity for the
Department’s bureaus and offices to
improve their support for small
business. Additional scheduled events
are posted on the Office of Small and
Disadvantaged Business Utilization
website at https://www.doi.gov/osdbu.
Mark Oliver,
Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged
Business Utilization.
[FR Doc. 2010–19951 Filed 8–11–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210–RK–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
Northwest Area Water Supply Project,
North Dakota
Bureau of Reclamation,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a
supplemental environmental impact
statement.
AGENCY:
The Bureau of Reclamation
(Reclamation) is commencing work
under the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) on a
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
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Sfmt 4703
190,000.
1 every 2 years.
49.
155,167.
Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for the Northwest Area
Water Supply Project (NAWS Project), a
Federal reclamation project, located in
North Dakota. A Final EIS and Record
of Decision (ROD) for the NAWS Project
were previously completed in December
2008 and January 2009, respectively.
The Final EIS and ROD were challenged
in U.S. District Court. A subsequent
court order found the Final EIS to be
insufficient in two areas. Therefore a
supplement is being prepared to address
those areas in more detail and any
others that interested parties or the
public may identify warranting
additional analysis, as well as to reexamine and update, to the extent
necessary, prior NEPA analysis that has
been completed in connection with the
NAWS Project to date. This notice is
being published to inform the public
about the preparation of the
Supplemental EIS and to initiate a
formal scoping period for obtaining
public comment. The scoping period for
the supplement will conclude 60 days
following publication of this notice.
Public meetings are scheduled as part of
the scoping process.
Reclamation invites all interested
parties to submit written comments or
suggestions during the scoping period
related to significant issues,
environmental impacts, and reasonable
alternatives to the proposed action.
Reclamation will provide a separate
project information document that
describes the Supplemental EIS actions
and how the public can become
involved and participate. The project
information document will provide
details relative to the Supplemental EIS
and is intended to assist the public in
providing comments during the scoping
period.
DATES: Public scoping meetings will be
held during September 2010. See the
Supplemental Information section for
dates and locations of these meetings.
Individuals who want to receive the
additional project information
document should contact Reclamation
within 15 days following publication of
this notice. Written or e-mailed
comments on the scope of issues and
alternatives should be received by
October 12, 2010. Comments received
E:\FR\FM\12AUN1.SGM
12AUN1
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 155 / Thursday, August 12, 2010 / Notices
after that date will be considered to the
extent practical.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should
be submitted to: Bureau of Reclamation,
Dakotas Area Office, Attention: Alicia
Waters, P.O. Box 1017, Bismarck, ND
58502.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Alicia Waters, Northwest Area Water
Supply Project EIS, Bureau of
Reclamation, Dakotas Area Office, P.O.
Box 1017, Bismarck, ND 58502;
Telephone: (701) 221–1206; or facsimile
(701) 250–4326. You may submit e-mail
to NAWS_EIS@usbr.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Dates of Public Scoping Meetings
• September 13, 2010, 6:30 p.m.–8:30
p.m., Bottineau, ND
• September 14, 2010, 6:30 p.m.–8:30
p.m., Minot, ND
• September 15, 2010, 6:30 p.m.–8:30
p.m., New Town, ND
• September 16, 2010, 6:30 p.m.–8:30
p.m., Bismarck, ND
Locations of Public Scoping Meetings
• MSU–Bottineau, Nelson Science
Center Room 125, 105 Simrall
Boulevard, Bottineau, ND
• Sleep Inn—Inn and Suites, North
Convention Center, 2400 10th Street
NW., Minot, ND
• 4 Bears Casino, Mandan Room, 202
Frontage Room, New Town, ND
• Best Western Doublewood Inn,
Congress Room, 1400 Interchange
Avenue, Bismarck, ND
The meeting facilities are physically
accessible to people with disabilities.
People needing special assistance to
attend and/or participate in the public
meetings should contact Patience
Hurley at 701–221–1204 as soon as
possible. To allow sufficient time to
process special requests, please call no
later than one week before the public
meeting of interest.
