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

This 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 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.