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<br />000J95 <br /> <br />DETERMINATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT <br /> <br />In accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for <br />Implementing the Procedural Provisions of the National Environmental Policy <br />Act published in the Federal Register November 9, 1978, the Chief of the <br />Division of Atmospheric Resources Research, Bureau of Reclamation, has <br />determined that an environmental statement is not required to conduct the <br />8-year CREST (Colorado River Enhanced Snowpack Test) demonstration. <br /> <br />This document and the CREST environmental assessment will be available for <br />public inspection at the offices listed in attachment 1 and local publiC <br />libraries to be announced later. <br /> <br />This document and the CREST environmental assessment serve as the basis for <br />determination that no further action is necessary to comply with the National <br />Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (Public Law 91-190) for the following <br />reasons: <br /> <br />1. The CREST environmental assessment examines a proposal to increase <br />winter precipitation in alpine areas of the Colorado River Basin approxi- <br />mately 10 to 15 percent per year. the report analyzes the potential <br />effect of these increases upon weather elements, hydrologic and physio- <br />graphic phenomena, plant and animal communities, the human environment, <br />and land and water resource use in the Basin. It discusses possible <br />effects of the seeding agents, dry ice and silver iodide. It considers <br />the experience of research and operational cloud seeding programs in the <br />Western United States. The environmental assessment concludes CREST will <br />not result in significant or adverse effects upon the environment. <br /> <br />2. CREST activities and resulting increases in precipitation will not <br />affect the human environment, lifestyle, or existing land and water use in <br />a significant or adverse manner. The project design will include suspen- <br />sion criteria to prevent operations during periOds that would involve <br />public safety hazards. <br /> <br />3. Site-specific assessments of the demonstration areas will be conducted <br />when they are selected as a result of the public involvement process <br />following congressional approval of CREST. This, coupled with the <br />Division of Atmospheric Resources Research policy of avoidance of archeo- <br />logical and historic sites, sites at which precipitation increases would <br />harm endangered species of plants or animals or their habitats, and sites <br />of extraordinary esthetic value, means CREST will not affect any such <br />special interest areas in the Basin in a significant and/or adverse <br />manner. <br /> <br />4. CREST activity to enhance precipitation from certain winter storms <br />will not alter the existing variable Basin-wide or regional weather <br />patterns. <br />