Environmental Assessment Amendment for Water System Improvements

The Department of Agriculture's Rural Utility Service (RUS) is issuing an environmental assessment (EA) amendment for a project proposed by the Central Iron County Water Conservancy District (CICWCD). The original proposal for improvements to the CICWCD water system, including its main water system and the Cedar Highlands stand-alone water system, has undergone scope changes requiring this amendment. The EA amendment covers two project areas: the Iron Springs Well and Waterline, located west of Cedar City in the Northern Cedar Iron Springs Gap Aquifer Area, and the BZI Innovation Park, situated 6.5 miles southeast of the Iron Springs Well location. The proposed projects involve drilling wells and constructing well houses west of Cedar City, with connecting water lines to the existing CICWCD water infrastructure. The CICWCD currently provides culinary water to 4,535 residents through 1,562 connections in Cedar City, Utah, utilizing seven wells and five tanks. An environmental consultant prepared the EA amendment for RUS, which describes the project, assesses potential environmental impacts, and outlines mitigation measures. RUS has independently reviewed the EA and believes it accurately assesses the project's impacts, with no significant impacts expected. Questions and comments on the environmental assessment should be sent to RUS and will be accepted for 14 days from the date of publication.