WSP11852 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

00033:1 APPENDIX H COMMENTS AND RESPONSES ON PROPOSED RULE AND DRAFT PROGRAMMATIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT1 Responses to Comments I I I I I I I I I I I I The proposed rule provided for a public comment period which ran from December 31, 1997 through April 3, 1998. In addition to oral comments submitted at one public hearing and one public meeting, the Department received 47 letters during the comment period on the proposed rule. Two letters commented only on the DPEA. The respondents included two irrigation districts, three water districts, two water authorities, two water user associations, three individuals, one municipal utility, one city, one fanner's organization, one safe drinking water organization, four environmental organizations, eleven State agencies, nine Indiau Tribes, aud seven Federal agencies. We reviewed and analyzed all comments and revised the final rule based on these comments. The draft programmatic environmental assessment (DPEA) also provided for a comment period which ran from December 31, 1997 through Ap~ 3, 1998. Oral comments on the DPEA were submitted at the same public hearing and the same public meeting for the proposed rule. In addition to those oral comments, the Department received 25 letters from 26 respondents during the comment period. The respondents included one water district, one water authority, one individual, five environmental organizations, five State agencies, six Indian Tribes, and seven Federal agencies. As with the rule, we reviewed and analyzed all comments and revised the final programmatic environmental assessment based on these comments. As a result of receiving differing comments on the definition of authorized entity and several other teclmical matters, the Department reopened the comment period on September 21, 1998 (63 FR 50183) for a 30-day period ending October 21, 1998. The Department requested interested parties to provide comments on three specific questions. The Department received 10 letters from 11 respondents during the reopened comment period. The respondents included three State agencies, three water districts, one water authority, one water users association, and three environmental organizations. We reviewed and analyzed all comments and revised the final rule based on these comments. The following is a discussion of the comments received on the proposed rule and the DPEA, and our responses. First, we will address general comments. Second, we will address comments on specific provisions in the proposed rule, Third, we will address comments on the DPEA. Fourth, we will respond to specific comments received during the second comment period. I The official version of responses to comments on the proposed Rule and the DPEA are contained in the Final Rule published in the Federal Register.