Reclamation Hosting Two Open Houses on 10825 Draft EA

9/24/2011

The Bureau of Reclamation is hosting two public open houses to introduce and collect comments on a draft Environmental Assessment related to releases from Ruedi and Granby reservoirs. The public comment period opens today and closes on October 24, 2011.

The first open house will be held on Tuesday, October 11 at the Eagle County Community Center, 0020 Eagle County Drive, El Jebel, Colo.

The second open house will be held on Wednesday, October 12 in the Commissioners’ meeting room of the County Building, 308 Byers Ave., Hot Sulphur Springs, Colo. Both meetings will run from 6-8 p.m.

At the request of east and west slope water users of the Colorado River, Reclamation is considering entering into three proposed long-term water contracts that would provide 10,825 acre-feet of water from Ruedi and Granby. The water would be released from the reservoirs to the 15-Mile Reach of the Colorado River – critical habitat for four endangered fish.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, Reclamation is preparing the EA to determine what effects might result from the three proposed contracts. Comments received from the public will help Reclamation refine and finalize the EA.

Reclamation is accepting written comments via e-mail or hard copy through close of business on October 24, 2011. Please send comments to the attention of Lucy Maldonado at lmaldonado@usbr.gov, or 11056 W. County Road 18E, Loveland, Colo., 80537.

For additional questions about the public open house, Ruedi Reservoir and the NEPA process, please contact Kara Lamb at (970) 962-4326 or klamb@usbr.gov.