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settlement of the water claims ofthe Colorado Ute Tribes. The SEIS has been prepared to meet the procedural requirements ofNEP A following the regulations established by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) (40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 1500 to 1508). These regulations provide , the legal and regulatory guidelines for preparation of environmental impact statements (E1S). The 1996 FSFES and the 1980 FES are incorporated by reference to eliminate duplication and repetitive discussions of the same issues, and also incorporates information from the 1996 FSFES and 1980 FES (40 CFR 1508.28 and 150D.4(j)). Public Involvement Activities The Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS) for the Animas-La Plata Project was tiled with the Environmental Protection Agency and distributed to the public on January 14,2000. The public comment period opened on January 14, 2000 and was originally set to close on March 17,2000; however, the comment period was extended by 30 days, as noticed in the Federal Register on March 9, 2000. The public comment period closed on April 17, 2000. The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) conducted three public hearings on the ALP Project DSEIS in Durango, Colorado; Farmington, New Mexico; and Denver, Colorado on February 15, 16, and 17,2000, respectively. Notice of the public hearings was announced in the local media and published in the Federal Register on January 14,2000. A total of 77 people presented oral testimony. Speakers represented the Colorado Ute Tribes, Navajo Nation, federal and state agencies, various organizations including county and local offices, water districts, environmental groups, and individuals. Written comments were accepted by Reclamation at each hearing and were also received as letters and via emaiI throughout the entire public comment period. A total of 397 oral and written commentsllettersle-mails were received. Responses have been prepared for each of these comments, and where appropriate, changes have been made in the text of the FSEIS. Changes made are marked in the FSEIS by a bar in the margin of the text. Responses were developed for comments and questions that were within the scope of the proposed action. SEIS Evaluation Process This FSEIS evaluates 10 alternatives, including 9 action alternatives that include several structural and non-structural components, and a no action alternative (see Table ES-2 below). Project structural components were evaluated, including storage reservoirs, a pumping plant, and conveyance facilities. These are defined in detail, their environmental settings and potential environmental impacts are evaluated, and mitigation measures are proposed. The construction and operation of a water pipeline to transmit treated water to the Navajo Nation at and near Shiprock (the NNMP) is also a structural component of the ALP Project. Non-structural components include acquiring existing water sources. As part of this analysis, this FSEIS inventories the available land and associated water rights in the McElmo Creek and Mancos, La Plata, Animas, Florida, and Pine River Basin drainages in the vicinity of the two Colorado Ute Tribal reservations. Land values, seniority of water rights, parcel sizes, and other factors were evaluated to develop a reasonable picture of the potential acquisition of land and direct flow water rights. Working with the basic assumptions that water and land would be purchased from willing sellers, and that project modifications and reoperation would be able to receive the approval of all participating parties to proceed, representative areas were identified in order to develop an analysis of the range of likely non- structural component options that might be implemented by one or more of the water users in the future. Finally, as part of the non-structural analysis, the potential for securing water supplies from existing Reclamation-owned storage facilities in the region was evaluated. ES-6