Aspinall EIS - Scoping Report May 2007

• Basin Roundtable: Gunnison
• Title: Scoping Report - Scoping Report
• Date: 5/1/2007
• Author: Bureau of Reclamation
• Basin Roundtables - Doc Type: General Resources

Other agencies such as the Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Land M anagement
are considering cooperator status. Cooperating agencies are agencies with special
expertise or authorities that can assist Reclamation in the EIS process.

6 . D is cussion of Scoping Results

The Aspinall Unit is a large multi - purpose water proje ct that presently provides a variety
of significant benefits to the public. As a large water project, it has also resulted in
significant changes and impacts to the natural environment. With this in mind, the two
primary concerns fro m the formal scoping process were not surprising: 1) the existing
and future traditional b enefits and uses of the Unit should be protected in the EIS process,
and 2) the EIS process should be used to restore river conditions to a more natural
condition and assist in endanger ed species recovery.

Agencies, organizations, and individuals are often focused on a particular resource or
special interest and this is reflected in the scoping input. Some entities stress the priority
of endangered species recovery, others protection a nd use of water supplies, others
hydropower, and still others recreation and fish and wildlife.

From the scoping input, an idealistic preferred alternative would be one that complied
with the Endangered Species Act, assisted in the recovery of endangered specie s, and
continued to protect the multiple benefits of the Aspinall Unit. While such an alternative
may not fully exist, it should be kept in mind as a general goal.

There are general conc erns from the scoping process regarding the EIS process that n eed
to be addressed:

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The process should be open and understandable to interested parties .
?

Hydrology modeling is a key activity in developing and evaluating alternatives
and this modeling should be presented in an understandable fashion, coordinated
with k ey interests, and should be periodically reviewed by interested parties.
?

The purpose of the proposed action - - “avoid jeopardy” - - needs to be clarified to see
if it limits alternatives that “recover” endangered species.
?

The legal or policy role of Aspinall Un it water rights and decrees in reducing
water right calls by downstream seniors must be determined .
?

The role of the Unit in meeting Lower Basin compact demands needs to be
addressed.
?

The balance and legal requirements between meeting traditional authorized Unit
purposes and Endangered Species Act requirements need to be determined.
?

At this time, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison reserved water right has not been
finalized; how to address this in modeling of alternatives needs to be discussed.
?

The role of the Dallas Creek and Dolores Project biological opinions in alternative
formulation needs to be determined.
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