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<br />.' <br /> <br />. . <br /> <br />discretion to disallow the depletion, based on court decisions. Thus the depletion will occur with <br />or without the Agreement. <br /> <br />In terms of environmental consequences, there would be no change in water use or diversion in <br />the Upper Gunnison River Basin as a result of the Agreement. Existing uses would continue and <br />junior rights (up to 60,000 acre-feet) would not be subject to Aspinall Unit calls. Other senior <br />rights, such as the large Gunnison Twmel and Redlands Diversion rights, could continue to place <br />calls on the entire Gunnison River including both the Aspinall Unit and the Gunnison River <br />Basinjuniors protected from Aspinall Unit calls. <br /> <br />Thus the administrative action of executing the Agreement would have no effect on water uses <br />and related environmental resources. Based on this premise, Reclamation also concludes that <br />there is no effect on listed threatened or endangered species that are found in the basin area or <br />downstream. Other resources such as Indian Trust Assets, wetlands, cultural resources, fish and <br />wildlife resources, and others would also not be affected. This is not to say that future water use <br />and related development would not have environmental effects; it simply means that these would <br />occur under the existing state water appropriation system independently of execution of the <br />Agreement. If there is a Federal connection (for example Clean Water permit, Forest Service <br />permit, or others), specific National Environmental Protection Act compliance on the water use <br />would still be required. <br /> <br />Based on a review of comments received, analysis of environmental impacts, and coordination <br />with the fish and Wildlife Service under the Endangered Species Act, Reclamation concludes <br />that execution of the Agreement would not have significant impacts on the quality of the human <br />environment or the natural resources in the project area. <br /> <br />This Finding of No Significant Impact has, therefore, been prepared and is submitted to <br />document environmental review and evaluation of the proposed action in compliance with the <br />National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended. <br /> <br />Recommended: <br /> <br />&,ij( 1J}c6dY <br /> <br />Stephen K. McCall, Environmental Specialist <br />Western Colorado Area Office <br /> <br />3/31/JOOO <br />, <br />Date <br /> <br />Approved: <br /> <br />r3r~d/;/i~ ) <br /> <br />Carol DeAngelis, Arfa Manager <br />Western Colorado Area Office <br /> <br />;J /;1 A-,ij <br />Date <br /> <br />3 <br />