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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 001970 Scoping Document 1 Williams Fork Hydroelectric Project FERC Project No. 2204 . Continue to participate in the Middle Park Sage Grouse Conservation Plan and attempt to manage its property within the FERC Project area consistent with the Plan. 4.2 Alternatives to Denver Water's Action To date, there have been no comments or requests by the participating parties that recommend alternatives to the proposed action. If alternatives are identified during the scoping process, those alternatives will be addressed during the ALP. 4.3 No Action Alternative Under the no-action alternative, the Project would continue to operate under the terms and conditions of its existing license, and no new environmental protection, mitigation, or enhancement measures would be implemented. Denver Water will use this alternative to establish the baseline environmental conditions for comparison with the other alternati ves. 4.4 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Study At present, Denver Water proposes to eliminate the following alternatives from detailed study in the ALP. . Federal Government Takeover. Denver Water does not consider federal takeover to be a reasonable alternative. Federal takeover of the project would require congressional approval. While that fact alone would not preclude further consideration of this alternative, there is currently no evidence indicating that federal takeover should be recommended to Congress. Additionally, Denver Water intends to relicense the existing project thereby eliminating any reason for federal takeover for power generating pUIposes. . Nonoower Proiect. Issuing a non power license is not a reasonable alternative in this ALP. Denver Water does not consider a nonpower license a realistic alternative to relicensing since power has been generated at the Project for the past 50 years. Denver Water plans to continue generating power at Williams Fork Reservoir and is not seeking a non power license. . Proiect Decommissioning. Project decommissioning would involve denial of the license application and surrender or termination of the existing license with appropriate conditions for removal of the powerplant. Denver Water has no basis for recommending decommissioning of the project. Removing the power generating capability of the Williams Fork Hydroelectric project would not adversely affect Denver Water's municipal water supply system. However, the loss of power generation to the grid system would require additional power sources to be developed, resulting in more adverse environmental impacts than Denver Water's proposed action. Thus, 15