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<br />-. ~ <br /> <br />BOR-WCAOS SD <br /> <br />1D:970-385-6539 <br />. <br /> <br />MAY 17'96 <br />. <br /> <br />10:23 No.OOl P.02 <br /> <br />INTRODUCTION <br /> <br />Th~ Animas-La PlaUl Project (Project), located in La Plata and Monte~lUlla Counties in southweslCm <br />Colorado and in San Juan County in nonhwestem New Mexico, was described in a 1979 Dcfinite Plan <br />Repon.ln the 1980 Final Environmental StatCl1lCllt (INT FES 80-18) (1980 FES), and in the 1992 Draft <br />Supplement to the Final Environmental Statement (INT DES 92.41) (DSFES). The ProJcct as <br />documented in the 1 !l80 FES would divcit tlows of the Animas. Lo Plata.1llId San Juan Rivers for <br />irrigation. municipal, and industrial uses. It would also provide for fish and wildlife prescrvlllion. <br />recreation facilities. and a cultural resourccs program. The Project purpose of providing iI viable means <br />to m~t those identified needs remains WJchanged. In addition to providing agricultural. municipal. and <br />mdustrial water. the Project as proposed would now also satisfy the Project's pOnlon of the Colorado Ute <br />indian water rights claims as spcctfied by the 1988 Colorado Ute Indian Water RillhLS SculemCllt Act <br />(S~ttlcmcnt Act! (Public LaIY 100-585), which is to: <br /> <br />. PrOVIde for scttlcmCllt ofthc claims of the Southern Ute lndian and Ute MOWJtain Ute Tribes <br />(Tribes) to beneficially use water for aaricultural. municipal, and indusuial uses on, under, <br />adjacent to, or otherwisc appurtenant to the Tribal reservations, <br /> <br />. Scule existing disputes lI1Id remove pOlClltial causcs of future water-related conuoversy between <br />the Tribes and me State of Colorado, the United Stales, and other persons concerning Tribal rights <br />to beneficially use water in soumwestem Colorado, <br /> <br />. Seulc all claims by the Tribes, and by the United States on behalf of the Tribes. in water <br />adjudication hearings, <br /> <br />. Secure for the Tribes an oppoltUlllty to maximize lI1I economic benefit from thc Projcct, <br /> <br />. Enhance the Tribes' ability to meet their repaymCllt obligations, <br /> <br />. Authorize the Tribes to sell, exchange, lease, or othezwise temporarily disposc of their water in <br />accordanec with exiSting laws. <br /> <br />The Project was authorized by lhe Colorado River Basin Act of September 30, 19G8 (Public Law 90- <br />537), as a participating project under the Colorado River Storage Project Act of April II, 1956 (Public <br />LaW 84-485). TIlc authorization WII based on the feasibility report of the Sccrcwy of the Interior <br />transmitted to the U.S. Congress on May 4, 1966. Additionally, in the 1996 Energy and Water <br />Appropriations Act, the U.S. ConifCSs included me following language, "In order to ensure the timely. <br />illlplemenUltion of the Colorado Ute Indian Water RiJhts Settlement Act of 1988. the Secrctary of the <br />Interior is directcd to procecd without delay with constrUction of those facilities in conformance with the <br />final Biological Opinion for the Animas-La Plata Projcct. Colorado and New Mexico, dated October 25. <br />1991." <br /> <br />The purpose of the Final Supplement to thc Final EnviroMlemal Statement (FSFES) is to provide <br />adoitional information concerning environmental eCfccLS imtially described in the 1980 FES. It offeu <br />new information rclevant to environmental concerns and havinll a bearing on the proposed action or ilS <br />impactS. The FSFES also IlIcorporalCS rc,'asions liS a result of public input Slllce publication of the <br />