DEQ review

CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION DETERMINATION
For the Northwest Rural Water District’s
Hydrant Replacement and Corrosion Protection Improvements Project
Park and Big Horn Counties, Wyoming
The Department of Environmental Quality/Water Quality Division (DEQ) has conducted a review of the proposed Hydrant Replacement and Corrosion Protection Improvements project in accordance with EPA and State of Wyoming procedures for implementing the State Environmental Review Process, DEQ has determined that this project is eligible for a categorical exclusion. Accordingly, DEQ is exempting the project from further substantive environmental requirements under the State Environmental Review Process. Neither an Environmental Assessment/Finding of No Significant Impact nor an Environmental Impact Statement/Record of Decision will be required for the proposed action. The following is a brief description of the situation and the proposed action and a brief statement of how the action meets the criteria for a categorical exclusion.
This project will involve the replacement of approximately 365 aged, deteriorating, and failing flushing hydrants. It will also incorporate cathodic protect for approximately 54 newer flushing and fire hydrants. The estimated cost of this project is $2.5 million. The District is seeking the entire amount for this project in the form of an SRF loan. This loan will be for a term of 20 years and will be repaid using revenue from the debt retirement portion of customers’ monthly water bills. No increases in customer water rates or fees will be required to meet loan repayment obligations.
Northwest Rural Water District is aware of and accepts the fact that it will be responsible for any required mitigative actions associated with and including storm water runoff, erosion control, archeological/historic artifacts, and air quality concerns. These will be part of the standard State Revolving Funds Program contract conditions. The only potential environmental impact anticipated at this time is the possibility of fugitive dust emissions during the excavation of existing hydrants. The contractor will be required to have a water truck on site to mitigate any dust emission issues that may arise.
DEQ is granting an exclusion because the project replaces existing infrastructure. This project will be completely constructed in previously disturbed ground. The ground at the sites in question was disturbed during the initial installation of the existing hydrants. DEQ has determined that exempting the proposed project from further review under the State Environmental Review Process will not result in any adverse impacts to the population or the areas of Park and Big Horn Counties, Wyoming.
The documentation to support this decision will be on file in the DEQ Cheyenne Office and is available for public scrutiny upon request. Comments concerning this decision may be addressed to Stan Miller, SRF Project Engineer, Department of Environmental Quality, 200 W. 17th St. Suite 200, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82002, Tel. 307-777-6371, FAX 307-635-1784, email: Stanley.miller@wyo.gov.
Publ., Thurs., Feb. 27, 2020