BOARD00549

• Board Meeting Date: 3/14/1979
• Description: Agenda, Minutes, Resolution
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

I

I

stage 1 of this Grand Valley unit is a small area comprising about 10
percent of the total unit.

Our schedule for stage 2 calls for the completion of the definite plan
report in 1985, the draft environmental impact statement in the spring
of 1985, and the final environmental impact statement in the early fall
of 1985, with the construction start on stage 2 in the fall of 1985.

The initiation of construction on stage 2 is predicted on the monitored
results we receive from stage I--how much salinity is eliminated from
that particular pond.

Continuing on with construction to the Paradox Unit, the definite plan
report on this unit has been approved, approved January 24, 1979. The
draft environmental impact statement was filed with CEQ or EPA in May of
1978, and the final environmental impact statement will be filed this
winter.

There are some concerns. There is a possibility of location of an ore
bOdy under the evaporation pond. Also, we are looking at possible
alternatives that will need investigation.

Turning now to the advance planning projects or preconstruction projects,
Animas-La Plata first. The schedule for this project now is the
definite plan approval for late-'79, for August or September of '79;
filing of the draft environmental impact statement with EPA in mid-
calendar year of '79; final environmental statement filed in late cal-
endar year 1979; and repayment contract approved also in late '79.

We have several concerns. Probably the major is the enlargement of the
water conservancy district in Colorado which must be formed to cover
all the service area included in the Animas-La Plata Project. That is
under way now.

Staying in the southwestern part of Colorado--San Miguel, which is also
in the advanced planning stage, scheduled for--and this is predicted,
because we have problems on this in determining the environmental impact
or environmental data as necessary on particularly the Colorado ute
Electrical Association, which has some municipal and industrial water
in the plant--getting the necessary environmental data to include in our
environmental statement. Our schedule now calls for the DPR approval on
San Miguel as of January of '81 and the final EIS, February '81, repay-
ment contract about that time.

Also, we are concerned about getting agreement with the local ranchers
in the area on diverting for sprinkler irrigation.

On the West Divide Project, which is located on the south side of the
Colorado River between Glenwood Springs and Grand Valley, this project
is also in the preconstruction stage. Our schedule now is for the DPR
draft to be completed in early calendar year 1980, the DPR approval in
mid-1980 calendar year, the draft EIS to the EPA in midcalendar year.
1980, and the final EIS to be filed in late 1980.

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