Bureau of Reclamation, NM Interstate Stream Commission begin planning phase for NM Unit of Central Arizona Project

The United States Department of the Interior (DOI), Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) Lower Colorado Region and the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission (NMISC) are preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the New Mexico Unit (NM Unit) of the Central Arizona Project (CAP). The proposed NM Unit would be a water diversion, storage, conveyance and delivery system for agricultural use. The NM Unit would divert water from the Gila River or its tributaries in New Mexico including the San Francisco River and convey it for storage in off-stream storage sites in the Cliff-Gila Valley, along the San Francisco River and in the Virden Valley in New Mexico, and deliver it to the target New Mexico water users. 

The attached newsletter announces the public scoping period, during which Reclamation and the NMISC are soliciting public comments and gathering input on the issues to be analyzed in the EIS. Eight scoping meetings are scheduled during the scoping period beginning on June 12, 2018. Comments will be accepted until July 20, 2018. Issues raised by the public will be used to focus the analysis of the EIS and formulate additional alternatives, if needed. These alternatives will be analyzed within the EIS in addition to the proposed action and the No Action alternative.