[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 110 (Thursday, June 8, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30315-30316]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-13986]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
Tongue River Basin Project
AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability and notice of public hearings on draft
environmental impact statement INT-DES-95-26.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Polcy Act of 1969, as
amended, the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation
(Reclamation), in conjunction with the Northern Cheyenne Tribe (NCT)
and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation
(DNRC), has prepared a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) on
the proposed Tongue River Basin Project. The DEIS describes and
presents the environmental effects of three alternatives, including no
action, for a dam repair and enlargement project that would provide
additional water to the NCT in partial fulfillment of the Northern
Cheyenne Indian Reserved Water Rights Settlement Act of 1992 and
enhance fish and wildlife habitat in the Tongue River Basin. Public
hearings will be held to receive comments from interested organizations
and individuals on the environmental impacts of the proposal.
DATES: A public review period commences with the publication of this
notice and ends August 4, 1995. The public hearings are scheduled as
follows:
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Date Time City and state
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July 17, 1995................... 12:30 p.m.... Busby, MT.
July 17, 1995................... 5:30 p.m..... Lame Deer, MT.
July 18, 1995................... 12:30 p.m.... NCT Reservation.
July 18, 1995................... 5:30 p.m..... Ashland, MT.
July 19, 1995................... 12:30 p.m.... Birney Village, MT.
July 19, 1995................... 5:30 p.m..... Sheridan, WY
July 20, 1995................... 5:30 p.m..... Miles City, MT.
July 21, 1995................... 5:30 p.m..... Billings, MT.
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ADDRESSES: Addresses for public hearings are as follows:
Busby, MT, Busby School Auditorium.
Lame Deer, MT, Dull Knife Auditorium.
NCT Reservation, Muddy Community Center.
Ashland, MT, St. Labre Mission Auditorium.
Birney Village, MT, Catholic Church.
Sheridan, WY, Holiday Inn Conference Room.
Miles City, MT, Miles City Community College.
Billings, MT, Fireside Inn Conference Room.
Requests for copies of the DEIS should be addressed to:
Area Manager, Bureau of Reclamation, Attention: MT-422,
P.O. Box 30137, Billings, MT 59107-0137; telephone: (406) 247-2312.
Director, Northern Cheyenne Natural Resources Department,
P.O. Box 128, Lame Deer, MT 59043: telephone: (406) 477-6503.
Director, Montana Department of Natural Resources and
Conservation, 1520 East Sixth Avenue, Helena, MT 59620-2301: telephone:
(406) 444-6701.
Copies of the DEIS will be available for inspection at the above
addresses and libraries in the project vicinity.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Albers, Tongue River Basin
Project Coordinator, Montana Area Office; telephone (406) 247-7312.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Tongue River Basin Project, which
includes the repair and enlargement of the Tongue River Dam and the
partial fulfillment of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reserved Water
Rights Settlement Act of 1992 (Pub. L. 102-374, 106 Stat. 1186)
(Settlement Act), is being undertaken to alleviate dam safety concerns
and protect downstream lives and property, to protect all existing
water use contracts held in the Tongue River Reservoir, and to provide
up to an additional 20,000 acre-feet of water to the Northern Cheyenne
Tribe. An additional requirement of the project is to enhance fish and
wildlife habitat throughout the Tongue River Basin. All project goals
are components of the Settlement Act, which ratified the Water Rights
Compact entered into on June 11, 1991, by the Northern Cheyenne Tribe
and the State of Montana.
Three alternatives, including no action, are considered in the
draft statement. The two action alternatives are: (1) Labyrinth Weir
Spillway Design, and (2) Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) Spillway
Design. Both action [[Page 30316]] alternatives would rehabilitate the
inadequate Tongue River Dam spillway and raise its crest elevation 4
feet. The resultant increased in Tongue River Reservoir capacity would
provide additional water to the NCT and thus partially fulfill the
provisions of the Settlement Act. A fundamental component of both
action alternatives provides for the enhancement of fish and wildlife
habitat in the Tongue River Basin. In addition to the two action plans
and the No Action Plan, the DEIS also evaluates in less detail several
nonviable alternatives.
The principle environmental consequences that would result from the
two action plans include:
Hydrology. Increased reservoir capacity and contents
following construction; short-term reductions in downstream flows
during construction; increased upstream ice formation due to increased
reservoir contents; short-term reductions in downstream water quality
during construction; increased peak outflow from the spillway following
construction (Alternative 1 only).
Aquatics/Fisheries. Short-term drawdown and reduced
reservoir capacity during construction; increased reservoir capacity
and contents following construction; more stable downstream releases
following construction.
Vegetation. Inundation of approximately 400 acres of
vegetation due to increased reservoir capacity and contents following
construction; short-term disturbances and reduced productivity to
vegetation due to staging area activities, county road realignment, and
aggregate mining activities.
Biodiversity. Potential short-term reductions in
biodiversity during construction; increased biodiversity following
completion of fish and wildlife habitat enhancement component of
project.
Economic Environment. Increased employment due to project
construction; cost to public sector for project construction and
operation.
Transportation. Short-term impacts to local roads from
project construction; potential short-term impacts to streets in
Sheridan, WY during construction (only if the Sheridan rail load-out
facility is used to transport construction-related materials).
Recreation. Short-term reductions in Tongue River State
Park access during construction; short-term reductions in project area
recreational experience during construction; short-term increases in
exposure to navigational hazards in the reservoir due to construction-
related drawdowns; short-term limitations in access to boating
facilities due to construction-related drawdowns; short-term
limitations in access to boating facilities due to construction-related
drawdowns.
Appearance. Permanent alterations in dam and spillway
appearance following construction (Alternative 1 would differ in
appearance from the existing spillway due to its labyrinth (zigzag)
crest, and Alternative 2 would have a different dam embankment profile
as compared to the existing embankment due to the RCC secondary and
emergency spillways).
Project Cost. Alternative 1 is estimated to have a cost 50
percent greater than Alternative 2.
Hearing Process Information: Organizations and individuals wishing
to present statements at the hearings should contact the Bureau of
Reclamation, Great Plains Region, at the above address. Requests for
scheduled presentations will be accepted through 4 p.m. on June 30,
1995.
Oral comments at the hearings will be limited to 10 minutes. The
hearing officer may allow any speaker to provide additional oral
comments after all persons wishing to comment have been heard. Whenever
possible, speakers will be scheduled according to the time preference
mentioned in their letter or telephone requests. Speakers not present
when called will lose their privilege in the scheduled order and will
be recalled at the end of the scheduled speakers.
Written comments from those unable to attend or those wishing to
supplement their oral presentations at the hearing should be received
by Reclamation's Montana Area Office at the address above by August 4,
1995, for inclusion in the hearing record.
Dated: May 30, 1995.
Katherine Jabs,
Area Manager.
[FR Doc. 95-13986 Filed 6-7-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-M
