69352 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 219 / Tuesday, November 15, 2005 / Notices 

marine minerals development. 

Currently, the work is conducted 

through award of competitive contracts 

and interagency and cooperative 

agreements. The OCS SC reviews the 

relevance of the information being 

produced by the ESP and may 

recommend changes in its scope, 

direction, and emphasis. 

The OCS SC comprises distinguished 

scientists in appropriate disciplines of 

the biological, physical, chemical, and 

socioeconomic sciences. Vacancies 

which need to be filled exist in the 

social and biological science 

disciplines. The selection is based on 

maintaining disciplinary expertise in all 

areas of research, as well as geographic 

balance. Demonstrated knowledge of the 

scientific issues related to OCS oil and 

gas development is essential. Selection 

is made by the Department of the 

Interior on the basis of these factors; 

appointments to the Committee are 

made by the Secretary of the Interior. 

Ethics Responsibilities of Members 

No Council or subcommittee member 

shall participate in any matter 

specifically concerning a lease, license, 

permit, contract, claim, agreement or 

related litigation in which the member 

has a direct interest. 

Under applicable ethic laws, 

appointments carry with it the status of 

‘‘special government employee.’’ This 

means that Committee members will be 

subject to many of the same standards 

of conduct that apply to Federal 

employees in general, including the 

avoidance of conflict of interest and the 

filing of confidential financial 

disclosure forms. 

Interested individuals should send a 

letter of interest and resume within 30 

days to: Ms. Phyllis Clark, Offshore 

Minerals Management, Minerals 

Management Service, 381 Elden Street, 

Mail Stop 4041, Herndon, Virginia 

20170. She may be reached by 

telephone at (703) 787–1716. 

Authority: Federal Advisory Committee 

Act, Pub. L. 92–463, 5 U.S.C., Appendix I, 

and the Office of Management and Budget’s 

Circular A–63, Revised. 

Dated: October 17, 2005. 

Thomas A. Readinger, 

Associate Director for Offshore Minerals 

Management. 

[FR Doc. 05–22631 Filed 11–14–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Reclamation 

[FES–05–27] 

Flaming Gorge Dam, Colorado River 

Storage Project, UT 

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability of the 

operation of Flaming Gorge Dam final 

environmental impact statement. 

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation 

(Reclamation), the federal agency 

responsible for operation of Flaming 

Gorge Dam, in cooperation with the 

Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of 

Land Management, National Park 

Service, State of Utah Department of 

Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, U.S.D.A. Forest 

Service, Utah Associated Municipal 

Power Systems, and Western Area 

Power Administration, has prepared 

and made available to the public a final 

environmental impact statement (EIS) 

pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969 (NEPA), as amended, 42 United 

States Code (U.S.C.) 4332. 

ADDRESSES: Copies of the EIS are 

available from Mr. Peter Crookston, 

Flaming Gorge EIS Manager, PRO–774, 

Bureau of Reclamation, Provo Area 

Office, 302 East 1860 South, Provo, Utah 

84606–7317; telephone (801) 379–1152; 

faxogram (801) 379–1159; e-mail: 

fgeis@uc.usbr.gov. The EIS is also 

available on Reclamation’s Web site at 

http://www.usbr.gov/uc/ (click on 

Environmental Documents and then 

click on Operation of Flaming Gorge 

Dam Environmental Impact Statement). 

Copies of the EIS are available for 

public review and inspection at the 

following locations: 

