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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the Water Authority planning to do?
• Why is an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) needed?
• What goes into the preparation of an EIS?
• Will BLM work with the U.S. Geological Survey and Desert Research Institute on the groundwater study that is currently underway?
• Will the public be allowed to participate in the development of the EIS?
• How may the public participate in the EIS process?
• When will the EIS process be completed?

What is the Water Authority planning to do?

According to the most recent proposal submitted to Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Southern Nevada Water Authority plans to build and operate approximately 115-195 groundwater production wells that will allow as much as 180,000 acre feet of groundwater to be exported each year to the Las Vegas Valley from rural Clark, Lincoln, and White Pine Counties. Pumping stations and facilities for water treatment and power supply will also be built. The majority of these facilities will be located on public land managed by the BLM.
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Why is an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) needed?

The need for an EIS was triggered in 2004, when the Water Authority applied for rights-of-way on public land. This is where the Water Authority proposes to locate a majority of the groundwater wells, pipelines and other facilities. But, before BLM may make a decision on issuance of the rights-of-way, the agency must comply with federal environmental laws. One such law, the National Environmental Policy Act, requires BLM to prepare a detailed analysis, called an EIS, on the Water Authority's proposed project. The law ensures that federal agencies will integrate social, environmental, and economic values into the right-of-way decision.
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What goes into the preparation of an EIS?

The EIS process forces federal agencies to take a hard look at how their actions on projects, such as pumping groundwater and building pipelines, could impact the environment. The process encourages public participation and emphasizes agency cooperation.

There are four distinct phases to the preparation of an EIS: scoping, draft EIS, final EIS, and Record of Decision.

The purpose of the scoping phase is to identify issues and reasonable alternatives that should be analyzed in the EIS.

During the draft EIS phase, BLM will use a team of experts to gather information and conduct a comprehensive assessment of the Water Authority's proposal and alternatives identified during scoping. The team will analyze socio-economic, hydrologic, wildlife, air quality and any other impacts that may occur if the rights-of-way are granted and the Water Authority is allowed to proceed with developing groundwater resources. The draft EIS will be put together from the team's assessment of these impacts and public comments.

The final EIS will respond to public comments made on the draft EIS and other identified corrections that may be made to the Water Authority's proposal and alternatives contained in the draft EIS. The final EIS is the document BLM will use to determine whether to grant rights-of-way to the Water Authority.

BLM must wait at least 30 days after the final EIS has been released before issuing its final decision on the Water Authority's right-of-way application. This document is called the Record of Decision. In addition to announcing BLM's decision, the Record of Decision states the alternatives considered, the environmentally preferred alternative, and the factors that were considered.

If BLM's decision is to grant rights-of-way to the Water Authority, the Record of Decision will also state any mitigation measures that BLM determines the Water Authority should implement that will offset or reduce identified impacts to the environment. Finally, the Record of Decision describes any enforcement and monitoring programs that BLM will impose on the Water Authority.
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Will BLM work with the U.S. Geological Survey and Desert Research Institute on the groundwater study that is currently underway?

Yes. The Congress has directed the U.S. Geological Survey, Desert Research Institute and State of Utah to jointly conduct a study on the deep carbonate and alluvial aquifers of White Pine County and any groundwater basins located in Lincoln or White Pine Counties and adjacent areas in Utah. The study must be completed by December 2007. Technical staff from BLM has been assigned to work on the study and staff from the U.S. Geological Survey will work with BLM on the development of the EIS. This should ensure a consistent exchange of data and other information. If there are concerns, BLM will have an opportunity to address them in the final EIS or Record of Decision.
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Will the public be allowed to participate in the development of the EIS?

Yes. Experience shows that better decisions - those that meet the needs of affected communities and minimize adverse impacts to the environment - are made when the public is offered a genuine opportunity to participate and actually does participate. Scoping is the first opportunity the public will have to become involved.
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How may the public participate in the EIS process?

In two ways. They may attend any or all of the scoping meetings that will be held in six Nevada and three Utah communities over a three week period beginning in late April. The first meeting will be held in Ely on Tuesday, April 26 at the Bristlecone Convention Center between five and nine PM.

Written comments will also be accepted when the draft EIS is released.
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When will the EIS process be completed?

The scoping phase is scheduled to be completed August 1, 2005. The draft EIS currently is planned to be made available for public comment in mid-2006, with the final EIS being released a year later in mid-2007.
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