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with NOTICES
Background
The Garrison Diversion Unit’s
Municipal, Rural and Industrial Water
Supply (MR&I) program was authorized
by the U.S. Congress on May 12, 1986,
through the Garrison Diversion Unit
Reformulation Act of 1986. This act
authorized the appropriation of $200
million of Federal funds for the
planning and construction of water
supply facilities throughout North
Dakota. The NAWS Project is being
constructed under this authorization.
The NAWS Project is designed as a
bulk water distribution system that will
service local communities and rural
water systems in 10 counties in
northwestern North Dakota including
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:22 Aug 11, 2010
Jkt 220001
the community of Minot. The NAWS
Project would convey water from Lake
Sakakawea, in the Missouri River Basin
in North Dakota, through a buried
pipeline to Minot, surrounding
communities and rural water systems in
the Hudson Bay Basin. The Project
would include a treatment plant in the
Missouri River Basin to disinfect the
water prior to it being delivered through
the pipeline into the Hudson Bay Basin.
An Environmental Assessment (EA) and
Finding of No Significant Impact
(FONSI) were completed for the Project
in 2001.
Construction on the project began in
April 2002. In October 2002, the
Province of Manitoba, Canada, filed a
legal challenge in U.S. District Court in
Washington, DC to compel the
Department of the Interior to complete
an EIS on the project. A court order
dated February 3, 2005, remanded the
case to Reclamation for completion of
additional environmental analysis, but
allowed construction to proceed on
project features that would not preclude
a future decision on water treatment to
reduce the risk of transferring invasive
species.
Project construction has continued as
allowed by the court. Between 2002 and
2010, the entire 45 miles of main
transmission pipeline for NAWS, from
Lake Sakakawea to Minot, was
completed along with several segments
of the distribution system. The City of
Minot is temporarily serving water to
several communities and rural water
systems with water from the city’s
ground water wells. This interim water
supply is provided by the city through
temporary water service contracts which
expire in 2018 or sooner depending on
the reliability of the water source.
Recently completed features of the
NAWS Project include a high service
pump station and 2 million gallon
storage reservoir in Minot. Most of the
other segments of the distribution
system are being designed or
constructed. The court also allowed the
State of North Dakota to initiate design
work on upgrades to the existing Minot
water treatment plant which are
necessary for the city to continue
delivering the interim water supply to
adjacent communities.
In March 2006, Reclamation initiated
an EIS focused on different water
treatment methods for the water from
Lake Sakakawea. The analysis focused
on environmental impacts that could
occur due to pipeline leaks and failure
of the water treatment systems. The
Draft EIS was published on December
21, 2007 and the Final EIS on December
5, 2008 (documents available
electronically at https://www.usbr.gov/
PO 00000
Frm 00067
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
48987
gp/dkao/). Reclamation signed a Record
of Decision (ROD) on January 15, 2009,
selecting an alternative using
chlorination and ultraviolet radiation to
disinfect the water before it is delivered
into the Hudson Bay Basin. Final
treatment to drinking water standards
would occur at the existing water
treatment plant in Minot.
In February 2009, the Department of
Justice notified the court that
Reclamation had completed the Final
EIS and ROD. Shortly thereafter, the
Province of Manitoba filed a
supplemental complaint contending the
Final EIS was insufficient. Additionally,
the State of Missouri filed a complaint
against the Department of the Interior
and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
in the same District Court in
Washington, DC. The State of Missouri
alleged that Reclamation’s Final EIS was
insufficient and that the Corps of
Engineers failed to complete a separate
National Environmental Policy Act
assessment for the NAWS Project. The
court combined the Missouri suit with
the Manitoba suit. On March 5, 2010,
the court issued an order in favor of the
Province of Manitoba and the State of
Missouri. The case was remanded to
Reclamation and the injunction
imposed by the April 15, 2005, order
remains in effect.
The Court found the EIS inadequately
examined: (1) Cumulative impacts of
water withdrawals on Lake Sakakawea
and the Missouri River, and (2)
consequences of transferring potentially
invasive species into the Hudson Bay
Basin.
Purpose of the Proposed Action
The purpose of the proposed action is
to provide a reliable source of high
quality treated water to northwestern
North Dakota for MR&I uses.
