A public review and comments for the Bureau of Reclamation's environmental impact statement for the Newlands Project has been made available. The project provides irrigation water from the Truckee and Carson Rivers for agricultural lands through a series of diversions, canals, dams and reservoirs.
The Bureau of Reclamation has made available for public review and comment the Resource Management Plan/Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Newlands Project.
The RMP/FEIS provides a range of alternatives for managing Reclamation-administered lands in the Newlands Project Planning Area Washoe, Storey, Lyon and Churchill counties.
The Newlands Project RMP/FEIS provides a single, comprehensive land use plan that will guide contemporary resource and recreation needs of the federal lands administered by Reclamation in the Newlands Project planning area.
According to the BOR, the project provides irrigation water from the Truckee and Carson Rivers for agricultural lands in the Lahontan Valley near Fallon and benchlands near Fernley through a series of diversions, canals, dams and reservoirs.
The RMP/FEIS was prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and is available at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_projdetails.cfm?Project_ID=2822. If you encounter problems accessing the document online, please call 916-978-5100 (TTY 800-877-8339) or email mppublicaffairs@usbr.gov.
The RMP/FEIS may be viewed at the Washoe County Library, 301 S. Center St., Reno; the Fernley Branch Lyon County Library, 575 Silver Lace Blvd.; and the Churchill County Library, 553 South Main St.. The documents may also be viewed at the Bureau of Reclamation, Lahontan Basin Area Office, 705 N. Plaza Street, Room 320, in Carson City.
The BOR will not make a decision on the proposed action until at least 30 days after release of the Final RMP/EIS. After the 30-day waiting period, Reclamation will complete a Record of Decision. The ROD will state the action that will be implemented and will discuss all factors leading to the decision.
Written comments must be received by close of business Dec. 29, and should be sent to Bob Edwards, RMP Project Manager, Bureau of Reclamation, 705 N. Plaza Street, Room 320, Carson City, NV 89701, faxed to 775-882-7592, or emailed to redwards@usbr.gov.
For additional information, contact Edwards at 775-884-8342 (TTY 775-882-3436).