Public Scoping

Scoping is a process that is used under the National Environmental Policy Act to obtain information that will focus an EIS on significant issues. The formal scoping period for the SDS Project began on September 8, 2003, with the publication of a Notice of Intent in the Federal Register. The notice stated that, to be most effective, public scoping comments should be postmarked, sent via facsimile, or e- mailed no later than November 14, 2003, which is 30 days following the final public scoping meeting.

Reclamation also sent press releases to 75 local and national media organizations, public agencies, and other potentially interested parties. Advertisements announcing public scoping meeting and soliciting participation in the scoping process were published in seven local newspapers. Reclamation held five public scoping meetings to solicit issues and concerns about the project from the public. A scoping meeting with federal, state, and local agencies and a briefing session with the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency also were held. Reclamation sent a letter to representatives of 16 Native American Tribes to solicit their input for the scoping process. Reclamation also sent a consultation request to the Southwest Region, the Great Plains Region, the Rocky Mountain Region, and the Southern Plains Region of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

During scoping, 53 written submissions were received: 23 letters and 30 comment cards. From these submissions, 414 substantive comments were gathered. An additional 41 comments were recorded on easel note pads during the public and agency scoping meetings.

Based on the issues and recommendations identified in the scoping comments, as well as guidance from the National Environmental Policy Act, ten significant issues were identified that will be the focus of the EIS:

1. Surface Water Flow
2. Surface Water Quality
3. Channel Stability and Morphology
4. Sedimentation
5. Water Rights
6. Fish and Other Aquatic Life
7. Wetlands and Other Waters of the U. S.
8. Wildlife
9. Socioeconomic Conditions
10. Recreation Resources

Reclamation prepared a Public Scoping Report that describes in more detail scoping activities, the issues and concerns identified during scoping, and suggested alternatives. The report is available for download below and may be requested from Kara Lamb at 970- 962- 4326 or by e- mail at klamb@gp.usbr.gov.

Although the scoping period has passed, Reclamation welcomes comments from the public at anytime during the EIS process.

Download the Public Scoping Report

You may download either the full report, or each section separately. All files are Adobe PDF format.

• Full Report - 14 MB

- or -

• Report Text - 305KB
• Appendix A - 350KB
• Appendix B - 225KB
• Appendix C - 550KB
• Appendix D - Handouts - 557KB
• Appendix D - Posters - 6.8 MB
• Appendix E - 1.3 MB
• Appendix F - 2.3 MB
• Appendix G - 1.7 MB
• Appendix H - 88KB
• Addendum 1 - 18KB