Reclamation Bureau August 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, announces its intent to prepare an EIS pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, on the rehabilitation of San Carlos Irrigation Project (SCIP) water delivery facilities near the communities of Casa Grande, Coolidge, and Florence in Pinal County, Arizona. SCIP canals convey irrigation water from the Gila River and Central Arizona Project (CAP) to agricultural lands in the San Carlos Irrigation and Drainage District (SCIDD) and Gila River Indian Community.

Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) is notifying the public that it has prepared a FEIS on the proposed Minidoka Dam Spillway Replacement. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Department of Interior) and Rural Development (Department of Agriculture) are cooperating agencies under NEPA. Alternatives considered in the FEIS are the No Action, as required under NEPA; total replacement of the spillway and headgate structures; and replacement of just the spillway. Total replacement of the spillway and headgate structures is the preferred alternative. Proposed changes in operations following construction are also evaluated, as is designation of special use areas. Reclamation published a Draft EIS in the Federal Register on December 11, 2009 (74 FR 65783) with a public comment period ending on February 5, 2010. The Final EIS includes written responses to all public comments on the Draft EIS. Revisions were made in the FEIS to incorporate responses to comments. In response to comments an adaptive management approach, which includes monitoring of effects resulting from changes in operations, has been added and proposed changes to operations will be made over a 4-year period. These revisions do not significantly change the analysis or results presented in the Draft EIS. However, if monitoring under the adaptive management approach shows different impacts than are documented in this FEIS, and changes to proposed operations (as discussed in this FEIS) are made as a result of monitoring, additional NEPA compliance will be conducted to document those changes and/or impacts.