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• Board Meeting Date: 5/21/2008
• Description: WSP Section - Lake Powell Pipeline ‎(FERC 12966 UT & AZ - EIS Scoping)‎
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

agencies reviewing the Project. Because the Hydro System is only one component of the
proposed 180-mile-long water supply pipeline project, construction of substantial parts of the
overall Project will require permits from other federal agencies (USBR, BLM, NPS, USFWS and
EPA). Utah intends its PAD (and subsequent studies) to be used by all the agencies that would
need to issue permits for the Project, developing a record that can be used to prepare a single
environmental analysis document covering the entire water supply pipeline.
Staff has asked to be identified as an "interested party" in the EIS process and anticipates
providing comments during "Scoping." we have attached hereto Scoping Document 1(SD 1),
which more fully explains the Lake Powell Pipeline Project and EIS schedule for your
information. The Commission's regulations for the ILP require that parties wishing to submit
comments on the PAD or SDI, or wishing to request studies, do so within 60 days of the
issuance date (May 5, 2008) of SD 1. Public Scoping meetings will be held at the Dixie Center,
1835 Convention Center Drive, St. George, Utah; Cedar City Festival Hall Conference Center,
105 North 100 East, Cedar City, Utah; and Kanab Middle School, 690 Cowboy ~Uay, Kanab,
Utah on June 10,11 and 12 respectively. A tour of the proposed Project, which is open to the
public, will be held on June 9 and 10.
Discussion
The Lake Powell Pipeline Project involves the movement of water allocated to the State
of Utah under the Upper Colorado River Basin Compact to potions of the Lower Colorado River
basin within the State of Utah. The State of Utah is using between 70% and 75% of its Upper
Colorado River Basin Compact apportionment and therefore has room within its apportionment
to develop the Project. It is incumbent on the States of the Upper Division to assure that the
Project water is diverted under Utah's Upper Basin allocation and is done so in accord with the
terms of the Colorado River Compact and the Upper Colorado River Compact. The Upper
Colorado River Commission has also passed a resolution in support of the Project under certain
conditions.
Staff is concerned that the Project does not cause any diminution in the capacity of Lake
Powell, to 602(a) storage, and to the ability of Lake Powell to protect against the curtailment of
uses in the Upper Basin. Staff needs to understand how the Project impacts, if at all, the recently
adopted Guidelines concerning the coordinated operations of Lake Powell and Lake Mead. We
need to fully understand the terms and conditions that maybe included in any agreements or
required contracts and permits. Finally, staff feels the need to participate to object, if necessary,
to any agreements that the State of Utah may consider entering into with any of the Lower
Division States, particularly given Arizona's positions on the New Mexico's proposed Navajo-
Gallup project.
Recommendation
Staff requests that the Board affirm its participation in the Lake Powell Pipeline Project
EIS for the reasons outlined above and to notify the Utah Division of Natural Resources of our
concerns. Staff is also requesting input from the Board on any additional issues it believes
should be addressed in the process.
Attachment
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