Notice of Availability of Draft Watershed Plan-Environmental Assessment and Virtual Public Meeting for Arnold Irrigation District Infrastructure Modernization Project
Notice of Availability of Draft Watershed Plan-Environmental Assessment and Virtual Public Meeting for Arnold Irrigation District Infrastructure Modernization Project
The United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announces the availability of a Draft Watershed Plan-Environmental Assessment (Draft Plan-EA) for the Arnold Irrigation District Infrastructure Modernization Project. Arnold Irrigation District proposes to install 13.2 miles of buried pipe in the District-owned Main Canal to improve water conservation in District owned infrastructure, improve water supply management and delivery reliability for District patrons, and improve public safety. The Deschutes Basin Board of Control is the project sponsor and Arnold Irrigation District is the project co-sponsor. Farmers Conservation Alliance is assisting NRCS in this planning process. The proposed improvements may be partially funded by NRCS through the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act of 1954 (PL 83-566).
The proposed project is located in Deschutes County, Oregon. The National Environmental Policy Act and the Council on Environmental Quality’s regulations at 40 CFR Parts 1500-1508 require evaluations of the potential effects of federally funded projects on human and natural resources. These evaluations include input from the public. NRCS has reviewed the potential impacts of the project and released a Draft Plan-EA for public and agency review.
You are invited to attend a virtual public meeting to provide input on this project. At the virtual meeting, project partners will present the range of resource issues associated with the project and alternatives to addressing system improvements in Arnold Irrigation District. The presentation will be followed by a question and answer session.
Date: June 23, 2021
Time: 6 PM to 7 PM
Register at: oregonwatershedplans.org
Due to COVID-19 public event restrictions, the meeting will be held virtually using Zoom. A recording of the meeting will be available afterward at the same website. Media inquiries should be sent to Marla Keethler at marla.keethler@fcasolutions.org.
Comments on the Draft Plan-EA may be submitted during a public comment period starting June 8, 2021 and ending July 8, 2021. You can view the complete Draft Plan-EA and other project information online at oregonwatershedplans.org. A printed copy of the Draft Plan-EA is also available at the Deschutes Public Library (601 N.W. Wall St, Bend, OR 97703).
Comments may be emailed to arnold.id.comments@gmail.com, submitted online at oregonwatershedplans.org, submitted via phone to (541) 716-6085, or mailed to: Farmers Conservation Alliance, 102 State Street, Hood River, OR 97031.