• Bureau of Reclamation, Upper 

Colorado Regional Office, 125 South 

State Street, Room 6107, Salt Lake City, 

Utah 84138–1102 

• Bureau of Reclamation, Provo Area 

Office, 302 East 1860 South, Provo, Utah 

84606–7317 

• Colorado Department of Natural 

Resources, Attention: Russell George, 

Executive Director, 1313 Sherman 

Street, Room 718, Denver, Colorado 

80203 

• Colorado Department of Local 

Affairs, Attention: Eric Bergman, 1313 

Sherman Street, Room 521, Denver, 

Colorado 80203 

• Utah State Clearinghouse, 

Attention: Carolyn Wright, Department 

of Natural Resources, 1594 West North 

Temple, Suite 3710, Salt Lake City, Utah 

84114 

• Wyoming Department of 

Environmental Quality, 122 West 25th 

Street, Herschler Building 4th Floor—

West, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82002 

Libraries 

• Salt Lake City Public Library, 210 

East 400 South, Salt Lake City, Utah 

84111 

• Rock Springs Library, 400 C Street, 

Rock Springs, Wyoming 82901 

• Sweetwater County Library, 300 

North 1st East Street, Green River, 

Wyoming 82935 

• Daggett County Library, 85 North 

1st Street West, Manila, Utah 84046 

• Ute Indian Tribe Library, P.O. Box 

190, Fort Duchesne, Utah 84026 

• Green River City Library, 85 South 

Long, Green River, Utah 84525 

• Mesa County Public Library, 530 

Grand Avenue, Grand Junction, 

Colorado 81501 

• Uintah County Library, 155 East 

Main Street, Vernal, Utah 84078 

• Duchesne County Library, 70 West 

Lagoon Street, Roosevelt, Utah 84066 

• Grand County Library, 25 South 100 

East, Moab, Utah 84532 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Peter Crookston, Flaming Gorge EIS 

Manager, PRO–774, Bureau of 

Reclamation, Provo Area Office, 302 

East 1860 South, Provo, Utah 84606–

7317; telephone (801) 379–1152; 

faxogram (801) 379–1159; e-mail: 

fgeis@uc.usbr.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Operation of Flaming Gorge Dam Final 

Environmental Impact Statement 

describes the potential effects of 

modifying the operation of Flaming 

Gorge Dam to assist in the recovery of 

four endangered fish, and their critical 

habitat, downstream from the dam. The 

purpose of the proposed action is to 

operate Flaming Gorge Dam to protect 

and assist in recovery of the populations 

and designated critical habitat of four 

endangered fishes, while maintaining 

all authorized purposes of the Flaming 

Gorge Unit of the Colorado River 

Storage Project (CRSP), particularly 

those related to the development of 

water resources in accordance with the 

Colorado River Compact. 

The EIS describes and analyzes the 

potential effects of two alternatives. 

Under the No Action Alternative, 

operations under the conditions 

imposed by the 1992 Biological Opinion 

would continue. Under the Action 

Alternative, operations would be in 

accordance with the flow and 

temperature regimes described in the 

Flow and Temperature 

Recommendations for Endangered Fish 

in the Green River Downstream of 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 219 / Tuesday, November 15, 2005 / Notices 69353 

Flaming Gorge Dam (2000 Flow and 

Temperature Recommendations) 

published in September 2000 by the 

Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish 

Recovery Program (Recovery Program). 

Background 

Flaming Gorge Dam, located on the 

Green River in northeastern Utah about 

200 miles east of Salt Lake City, is an 

authorized storage unit of the Colorado 

River Storage Project. Flaming Gorge 

Dam was completed in 1962 and full 

operation of the dam and reservoir 

began in 1967. The powerplant, located 

at the base of the dam, began 

commercial operation in 1963 and was 

completed in 1964. Reclamation 

operates the dam and powerplant and 

the Western Area Power Administration 

markets the power. 

Reclamation proposes to take action 

to protect and assist in recovery of the 

populations and designated critical 

habitat of the four endangered fishes 

found in the Green and Colorado River 

Basins, while maintaining all authorized 

purposes of the Flaming Gorge Unit of 

the CRSP. The four endangered fish 

species are the Colorado pikeminnow 

(Ptychocheilus lucius), humpback chub 

(Gila cypha), razorback sucker 

(Xyrauchen texanus), and bonytail (Gila 

elegans). Reclamation would implement 

the proposed action by modifying the 

operation of Flaming Gorge Dam, to the 

extent possible, to achieve the flows and 

temperatures recommended by 

participants of the Recovery Program. 

Reclamation’s goal is to implement the 

proposed action and, at the same time, 

maintain and continue all authorized 

purposes of the CRSP. 

The recommended flows and 

temperatures are intended to provide 

water releases of sufficient magnitude 

and, with the proper timing and 

duration, to assist in the recovery of the 

endangered fishes and their designated 

critical habitat. 

Purpose and Need for Action 

The purpose of the proposed action is 

to operate Flaming Gorge Dam to protect 

and assist in recovery of the populations 

and designated critical habitat of the 

four endangered fishes, while 

maintaining all authorized purposes of 

the Flaming Gorge Unit of the CRSP, 

particularly those related to the 

development of water resources in 

accordance with the Colorado River 

Compact. The proposed action is 

needed for the following reasons: 

• The operation of Flaming Gorge 

Dam, under its original operating 

criteria, jeopardized the continued 

existence of the endangered fishes in the 

Green River. 