Need for the Proposed Action
The NAWS Project is needed: (1) To
provide high quality treated water
because northwestern North Dakota has
experienced water supply problems for
many years, (2) to replace poor quality
groundwater sources presently used for
MR&I purposes, and (3) because the
surface water supplies within the
service area are insufficient from both a
quality and quantity standpoint. This
Supplemental EIS is needed to comply
with the Court order of March 5, 2010,
and fully satisfy NEPA. Reclamation
will conduct additional analyses to
address the Court’s order regarding the
consequences of transferring potentially
invasive species into the Hudson Bay
Basin and the cumulative impacts of
water withdrawals on Lake Sakakawea
and the Missouri River, in addition to
E:\FR\FM\12AUN1.SGM
12AUN1
48988
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 155 / Thursday, August 12, 2010 / Notices
re-examining and updating all prior
NEPA analysis that has been completed
in connection with the NAWS Project to
date.
The Proposed Action
Reclamation proposes to complete
construction of the NAWS Project,
including construction of a biota water
treatment plant, to treat the source water
from Lake Sakakawea before it is
transported into the Hudson Bay
drainage. As part of this proposed
action, Reclamation would implement
construction methods and operational
measures to further reduce the risk of
invasive species transfer that may occur
as a result of an interruption in the
treatment process and breach in the
buried pipeline to the Minot water
treatment plant.
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with NOTICES
Scope of the Proposed Action
The geographic scope of the
Supplemental EIS will include areas
and resources within the Missouri River
Basin and Hudson Bay Basin that may
be affected by water diversion and
delivery for NAWS project purposes.
This includes, but is not necessarily
limited to: (1) The sites of NAWS
Project features and facilities; (2) lands
and waters that receive NAWS Project
MR&I water supplies, including
downstream areas in the Hudson Bay
Basin; and (3) the Missouri River from
Lake Sakakawea to its confluence with
the Mississippi River.
The Supplemental EIS will review,
and update, if necessary, the prior
Environmental Assessment and
Environmental Impact Statement. This
Supplemental EIS will further evaluate
the consequences of transferring
potentially invasive species to the
Hudson Bay Basin and the cumulative
effects of water withdrawals from the
Missouri River. Additional issues or
concerns identified in the scoping
process will be considered by
Reclamation and evaluated in the
Supplemental EIS as appropriate.
Identification of known methods and
technologies that can be used to assess
potential consequences to resources will
be considered as well.
Summary
Reclamation is preparing a
Supplemental EIS to address the
relevant issues related to final
construction and operation of the
NAWS Project. We are seeking comment
from the public on the development of
reasonable alternatives to the proposed
action, information relative to new
water treatment processes that could be
considered, methods for evaluating the
risks and potential consequences which
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16:22 Aug 11, 2010
Jkt 220001
may be associated with the proposed
action, and concerns relative to the
environmental effects that should be
described in the supplement. We also
seek identification of any issues in prior
NEPA analyses for the NAWS Project to
date that should be updated, and the
identification of any other issues that
should be addressed by the
Supplemental EIS.
Public Disclosure Statement
Before including your name, address,
telephone number, e-mail address, or
other personal identifying information
in your comment, you should be aware
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.
John F. Soucy,
Assistant Regional Director, Great Plains
Region, Bureau of Reclamation.
[FR Doc. 2010–19903 Filed 8–11–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–MN–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Urban Park and Recreation Recovery
Program Project Performance Reports,
Conversion of Use Provisions, and
Grant Agreements and Amendments
National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:
In compliance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we
(National Park Service, NPS) have sent
three interrelated Information Collection
Requests (ICRs) to OMB for renewal
(OMB Control Numbers 1024–0028,
1024–0048, and 1024–0089). We
summarize each ICR below and describe
the nature of the collection and the
estimated burden. These ICRs are
scheduled to expire on August 31, 2010.
We may not conduct or sponsor and a
person is not required to respond to a
collection of information unless it
displays a currently valid OMB control
number. However, under OMB
regulations, we may continue to
conduct or sponsor this information
collection while it is pending at OMB.
DATES: Submit comments on any or all
of these ICRs on or before September 13,
2010.
