WSPP00095

• File Number: 8220.106
• Description: Animas-La Plata
• State: CO
• Basin: San Juan/Dolores
• Water Division: 7
• Date: 2/24/1995
• Title: FY96 Capability Statement
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Project Overview

~ BY:BUREAU OF RECLAMATION 1213-23-95 11:16I'IM

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312133856539-1

303 B66 4474 II 3

In 1992, the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund, representing several entities,
filed a lawsuit to halt work on the project, In April 1992, a decision was
made to prepa~e a Supplement to address issues that had arisen since the
original EIS On the project was completed in 1980, A consent decree was
signed by all parties that served to dismiss the lawsuit, No ground-
disturbing a~tivities, including archeologoical subsurface testing, are
allowed until completion of the Supplement.

Pro;ect Statu,: The supplement to the 1980 EIS is currently scheduled to be
filed with EPA in October 1995 with. Record of Decision about 2 months later.
.BOR continues to use P.L. 638 contract. with the Southern Ute and ute Mountain
Ute Indian Tribes to conduct studies in completing the supplement,

BOR is updating its economic and financial analysis of the project. Experts
from Colorado State and New Mexico State univerSities, as well as other
entities, have been asked to critique assumptions and methOdologies. This
peer review will be considered in preparing the Final Economic and Financial
Update.

Preconstruct ion activities will continue into FY 1996, Subject to completion
of environmental compliance documents, initiation of construction is proposed
in FY 1996 with the award of contracts for natural gas pipeline relocation.
The relocation is dependent upon two contract awards: 1) the cOnstruction
cooperative agreement with Northwest Pipeline corporation for pipeline
installation and 2) the pipeline corridor construction which is part of the
Ridges Basin Oam's Foundation contract. The Ute Mountain Ute Triba plans to
contract for this lattar contract using Indian Self-Determination processes,
The capability also exists to award th_ dam's outlet Works contract to the
Southern Ute Indian Tribe.

Added Capability: Fiscal year 1996 additional capability of $11,201,000 will
be used tor land acquisition required for dam construction and ~etlands
mitigation: for utility relocations and dam construction; and for design data
collection and design, The land acquiaition is essential to tho construction
of the utility relocations and Ridges aasin Dam,

Problem Areas: Until successful compliance with NEPA is reso1vOd, the
commissioner will not grant approval to begin construction, Many key project
activities are dependent upon this con'truction start,

Congressional Location and Representation:
State ot Colorado,
3rd Congressional District - Rep. 9cott McInnis (R)
Senators - Hank Brown (R)
- Ben Nighthours Campbell (D)

State of New Mexico:

3rd Congressional District - Rep, Bill Richardson (D)
Senators - Pete Domenici (R)
- Jeff Bingaman (D)