PROJECTS
<br />WISP
<br />By Lori Ozzelio
<br />ANALYSIS IS 'THE HEART OF NEPA'
<br />MAGINE YOU HAVE A SECTION OF AN
<br />ELABORATE, PRECIOUS TAPESTRY TO
<br />EXAMINE AND PERHAPS ALTER.
<br />You're not allowed to just pull a thread out. If you
<br />choose one, you have to trace its path as it weaves
<br />through the entire pattern. Consider everything it
<br />touches, along with any other threads you might
<br />consider pulling, and what the combined and individual effects
<br />will be. Document the possibilities carefully.
<br />While you do that, solve a complicated math problem and
<br />discuss several deep philosophical questions. Take careful notes.
<br />Type it all up.
<br />That should give you a basic idea of what the alternatives
<br />analysis process is like.
<br />"We go through all of the alternatives identified by the
<br />enterprise and any identified by the public, screen those down
<br />and carry a reasonable range forward to the (environmental
<br />impact statement) document," explained Chandler Peter, U.S.
<br />Army Corps of Engineers' regulatory project manager. Based in
<br />Cheyenne, Wyo., he's overseeing the analysis for the Northern
<br />Integrated Supply Project and a handful of other proposed
<br />Western water projects.
<br />"The things that pop out of the analysis become bona fide
<br />alternatives," said NISP Project Manager Carl Brouwer.
<br />The complex government permitting process includes
<br />compliance with Section 404 of the Clean Water Act as well
<br />as the National Environmental Policy Act, including the
<br />alternatives analysis and preparation of an EIS. The menu
<br />of items to be considered, studied, screened and verified is
<br />colossal.
<br />NISP is in the midst of what's expected to be a year of
<br />alternatives analysis, what Peter calls "the heart of the NEPA
<br />document." A team of consultants working with Peter and
<br />adhering to specific criteria, will narrow down the 200 -plus
<br />possibilities to four or five. That handful will be included in a
<br />draft environmental impact statement, scheduled for release at
<br />the end of 2005. Participants anticipate a final EIS a year later.
<br />Peter not only considers the alternatives' merits, but also how
<br />each interacts with others in Colorado.
<br />Peter and his team are "in a review mode, validating and
<br />confirming, as well as going out to some sites and conducting
<br />technical studies." The 15 NISP participants and the District,
<br />he said, did a lot of homework up front, which saved the
<br />team a lot of time. Plus, others compiled a wealth of historic
<br />information about these sites over the years.
<br />"There has been a lot of work on the Front Range on where
<br />to get water," Peter said. "We're looking at all these options. We
<br />have to go through a very specific process to get to this.
<br />"On the other side of the equation, we also have to look
<br />at where the water is coming from. Is it drying up land or
<br />developing existing rights? It's very complex. We have to
<br />Photo by Nicole Selka,
<br />formulate screens, look at the screening process. The screens
<br />can't be arbitrary. We have specific criteria: costs, logistics,
<br />technology, environmental consequences, and defined purpose
<br />and need."
<br />Vegetation, species of concern, cultural resources, wildlife
<br />and wetlands are being specifically examined at NISP
<br />participants' preferred alternative sites and at those studied in-
<br />depth in the EIS, Peter said. Species of concern include animals
<br />listed as threatened or endangered, or of state concern. Cultural
<br />resources may include archaeological sites, historic structures,
<br />landscapes and objects.
<br />► Is a coordinated effort by 15 cities, District, Little Thompson Water
<br />towns and water districts; District, Morgan County Quality Water,
<br />► Is comprised of Berthoud, Central North Weld County Water District,
<br />Weld County Water District, Eaton, Severance and Windsor;'
<br />Evans, Erie, Fort Collins- Loveland As participants envision it includes
<br />Water District, Fort Lupton, Fort two reservoirs, Glade and Galeton; /
<br />Morgan; Lafayette;' Left Hand WAter, with 170,000 and 30,0,90 ajre feet�oi`
<br />10 ,' 12QO y`
<br />storage, respectively;
<br />► Has a firm yield of approximately
<br />35,000 ac4- feetof water for its
<br />participants;
<br />i Carries a $37,0 million pricetag for
<br />the reservoirs, pump plants, pipelines
<br />and reOuired canal im `ti a gs
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