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The Action Alternatives <br />THE ACTION ALTERNATIVES <br />All of the action alternatives address only the First Increment of the Program. Each action alternative <br />emphasizes a different focus or approach. Many additional combinations of the elements that make up <br />the alternatives are possible. While this programmatic analysis is not intended to portray all possible <br />combinations of elements, it does describe a reasonable range of land and water actions, given the <br />resources likely to be available far the First Increment of the Program. <br />The action alternatives are: <br />% Governance Committee Alternative: As described in the Governance Committee Program <br />Document. Provides 10,000 acres of central Platte River habitat land under Program <br />management and improves achievement of species and annual pulse flow targets by 130,000 to <br />150,000 acre-feet on an average annual basis. <br />% Full Water Leasing Alternative: Water leasing is emphasized in addressing the Program's <br />water goals. This alternative, which provides nearly all of the Program water through water <br />leasing, replaces the "Water Leasing Alternative" analyzed in the draft EIS (DEIS), which <br />incorporated a smaller amount of leased water. Provides 10,000 acres of central Platte River <br />habitat land under Program management and improves achievement of species and annual pulse <br />flow targets by 137,000 acre-feet on an average annual basis. <br />% Wet Meadow Alternative: This alternative focuses on restoring wet meadow areas near the <br />river. This alternative explores the benefits to the species from substantial increases in non- <br />riverine habitat, but with reduced quantities of water to achieve target flows. Provides <br />17,053 acres of central Platte River habitat land under Program management and improves <br />achievement of species and annual pulse flow targets by 116,000 acre-feet on an average annual <br />basis. <br />% Water Emphasis Alternative: This alternative focuses on acquiring water for the Program. <br />There is less emphasis on land habitat management. This alternative explores the benefits to the <br />target species of substantial increases in Program water supplies, particularly in reservoir <br />storage, but reduced management of non-riverine habitat. Provides 7,475 acres of Central Platte <br />River habitat land under Program management and improves achievement of species and annual <br />pulse flow targets by 185,000 acre-feet on an average annual basis. <br />All of these FEIS action alternatives are based upon a Basinwide, cooperative approach. However, <br />negotiations related to such an approach have occurred only for the Governance Committee Alternative, <br />and the agreement of all parties to a cooperative approach for the other alternatives should not be inferred. <br />Some of these FEIS action alternatives would involve using existing facilities for water starage or <br />management. Presentation of these action alternatives does not imply that parties who currently own, <br />manage, or use these facilities endorse, support, or agree to such use of their facilities. <br />While some elements in the alternatives may not be supported by individual members of the Governance <br />Committee, it is important under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to carefully consider <br />and evaluate a range of options even if those options have not previously been agreed to by all <br />participants. For this reason, the EIS team formulated additional options for evaluation which are based <br />upon a Basinwide, cooperative model, and which address the stated purpose and need.