[Federal Register: October 14, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 198)]
[Notices]               
[Page 55137]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14oc98-122]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

 
Office of the Assistant Secretary--Water and Science; Central 
Utah Project Completion Act; Notice of Intent To Prepare a Final 
Supplement to the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Diamond 
Fork System, Bonneville Unit, Central Utah Project

AGENCIES: Department of the Interior (Department), Utah Reclamation 
Mitigation and Conservation Commission (Mitigation Commission), and 
Central Utah Water Conservancy District (District) are the joint-lead 
agencies.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a Final Supplement to the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Diamond Fork System, 
Bonneville Unit, Central Utah Project.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, the Department, Mitigation 
Commission, and the District are preparing a Final Supplement to the 
Diamond Fork System Final EIS of the Bonneville Unit, Central Utah 
Project.
    In accordance with NEPA, the Spanish Fork Canyon--Nephi Irrigation 
System (SFN) Draft EIS, which also included a ``Diamond Fork Tunnel 
Alternative'' as part of the Diamond Fork System, was filed with the 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and released for public review on 
March 31, 1998. Twenty-six comment letters were received during the 
comment period, which ended June 15, 1998; and 58 oral comments were 
given during two public hearings. Because of significant issues raised 
in the comment letters from the Strawberry Water Users Association, the 
State of Utah, and EPA regarding the SFN System (i.e. the purpose and 
need for the SFN System and water quality issues in Utah Lake) planning 
on the SFN System was discontinued. The joint-lead agencies have 
decided to proceed with a final supplement to the Diamond Fork Final 
EIS based on the following facts: (1) the serious issues raised during 
the SFN NEPA process are directly tied to the SFN System and do not 
materially affect the Diamond Fork Tunnel Alternative; (2) the 
resolution of these issues appears to be of such a magnitude that a 
significant delay in proceeding with a combined NEPA compliance 
document (for SFN and Diamond Fork) would be expected; and (3) the 
Diamond Fork System is necessary and common to any plan for additional 
use of Bonneville Unit water stored in Strawberry Reservoir and 
utilized along the Wasatch Front. A Final Supplement to the Diamond 
Fork Final EIS will be prepared and is expected to be filed with EPA in 
early 1999.
    This action complies with the Department Manual (516 DM 4.5B) which 
states that ``a bureau and/or the appropriate program Assistant 
Secretary will consult with the Office of Environmental Project Review 
and the Office of the Solicitor prior to proposing to CEQ to prepare a 
final supplement without preparing an intervening draft.'' Meetings 
were held with Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance, Office of 
the Solicitor, and the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), which 
resulted in their approval of the preparation of the Final Supplement 
to the Diamond Fork System Final EIS.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Additional information on matters 
related to this Federal Register notice can be obtained at the address 
and telephone number set forth below: Mr. Reed R. Murray, Program 
Coordinator, CUP Completion Act Office, Department of the Interior, 302 
East 1860 South, Provo, UT 84606-6154, Telephone: (801) 379-1237, E-
Mail address: rmurray@uc.usbr.gov

    Dated: October 7, 1998.
Ronald Johnston,
CUP Program Director, Department of the Interior.
[FR Doc. 98-27483 Filed 10-13-98; 8:45 am]
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