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.. ,i ! } =:1 ~~ ':i L ,r~ }, ~i .;,: ,q"'; , -- !":~'!? U'..J_'~ 1.... Attachment Summarized Comments and ResDonses on Draft Findinl!: of No Silmificant Im~act Comment: A FONSI is not appropriate because there are significant environmental impacts and execution of the Carriage Contract represents a major Federal Action, Examples cited in comments included: the 8,000 acre-feet represented by the Carriage Contract comprises 20 percent of the water available for downstream releases and removing this 20 percent is significant; and because of the high density of archeological sites in the area, it cannot be concluded thilt there will not be significant impacts on some sites, Response: Reclamation does not believe the contract to allow the Dolores Water Conservancy District to carry water in a Federal canal is a major Federal Action nor does it lead to significant environmental impacts, The 8,000 acre.feet (actually MVIC water shares) is owned by MVIC and is not now part of the downstream water supply. The fact that it has not been diverted from the basin every year is not unusual nor surprising, As indicated in the final EA, in years that it is not diverted, it remains in the reservoir for later use or may add to a spill the following year, if a spill occurs that year, The final EIS on the overall Dolores Project served as National Environmental Policy Act (NEP A) compliance for the entire Dolores Project and evaluated impacts on the downstream resources as ifMVIC was using their full water supply, including the 8,000 acre-feet. Reclamation does not anticipate significant impacts to cultural resources as a result of the Federal action, Reclamation has conducted a literature review of the project area and. has conducted cultural resource investigations associated with the Dove Creek Canal, Reclamation has . consulted with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, Colorado State Historic Preservation Officer, and Indian Tribes which have a cultural relationship to the project area. A process for the identification, evaluation, and treatment of historic properties has been established which will ensure that effects to historic properties, if any, will be minimized throughout the course of the project This is consistent with Advisory Council regulations (36 CFR 800) which provide for a phased approach to identification, evaluation, and treatment. The final EA contains more detail on the cultural resource plan, Comment: The approval of the Carriage Contract will serve as a precedent for future similar diversions as additional similar sales ofMVIC water are likely, Response: MVIC shares are bought and sold presently and this will no doubt continue. When shares are sold, it does not represent a new diversion-it simply represents a sale of water that has already been developed by MVIC and was already being diverted, The Dolores Project g 7 . , "i j ., ~" ~ .1 ..; ;;l'