Public Meeting Notice: Platte River Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement

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United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Platte River EIS Office Box 25007�� 199 Denver, Colorado 80225 -0007 dater Colorad 4.0 ^. PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE PLATTE RIVER PROGRAMMATIC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT Recently, you may have received a brochure called "The Platte River Endangered Species Partnership." It describes a cooperative effort by the States of Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming, the U.S. Department of the Interior, water user groups, and environmental organizations to address endangered species issues in the Platte River in Nebraska that may affect the entire Platte River Basin. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has concluded that improvements are needed in the habitat of four threatened or endangered species that use the Platte River Valley in Nebraska: the whooping crane, the interior least tern, the piping plover, and the pallid sturgeon. Under the Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA), the operation of Federal or Federally- licensed water projects throughout the basin may need to be modified to prevent adverse consequences for these species. The participants in the partnership believe that the best approach to addressing the ESA issues is a joint, basinwide effort to improve habitat for the four "target" species. The States and the Department of the Interior have signed a cooperative agreement which proposes such a program.' Purpose. The purpose of the proposed program and any program alternatives is to: Secure defined benefits for the target species and their associated Platte River habitat through a program that offsets the effects of existing and new water - related activities in the basin that without a program would be found likely to jeopardize the continued existence of the target species or adversely modify critical habitat. 2. Ensure that the effects of future water activities in the Platte River Basin are offset so that they are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of the target species or adversely modify critical habitat. In accomplishing this, mitigate new water - related activities in the States of Wyoming, Colorado, and Nebraska in a manner that will not increase the mitigation responsibilities of the other states. 3. Provide greater regulatory certainty regarding compliance with Section 7 of the ' For details, see: Cooperative Agreement for Platte River Research and Other Efforts Relating to Endangered Species Habitat Along the Central Platte River, Nebraska. Signed July 1, 1997, by the Governors of Wyoming, Colorado, and Nebraska, and the Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Copies are available from this office, at the scoping meetings, or on the Platte River website at http: / /www.usbr.gov /platte. Platte River EIS Office (303) 445 -2096 FAX (303) 445 -6331