[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 77 (Thursday, April 20, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21209-21210]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-9894]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


State of Nevada Assembly Bill 380, Newlands Project, NV

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental document 
(environmental assessment or environmental impact statement) and notice 
of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Reclamation 
(Reclamation)

[[Page 21210]]

proposes to prepare an environmental document. The environmental 
document is for the purpose of evaluating the effects of Reclamation 
providing approximately $7,000,000 of Federal funds over a period of 
years, along with monies from other entities, to partially support the 
Newlands Project Water Rights fund, a program for the acquisition and 
retirement of 6,500 acres of surface water rights in Reclamation's 
Newlands Project. This action is outlined in the State of Nevada 
Assembly Bill Number 380 (A.B. 380).
    At present it is not clear whether the scope of the action and 
anticipated project impacts will require preparation of an 
environmental impact statement (EIS) instead of an environmental 
assessment (EA). However, to ensure the timely and appropriate level of 
NEPA compliance and to limit potential future delays to the project 
schedule, Reclamation is proceeding as if the project impacts can be 
adequately analyzed through preparation of an EA. Reclamation will 
reevaluate the need for an EIS after obtaining written and oral 
comments on the project scope, alternatives and environmental impacts, 
and after Reclamation's evaluation of potential impacts of the proposed 
project. Reclamation will publish a notice of change if a decision is 
made to prepare an EIS rather than an EA. However, the scoping process 
to be conducted will suffice for either course of action.
    There are no known environmental justice issues associated with the 
proposed action. The water acquisition program supported by Reclamation 
funds will avoid, where possible, any adverse impacts to Indian Trust 
Assets. If adverse impacts cannot be avoided, appropriate mitigation or 
compensation will be provided.

DATES: Four scoping meetings will be held to solicit comments from 
interested parties to assist in determining the scope of the 
environmental analysis and to identify the significant issues related 
to this proposed action. The meeting dates are:
    <bullet> Monday, May 8, 2000, at 7:00 p.m., in Fallon, Nevada.
    <bullet> Tuesday, May 9, 2000, at 7:00 p.m., in Fernley, Nevada.
    <bullet> Wednesday, May 10, 2000, at 7:00 p.m., in Nixon, Nevada.
    <bullet> Thursday, May 11, 2000, at 7:00 p.m., in Carson City, 
Nevada.
    Written comments on the scope of the environmental documents should 
be submitted by May 25, 2000, to the address listed below.

ADDRESSES: The meeting locations are as follows:
    <bullet> Fallon--Fallon Convention Center, 100 Campus Way, Fallon, 
NV 89406; telephone: (775) 423-4556.
    <bullet> Fernley--Fernley Town Complex, 595 Silver Lace Blvd., 
Suite 117, Fernley, NV 89408; telephone: (775) 575-5455.
    <bullet> Nixon--Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Council Chambers, 208 
Capital Hill (Highway 447) Nixon, NV 89424; telephone: (775) 574-1000.
    <bullet> Carson City--Nevada State Library, 100 N Stewart Street, 
Conference Room A, Carson City, NV 89701; telephone: (775) 684-3313.
    Written comments on the scope of the environmental documents should 
be submitted to Caryn Huntt DeCarlo, Environmental Specialist, Bureau 
of Reclamation, Lahontan Basin Area Office, Attention: LO-450, P.O. Box 
640, Carson City, NV 89702.
    Our practice is to make comments, including names and home 
addresses of respondents, available for public review. Individual 
respondents may request that we withhold their home address from public 
disclosure, which we will honor to the extent allowable by law. There 
also may be circumstances in which we would withhold a respondent's's 
identity from public disclosure, as allowable by law. If you wish us to 
withhold your name and/or address, you must state this prominently at 
the beginning of your comment. We will make all submissions from 
organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying 
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or 
businesses, available for public disclosure in their entirety.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Caryn Huntt DeCarlo at telephone and 
TDD: (775) 882-3436, Lahontan Basin Area Office, Attention: LO-450, 
P.O. Box 640, Carson City, NV 89702.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the Newlands Project Water 
Rights Fund program is to provide a mechanism for meeting some of the 
goals outlined in A.B. 380 through acquisition and retirement of 6,500 
acres of surface water rights. The goals of A.B. 380 include resolving 
certain administrative and judicial proceedings involving challenges to 
Newlands Project and Truckee Meadows water rights. These proceedings 
are time consuming and costly for all parties involved, and the need 
for resolution is the purpose of A.B. 380 and the water rights 
acquisition and retirement program.

Special Services

    Persons requiring any special services should contact Caryn Huntt 
DeCarlo at (775) 882-3436. Please notify Ms. Huntt DeCarlo as far in 
advance of the particular meeting as possible, but no later than 3 
working days prior to the meeting to enable Reclamation to secure the 
services. If a request cannot be honored, the requester will be 
notified.

    Dated: April 14, 2000.
Frank Michny,
Regional Environmental Officer.
[FR Doc. 00-9894 Filed 4-19-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-P