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<br />(INTERIM FLOWS Continued from page 1) needs, <br />recreation preferences, and fish and wildlife concerns. <br /> <br />Monitoring - Reclamation will carry out an <br />environmental monitoring program throughout the <br />duration of the interim operations, with quarterly <br />reports to the cooperating agencies. <br /> <br />Test Period - Follo........mg completion of research flows <br />on July 31, 1991, a 9O-day test period of the proposed. <br />interim criteria was conducted from August 1 to <br />October 31. This interim test period allowed <br />Reclamation to more fully evaluate data gathered from <br />research, determine the suitability of the proposed <br />criteria to protect downstream resources, develop <br />exception criteria, and comply with National <br />Environmental Policy Act (r-..'EPA) requirements before <br />implementation. <br /> <br />Exception Criteria - Included in the Interim Operating <br />Criteria are Exception Criteria which provide for <br />exceeding the flow criteria previously described to <br />respond to power system disturbances or other <br />emergency conditions, to regulate the power system, <br />and to avoid the expense of purchasing replacement <br /> <br />firm capacity and energy by demonstrating availability <br />of capacity, if necessary. The use of the latter exception <br />(termed Financial Exception Criteria) would be limited <br />to 3 percent (22 hours) for any consecutive 3D-day <br />period. The Exception Criteria are set forth in an <br />October 21, 1991, interagency agreement between <br />Reclamation and the \Vestern Area Po\'..'er <br />Administration. The Financial Exception Criteria are <br />subject to periodic review and approval. <br />Environmental Assessment and Finding of ~o <br />Significant Impact - An Environmental Assessment <br />(EA) was issued by Reclamation on the Interim <br />Operating Criteria in October. Since the proposed <br />action did not constitute a major Federal action having <br />significant effects on the quality of the human <br />environment, a Finding of No Significant Impact <br />(FONSI) was determined appropriate and was signed <br />on October 31, 1991. Copies of the FONSI and EA are <br />available from the Bureau of Reclamation, Upper <br />Colorado Region, Colorado River Studies Office, <br />Attention: UC-1512, P.O. Box 11568, Salt Lake City, <br />Utah 84147. <br /> <br /> <br />........ - <br /> <br />---- <br />, <br />