EXTENSION OF PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD

DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR THE ODESSA SUBAREA

SPECIAL STUDY PROJECT

DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR THE ODESSA SUBAREA SPECIAL STUDY PROJECT

The Bureau of Reclamation and the Washington State Department of Ecology's Office of Columbia River released the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS) for the Odessa Subarea Special Study on October 26, 2010.  In response to several requests, the comment period has been extended to January 31, 2011.

The Draft EIS has been prepared in accordance with the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).  The Odessa Subarea Special Study project is being undertaken as part of the Columbia River Basin Water Management Program, described in the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the Columbia River Management Plan issued by Ecology in February 2007.  The Special Study examines the feasibility, acceptability, and environmental consequences of alternatives to replace groundwater currently used for irrigation on approximately 102,600 acres in the Odessa Ground Water Management Subarea with Columbia Basin Project surface water.  A No Action Alternative, four partial-replacement alternatives, and four full-replacement alternatives are being evaluated. 

Comments may be submitted electronically to odessa@usbr.gov; by telephone to

509-575-5848, extension 603; by fax to 509-454-5650 (TTY users may dial 711 to obtain a toll-free TTY relay);or by mail to Chuck Carnohan, Study Manager, Bureau of Reclamation, 1917 Marsh Road, Yakima WA 98901-2058. 

For further information regarding the Odessa Subarea Special Study DEIS, you may visit http://www.usbr.gov/pn/programs/ucao_misc/odessa/index.html.

#12071/1386265

Pub.: December 23, 2010