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Agenda Item 15 September 22.23,2003 Board Meeting Page 4 With respect to application of the flow recomrl1endations in the Aspinall EIS process, Reclamation staff stated that the recommendations are not requirements. Reclamation will conduct the EIS with the objective of "implementing the flow recommendations or a reasonable alternative thereto," while meeting the authorized purposes of the Aspinall project, i.e., irrigation, flood control, fish and wildlife, compact administration, hydropower, and municipaVindustrial use. Reclamation's job is to detertnine the most reasonable operation of Aspinall in light of the flow recommendations, Black Canyon settlement, and authorized purposes. . 2. Asvinall EIS Reclamati6~ will initiate the Aspinall EIS shortly after recelVlng the final flow recommendations report from USFWS. This is expected by July 1. Reclamation outlined a four year EIS process that will begin in the latter half of 2003 and be completed in the latter half of 2007. First year (2003-04) - Activities will include the scoping process and development of the environmental baseline. The scoping process will probably take place in August and September 2003. It will include public meetings 'and meetings with key agencies and interests groups, such as water users, environmentalists, state agencies, other federal agencies, recreation interests, River District, etc. Reclamation will develop the purpose and needs statement and a description of the proposed action for the scoping process. . Second year (2004-05) - In the second year, Reclamation will define alternatives to the proposed action and initiate data collection. Third year (2005-061 - During the third year, Reclamation will develop the public review draft and conduct public meetings, as well as develop the biological assessment. Fourth year ( 2006-07) - In the fourth year, Recla;mation will complete ESA compliance for Aspinall and issuethe record of decision. EIS Baseline: Existing projects and depletions will be included in the baseline. The criteria for including future projects or actions in the baseline are generally as follows, according to Reclamation: Projects or actions, which have completed both NEP A compliance and ESA compliance will be included'in the baseline. These projects will be identified during the scoping process. If parties want to suggest items for inclusion in the baseline, they should do so during the scoping process. A question was raised regarding the AB Lateral. Given that it has completed both ESA and NEP A compliance, it appears that it would be eligible for conclusion in the baseline. Likewise, with Redlands fish screen and fish ladder operations. .