Walker River Draft Environmental Impact Statement – The Review Begins (Post 1)
By: Doug Busselman, Executive Vice President
Since last writing about the availability of the “Walker River Basin Acquisition Program” Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), I’ve been able to locate and download the documents from the Bureau of Reclamation’s Website http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_projdetails.cfm?Project_ID=2810.
Comments from the public will be received until September 14, 2009 and also during a series of public meetings to be held the week of August 17th. These meetings include:
Caryn Hunt DeCarlo, Walker EIS Project Lead
Bureau of Reclamation
705 N. Plaza St. Room 320
Carson City, NV 89701
Review and Comments:
Over the coming weeks I will be reviewing the DEIS and posting observations and possible comments. Using the comment process for this blog (located at the end of the post), readers can share their input, thoughts and reactions. Those following the discussion can and should prepare their own set of comments.
An Unconnected EIS: In most circumstances the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, under which an Environmental Impact Statement is prepared, involves a decision by the federal agency conducting the evaluation. Since the University of Nevada System of Higher Education is deciding how the Acquisition Program is to be implemented, there is nothing for the Bureau of Reclamation to decide.
Going through the motions, the determination is that “The Draft EIS will be completed to provide information on analysis of impacts for both public interest and for consideration by the University that is designated in the legislation to make the decisions on implementation of the Acquisition Program.”
The entire process was and is a sham with little indication that the University will do anything to follow the recommendations that might be offered. University direction and actions will be far more influenced by other factors than they will to by whatever input is provided through the DEIS comment process.
Who Else Will Use The EIS? Although the University of Nevada System of Higher Education is the current authorized purchaser of water from willing sellers, it is important to read the wording included in the Executive Summary’s Introduction – “…the potential impacts of the Acquisition Program described in this Draft EIS are expected to be the same no matter what entity(s) implements the Acquisition Program. Accordingly, wherever the term ‘University’ is used in this Draft EIS, it refers to the University as well as any other potential entities that may be involved in implementation efforts.”
The University of Nevada only has $56 million to spend for acquisition, however another $200 million was included in the 2008 Farm Bill for another load of funding for the “Desert Terminal Lakes” program. This pot of money doesn’t include the provisions that required the University System to launder the money from the 2002 Farm Bill. The 2002 funding prohibited the money to be used for purchase of land or water. Routing it through the University System under the guise of creating a research facility avoided the prohibition that Congress had originally intended.
Without the restriction for not purchasing water, the Bureau of Reclamation could get into the water right purchasing business themselves, or go forward with some other scheme for extracting agricultural water from production and into Walker Lake.
Perhaps the DEIS that isn’t an actual decision will be used by some unnamed water buyer down the road.
Since last writing about the availability of the “Walker River Basin Acquisition Program” Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), I’ve been able to locate and download the documents from the Bureau of Reclamation’s Website http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_projdetails.cfm?Project_ID=2810.
Comments from the public will be received until September 14, 2009 and also during a series of public meetings to be held the week of August 17th. These meetings include:
- Monday, August 17 (6 p.m. to 8 p.m.) Reno – Rancho San Rafael County Park, Main Ranch House, 1595 N. Sierra ST.
- Tuesday, August 18 (6 p.m. to 8 p.m.) Yerington – Casino West Convention Center, 11 North Main St.
- Wednesday, August 19 (6 p.m. to 8 p.m.) Wellington – Smith Valley Community Center, 2783 Highway 208
- Thursday, August 20 (6 p.m. to 8 p.m.) Hawthorne – Mineral County Public Library, First & “A” Street
Caryn Hunt DeCarlo, Walker EIS Project Lead
Bureau of Reclamation
705 N. Plaza St. Room 320
Carson City, NV 89701
Review and Comments:
Over the coming weeks I will be reviewing the DEIS and posting observations and possible comments. Using the comment process for this blog (located at the end of the post), readers can share their input, thoughts and reactions. Those following the discussion can and should prepare their own set of comments.
An Unconnected EIS: In most circumstances the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, under which an Environmental Impact Statement is prepared, involves a decision by the federal agency conducting the evaluation. Since the University of Nevada System of Higher Education is deciding how the Acquisition Program is to be implemented, there is nothing for the Bureau of Reclamation to decide.
“Reclamation has determined that issuing a Record Of Decision (ROD) for the EIS as part of the NEPA process is neither required nor appropriate,” according to the DEIS documents.
Going through the motions, the determination is that “The Draft EIS will be completed to provide information on analysis of impacts for both public interest and for consideration by the University that is designated in the legislation to make the decisions on implementation of the Acquisition Program.”
The entire process was and is a sham with little indication that the University will do anything to follow the recommendations that might be offered. University direction and actions will be far more influenced by other factors than they will to by whatever input is provided through the DEIS comment process.
Who Else Will Use The EIS? Although the University of Nevada System of Higher Education is the current authorized purchaser of water from willing sellers, it is important to read the wording included in the Executive Summary’s Introduction – “…the potential impacts of the Acquisition Program described in this Draft EIS are expected to be the same no matter what entity(s) implements the Acquisition Program. Accordingly, wherever the term ‘University’ is used in this Draft EIS, it refers to the University as well as any other potential entities that may be involved in implementation efforts.”
The University of Nevada only has $56 million to spend for acquisition, however another $200 million was included in the 2008 Farm Bill for another load of funding for the “Desert Terminal Lakes” program. This pot of money doesn’t include the provisions that required the University System to launder the money from the 2002 Farm Bill. The 2002 funding prohibited the money to be used for purchase of land or water. Routing it through the University System under the guise of creating a research facility avoided the prohibition that Congress had originally intended.
Without the restriction for not purchasing water, the Bureau of Reclamation could get into the water right purchasing business themselves, or go forward with some other scheme for extracting agricultural water from production and into Walker Lake.
Perhaps the DEIS that isn’t an actual decision will be used by some unnamed water buyer down the road.
Posted by Doug Busselman at 7/29/2009 7:20 AM 
Categories: Walker River DEIS
Tags: Nevada University of Nevada Water Grab Walker River Acquisition
Categories: Walker River DEIS
Tags: Nevada University of Nevada Water Grab Walker River Acquisition
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