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. . programmatic EIR for restoration of the Salton Sea ecosystem. The PEIR is to be completed by December 2006, with CDWR and CDFG acting as co-lead agencies. The proposed project requires the Resources Secretary to develop a preferred alternative for restoring the Salton Sea Ecosystem and pennanently protecting the fish and wildlife resources dependent upon that ecosystem. Currently, it is anticipated that the alternatives analysis will evaluate "whole sea restoration alternatives," "partial sea restoration alternatives," and "habitat enhancement alternatives." The QSA implementing legislation defined the project area as the entire Salton Sea Basin, Lower Colorado River ecosystem, and the Colorado River Delta in Mexico, Written comments on the NOP will be accepted by CDWR through April 16, 2004, A copy of the NOP has been included in the Board folder for your infonnation. Basin States/Tribes Discussions Basin States Meeting - March 5, 2004 Representatives of the Basin States met in Las Vegas, Nevada 011 March 5,2004, Assistant Secretary of the Interior Bennett Raley was present at the meeting and asked the Basin States to identify critical or significant issues that the States believe that the Department of the Interior should endeavor to address prior to the election in November. Although no suggestions were made during the meeting, it was decided to form a steering committee composed of representatives from each of the Basin States, The objective of the steering committee would be to begin the identification and evaluation of potential water management strategies that could be undertaken to meet the long-term water supply needs within the Basin. Some of the potential water management strategies that may be evaluated by the steering committee include the following: (1) system enhancements; (2) vegetation management; (3) Yuma Desalting Plant operations and alternatives; (4) Mexican Colorado River Delta and the Cienega de Santa Clara; (5) interstate water banking; and (6) development of shortage criteria, The State of Nevada provided an update of activities that it is conducting related to long-term water supply, including its integrated water supply planning process, In addition, Nevada discussed its drought plan and its revised return flow credit calculation methodology. The next meeting of the Seven Basin States is scheduled for March 3 I, 2004, and will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, Resignation a/Greg Walcher, Colorado Department of Natural Resources On February II, 2004, the State of Colorado notified the Basin States representatives that Mr, Greg Walcher recently left state service. Consequently, Mr. Rod Kuharich, Executive Director of the Colorado Water Conservation Board, will replace 6