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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />fl <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />t <br /> <br />t <br /> <br />t <br /> <br />Section 1.0 Introduction and Background <br />1.1 Description of the Proposed Action <br />The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) acting on behalf of the Secretary of the <br />Department of the Interior (Secretary) proposes to take action to adopt specific Colorado <br />River Lower Basin shortage guidelines and coordinated reservoir management strategies <br />to address operations of Lake Powell and Lake Mead, particularly under low reservoir <br />conditions. This proposed Action will provide a greater degree of certainty to all water <br />users and managers in the Colorado River Basin by providing more detailed guidelines <br />for the operation of Lake Powell and Lake Mead and by allowing water users in the <br />Lower Basin to know when, and by how much, water deliveries will be reduced during <br />drought and low reservoir conditions. In addition, this proposed Action is designed to <br />delay the onset and magnitude of shortages and will maximize the protection afforded to <br />water supply, hydropower production, recreation and environmental benefits by water <br />storage in Lakes Powell and Mead. <br />Reclamation has determined that the proposed adoption of specific Colorado River <br />Lower Basin shortage guidelines and coordinated reservoir management strategies is a <br />major federal action with the potential to significantly affect the quality of the human <br />environment, and therefore, in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act <br />(NEPA) of 1969, as amended, is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to <br />assess the potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed Action. One of <br />the activities associated with preparation of an EIS is the solicitation and review of <br />public, tribal, and agency input as a component of the identification and analysis of <br />alternatives and potential environmental impacts. This process of determining the key <br />environmental issues to be addressed in the EIS document is termed "scoping." <br />1.2 Purpose of This Report <br />This Scoping Summary Report provides a summary of the comments received and the <br />issues raised during the scoping process and describes the current assessment of the <br />proposed scope of the environmental analysis to be included in the EIS. The Department <br />is publishing this Scoping Summary Report as a voluntary effort to assist in public <br />understanding of this important document. <br />The level of detail presented in this document is appropriate for a scoping report. <br />Reclamation will analyze and refine the information presented in this report through the <br />remaining steps of the NEPA process. <br />1-1 <br />