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<br />Environmental [moacts <br /> <br />The following resource areas were analyzed in tenns of potential environmental impacts associated <br />with the development and construction of the structural and non-structural components of each of <br />the alternatives: <br /> <br />Agriculture <br />Aquatic (reservoirs) <br />Ethnography <br />Land Use <br />Public Services <br />Socioeconomics <br />Vegetation <br />Water Quality <br />Indian Trust Assets <br /> <br />PlIrrJose and Need <br /> <br />Air Quality <br />Archeology <br />Geology/Soils <br />Limnology <br />Recreation <br />Threatened/Endangered Species <br />Visual! Aesthetics <br />Water ResourceslHydrology <br />Environmental Justice <br /> <br />Aquatic (streams) <br />CulturallPaleontology <br />Hazardous Materials <br />Noise <br />Safety <br />Transportation <br />Wetlands <br />Wildlife <br />Public Services and Utilities <br /> <br />The purpose and need statement published in the January 4, 1999 Federal Register reflects the <br />Department's prioritization of the Indian water rights settlement purposes of ALP. Thus, the purpose <br />and need of ALP under this NEPA review is: <br /> <br />". . . to implement the (1988 Colorado Ute Indian Water Rights] Settlement Act by <br />providing the Ute Colorado Ute Tribes an assured long-tenn water supply and water <br />acquisition fund in order to satisfy the Colorado Ute Tribes' senior water rights claims <br />as quantified in the Settlement Act, and to provide for identified M&I water needs in the <br />project area." <br /> <br />In order to detennine if a particular alternative is a viable means to implement the 1988 Settlement, <br />the alternative was evaluated in light of several factors needing to be addressed in order to resolve <br />the Colorado Ute Tribes' water rights claims. These factors are: <br /> <br />. Does the alternative provide sufficient benefits to the Colorado Ute Tribes to <br />warrant an agreement among the United States, the Colorado Ute Tribes, the <br />State, and a majority of parties to the adjudication, that waives the Colorado <br />Ute Tribes' reserved water rights claims; <br /> <br />· Does the alternative provide a defined and reasonable time frame by which <br />the Colorado Ute Tribes will, in fact, secure those benefits specified in the <br />settlement agreement; <br /> <br />6 <br />