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require public participation to resolve conflicts among the interrelated uses of natural, cultural, and human resources within technological, budgetary, and legal constraints. Under this process the problems and needs of the area to be affected are first identified and the capability of the available resources to meet these problems and needs is evaluated. This evaluation of needs and resources provides the basis for determining planning elements which should be considered in the formulation of alterna- tive plans. Alternative plans for meeting the objectives of the study are formulated and evaluated on an appraisal level to determine if they meet four tests listed in the Principles and Guidelines for viable plans. These four tests are completeness, effectiveness, efficiency, and acceptability. Briefly, the four tests can be defined as follows: (1) completeness is the extent to which an alternative plan provides and accounts for necessary invest- ments or other actions to ensure the realization of the planned effects, (2) effectiveness is the extent to which an alternative alleviates the specified problem and achieves the desired results, (3) efficiency is the extent to which an alternative is cost-effective, and (4) acceptability is the workability of the alternative in respect to acceptance by the public and adherence to existing laws and regulations. Alternative plans which pass all four tests become candidate plans and are subject to more detailed examination. The next step in the plan selec- tion process entails subjecting each alternative plan to an analysis under each of four accounts identified in the Principles and Guidelines. These four accounts include (1) NED (National Economic Development), (2) EQ (Environmental Quality), (3) RED (Regional Economic Development), and (4) OSE (Other Social Effects). It is from these candidate plans and the four account analysis that the recommended plan is selected. When the Principles and Guidelines become effective, the plan which maximizes the net benefits, e.g., the difference between benefits and costs, is the NED plan and should be the recommended plan unless there are compelling reasons to choose another plan. In addition, of primary importance in the CRWQIP salinity investigations is the cost-effectiveness criteria or the estimated cost per milligram per liter of reducing the salinity concentration at Imperial Dam by reducing the salt contribution to the Colorado River from the project area. The CEQ (Council on Environmental Quality) published regulations to enhance implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act. Effective in July 1979, the regulations required new procedures, formats, analyses, and page limits in the preparation of environmental impact statements. The CEQ regulations mandate a scoping process to help identify significant environ- mental issues and a broader comparative analysis of all reasonable alterna- tives, which also includes alternatives not within the jurisdiction of the agency. The regulations also require early public involvement, early availability of environmental information, and additional consideration for mit i gat i on of envi ronmental impacts. The impact of these new regul at ions on environmental statement preparation and review is not yet apparent; however, changes in the plan formulation process have already been made. 26