Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended (42 United States Code [U.S.C.] § 4321, et seq), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is preparing an Environmental Assessment for the proposed City of Globe Watermain (ADOT to Fairgrounds) project in Gila County, Arizona. The purpose of the Environmental Assessment is to evaluate potential environmental impacts associated with the replacement of an aging waterline located between the Arizona Department of Transportation facility (ADOT) at 1900 N. Highway 60 and the Gila County Fairgrounds.
The proposed project would be funded in part by USACE through the Section 595 Rural Infrastructure Program authorized under the Water Resources Development Act of 1999, Public Law 106-53, as amended (Section 595). Under Section 595, USACE is authorized to provide design and construction assistance for water-related environmental infrastructure and resource protection and development projects in Arizona, including projects for wastewater treatment and related facilities, water supply and related facilities, and surface water resource protection and development.
The project is located along North U.S. Highway 60 east of Globe, Arizona. The City of Globe’s water is supplied primarily by the Cutter Well Field that sits on an aquifer at the east border of the city and the San Carlos Apache Tribal Nation. The main water line extends from this site and branches into two trunk lines, one to the eastern part of the city, and the other to feed the Arizona Department of Corrections State Prison, Apache Peaks subdivision and the Gila County Fairgrounds. This line has experienced frequent and recurring repairs during the past seven years, highlighting the need for this project to provide a lasting solution.
A partnership agreement between USACE and the City of Globe was signed April 29, 2024, for an initial increment of work consisting of the design and construction of the project. Work will be completed in two segments, with Segment 1 including the installation of about 1.45 miles of 12-inch watermain along North U.S. Highway 60, from ADOT to Apache Peaks. Once Segment 1 is completed, tested and turned over, Segment 2 will be implemented and includes the installation of about 1.0 mile of 12-inch watermain along North U.S. Highway 60, from Apache Peaks to the Fairgrounds main entrance.
The new watermain will be installed along the same alignment as the old watermain, at the same depth, with plus or minus 24 inches of distancing from the old watermain. The old watermain will be abandoned in place. Standard excavating equipment will be used, including an excavator, loader and dump trucks. Excavated material will be used to refill the trench, once the new waterline is installed. No fill will be brought into the project site or hauled away from the project site. Best management practices will be implemented to minimize environmental impacts, including dust suppression and erosion control.
USACE is soliciting comments from the public; federal, state and local agencies and officials; and other interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the impacts of this proposed project. If the Environmental Assessment identifies significant project impacts that can't be mitigated to a level that is less than significant, an Environmental Impact Statement will be prepared. If no unmitigable, significant impacts are identified, then a Finding of No Significant Impact will be prepared. Preliminary environmental analyses indicate there will be no unmitigable, significant impacts on environmental resources as a result of the project.
Comments regarding the proposed project will be accepted through July 30, 2025. Feedback can be submitted electronically to CESPL-GlobeAZ@usace.army.mil, and USACE asks that the project name be provided in the subject line of emails. Comments may also be mailed to:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
City of Globe Watermain (ADOT to Fairgrounds) Project
Attn: Thomas Sentner, Planning Division
60 S. California Street, STE 201, Ventura, CA 93001