• Reclamation is required to comply 

with the Endangered Species Act (ESA) 

for the operation of CRSP facilities, 

including Flaming Gorge Dam. Within 

the exercise of its discretionary 

authority, Reclamation must avoid 

jeopardizing the continued existence of 

listed species and destroying or 

adversely modifying designated critical 

habitat. 

• The Reasonable and Prudent 

Alternative (RPA) to the 1992 Biological 

Opinion on the Operation of Flaming 

Gorge Dam required modification of 

Flaming Gorge releases to benefit the 

endangered fish, a five-year study 

period to evaluate winter and spring 

flows, and reinitiation of discussions 

with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

following the study period to further 

refine the flow recommendations. With 

the results of these studies, as well as 

other relevant information, the Recovery 

Program developed and approved the 

2000 Flow and Temperature 

Recommendations report for the Green 

River. These recommendations are an 

extension of the 1992 jeopardy 

Biological Opinion RPA. Reclamation 

committed to assist in meeting flow 

requirements through the refined 

operation of Flaming Gorge Dam and 

other federal reservoirs in the 1987 

agreement that formed the Recovery 

Program. 

• Flaming Gorge Dam and Reservoir 

is the primary water storage and 

delivery facility on the Green River 

upstream from its confluence with the 

Colorado River. The storage capacity 

and ability to control water releases of 

Flaming Gorge Dam allow Reclamation 

flexibility in providing flow and 

temperature management to protect and 

assist in the recovery of endangered fish 

populations and their critical habitat 

within specific reaches of the river. 

Thus, the refined operation of Flaming 

Gorge Dam is a key element of the 

Recovery Program. 

• The refined operation will offset the 

adverse effects of flow depletions from 

the Green River for certain Reclamation 

water projects in Utah, as defined by 

existing jeopardy Biological Opinions. 

Modifying the operation of Flaming 

Gorge Dam will also serve as the RPA, 

as defined by the ESA, to offset jeopardy 

to endangered fishes and their critical 

habitat that could result from the 

operation of numerous other existing or 

proposed water development projects in 

the Upper Colorado River Basin. 

Proposed Federal Action 

Reclamation proposes to take action 

to protect and assist in recovery of the 

populations and designated critical 

habitat of the four endangered fishes 

found in the Green and Colorado River 

Basins. Reclamation would implement 

the proposed action by modifying the 

operations of Flaming Gorge Dam, to the 

extent possible, to achieve the flows and 

temperatures recommended by 

participants of the Recovery Program. 

Reclamation’s goal is to implement the 

proposed action and, at the same time, 

maintain and continue all authorized 

purposes of the CRSP. 

The draft environmental impact 

statement was issued to the public in 

early September 2004 and a Notice of 

Availability of the draft EIS was 

published in the Federal Register on 

September 10, 2004. The 60-day review 

and comment period for the draft EIS 

ended on November 15, 2004. During 

the public comment period, five public 

hearings were held and over 600 public 

comments were received. All written 

and oral comments received were 

carefully reviewed and considered in 

preparing the final environmental 

impact statement. Where appropriate, 

revisions were made to the document in 

response to specific comments. The 

comments and responses, together with 

the final environmental impact 

statement, will be considered in 

determining whether or not to 

implement the proposed action. 

No decision will be made on the 

proposed federal action until at least 30 

days after release of the EIS. After the 

30-day waiting period, Reclamation will 

complete a Record of Decision. The 

Record of Decision will state which 

alternative analyzed in the EIS will be 

implemented and discuss all factors 

leading to that decision. 

Dated: October 7, 2005. 

Rick L. Gold, 

Regional Director—UC Region, Bureau of 

Reclamation. 

[FR Doc. 05–22436 Filed 11–14–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–MN–P 

INTERNATIONAL TRADE 

COMMISSION 

Agency Form Submitted for OMB 

Review 

AGENCY: United States International 

Trade Commission. 

ACTION: In accordance with the 

provisions of the Paperwork Reduction 

Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the 

Commission has submitted an 

emergency request for approval of 

questionnaires to the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) for 

review. The Commission has requested 

OMB approval by November 14, 2005.