greg-cws
04-25-2009, 01:43 PM
By Patty Henetz
The Salt Lake Tribune
Updated: 04/24/2009 06:56:43 PM MDT (http://www.sltrib.com)
A Nevada water agency's plan to pump billions of gallons from an aquifer that straddles the Utah line to feed Las Vegas has been pushed back to 2011.
Nevada State Engineer Tracy Taylor on Friday rescheduled the administrative hearing on the Southern Nevada Water Authority's plan to build a $3.5 billion, 285-mile-long pipeline to draw water from under Snake Valley in Utah and Nevada.
A month ago, the water authority told Taylor it couldn't meet a June 19 deadline to provide required documents due to "significant and recurring delays" in the review process set up by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. The Las Vegas officials asked to push back the deadline a year, saying they needed to see the BLM's draft environmental impact statement before proceeding.
But the BLM project manager said the EIS couldn't be completed until SNWA laid out how its computer models would work in the real world.
The BLM is involved because the pipeline would cross public land. Nevada BLM officials said the water authority always knew it had to come up with an explanation of how the project -- which could pump 176,000 acre-feet per year from Great Basin agricultural land to Las Vegas -- would affect the regional environment.
In his postponement notice, Taylor said he would hold the hearing in 2011 on a specific date to be set later. He said that since the water agency had asked for the delay, and due to pending lawsuits, he believed it "prudent" to allow
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more time for all interested parties to complete their own scientific studies and prepare evidence.
Utah, the Great Basin Water Network and Millard County are among those opposing the pipeline plan, citing potential harm to the health of Great Basin National Park, Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, tribal groups, ranching, public lands and Utah's air quality.
Salt Lake and Utah counties have sued in a Nevada court, alleging that pumping water from the Snake Valley aquifer would kill vegetation that holds soil in place. If that happens, they say, winds would blow dust-storm clouds to the Wasatch Front, where residents already struggle with particulate pollution.
The Salt Lake Tribune
Updated: 04/24/2009 06:56:43 PM MDT (http://www.sltrib.com)
A Nevada water agency's plan to pump billions of gallons from an aquifer that straddles the Utah line to feed Las Vegas has been pushed back to 2011.
Nevada State Engineer Tracy Taylor on Friday rescheduled the administrative hearing on the Southern Nevada Water Authority's plan to build a $3.5 billion, 285-mile-long pipeline to draw water from under Snake Valley in Utah and Nevada.
A month ago, the water authority told Taylor it couldn't meet a June 19 deadline to provide required documents due to "significant and recurring delays" in the review process set up by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. The Las Vegas officials asked to push back the deadline a year, saying they needed to see the BLM's draft environmental impact statement before proceeding.
But the BLM project manager said the EIS couldn't be completed until SNWA laid out how its computer models would work in the real world.
The BLM is involved because the pipeline would cross public land. Nevada BLM officials said the water authority always knew it had to come up with an explanation of how the project -- which could pump 176,000 acre-feet per year from Great Basin agricultural land to Las Vegas -- would affect the regional environment.
In his postponement notice, Taylor said he would hold the hearing in 2011 on a specific date to be set later. He said that since the water agency had asked for the delay, and due to pending lawsuits, he believed it "prudent" to allow
Advertisement
more time for all interested parties to complete their own scientific studies and prepare evidence.
Utah, the Great Basin Water Network and Millard County are among those opposing the pipeline plan, citing potential harm to the health of Great Basin National Park, Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, tribal groups, ranching, public lands and Utah's air quality.
Salt Lake and Utah counties have sued in a Nevada court, alleging that pumping water from the Snake Valley aquifer would kill vegetation that holds soil in place. If that happens, they say, winds would blow dust-storm clouds to the Wasatch Front, where residents already struggle with particulate pollution.