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<br />1986). In accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)
<br />Regulation (40 CFR 1502.21), some information in these studies is
<br />handled by reference and is not repeated.
<br />
<br />On June 19, 1986, a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) was mailed
<br />to interested agencies and organizations. The FONSI was published in
<br />the local newspapers twice, and it appeared in the Federal Register on
<br />June 26, 1986. Comments to the FONSI were received during the period
<br />June 19 to August 22, 1986. The USFWS asked for and was granted an
<br />extension of the comment period to September 5, 1986. A public
<br />participation meeting was held at Farson, Wyoming, on July 2, 1986, from
<br />12 noon until 4 p.m. to solicit comments concerning the FONSI and
<br />Selected Plan. On July 28, 1986, SCS chaired a meeting in Cheyenne,
<br />Wyoming, with the EPA, USFWS, COE, and various state agencies to discuss
<br />various concerns about the FONSI. A field tour of the Big Sandy River
<br />Unit was conducted by the SCS on October 15, 1986, for representatives
<br />of the EPA and USFWS. On October 30, 1986, a tour was also conducted
<br />for the WGFD and BLM. The responses to the FONSI and discussions during
<br />the field tours scoped the unresolved environmental issues. Several
<br />comments on the FONSI and commentors' responses were discussed at a
<br />public hearing of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control (CRBSC)
<br />Advisory Council meeting and CRBSC Forum in San Diego, California, on
<br />October 29, 1986. A Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS (NOI) was
<br />published in the Federal Register on November 20, 1986, and in the local
<br />newspapers. All commentors on the FONSI were sent a copy of the NOI.
<br />
<br />The DEIS was sent to interested agencies, organizations, and individuals
<br />on February 27, 1987. The Notice of Availability of the Draft EIS
<br />appeared in the Federal Register on March 13, 1987. The initial 45-day
<br />review period was over on April 27, 1987. The comment period was
<br />extended to May 12, 1987, by request from the EPA and Wyoming Farm
<br />Bureau.
<br />
<br />Environmental Constraints and Conflicts
<br />
<br />The SCS and USDA have no specific authority other than to encourage
<br />voluntary participation to implement salinity control and f:l,sh and
<br />wildlife habitat replacement measures. P.L. 93-320 did not provide any
<br />new authority in this regard. USDA advocates retention of wetlands and
<br />seeks to ensure that such lands are not irreversibly converted to other
<br />uses unless other national interests override the importance of
<br />preservation or otherwise outweigh the environmental benefits derived
<br />from their protection [SCS rules for Compliance with NEPA, 7 CFR
<br />Part 650, paragraph 650.3 (b)(9); Federal Register Vol. 44; No. 16Q,
<br />August 29, 1979, page 50580]. For nonproject activities, the state
<br />conservationist may grant exceptions on a farm-by-farm basis if
<br />irrigation water management (water quality and water conservation)
<br />objectives conflict with wetland protection. SCS will evaluate
<br />economic, environmental, and other pertinent factors in such proposed
<br />actions [7 CFR Part 650.25(c)(3)(ii), Federal Register Vol. 44, No. 147,
<br />July 30, 1979, p. 44467, as corrected by Federal Register Vol. 44,
<br />No. 186, September 24, 1979].
<br />
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