[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 117 (Friday, June 16, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37831-37832]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-15237]


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UTAH RECLAMATION MITIGATION AND CONSERVATION COMMISSION


Notice of Availability of the Finding of No Significant Impact on 
the Proposed Action Modifications for the Diamond Fork System, Central 
Utah Project

AGENCY: The Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Finding of No Significant Impact 
(FONSI).

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SUMMARY: On June 15, 2000, Michael C. Weland, Executive Director of the 
Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission (Mitigation 
Commission) signed the Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), which 
documents selection of proposed action modifications presented in the 
Diamond Fork System Proposed Action Modifications Final Environmental 
Assessment (Final EA). The Final EA is tiered to the 1999 Final 
Supplement to the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Diamond 
Fork System (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 Department of 
the Interior were joint lead agencies in preparing the Final EA. The 
proposed action modifications are described and evaluated in the Final 
EA upon which the FONSI is based. The proposed action modifications are 
based on a value-engineering process initiated and completed on the 
1999 FS-FEIS Proposed Action. Proposed action modifications will reduce 
environmental impacts and project costs and will improve overall 
environmental benefits. The proposed action modifications meet the 
Mitigation Commission's and Department of the Interior's needs to 
mitigate for the Bonneville Unit of the Central Utah Project and other 
federal reclamation projects, and to transport, on average,

[[Page 37832]]

147,600 acre-feet of water annually from the Colorado River drainage to 
the Utah Lake drainage.
    The Department of the Interior, Central Utah Project Completion Act 
Program Director issued a separate FONSI for the Diamond Fork System 
Proposed Action Modifications. The Program Director's separate decision 
is necessitated by the Department of the Interior's responsibility and 
authority over project aspects beyond the Mitigation Commission's scope 
to mitigate for reclamation projects.
    The proposed action modifications will accomplish these measures by 
constructing and operating a tunnel and pipeline (existing) system, and 
other existing facilities that convey Central Utah Project (CUP) and 
Strawberry Valley Project (SVP) transmountain diversions. These 
facilities will remove from natural stream courses environmentally 
damaging high flows 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 allows for the restoration of a 
more natural ecosystem, improvement of fish and wildlife habitat and 
populations, and increases in recreational uses.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Holden, Projects Manager, (801) 
524-3146, 102 West 500 South, Suite 315, Salt Lake City, UT 84101.

    Dated: June 6, 2000.
Michael C. Weland,
Executive Director.
[FR Doc. 00-15237 Filed 6-15-00; 8:45 am]
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