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<br />
<br />CHAPTER 2, INITIALSCOPINGPROCESS
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<br />A. Purpose of Scoping
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<br />NEPA,BOR, NPS, and Departmentof the Interior policies authorize and encourage an early
<br />consultation, orscoping, process to help identify the range of issues, alternatives, mitigation'
<br />measures, and environmental effects to be analyzed in depth, ~d to help resolve concerns of
<br />, affected agencies and individuals, In addition, the Council on Environmental Quality
<br />regulations (40 CFR Section 1501.7) require "an early and open'process for determining the
<br />scope of issues to be addressed and for identifying the signifiCant issues related toa proposed
<br />action, "
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<br />This initial scoping effort for the contract is designed ,to explore issues for environmental,'
<br />analysis, direct alternatives, ,identify additional studies needed', attd ensure, that important
<br />considerations are not overlooked, Through this ,and future public involvement activities, the
<br />BOR, NPS, and Cooperating Agencies intend to make the process' as informative and
<br />meaningful as possible for decision makers and those affeCted by the proposed project.
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<br />The information in this repon is a summary of the process and a compilation of what the '
<br />public said. with no attempt at analysis.
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<br />B. Initial Informational and Scoping Meetings
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<br />Six informational meetings (two at each location) were held Apro 28-30, 1992, in Gunnison,
<br />Montrose, and Delta, 'Colorado., Presentations included concepts, objectives, and goals of the
<br />BOR and Cooperating Agencies (NPS, BW, and the CWCB), the FWS also assisted in these
<br />and subsequent activities to answer questions and obtain input on endangered fish issues, Public
<br />involvement activities and the process involved were also covered, Informational packets were
<br />distributed to meeting attendees and, later, mailed to those requesting copies, ,
<br />
<br />A~ required under the NEP A, the BOR published a N()tice of Intent to Prepare an Environmenful
<br />'Impact Statement (EIS) and a Scoping Noti~in, the May 6,' 1992, Federal Register (see
<br />Appendix A). On May 8, 1992, a news release was distributed to media, agencies, individuals,
<br />and groups considered to be Irtterested in the project,
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<br />The BOR,NPS,BLM, CWCB, and FWS conducted five public scoping meetings May 19-21,
<br />1992 (two in Gunnison, two in Montrose, and one in Delta). These meetings were attended by
<br />'30 individuals, plus 51 representatives of 9 interested organizations, 3 Federal agencies, 2 State
<br />, agencies, Slocal governmental agencies, 4 local newspapers, and 2 ,legislators, Appendix B lists'
<br />the attendees at all fivemeetings,Copiesbf the 243 comments; ,as recorded on flip charts at
<br />the meetings, were provided .toeach of the cooperating agencies.
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