68 FR 400
UTAH RECLAMATION MITIGATION AND CONSERVATION COMMISSION
ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Assessment for the
Rehabilitation or Replacement of Diversion Dams on the Duchesne and Strawberry
Rivers in Utah.
The Central Utah Project Completion Act (Pub. L. 102-575) authorized
federal funds to rehabilitate diversion dams on the Duchesne and Strawberry
Rivers in Utah. The project is needed to reduce adverse affects on fish and
wildlife resources.
The Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA) was prepared as a Programmatic
document. It discusses potential environmental impacts associated with
reconstructing and operating an unspecified diversion dam on the Duchesne or
Strawberry River. The new diversion dam could serve single or multiple diversion
rights. Potential environmental impacts addressed in the document are those
impacts that would be expected regardless of which diversion dam is
rehabilitated. Potential impacts to wetlands, threatened and endangered species,
and cultural resources are generally site specific and/or require special
permits. Potential impacts to these environmental disciplines would be addressed
in a Supplemental Environmental Assessment, if needed.
The DEA provides the public and decision makers information to understand and
evaluate potential environmental consequences. The DEA was developed with the
public in accordance with the Commissions National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) Rule (43 CFR part 10010.20).
The DEA is related to other potential future actions, specifically the
detailed design and implementation of diversion dam replacements or
rehabilitation. The programmatic perspective has been considered in the
document. Future construction projects may require separate or
supplemental NEPA compliance.