Notice2022-06579
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Cove-East Fork Virgin River Watershed Plan, Kane County, Utah
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Published
March 29, 2022
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentNatural Resources Conservation Service
Abstract
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Utah State Office announces its intent to prepare an EIS for the Cove-East Fork Virgin River Watershed Plan EIS Project located within the East Fork Virgin River Watershed in Kane County, Utah. The EIS process will examine alternative solutions to provide adequate irrigation water in Kane and Washington counties during summer months, local water-based recreation, and green energy opportunities. This EIS will also serve as the necessary environmental documentation for development of a new Black Knoll borrow pit and potential expansion of the existing Bald Knoll borrow pit. Both pits are located on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) administered public lands and require BLM authorization. The BLM will be a cooperating agency in the development of this EIS. NRCS is requesting comments to identify significant issues, potential alternatives, information, and analyses relevant to the Proposed Action from all interested individuals, Federal and State agencies, and Tribes.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 60 (Tuesday, March 29, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 60 (Tuesday, March 29, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17979-17981]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-06579]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Natural Resources Conservation Service
[Docket No. NRCS-2022-0002]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Cove-East Fork Virgin River Watershed Plan, Kane County, Utah
AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS).
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SUMMARY: The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Utah State
Office announces its intent to prepare an EIS for the Cove-East Fork
Virgin River Watershed Plan EIS Project located within the East Fork
Virgin River Watershed in Kane County, Utah. The EIS process will
examine alternative solutions to provide adequate irrigation water in
Kane and Washington counties during summer months, local water-based
recreation, and green energy opportunities. This EIS will also serve as
the necessary environmental documentation for development of a new
Black Knoll borrow pit and potential expansion of the existing Bald
Knoll borrow pit. Both pits are located on Bureau of Land Management
(BLM) administered public lands and require BLM authorization. The BLM
will be a cooperating agency in the development of this EIS. NRCS is
requesting comments to identify significant issues, potential
alternatives, information, and analyses relevant to the Proposed Action
from all interested individuals, Federal and State agencies, and
Tribes.
DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by April 28, 2022.
Comments received later will be considered to the extent possible.
ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments in response to this notice.
You may submit your comments through one of the methods below:
<bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a> and search for docket ID NRCS-2022-0002. Follow the
online instructions for submitting comments; or
<bullet> Hand Delivery or Mail: Brian Parker, Biologist, Southwest
Assistant Regional Manager, 1745 South Alma School Rd. Suite 220, Mesa,
Arizona 85044. Please specify the docket ID NRCS-2022-0002.
All comments received will be posted and made publicly available on
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Norm Evenstad, Assistant State
Conservationist--Water Resources; telephone: (801) 524-4569; email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ed83829f80c3889b88839e998c89ad989e898cc38a829b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a0cecfd2cd8ec5d6c5ced3d4c1c4e0d5d3c4c18ec7cfd6">[email protected]</span></a>. Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means for communication should contact the USDA Target
Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need
The primary purpose for watershed planning and preparation of this
EIS is to increase and maintain a reliable supply of water for local
agricultural use and existing storage needs, increase water
conservation, and improve water delivery efficiency in the Upper Virgin
Watershed in Kane County, Utah, and for existing and future water
demands in Washington County, Utah. Watershed planning is authorized
under Public Law 83-566, the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention
Act of 1954, as amended, and Public Law 78-534, the Flood Control Act
of 1944.
This action is needed because agriculture users in the Upper Virgin
Watershed routinely experience water shortages during late summer
months when East Fork Virgin River flows are depleted. Existing
irrigation facilities have limited capabilities to divert water from
the river, and there is currently no capacity for storage during non-
use and high-flow periods. As a result, adequate water is not available
to local users; therefore, the purpose of the action is to provide
enhanced conservation and beneficial use of water by increasing water
availability through collection and storage during non-use periods to
provide adequate flows during the irrigation season.
Currently, a lack of irrigation water near the communities of Mt.
Carmel, Orderville, and Glendale has resulted in a limitation of the
amount of alfalfa and other crops that can be grown. In particularly
dry years, the number of alfalfa cuttings has been reduced, resulting
in a loss of production. Lands currently used for agricultural purposes
in Washington County have also experienced a reduction in crop
production.
