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Western Area Power Administration EIS Update: Alternatives Developed By: Dave Sabo, Manager, Environmental and Public Affairs, Western Area Power Administration, Salt Lake City Office Work is progressing on the development of alternatives as part of Western's Salt Lake City Area Integrated Projects (SLCA/IP) Electric Power Marketing Environmental Impact Statement. Western officials indicate that public information meetings will be scheduled for March 1992 to present these alternatives to the public. The goal of the EIS process is to examine how Western's power marketing criteria and programs affect Colorado River Storage project operations and the ~reooal~p~~ro=~alandh=anenv~nmen~ as a result of these programs, As part of the EIS process, alternatives to the SLCA/IP electric power marketing programs are being developed by EIS ream members from Western and Argonne National Laboratory. Some of the programs under study include long-term, firm-power, and energy sales; economy energy sales; reserve capacity sales; and emergency services. The Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service are participating as cooperating agencies. A series of public information meetings will present the alternatives developed during the EIS process. These meetings, originally scheduled for October 1991, are rescheduled for March 1992. The dates for these meetings will be announced in a Federal Register notice and through mailings from Western's Salt Lake City Area Office as well as press releases and paid advertisements. During the scoping process, Western received more than 21,000 comments on issues and approaches in accomplishing the EIS, A number of comments suggested that Western incorporate results of environmental studies presently underway such as the Glen Canyon Environmental Studies and ongoing Section 7 consultation at Flaming Gorge Dam. Representatives from Western are available to give presentations on the EIS to groups or organizations, Copies of the EIS Scoping Analysis are available for review at several libraries and at Western's Area Offices. For information on the location of these libraries or to be placed on Westerns mailing list for the Electric Power Marketing EIS, call the Salt Lake City Area Office at (801) 524-5493 or FrS 588-5493. Where Do We Go From Here ? . Now that the alternatives have been selected for impact analysis in the draft EIS, the next step is to evaluate each alrernative for environmental ~pacts on the =~al and cul~al resources of the Glen and Grand Canyons, ~pacts on water and power operations, and socioeconomic considerations. Between now and the planned distribution of the draft EIS, the EIS team will be performing impact analysis and writing the EIS. Impact assessment is the very heart of the EIS process and requires much time and arduous analysis to fully evaluate each alternative. The environmental analysis of the alternatives will be based on scientific data gathered during the Glen Canyon Environmental Studies, Phase I of these scientific studies began in 1983 and was complered in 1988. Phase II progress reports and preliminary findings were completed in 1991. These technical studies were based on data collected from research flows conducred between June 1990 and July 1991. Phase II reports will continue to be updated and will go through a technical review process. Additional studies will continue as part of the long-term monitoring research program. Power modeling and socioeconomic studies will be available in March 1992 as the basis for analysis of water and power operation impacts and socioeconomic impacts, Upon completion of the impact analysis and preparation of the re~rt, the draft EIS will be distributed to interested organizations, Public hearings will be conducred during the 90-day comment period at various locations. All of the comments received will be evaluated and considered in the final EIS as appropriate. We will keep you informed of our progress through future newsletters. 13