WMOD00312

• Project Name: Sierra Cooperative Pilot Project
• Title: Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact
• Date: 8/1/1981
• Weather Modification - Doc Type: Report

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United States Deparunent of the Interior
. F

ENGINEERING AND RESEARCH CENTER

POBOX 25007
BUILDING 67, DENVER FEDERAL CENTER
DENVER, COLORADO 80225

IN REPLY
REF ER TO:

DETERMINATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

In accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations
for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of the National Environmental
Policy Act published in the Federal Register November 9, 1978, the Chief
of the Office of Atmospheric Resources Research, Bureau of Reclamation,
Engineering and Research Center, has determined that an environmental
statement is not required to conduct the Sierra Cooperative Pilot Project,
a research program for precipitation management in the Sierra Nevada.

This document and the project environmental assessment will be available
for public inspection at the offices listed in Attachment 1 and local
1 ibraries.

This document and the project environmental assessment serve as the basis
for determination that no further action is necessary to comply with the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (Public Law 91-190) for the
following reasons:

1. The Sierra Cooperative Pilot Project Environmental Assessment
examines a research program designed to seed, on a randomized
basis, some of the cloud types which occur within winter storms
in the'Sierra Nevada of California and Nevada. The increase in
annual precipitation expected from seeding all eligible storms
during an average or less-than-average year would be 10 to 15
percent. The annual precipitation increase expected from
randomized seeding of selected cloud types would be 5 to 7.5
percent. The report analyzes the potential effect of these
increases upon weather elements, hydrologic and physiographic
phenomena, plant and animal communities, the human environment,
and land and water resource use in the project area. It also
discusses possible impacts of the seeding agents, dry ice and
silver iodide. The report concludes the research program will
not result in significant or adverse effects upon the environment.

2. Consultation with Federal and State agencies has resulted in the
determination that this project will not affect endangered or threa-
tened species of plants or wildlife or their habitats in a significant
or adverse manner.

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