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<br />, <br /> <br />Ul:.l;-;~ h!UU 1 HU Uo: UU m NUIillHAU:S :SANTA r I:. <br /> <br />rHA NU, oUO~Oclocr <br /> <br />f. UC.IUU <br /> <br />N ORDElAI1S HA.LTOM TAYLOR <br />T AliADASH & BLAnH, LLP <br /> <br />!S. RC/g HALTOM <br />~~~'~R ~. TAYLO~ <br />AL.AH R. TAAAOAS" <br />WAY"!: H BLAOJooI <br />L.lih:: "1:..011:,.. <br />TERESA U1:01l::.- gC I"'ERNAH~e~ <br /> <br />"'TTORNIE.~S AT \...AW <br /> <br />SANTA FE Of1"1CE <br />$I.IITC e <br />a~o ..,.,. o. VAIltOAG STlltl:1['T <br />:SANTA "E:. NiEW MI:JIliICO 87!iOI <br /> <br />J.'~:.. ~. ~~~:':' <br /> <br />ALBUQUI:AOUE O"'P'ICE <br />SUITE 1050 <br />~oo rotA~QUI:T'fE AVENUe:, .....W. <br />A..,iIouyui::"-":;'u..:, i.cl;,'W ;';CJl,ICO a"IUid <br /> <br />Te:~~PMONEI.O~1 ~.~~~a. <br />Te....::,.Alji l0091 94i--laa7 <br /> <br />CYNTHIA A. KIlI:RSNOWS.U <br /> <br />O"NII:'" I.S...J. AItY-Bc.<IIoR <br />.sU:JAN G. Jo..o..... <br />S"1:.~ SAUNOERS <br />To,", J. f"ECI(HAJol <br />STEPI'lIi!N' 11. GAE:~\o(A" <br />DCNAL&:! H. GROYE <br />~O&IUIlilAII"t L.. MAC$TA&-5WAZO <br /> <br />TE;:L.EP....O...i: liltOGI Z4;i-4a7'5 <br />TELEiI'...X [SOtll 4:43.......... <br /> <br />WASHINGTON. D.C. O""CI: <br />oiUITE 300 <br />81& C:ONNCc:TICUT ......IINUE., N.W. <br />WAS",rNGTON, D.C. aoooe <br /> <br />Tl;LEPHONI!: laCal ~O.til:70 <br />T!tLlE"AX 1.2:021 uO~loao <br /> <br />THE JICARILLA APACHE NATION'S COMMENTS <br />ON THE PREL1MINARY DRAFr ENVIRONMENTAL IMP ACT STATEMENT FOR <br />NAVAJO RESERVOIR OPERATlONS <br />December 21,2001 <br /> <br />The Nordhaus Law Finn submits these comments on behalf of our client, the Jicarilla Apache <br />Nation. As requested in Ed Warner's October 3], 2001 letter to cooperating agencies and at the <br />November 28-29, 2001 meeting. these comments are limited to "big picture"'issues, including: (1) <br />identification of NEPA compliance issues, (2) comments an the description and evaluation of <br />alternatives, (3) identification of resource areas needing additional impact evaluation/analysis. and <br />(4) identification of other areas that will signiticantly add strength and credibility to the document. <br /> <br />(1) NEPA Compliance Issues <br /> <br />The primary NEP A compliance issue we have identified in initial review of the document <br />is the need to analyze the environmental impacts of the use of the Navajo Unit for.'the purposes <br />intended and directed by Congress. We commented on this issue during the meeting on November <br />28, 2001. <br /> <br />The PDEIS describes the Proposed Action as follows: <br /> <br />..: ~... <br /> <br />The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) proposes to operate Navajo Reservoir to <br />help implement Endangered Species Act (ESA)-related flow recommendations on <br />the San Juan River in the Four Comers area which allOW!! for endangered fish <br />recovery while allowing for future water develoDment. To accomplish this.. W:ticUi; <br />Reclamation would modify the operation of Navajo Dam and Reservoir to proVide <br />releases of water designed to protect the razorback sucker and Colorado pikemii'iilow <br />. . . while maintainimr the authorized curooses urtne Navaio Unit, Colorado River <br />Storage Project (CRSP). . <br /> <br />."'l: . <br /> <br />PDEIS at 1-] (emphasis added), The authorized purposes of the Navajo Unit are listed later in <br />Chapter 1, in T abl e 1-]. <br /> <br />The PDE1S describes the Purpose and Need of this Proposed Action as follows: <br /> <br />00879 <br />