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<br />L'? <br />L'? <br />.-I <br />o <br />(~) <br />'.:;) <br /> <br />2 <br /> <br />Background <br /> <br />In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, <br />and the Council on Environmental Quality's Regulations for Implementing the <br />Procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (40 CFR Part <br />1500-1508), the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has determined that an <br />Environmental Impact Statement is not required for the design changes and <br />related land acquisition plans proposed for the lining of Reaches 1 and 2 of <br />the Government Highline Canal under the Grand Valley Unit (Unit), <br /> <br />The Unit, which is designed to reduce salt loading to the Colorado River, is <br />located in Mesa County, Colorado. This Finding of No Significant Impact <br />(FONSI) evaluates the environmental impacts and their significance of <br />modifying the design and land acquisition plans for previously approved <br />portions of the Unit which are described in the May 23, 1986, final <br />environmental impact statement (FEIS) on the Grand Valley Unit. This FONSI <br />specifically applies to 31 miles of the Government Highline Canal; the eastern <br />end is referred to as Reach 1 and encompasses 11 miles, the middle portion is <br />Reach 2 and involves 20 miles. <br /> <br />Planned Actions <br /> <br />The FEIS on the Unit proposed membrane lining the Government High1ine Canal <br />and indicated that no additional land would be required for the construction. <br />The FEIS also included plans to fence both the north and south United State's <br />property lines of the canal corridor. The recommended plan in the final <br />environmental assessment (EA) describes changes in land acquisition needs, <br />general design, fencing design, and the permitting of access along the canal. <br /> <br />For the lower approximately 7.4 miles of Reach 1 (termed Reach 1B), the canal <br />will be membrane lined under a modification of alternative M1. Land <br />acquisition needs have been reduced for this alternative from those described <br />in the draft EA. For the initial approximately 3.6 miles of Reach 1 (termed <br />Reach 1A), Reclamation will construct either membrane lining alternative M4 <br />or a modified concrete lining alternative (C2). Either of these alternatives <br />avoids fee title land acquisition needs. However, since implementation of <br />either of these alternatives is not the most cost effective method of lining <br />Reach lA, discussions with the Colorado Water Conservation Board and the <br />Salinity Control Forum will be necessary, and construction work on Reach lA <br />will be postponed until this issue can be resolved. <br /> <br />Because Reach 2 of the Government Highline Canal is a deferred salinity <br />control increment, Reclamation will not make a decision at this time regarding <br />a recommended alternative. This increment is not scheduled because of its low <br />cost effectiveness. When Reach 2 is scheduled for construction, Reclamation <br />will involve adjacent landowners in the decision process. <br /> <br />The canal in Reaches 1 and 2 would be fenced on both the north and south <br />boundaries, but existing access to residences, irrigation structures, and <br />agricultural fields would be permitted. A policy has been developed to allow <br />continued use of existing private bridges across the canal. For Reaches lA, <br />