Three other objectives are included as part of the proposed action.
The existing Glendale hydroelectric plant does not meet the needs of
the community, and the Orderville plant only generates power during the
fall, winter, and early spring months. The project proposes a new
Glendale facility and would make water available during the summer
months at the Orderville site that could help meet energy needs.
Secondly, the project plans to enhance existing irrigation systems to
promote water conservation. Finally, project development would offer
additional water-based recreation opportunities in the area, and water-
based recreation activities are in high demand in Kane County.
Preliminary Proposed Action and Alternatives
The East Fork Virgin River watershed focused planning area is
approximately
[[Page 17980]]
153 square miles. Two action alternatives and the no action alternative
will be evaluated in the Draft EIS. The NRCS would provide technical
and financial assistance for the proposed project through the NRCS
Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Program, and NRCS would also
design and implement a selected alternative. The alternatives we intend
to carry forward in the analysis are below:
1. No Action Alternative. Taking no action would consist of
activities carried out if no federal action or funding were provided.
The new Glendale facility would not be built, and no new irrigation
facilities would be developed to provide additional water supply during
the summer months. No improvements to the Mt. Carmel irrigation system
would be made. The existing structures would continue to operate in
their current condition and would not meet the purpose and need to
increase and maintain additional water supply, as described above.
2. Action Alternative 1--Construction of Cove Reservoir (Proposed
Action). Construction of a new reservoir (Cove Reservoir) within the
East Fork Virgin River Watershed, plus additional irrigation system
improvements in the Mt. Carmel, Orderville, and Glendale area.
For the Cove Reservoir, two sizes would be considered as sub-
alternatives, a 6,055-acre-foot reservoir and a 4,000-acre-foot
reservoir would be analyzed to increase water conservation. The
irrigation improvements would convert the ditched system at Mt. Carmel
to a pressurized system. A pressurized system would reduce water loss
during transportation, conserving additional water and increasing the
efficiency of the Mt. Carmel system. The currently inoperable Glendale
hydroelectric power plant would be relocated and upgraded to produce
twice its current power, and a new pipeline would be constructed to
access the new plant.
3. Action Alternative 2--Alternate reservoir site. An alternate
reservoir site with recreation facilities within the East Fork Virgin
River Watershed, plus additional irrigation system improvements in the
Mt. Carmel, Orderville, and Glendale area. The same irrigation
improvements as in Action Alternative 1 are proposed. The alternative
reservoir would have a capacity of around 6,000 acre-feet, with a
maximum capacity of 6,750 acre-feet per the Zion National Park
agreement. The reservoir would be located within the watershed area at
another suitable location based on geological and environmental
suitability.
Also, both action alternatives would include one new borrow pit at
Black Knoll and expansion of the existing borrow pit at Bald Knoll.
Both pits are located on Bureau of Land Management (BLM)-administered
public lands. The BLM will need to provide approval following
completion of the environmental analysis before any material can be
removed from these pits.
Summary of Expected Impacts
An NRCS evaluation of this federally assisted action indicates that
proposed alternatives may have significant local, regional, or national
impacts on the environment. Potential impacts include wetland and flood
plain alteration due to the construction of the reservoir. Potential
realignment of roads and/or removal of structures could occur,
depending on the reservoir location. Long-term beneficial impacts would
occur with additional water supply provided to Kane County and
Washington County, plus additional recreational opportunities at the
reservoir. The proposed action would reduce on-going water shortages
experienced by Kane County agriculture users during the summer months.
Anticipated Permits and Authorizations
The following permits and other authorizations are anticipated to
be required:
<bullet> CWA Section 404 permit. Implementation of the proposed
federal action would require a Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 404 permit
from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Permitting with the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers regarding potential wetland impacts is ongoing and
will be finalized prior to final design and construction.
<bullet> CWA Section 401 permit. The project would also require
water quality certification under Section 401 of the CWA and permitting
under Section 402 of the CWA (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System Permit).
<bullet> Dam safety and floodplain permit. Local dam safety and
floodplain permits will be required.
<bullet> NHPA Section 106 consultation. Consultation with Tribal
Nations and interested parties will be conducted as required by the
National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (as amended) (16 U.S.C.
470f).