ADDRESSES: Send your comments and
suggestions on these ICRs to the Desk
Officer for the Department of the
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00068
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Interior at OMB–OIRA at (202) 395–
5806 (fax) or
OIRA_DOCKET@OMB.eop.gov (e-mail).
Please provide a copy of your comments
to Cartina Miller, Information Collection
Clearance Officer, National Park
Service, at 202–371–2049 (fax) or
Cartina_Miller@nps.gov (e-mail). Please
specify the appropriate OMB control
number(s) in the subject line of your
comment.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Laurie Heupel, Outdoor Recreation
Planner, State and Local Assistance
Programs, National Park Service, 1849 C
Street NW., Mail Stop 2225,
Washington, DC 20240 (mail) or phone:
202–354–6914. You are entitled to a
copy of the ICR packages free of charge.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Congress
passed the Urban Park and Recreation
Recovery (UPARR) Act (16 U.S.C. 2501
et seq.) as Title X of the National Parks
and Recreation Act of 1978. The UPARR
Act authorized the Secretary of the
Interior to establish a grant program to
help physically and economically
distressed urban areas improve
recreation opportunities for their
residents. We administer the UPARR
program in accordance with regulations
at 36 CFR 72. While the program has
remained authorized, it has not been
funded since Fiscal Year 2002. It may
receive funding in the future, and we
are seeking renewal of the following
information collections associated with
the UPARR program:
1. Performance Reports
Title: Urban Park and Recovery
Project Performance Report, 36 CFR 72.
OMB Control Number: 1024–0028.
Type of Request: Extension of a
currently approved collection of
information.
Brief Description of Collection: Project
Performance Reports include the
scheduled completion date, percent
completed to date, and percent to be
completed at the end of next report
period. We also ask for the percent of
costs expended to date and the percent
of costs to be expended by the end of
the next reporting period. Reasons for
delays or cost adjustments are described
in the report. We use the information:
(1) To monitor against possible waste,
fraud, and abuse; (2) for billing and
audit purposes; and (3) to prepare
reports to Congress as necessary.
Affected Public: Local governments.
Obligation to Respond: Required to
obtain or retain a benefit.
Frequency of Response: Annually for
active grants.
Estimated Total Annual Responses: 1.
Estimated Completion Time per
Response: 1 hour.
E:\FR\FM\12AUN1.SGM
12AUN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 155 (Thursday, August 12, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48986-48988]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-19903]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
Northwest Area Water Supply Project, North Dakota
AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a supplemental environmental impact
statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) is commencing work
under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) on a
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Northwest
Area Water Supply Project (NAWS Project), a Federal reclamation
project, located in North Dakota. A Final EIS and Record of Decision
(ROD) for the NAWS Project were previously completed in December 2008
and January 2009, respectively. The Final EIS and ROD were challenged
in U.S. District Court. A subsequent court order found the Final EIS to
be insufficient in two areas. Therefore a supplement is being prepared
to address those areas in more detail and any others that interested
parties or the public may identify warranting additional analysis, as
well as to re-examine and update, to the extent necessary, prior NEPA
analysis that has been completed in connection with the NAWS Project to
date. This notice is being published to inform the public about the
preparation of the Supplemental EIS and to initiate a formal scoping
period for obtaining public comment. The scoping period for the
supplement will conclude 60 days following publication of this notice.
Public meetings are scheduled as part of the scoping process.
Reclamation invites all interested parties to submit written
comments or suggestions during the scoping period related to
significant issues, environmental impacts, and reasonable alternatives
to the proposed action. Reclamation will provide a separate project
information document that describes the Supplemental EIS actions and
how the public can become involved and participate. The project
information document will provide details relative to the Supplemental
EIS and is intended to assist the public in providing comments during
the scoping period.
DATES: Public scoping meetings will be held during September 2010. See
the Supplemental Information section for dates and locations of these
meetings. Individuals who want to receive the additional project
information document should contact Reclamation within 15 days
following publication of this notice. Written or e-mailed comments on
the scope of issues and alternatives should be received by October 12,
2010. Comments received
[[Page 48987]]
after that date will be considered to the extent practical.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: Bureau of
Reclamation, Dakotas Area Office, Attention: Alicia Waters, P.O. Box
1017, Bismarck, ND 58502.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alicia Waters, Northwest Area Water
Supply Project EIS, Bureau of Reclamation, Dakotas Area Office, P.O.
