Before preparing a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) on a proposal by Lake Pleasant Regional Park (LPRP) to amend the recreation master plan to include a zip line concession, the Bureau of Reclamation is seeking public input on the issues and concerns that should be addressed. LPRP is located approximately 30 miles northwest of Phoenix, Ariz., and the proposed concession would be located on the northwest side of the park, adjacent to Cottonwood Creek, and south of the 4-lane boat ramp and Cottonwood Day Use area.

Reclamation owns the land upon which LPRP and the reservoir Lake Pleasant are located. Lake Pleasant is formed by New Waddell Dam, a feature of the Central Arizona Project. Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department operates the LPRP under a 1990 Recreation Land Use Agreement and a 1997 Recreation Master Plan. Neither of these agreements included a zip line concession; therefore, an EA must be completed before Reclamation can approve an amendment to include the proposed concession in the Recreation Master Plan.

A complete description of the proposed zip line tour/ride concession, the full Notice of Public Scoping, which includes guidelines regarding comments, and a map showing the general vicinity and project area are available at www.usbr.gov/lc/phoenix or a hard copy can be obtained by calling Reclamation’s Environmental Resource Management Division at 623-773-6251 or e-mailing jharagara@usbr.gov.

To be most helpful, comments should be as specific as possible and sent to Reclamation at 6150 West Thunderbird Road, Glendale, AZ 85306, Attention: Ms. Sandra Eto; emailed to seto@usbr.gov; or faxed to (623) 773-6486, no later than April 20, 2012.

If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Eto (623) 773-6254.