[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 15 (Friday, January 23, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 3588]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-1600]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
Umatilla Basin Project, Umatilla, OR
AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.
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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) proposes to prepare an environmental impact statement
(EIS) on implementing Phase III of the Umatilla Basin Project. The
Phase III study will evaluate the potential for modifying and expanding
Reclamation's existing Umatilla Basin Project (Project) to provide
additional flows in the Umatilla River for anadromous fish. In
addition, the study will evaluate potential measures to improve
municipal and industrial water supplies in the study area.
Alternatives, including no action, will be evaluated in the EIS.
ADDRESSES:
Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Regional Office, 1150 N Curtis
Road, Suite 100, Boise, ID 83706-1234.
Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Columbia Area Office, P.O. Box 1749,
Yakima, WA 98907-1749.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
For information on the study, contact Robert Hamilton, Activity
Manager, at (208) 378-5087 or at the above regional office address. For
information regarding the NEPA process, contact John Tiedeman,
Environmental Specialist, at (509) 575-5848 ext. 238 or at the above
area office address.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Authorization for this study is contained in
the Feasibility Studies Act of 1966, Public Law 89-561. The study will
build upon prior activities authorized as part of the Project. These
activities meet some but not all of the fishery needs of the basin.
Recent data collected from monitoring of instream flows indicate that
the restoration of flows resulting from Project activities to date will
be less than originally estimated.
This study will evaluate the potential of providing water from the
Columbia River to the Westland Irrigation District in exchange for
water normally diverted from the Umatilla River. This would leave
additional flows for resident and anadromous fish species in the river
downstream of the Westland Irrigation District diversion. Restoration
of the fishery would be of major cultural and economic importance to
the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation for whom anadromous
fisheries are Indian Trust Assets. Other opportunities for instream
enhancement and opportunities for enhancement of municipal and
industrial water supplies will also be evaluated.
Reclamation plans to conduct public scoping meetings to identify
issues and concerns will be used in the development of alternatives.
The dates, times, and locations of public scoping meetings will be
noted in newspapers of general circulation in the Pendleton and
Hermiston, Oregon, areas and surrounding communities.
Dated: January 15, 1998.
John W. Keys, III,
Regional Director, Pacific Northwest Region.
[FR Doc. 98-1600 Filed 1-22-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-M