Box 1017, Bismarck, ND 58502; Telephone: (701) 221-1206; or facsimile
(701) 250-4326. You may submit e-mail to NAWS_EIS@usbr.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Dates of Public Scoping Meetings
September 13, 2010, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Bottineau, ND
September 14, 2010, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Minot, ND
September 15, 2010, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., New Town, ND
September 16, 2010, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Bismarck, ND
Locations of Public Scoping Meetings
MSU-Bottineau, Nelson Science Center Room 125, 105 Simrall
Boulevard, Bottineau, ND
Sleep Inn--Inn and Suites, North Convention Center, 2400
10th Street NW., Minot, ND
4 Bears Casino, Mandan Room, 202 Frontage Room, New Town,
ND
Best Western Doublewood Inn, Congress Room, 1400
Interchange Avenue, Bismarck, ND
The meeting facilities are physically accessible to people with
disabilities. People needing special assistance to attend and/or
participate in the public meetings should contact Patience Hurley at
701-221-1204 as soon as possible. To allow sufficient time to process
special requests, please call no later than one week before the public
meeting of interest.
Background
The Garrison Diversion Unit's Municipal, Rural and Industrial Water
Supply (MR&I) program was authorized by the U.S. Congress on May 12,
1986, through the Garrison Diversion Unit Reformulation Act of 1986.
This act authorized the appropriation of $200 million of Federal funds
for the planning and construction of water supply facilities throughout
North Dakota. The NAWS Project is being constructed under this
authorization.
The NAWS Project is designed as a bulk water distribution system
that will service local communities and rural water systems in 10
counties in northwestern North Dakota including the community of Minot.
The NAWS Project would convey water from Lake Sakakawea, in the
Missouri River Basin in North Dakota, through a buried pipeline to
Minot, surrounding communities and rural water systems in the Hudson
Bay Basin. The Project would include a treatment plant in the Missouri
River Basin to disinfect the water prior to it being delivered through
the pipeline into the Hudson Bay Basin. An Environmental Assessment
(EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) were completed for
the Project in 2001.
Construction on the project began in April 2002. In October 2002,
the Province of Manitoba, Canada, filed a legal challenge in U.S.
District Court in Washington, DC to compel the Department of the
Interior to complete an EIS on the project. A court order dated
February 3, 2005, remanded the case to Reclamation for completion of
additional environmental analysis, but allowed construction to proceed
on project features that would not preclude a future decision on water
treatment to reduce the risk of transferring invasive species.
Project construction has continued as allowed by the court. Between
2002 and 2010, the entire 45 miles of main transmission pipeline for
NAWS, from Lake Sakakawea to Minot, was completed along with several
segments of the distribution system. The City of Minot is temporarily
serving water to several communities and rural water systems with water
from the city's ground water wells. This interim water supply is
provided by the city through temporary water service contracts which
expire in 2018 or sooner depending on the reliability of the water
source.
Recently completed features of the NAWS Project include a high
service pump station and 2 million gallon storage reservoir in Minot.
Most of the other segments of the distribution system are being
designed or constructed. The court also allowed the State of North
Dakota to initiate design work on upgrades to the existing Minot water
treatment plant which are necessary for the city to continue delivering
the interim water supply to adjacent communities.
In March 2006, Reclamation initiated an EIS focused on different
water treatment methods for the water from Lake Sakakawea. The analysis
focused on environmental impacts that could occur due to pipeline leaks
and failure of the water treatment systems. The Draft EIS was published
on December 21, 2007 and the Final EIS on December 5, 2008 (documents
available electronically at https://www.usbr.gov/gp/dkao/). Reclamation
signed a Record of Decision (ROD) on January 15, 2009, selecting an
alternative using chlorination and ultraviolet radiation to disinfect
the water before it is delivered into the Hudson Bay Basin. Final
treatment to drinking water standards would occur at the existing water
treatment plant in Minot.
