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<br />OFf' ICE OF THE DIRECTOR <br /> <br />;; :j .c II ~ ;: <br /> <br /> <br />UNITED STATES <br />DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR <br />BUREAU OF MINES <br />WASf1INGTON. D.C, 20240 <br /> <br />September 22, 1971 <br /> <br />Memorandum <br /> <br />" <br /> <br />To <br /> <br />Direc tor, .BJrlreau of <br />Throug~~Jsistant <br /> <br />Director, Bureau of Mines <br /> <br />Reclamation <br />Secretary--Mineral <br /> <br />Resources ;J-L.. Jdr <br />Lell'ls 18. \'.,,!::I: <br /> <br />From <br /> <br />Subject: Bureau of Reclamation Draft Environmental Statement, <br />Crystal Dam, Reservoir, and Powerplant, Curecanti Unit, <br />Colorado River Storage Project <br /> <br />The draft environmental statement dated July 30, 1971, for construction <br />of Crystal Dam, Reservoir, and Powerplant of the Curecanti Unit, <br />Colorado River Storage Project, has been reviewed by Bureau of Mines <br />personnel. <br /> <br />A previous environmental statement that covered the impact of an <br />earthfill dam at the Crystal damsite was reviewed on February 23, 1971, <br />Economic and environmental factors now justify a change to a double- <br />curvature, thin-arch concrete dam, upon which the July 30 environmental <br />statement is based. <br /> <br />Environmental considerations are a commendable element in the Bureau <br />of Reclamation's plsn of development at the Crystal damsite, Several <br />negative environmental impacts related to the previously considered <br />massive earthfill dam are absent in the present plan for a thin concrete <br />dam. Unavoidable minor ecological impacts, therefore, are reduced, <br />whereas the numerous benefits from construction of Crystal Dam remain <br />in force and overshadow the environmental costs. <br /> <br />The Bureau of Mines made an onsite examination of the Curecanti Project <br />site in 1956 and found no significant mineral resources within the project <br />area. <br /> <br />We find the draft environmental statement adequately covers the <br />environmental impacts of the project. We take no exceptions to the <br />stated impacts and propose no alternatives to the project. <br /> <br />[7(C~~ <br />Director <br /> <br />2GG9 <br />