UPDATES JULY 2023: Decision of the Federal Appellate Court in the 10th District

• Majority Opinion
• Judge Timothy M. Tymkovich
• Judge Nancy Louise Moritz

• Minority Opinion
• Judge Veronica Sophia Rossman

• Amicus Brief
• Uintah Ouray Ute Tribe

• 2023 - 10th Circuit backs Green River Water Exchange Contract between federal government and Utah. By Amanda Pampuro for Courthouse News Service.
• 2022 - 10th Circuit probes Trump Era deal with Utah to exchange Green River water. By Amanda Pampuro for Courthouse News Service.

UPDATES: MARCH, 2019

• March 20 - Green River Block Water Right Contract signed. St. George News.
• March 21 - Green River Block Water Right Contract litigated. Associated Press.

THE COMMENT PERIOD HAS CLOSED: Here is the Final EA and FONSI

• Final Enviromental Assesstment and Finding of No Significant Impact; Green River Block Water Exchange Contract; January, 2019. USBR
• Appendix A (CRSS Modeling)

• Trace 63 is a poor choice for worst-case scenario. Review the results if Trace 21 were utilized instead.

COMMENT LETTERS

• Utah Rivers Council
• Conserve Southwest Utah
• Western Resource Advocates
• American Rivers
• Living Rivers, Colorado Riverkeeper, Center for Biological Diversity
• Uintah Ouray Utes

COMMENT PERIOD HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO: November 2, 2018

ANNOUNCEMENT FROM RECLAMATION, as follows:

The Bureau of Reclamation has extended by two weeks the comment period on the draft Environmental Assessment for the Green River Block Water Exchange Contract. The document considers the possible impacts of the contract on the human and natural environment as required by the National Environmental Policy Act.
 
The water exchange contract, between Reclamation and the State of Utah, would facilitate the development of the Green River Block portion of the States Ultimate Phase water right. Releases from Flaming Gorge Dam could be altered to meet annual water demands under the exchange contract. However, operations of Flaming Gorge Dam would remain within the parameters analyzed in the 2005 Operation of Flaming Gorge Dam Final Environmental Impact Statement and established in the 2006 Record of Decision. The Green River Block water exchange contract is distinct and separate from the contract proposed for the Lake Powell Pipeline project.
 
Multiple resources were considered in the assessment, including the hydrology of the Green River, recreational opportunities, floodplains, fish and wildlife habitats, endangered species, among others. A draft version of the EA can be found at https://www.usbr.gov/uc/envdocs/index.html.
 
Stakeholder input is essential to the environmental review process  members of the public are invited and encouraged to provide comment. Comments should be submitted by November 2, 2018 via mail (greenriverblock@usbr.gov) to Bureau of Reclamation, Attn: Jared Baxter, 302 E 1860 S, Provo, Utah 84606.

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ORIGINAL COMMENT PERIOD WAS: Octobe 19, 2018

ANNOUNCEMENT FROM RECLAMATION, as follows:

Dear Interested Persons,

On September 26, 2018 the Bureau of Reclamation will hold a public meeting in Vernal, Utah to solicit comments regarding the environmental impacts of the Green River Block water exchange contract.  This contract, between Reclamation and the State of Utah, would facilitate the development of the Green River Block portion of the States Ultimate Phase water right. Releases from Flaming Gorge Dam could be altered to meet annual water demands under the exchange contract. However, operations of Flaming Gorge Dam would remain within the parameters analyzed in the 2005 Operations of Flaming Gorge Dam Final Environmental Impact Statement and established in the 2006 Record of Decision. The Green River Block water exchange contract is distinct and separate from the contract proposed for the Lake Powell Pipeline project.

Reclamation has developed an Environmental Assessment (EA) that considers the possible impacts of the contract on the human and natural environment. Multiple resources were considered in the assessment, including the hydrology of the Green River, recreational opportunities, floodplains, fish and wildlife habitats, endangered species, among others.  A draft version of the EA can be found at https://www.usbr.gov/uc/envdocs/index.html. (Internet Explorer may be best for viewing the document.)  The EA is also attached to this email for your convenience.

Stakeholder input is essential to the environmental review process  members of the public are invited and encouraged to provide comment.

COMMENTS CAN BE SUBMITTED BY EMAIL BY OCTOBER 19, 2018, to:

• greenriverblock@usbr.gov by October 19, 2018

OR IN-PERSON AT THE PUBLIC MEETING, held on:

• September 26, 2018
• From 6-8pm
• Vernal City Hall
• 374 E Main St., Vernal, Utah 84078

Sincerely,
Bureau of Reclamation
Provo Area Office

• Draft EA for Green River Block. Reclamation.

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• 2017 - Green River Exchange Contract for Lake Powell Pipeline. Reclamation.
• 2018 - Fact sheet for Lake Powell Pipeline Exchange Contract. Reclamation.
• 2017 - Green River Block Exchange Contract. Reclamation.
• Contract Comments. Conserve Southwest Utah.
• Contract Comments. Living Rivers & Colorado Riverkeeper.