71128 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 230 / Wednesday, November 29, 2000 / Notices

historic Smelter Bridge per HAER Level

III Standard.

Based on the Draft Environmental

Assessment and the implementation of

the proposed historical mitigation, it has

been determined that the proposed

action will not have a significant

adverse effect on the environment, and

an environmental impact statement is

not warranted.

Dated: October 26, 2000.

William A. Wilcox, Jr.,

Attorney-Advisor (General).

[FR Doc. 00–30079 Filed 11–28–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7010–01–P

INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND

WATER COMMISSION

United States and Mexico

Notice of Availability of Final

Environmental Impact Statement for

the El Paso-Las Cruces Regional

Sustainable Water Project Sierra and

Don ̃a Ana Counties, New Mexico and

El Paso County, Texas

AGENCY: United States Section,

International Boundary and Water

Commission, United States and Mexico.

ACTION: Notice of availability of final

environmental impact statement.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(c)

of the National Environmental Policy

Act of 1969, as amended, the United

States Section, International Boundary

and Water Commission (USIBWC) in

conjunction with the El Paso Water

Utilities/Public Service Board has

prepared a final environmental impact

statement (FEIS) on the El Paso-Las

Cruces Regional Sustainable Water

Project in Sierra and Don ̃a Ana counties,

New Mexico and El Paso County, Texas

as proposed by the New Mexico-Texas

Water Commission. The FEIS analyzes

the no action alternative and the

impacts of five action alternatives from

construction and operation of the

project. No final decision can be made

on this proposal during the 30 days

following the filing of this FEIS, in

accordance with the Council on

Environmental Quality regulations, 40

CFR 1506.10(b)(2).

ADDRESSES: The FEIS may be inspected

by appointment during normal business

hours at: El Paso Water Utilities, 1154

Hawkins Boulevard, El Paso, Texas; and

United States Section, International

Boundary and Water Commission, 4171

North Mesa Street, Suite C–315, El Paso,

Texas. Public libraries that have the

FEIS available for review are: Branigan

Memorial Library, 200 East Picacho

Avenue, Las Cruces, New Mexico; El

Paso Public Library, 501 North Oregon

Street, El Paso, Texas; New Mexico State

University Library, Las Cruces, New

Mexico; and University Library, The

University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso,

Texas.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Douglas Echlin, Environmental

Protection Specialist, Environmental

Management Division, USIBWC, 4171

North Mesa Street, C–310, El Paso,

Texas 79902 or call 915/832–4741. Email: dougechlin@ibwc.state.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The New

Mexico-Texas Water Commission,

established in 1991 to help meet the

water resource challenges of the region,

proposed the El Paso-Las Cruces

Regional Sustainable Water Project to

secure future drinking water supplies

from surface sources for the El Paso-Las

Cruces region. The project includes the

acquisition, conveyance, treatment, and

distribution of a drinking water supply,

and upgrading or constructing facilities

for water conveyance, treatment,

distribution, and aquifer storage and

recovery. These activities comprise the

following three project purposes to

provide a year-round drinking water

supply from the Rio Grande Project that

is of sufficient quantity and quality to

meet the anticipated municipal needs of

Hatch, Las Cruces, northern and

southern Don ̃a Ana County, New

Mexico and El Paso, Texas; to protect

and maintain the sustainability of the

Mesilla Bolson (ground water basin or

aquifer); and to extend the longevity of

the Hueco Bolson.

Project alternatives presented in this

FEIS were designed to achieve these

three project purposes. In addition, the

project will strive to provide high

quality water needed to achieve

successful treatment and to meet federal

drinking water standards; to deliver

water efficiently and promote water

conservation; and provide overall

benefits to the riverine ecosystem,

particularly aquatic and riparian

habitats.

The project recognizes and accepts

existing institutional and social

constraints, including continuing to

meet treaty, compact, and contract

requirements for delivery of Rio Grande

Project waters. The project would not

adversely affect the quantity and quality

of water deliveries to agricultural users;

impose new responsibilities on state or

federal governments; or preclude other

opportunities to enhance the Rio Grande

ecosystem. The need for this project is

based on the region’s future drinking

water supply requirements. The project

is necessary to avoid both potentially

permanent impacts on the Mesilla and

Hueco Bolsons and critical drinking

water shortages in the El Paso-Las

Cruces region. Population growth rates

have increased sharply, increasing the

demand for drinking water. It is

projected that the Texas portion of the

Hueco Bolson will be exhausted of all

fresh water by the year 2025 because

water is being pumped from the aquifer

faster than it can be naturally

replenished. If additional surface waters

are not made available to supplement

the drinking water supply, water

shortages in the region will likely lead

to severe health and sanitation

problems.

Copies of the FEIS have been sent to

agencies, organizations and individuals

who participated in the scoping process

and to those who have requested copies

of the FEIS. A limited number of the

FEIS may be obtained upon request

from the contact person identified

above. A Record of Decision will be

prepared on this proposal after a

minimum of 30 days following the filing

of the FEIS. Any comments on the Final

EIS must be received no later than 30

days after the date of publication of the

notice of availability by the

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

in the Federal Register. No action will

be taken on the proposed action before

30 days following publication of the

notice of availability of the EIS by EPA.

Dated: November 17, 2000.

William A. Wilcox, Jr.,

Legal Advisor.

[FR Doc. 00–30224 Filed 11–28–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4710–03–U

NUCLEAR REGULATORY

COMMISSION

Reactor Oversight Process Initial

Implementation Evaluation Panel;

Meeting Notice

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory

Committee Act of October 6, 1972 (Pub.

L. 94–463, Stat. 770–776) the U.S.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC),

on October 2, 2000, announced the

establishment of the Reactor Oversight

Process Initial Implementation

Evaluation Panel (IIEP). The IIEP

functions as a cross-disciplinary

oversight group to independently

monitor and evaluate the results of the

first year of implementation of the

Reactor Oversight Process (ROP). A

Charter governing the IIEP functions as

a Federal Advisory Committee was filed

with Congress on October 17, 2000, after

consultation with the Committee

Management Secretariat, General

Services Administration. The IIEP will