The Bureau of Reclamation has completed the Narrows Project Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act. Commensurate with the Notice of Availability published in the Federal Register today regarding the documents release, the SDEIS will be filed with the Environmental Protection Agency and the 63-day public review period begins culminating on Tuesday, June, 1, 2010.

The Narrows Project SDEIS describes the effects of Reclamation issuing to the Sanpete Water Conservancy District (SWCD) a loan pursuant to the authority of the Small Reclamation Projects Act, as well as issuing to the SWCD a right of use of federal lands in accordance with Reclamation law. These Reclamation actions would facilitate the construction by SWCD of the proposed Narrows Dam and Reservoir, a non-federal project proposed to be located on Gooseberry Creek in Sanpete County, Utah. The loan application and request for a right of use of federal lands by SWCD to build the Narrows Project is intended to meet the purpose of developing an irrigation and municipal and industrial supply source for water users in northern Sanpete County. Reclamation's release of this SDEIS does not imply either approval or denial of the Small Reclamation Projects Act loan application or the request for authorization to use withdrawn lands. If Reclamation approves the Small Reclamation Projects Act loan and right of use of federal lands in accordance with Reclamation law, and Congress appropriates the necessary funds, a supplemental water supply would be developed by SWCD.

Two public hearings have been scheduled to provide an opportunity for the public to provide comments to Reclamation however, the comments will not be addressed during the hearings.

• Wednesday, April 28, 2010, from 6 to 9 p.m., Manti City Hall, 50 South Main Street, 2nd Floor, Manti, Utah
• Thursday, April 29, 2010, from 6to 9 p.m., Price Civic Auditorium, 185 East Main Street, Price, Utah

These hearings will be recorded by a court reporter and all hearing statements (oral and written) will become part of the public record for this SDEIS. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, all comments (oral and written) are given full and equal consideration. Comments may be submitted until Tuesday, June 1, 2010 to: Bureau of Reclamation, Attention: Peter Crookston, PRO-774, 302 East 1860 South, Provo, Utah, 84606-7317; phone: 801-379-1152; facsimile: 801-379-1159; e-mail: narrowsSDEIS@usbr.gov . Please be aware that all personal identifying information (including name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, etc) provided as part of your comment, may be publicly available as part of the public record. Requests to withhold this information cannot be guaranteed.

The SDEIS is available on Reclamation's website at: www.usbr.gov/uc/envdocs/index.html.