In February 2009, the Department of Justice notified the court that
Reclamation had completed the Final EIS and ROD. Shortly thereafter,
the Province of Manitoba filed a supplemental complaint contending the
Final EIS was insufficient. Additionally, the State of Missouri filed a
complaint against the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers in the same District Court in Washington, DC. The
State of Missouri alleged that Reclamation's Final EIS was insufficient
and that the Corps of Engineers failed to complete a separate National
Environmental Policy Act assessment for the NAWS Project. The court
combined the Missouri suit with the Manitoba suit. On March 5, 2010,
the court issued an order in favor of the Province of Manitoba and the
State of Missouri. The case was remanded to Reclamation and the
injunction imposed by the April 15, 2005, order remains in effect.
The Court found the EIS inadequately examined: (1) Cumulative
impacts of water withdrawals on Lake Sakakawea and the Missouri River,
and (2) consequences of transferring potentially invasive species into
the Hudson Bay Basin.
Purpose of the Proposed Action
The purpose of the proposed action is to provide a reliable source
of high quality treated water to northwestern North Dakota for MR&I
uses.
Need for the Proposed Action
The NAWS Project is needed: (1) To provide high quality treated
water because northwestern North Dakota has experienced water supply
problems for many years, (2) to replace poor quality groundwater
sources presently used for MR&I purposes, and (3) because the surface
water supplies within the service area are insufficient from both a
quality and quantity standpoint. This Supplemental EIS is needed to
comply with the Court order of March 5, 2010, and fully satisfy NEPA.
Reclamation will conduct additional analyses to address the Court's
order regarding the consequences of transferring potentially invasive
species into the Hudson Bay Basin and the cumulative impacts of water
withdrawals on Lake Sakakawea and the Missouri River, in addition to
[[Page 48988]]
re-examining and updating all prior NEPA analysis that has been
completed in connection with the NAWS Project to date.
The Proposed Action
Reclamation proposes to complete construction of the NAWS Project,
including construction of a biota water treatment plant, to treat the
source water from Lake Sakakawea before it is transported into the
Hudson Bay drainage. As part of this proposed action, Reclamation would
implement construction methods and operational measures to further
reduce the risk of invasive species transfer that may occur as a result
of an interruption in the treatment process and breach in the buried
pipeline to the Minot water treatment plant.
Scope of the Proposed Action
The geographic scope of the Supplemental EIS will include areas and
resources within the Missouri River Basin and Hudson Bay Basin that may
be affected by water diversion and delivery for NAWS project purposes.
This includes, but is not necessarily limited to: (1) The sites of NAWS
Project features and facilities; (2) lands and waters that receive NAWS
Project MR&I water supplies, including downstream areas in the Hudson
Bay Basin; and (3) the Missouri River from Lake Sakakawea to its
confluence with the Mississippi River.
The Supplemental EIS will review, and update, if necessary, the
prior Environmental Assessment and Environmental Impact Statement. This
Supplemental EIS will further evaluate the consequences of transferring
potentially invasive species to the Hudson Bay Basin and the cumulative
effects of water withdrawals from the Missouri River. Additional issues
or concerns identified in the scoping process will be considered by
Reclamation and evaluated in the Supplemental EIS as appropriate.
Identification of known methods and technologies that can be used to
assess potential consequences to resources will be considered as well.
Summary
Reclamation is preparing a Supplemental EIS to address the relevant
issues related to final construction and operation of the NAWS Project.
We are seeking comment from the public on the development of reasonable
alternatives to the proposed action, information relative to new water
treatment processes that could be considered, methods for evaluating
the risks and potential consequences which may be associated with the
proposed action, and concerns relative to the environmental effects
that should be described in the supplement. We also seek identification
of any issues in prior NEPA analyses for the NAWS Project to date that
should be updated, and the identification of any other issues that
should be addressed by the Supplemental EIS.
Public Disclosure Statement
Before including your name, address, telephone number, e-mail
address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you
should be aware 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.
John F. Soucy,
Assistant Regional Director, Great Plains Region, Bureau of
Reclamation.
[FR Doc. 2010-19903 Filed 8-11-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-P
