BDD Construction
Environmental Documents
Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision
The two most important environmental documents for the BDD Project are the Final Environmental Impact Statement, or FEIS, and the Record of Decision, or ROD. These documents are issued by the two “lead” federal agencies on whose land the BDD is being built and will be operated – the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. The FEIS was issued in May 2007. The Notice of Availability for the ROD was published in the Federal Register in February 2008.
Permits
Originally Granted 2006 and Final permit granted July 2009 – NM Environment Department Field Operations Division, Liquid Waste Permit – Required to construct septic systems at the BDD Booster Station and City/County Water Treatment Plant.
July 2009 – Groundwater Quality Bureau Pollution Prevention Section Notice of Intent Form – Approves ground release of de-chlorinated water during pipeline startup.
September 2008 – U.S. Bureau of Land Management Right-of- Way and Temporary Use Permit – Allows for construction and operation of the BDD Project on lands managed by the BLM. This permit was issued contingent on completion of an approved “Plan of Development,” which was submitted in November 2008.
November 2008 – U.S. Forest Service Special Use Permit and Temporary Use Permit – Allows for construction and operation of the BDD Project on lands managed by the Forest Service. This permit was issued after approval of the Plan of Development in November 2008.
November 2008 – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Sediment Discharge Permit – Allows the Buckman Direct Diversion (BDD) to return to the Rio Grande some of the water it diverts as well as most of the larger sediment particles in the diverted water. For a copy of the permit, click here. For comments the EPA received on the draft permit, click here. For the New Mexico Environment Department’s certification of the permit, click here.
January 2008 – NM Department of Transportation Permit to Install Utility Facilities within Public Right of Way – Required for any construction activities within the Department of Transportation (DOT) Right of Way (ROW). The DOT environmental clearance for the ROW was issued January 31, 2008.
November 2007 – NM Department of Cultural Affairs, National Historic Preservation Act, Section 106, and Compliance – Signifies that no known cultural artifacts or sites will be disturbed by the proposed construction. A final report was submitted to the Society of Historical Preservation Office (SHPO) in September 2007 and SPHO concurrence was issued in November.
June 2007 – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Section 104 Permit for Diversion (Intake) Structure, River and Arroyo Crossings – Allows for construction of diversion structure and pipelines that cross arroyos. The NM Environment Department simultaneously issued their certification of permit.
June 2007 – NM Environment Department Surface Water Quality Bureau, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Dredge and Fill – Was issued with Section 104 Permit for Diversion (Intake) Structure, River and Arroyo Crossings
March 2007 – NM Environment Department Air Quality Bureau – Required for operations of emergency generators. Notice of Intent (NOI) completed March 22, 2007 – considered complete.
November 2006 – Office of the State Engineer – Permit to divert San Juan-Chama water was granted to the City of Santa Fe and Santa Fe County. For a copy of the permit, click here.
Easements through Private Property – Required for construction on private property. Santa Fe County received the plats for private properties in April 2007. Negotiations are underway.
Permits/Approvals Completed - Responsibility of Design Build (DB) Contractor
May 2009 – NM Environment Department Drinking Water Bureau Approval of Construction or Modification of Existing Public Water Supply System – Plans approved.
January 2009 – NM Construction Industries Division Approval for Construction – Conditional approval in October 2008. Final Approval January 2009.
November 2008 – U.S. Forest Service Native Plant Revegetation Mitigation Program and Habitat Loss Mitigation – Completed and included in the Plan of Development.
November 2008 – Santa Fe County Land Use Department, Development Permit Application – Approved.
November 2008 – U.S. Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service Visual Management Objectives – Completed and included in the Plan of Development.
November 2008 – U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, NM Department of Game & Fish and NM State Forestry Division Endangered Species Act and Regulations Concerning Special Status Species and Migratory Birds – Completed and included in the Plan of Development.
October 2008 and May 2008 – Santa Fe County Public Works Department Application for Right of Way – Approved for construction in the County’s right-of-way along Caja del Rio Road and Buckman Road in October 2008. Approval for potholing and geotechnical investigation in May 2008.
August 2008 – NM Environment Department Construction Programs Bureau – Approved for project components funded by the State of New Mexico.
August 2008 – New Mexico Finance Authority Application for Funding, Plan Review and Approval – Approval delegated to the NM Environment Department Construction Programs Bureau.
July 2008 – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Notice of Intent and Notice of Termination to Comply with NPDES Permit; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan; and NM Environment Department Certification of NPDES Permit – Required for any activities that disturb land. A SWPPP (Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan) was prepared, submitted in July 2008 and is maintained by the DB Contractor.
July 2008 – NM Environment Department, Surface Water Quality Bureau, NPDES Storm Water Certification – Required to obtain NPDES Storm Water permit; must be in place for any activities that disturb the land. This is included under the project storm water pollution prevention plan (SWPPP), which is covered under the NOI submitted under the NPDES Construction General Permit.