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<br />^ <br /> <br />> <br /> <br />2GSl <br /> <br />In accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality regulations implementing the <br />procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (40 CFR 1500-1508), the Area <br />Manager, Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) - Eastern Colorado Area Office, has determined <br />that an environmental impact statement will not be required to implement the proposed action on <br />amending an existing easement issued to the Pueblo West ,Metropolitan District (Pueblo West). <br />The easement would be amended to permit the construction, operation, and maintenance of a <br />proposed River Pump Station No.2, a 36-inch pipeline, a diversion and river intake structure, <br />and generator. Environmental Assessment (EA) No. EC-1300-03-01 was prepared to address the <br />impacts of the proposed action and was released for public review and comment. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: <br /> <br />Pueblo West relies upon the following existing infrastructure below Pueblo Dam to supply raw <br />water to Pueblo West's Water Treatment Plant (Plant): <br /> <br />(1) River Pump Station No.1 is located v.. mile downstream of Pueblo Dam on the north <br />bank of the Arkansas River. River Pump Station No.1 pumps up to 18.9 cubic feet per <br />second (cfs) of water from Pueblo Dam's South Outlet Works into the, <br /> <br />(2) 24-inch pipeline that connects to the Plant. No additional capacity is currently available <br />to Pueblo West from the South Outlet Works. <br /> <br />(3) A mounded riprap diversion structure (diversion structure) helped to accommodate <br />temporary pumps placed into the river. The diversion structure is not currently being used <br />with the River Pump Station No.1. <br /> <br />River Pump Station No.1, a portion of the 24-inch pipeline, and the diversion structure are <br />located on lands owned by Reclamation. PermissioQ to access Reclamation land to operate and <br />maintain these existing facilities was granted to Pueblo West through an easement. <br /> <br />PROPOSED ACTION: <br /> <br />Reclamation evaluated the effects of two alternatives - the No Action Alternative and the <br />Construction Alternative. Reclamation has selected the Construction Alternative as the Preferred <br />Alternative. <br /> <br />The purpose and need of the proposed action are as follows: <br /> <br />, <br />1. Provide a physically redundant line to supply raw water to the existing treatment plant. <br /> <br />2. Provide additional capacity to meet existing peak water demands and anticipated demands <br />at build-out of the Pueblo West community. <br />