EDITOR’S NOTE: This update occurred prior to the reported wire transfer fraud of Wolf Creek funds. See this story for details.
RBC | “This project in particular is incredibly complex, we have a lot of partners to work with to make sure we are conducting the proper level of analysis to give everybody the right options. But we have three goals to go through this process. One is we want to be transparent, we want to be timely, and we want to be respectful. Because we respect our job of administering BLM land, but BLM land is public land, so our job is to work for the public,” said Bill Mills.
Bill Mills, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Field Manager at the White River Office presented an update on the proposed Wolf Creek Reservoir Jan. 12 at the White River Conservation District’s annual meeting. This project is actually titled the White River Regional Water Supply Project. Mills’s presentation focused on educating those in attendance of the process to be completed before a decision can be made..
The process began when the Rio Blanco Water Conservancy District submitted a right-of-way application to the BLM, which they accepted. Because BLM was the agency the application was submitted to, they became the leading agency to process the Environmental Impact Study (EIS). In this particular case it is not only an EIS but also a Resource Management Plan (RMP) amendment.
After this is initiated it must be determined what other agencies need to be a part of this process. The BLM has submitted 12 different applications to various agencies whose expertise are needed to complete the EIS process. The BLM also will develop a purpose and need statement for the EIS. This step is critical for public understanding of the project and why it is thought to be needed. Once this is done a Notice of Intent (NOI) is submitted through the federal register, which officially informs the public that the White River Field Office is entering into an EIS process for this project. It is this step that “starts the clock” on completing the EIS process within 24 months.
It is also important to note that when the NOI is published, and the purpose and need statement developed, there is also a range of alternatives that are likewise developed within the EIS. Those alternatives give BLM decision maker, Colorado State Director Doug Vilsack, more options beyond the “yes, build a reservoir,” or “no, don’t build a reservoir.”
But before the final EIS reaches Vilsack, an EIS draft is made public. The public has 90 days to participate in the final EIS at this time. Mills wants to make it clear that while the public can comment on the draft, they need comments with reason, you should not simply submit, “I don’t like it.” Comments that have reason will be taken into consideration for the final EIS.
The BLM’s Primary Project Manager leading this effort is Heather Sauls, if you would like to be on the mailing list for updates on this project please contact [email protected]. For additional information, visit https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2021544/510
BY ADRIENNE WIX | Special to the Herald Times
