deaddrift.com documents

Bureaucratic communications are dry reading but sometimes they are the only way to convey the flavor and complexities of the discussion. 

These documents were obtained by request from the respective agencies and scanned for display on our site. 

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• Ainsworth Irrigation District Newsletters (PDF 205k)
  1. Oct. 2, 2002 AID Newsletter announcing proposed title transfer
  2. Title Transfer Resolution
  3. Dec. 6, 2002 AID Newsletter "..money and a lot of effort" for transfer
  4. Lowered the reservoir 22.5 feet  "..additional water funds will be used 
     to pay services on title transfer."
• Midland News article Dec. 25, 1991 "Hydro-electric power from Merritt could benefit city." (PDF 62k)
  1. "Using the river to supply ... Valentine's electricity would make it
     more difficult to change the way the river is used."
  2. "Year-round unrestricted flow would ... severely inhibit the irrigation
     districts use of the diverted water for crop irrigation purposes.
• AID preliminary permit application for Merritt Dam hydroelectric project
  (PDF 408k)
• NGPC to Bureau of Reclamation Environmental Impact Study (EIS) request  (PDF 139K)
  1. "EIS is warranted if the proposed action has controversial environmental effects."
  2. "The transfer of water ... from Merritt Reservoir ... has caused deleterious effects to Long Pine Creek, Sand Draw Creek and Bone Creek."
  3. "We are very concerned about the future of Merritt Reservoir and the natural resources associated with its operation.
• NGPC to Federal Regulatory Commission Aug. 14, 1986 (PDF 102k )
  1. Concerns and considerations to request for hydroelectric to FERC
• NGPC to Federal Regulatory Commission  2002 (PDF 132K)
  1. Letter to FERC "... recommend that the impacts of proposed hydro-power project ..." be determined.
  2. Merritt, Snake River, Niobrara, endangered species.
  3. NGPC "... reserves the right to intervene ..."
• NGPC Selected Environmental Issues Jun 10, 2002 (PDF 90k)
• (NEW) NGPC Rex Amack letter to Brent Johnson, President Ainsworth Irrigation District. Feb. 2, 2004 (PDF 172K)
• (NEW) Ainsworth Irrigation District to NGPC asking Rex Amack to "move this matter along, since we have been at this for over a year now." Brent Johnson, AID President assures Amack his and the publics concerns about the impact on the resources will be addressed " ... in a comprehensive and detailed environmental assessment". Jan. 9, 2004 (PDF 232K)
• (NEW) Bureau of Reclamation Acting Director, Stephen F. Ronshaugen responds to AIDs request to "proceed quickly .... though there is public and agency controversy associated with the transfer".  Ronshaugen offers AID two options. 1. Continue with transfer without NGPC agreement which would require an EIS with a contractor picked by the BOR. 2.  Suspend review and preparation of EA until an agreement or further progress has been reached with the Commission. Jan. 7, 2004 (PDF 232K)

  
  

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