<bullet> Wild and Scenic Rivers Act Section 7 Consultation.
Consultation with the National Park Service regarding impacts to Virgin
River outstandingly remarkable values downstream of the proposed
project.
Schedule of Decision-Making Process
A Draft EIS will be prepared and circulated for review and comment
by agencies and the public for at least 45 days per 40 CFR 1503.1,
1502.20, 1506.11, and 1502.17, and 7 CFR 650.13. The Draft EIS is
anticipated to be published in the Federal Register approximately 10
months after publication of this NOI. A Final EIS is anticipated to be
published within 8 months of completion of the public comment period
for the DEIS.
There will be two decisions made and one or two Record(s) of
Decision:
<bullet> NRCS Decision. The NRCS will decide whether to implement
one of the action alternatives or the No Action Alternative. The Record
of Decision will be completed after the required 30-day waiting period.
The decision maker and responsible federal official for the NRCS is
Emily Fife, Utah State Conservationist.
<bullet> BLM Decision. The BLM will decide to authorize the usage
of one or more borrow pits to provide material for construction of the
earthen dam for either action alternative.
Public Scoping Process
NRCS invites all interested individuals and organizations, public
agencies, and Native American Tribes to comment on the scope of the
EIS, including the project's purpose and need, alternatives proposed,
new alternatives that should be considered, specific areas of study,
data to be obtained or included in the analysis, and evaluation
methodology. A virtual scoping meeting presenting the project and
develop the scope of the EIS was held online via Zoom on October 20,
2021, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. MDT. Scoping meeting presentation materials,
including a video recording of the meeting, is available on the project
website, along with project background information at <a href="https://bit.ly/3AX7Pg4">https://bit.ly/3AX7Pg4</a>.
This meeting involved a project presentation followed by a group
question and answer period. Project team members were available for
discussion of individual questions. Scoping provides the ability for
the public to provide input on the kinds of issues that should be
addressed, what alternatives should be considered, impacts and
additional research that should be considered, and any actions that
could be related to the project. Comments received, including the names
and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record.
[[Page 17981]]
Identification of Potential Alternatives, Information, and Analyses
NRCS invites agencies and individuals who have special expertise,
legal jurisdiction, or interest in the Cove-East Fork Virgin River
Watershed in Kane County, Utah to provide comments concerning the scope
of the analysis and identification of relevant information and studies.
All interested parties are invited to provide input related to the
identification of potential alternatives, information, and analyses
relevant to the Proposed Action in writing or during the public scoping
meeting.
Authorities
This document is published pursuant to the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) regulations regarding publication of a notice of
intent to issue an environmental impact statement (40 CFR 1501.9(d)).
This EIS will be prepared to evaluate potential environmental impacts
as required by section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969 (NEPA); the Council on Environmental Quality regulations
(40 CFR parts 1500-1508); and NRCS regulations that implement NEPA in 7
CFR part 650. Watershed planning is authorized under the Watershed
Protection and Flood Prevention Act of 1954, as amended, (Pub. L. 83-
566) and the Flood Control Act of 1944 (Pub. L. 78-534). Also, the
title and number of the federal assistance program in the Catalog of
Federal Domestic Assistance to which this Notice of Funding
Availability applies is 10.904 Watershed Protection and Flood
Prevention.
USDA Non-Discrimination Policy
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and USDA civil rights
regulations and policies, USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees,
and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are
prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin,
religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual
orientation, disability, age, marital status, family or parental
status, income derived from a public assistance program, political
beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in
any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases
apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by
program or incident.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of
communication for program information (for example, braille, large
print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the
responsible Agency or USDA TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and
TTY) or (844) 433-2774 (toll-free nationwide). Additionally, program
information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA
Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at <a href="https://www.usda.gov/oascr/how-to-file-a-program-discrimination-complaint">https://www.usda.gov/oascr/how-to-file-a-program-discrimination-complaint</a> and
at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in
the letter all the information requested in the form. To request a copy
of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form
or letter to USDA by mail to: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of
the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW,
Washington, DC 20250-9410 or email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3f707e7c7f4a4c5b5e11585049"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2d626c6e6d585e494c034a425b">[email protected]</span></a>.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Emily Fife,
Utah State Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-06579 Filed 3-28-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-16-P
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