Central Utah Project, Bonneville Unit correspondence, 1978

Page 85

93 East 1st South Logan, Utah 84321 July 26, 1978 Alan Merson Regional Director - ^ ^ n n Q>*7G £ P ft RegionS 5®$" DO / - ^ - Q 7 / United States Environmental £:? 7 3 £?f 5" C )f^A^-^Vl) Protection Agency o 3 / ~ r ' ,, Room 900, Lincoln Tower Building p-J H _ 3 § £ § * £ -W a) <U T^^vH 1860 Lincoln Street 9\n - 4&ZI £Uj. "r Denver, Colorado 80203 **/ ^ Wif^nn f ^ S - ~h , ' ' Re: Draft Environmental Assessment of Land Acquisition for Jordanelle Dam and Highway Relocation (Municipal and Industrial System of the Bonneville Unit, Central Utah Project). Dear Mr. Merson: The Upper Colorado River Regional Office of the Bureau of Reclamation has recently released a Draft Environmental Assessment for Land Acquisition for Jordanelle Dam . and Highway Relocation. The proposed Jordanelle Reservoir is a key component of the Municipal and Industrial System of the Bonneville Unit, Central Utah Project. An environmental Statement has been completed on the general overall appraisal of the Bonneville Unit. Additional Environmental Statements are required on the re­maining four Systems; (l) Municipal and Industrial System, (2) Diamond Fork Power System, (3) Irrigation and Drainage System, and (4) Bureau of Indian Affairs Activ­ity. (See enclosures for details on NEPA compliance.) The Environmental State­ment for the Municipal and Industrial System is scheduled for release in 1979* The Utah Chapter Sierra Club is concerned about compliance with the National En­vironmental Policy Act, in reference to the Environmental Assessment of Land Ac­quisition for Jordanelle Dam and Highway Relocation. The Sierra Club has been in­volved in past litigation on the CUP and NEPA compliance. Included for your use and reference is a copy of the Utah Chapter Sierra Club corn-mats on the Environmental Assessment. Also included is-a copy of the Chapters Po­sition Statement on NEPA compliance. Vie hope your office will review the enclos­ures and consider them in the planning process for the Jordanelle Reservoir. The Utah Chapter feels that the Environmental Assessment is in violation of the National Environmental Policy Act. No action or decisions can be taken on the Mun­icipal and Industrial System until an Environmental Statement has been prepared. The Chapter encourages your office to investigate NEPA compliance relative to the Land Acquisition Environmental Assessment. The Chapter also wishes to be informed of your decisions and reccommendations. Please send a copy of the Environmental Protection Agency's comments on the Jor­danelle Reservoir. Reference to persons in your staff who are working on water projects, who may be of assistance are solicited.