The long-term plan will address routine operations as well as "experimental" flows that provide additional scientific information about how to protect endangered fish and lessen the effects of dam operations on downstream ecology and other resources. The plan will ensure that regulated flows on the Colorado River meet the goals of supplying hydroelectricity and water for communities, agriculture and industry at the same time they protect the ecologies of the Grand Canyon and Glen Canyon.
The meetings, to be held jointly by the Bureau of Reclamation and the National Park Service, will take place in:
- Phoenix, Arizona: Monday, November 7, 2011, 6 to 8 p.m., Sheraton Crescent Hotel, 2620 W. Dunlap Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85201.
- Flagstaff, Arizona: Tuesday, November 8, 2011, 6 to 8 p.m., Radisson Woodlands Hotel Flagstaff, 1175 W. Route 66, Flagstaff, AZ 86001.
- Page, Arizona: Wednesday, November 9, 2011, 6 to 8 p.m., Courtyard Page at Lake Powell, 600 Clubhouse Drive, Page, AZ 86040.
- Salt Lake City, Utah: Tuesday, November 15, 2011, 6 to 8 p.m., Hilton Salt Lake City Center, 255 South West Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84101.
- Las Vegas, Nevada: Wednesday, November 16, 2011, 6 to 8 p.m., Ramada Las Vegas, 325 East Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89169.
- Lakewood, Colorado: Thursday, November 17, 2011, 6 to 8 p.m., Sheraton Denver West Hotel, 360 Union Boulevard, Lakewood, CO 80228.
- Web-based meeting: Tuesday, November 15, 2011, 1 to 3 p.m. Mountain Time. For specific information about the web-based meeting and how to participate, please refer to the project website at: http://ltempeis.anl.gov.
Changes to dam operations and other actions taken by the Department of the Interior (DOI) will be evaluated as "alternatives" in an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The EIS will document and evaluate impacts of the alternatives.
The public meetings announced today are part of the "public scoping" phase of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. Public scoping gives interested individuals and groups the opportunity to comment on a proposed action, recommend alternatives, and to identify and prioritize the issues to be considered in the EIS analyses. Scoping is the earliest, but not the last, opportunity for people to provide input on the Glen Canyon Dam LTEMP EIS.
Each public scoping meeting will include a welcome and project overview session (15 minutes) and opportunities for the public to review exhibits, informally discuss issues, and ask questions of technical experts and managers.
More information on the meetings will be announced through local media, newsletters, and the project web site: http://ltempeis.anl.gov.
The public can submit comments by the following methods:
- Website: http://ltempeis.anl.gov. (the preferred method)
- Mail: Glen Canyon LTEMP EIS Scoping, Argonne National Laboratory, EVS/240, 9700 S. Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439.
To have your name added to the mailing list for future information, visit the Glen Canyon LTEMP EIS website listed below or contact Beverley Heffernan, Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado Region, Attention: UC-700, 125 South State Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84138-1147; facsimile (801) 524-3826.
Additional information, including a full copy of the Notice of Intent published yesterday in the Federal Register is available at the project web site: http://ltempeis.anl.gov.