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Clark, Lincoln, and White Pine Counties
Groundwater Development and Pipeline Projects

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Ely Field Office is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on a proposed action submitted by Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) in 2004 to obtain rights-of-way across land managed by the BLM. If granted, the rights-of-way would authorize SNWA to begin developing groundwater resources located in Clark, Lincoln, and White Pine counties to help meet anticipated future water needs in the Las Vegas Valley. SNWA's proposal encompasses the drilling and equipping of groundwater production wells in all three counties, pipelines capable of transporting up to 180,000 acre feet of water per year to the Las Vegas Valley, pumping stations, and facilities for water treatment and power.

The process BLM will use to determine whether the application for rights-of-way should be granted is comprehensive and includes compliance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other laws. NEPA is a tool designed to enhance and improve decision making by requiring federal agencies to take a hard look at the potential impacts proposed actions will have on the environment. NEPA also requires agencies to consider reasonable alternatives to proposed actions. The NEPA process emphasizes agency cooperation and invites public participation. To meet NEPA's requirements, BLM has determined an EIS must be prepared.

Through this web page, we plan to provide you with up-to-date information that will enable you to participate in the EIS process. Public participation is critical to helping ensure BLM has considered the views of the public when a decision on this important groundwater development project is finally made. We encourage you to get involved and look forward to hearing from you.