As required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Bureau of Reclamation today issued a Federal Register Notice that announces the next in a series of upcoming scoping meetings for soliciting public comment on the development of Lower Basin shortage guidelines and coordinated management strategies for the operation of Lakes Powell and Mead under low reservoir conditions.

As part of the process, Reclamation proposes to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement that identifies guidelines and strategies under which the Department of the Interior would reduce annual water deliveries from Lake Mead to Lower Basin States below the 7.5 million acre-foot Lower Basin apportionment and the manner in which those deliveries would be reduced.

To solicit comments on the scope of specific shortage guidelines, public meetings will be held in Salt Lake City, Utah; Denver, Colo.; Phoenix, Ariz.; and Henderson, Nev., between November 1 and November 8, 2005.

Guidelines and strategies developed through the NEPA process will likely identify those circumstances under which the Department of the Interior would reduce annual Colorado River water deliveries to users in Nevada, Arizona and California, and the manner in which annual operations of these two Colorado River water bodies would be modified under low reservoir conditions.

The dates, times and locations of the meetings are:

* Tuesday, November 1, 2005 -- 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Mountain Standard Time), Hilton Salt Lake City Center, Topaz Room, 255 South West Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah.

* Wednesday, November 2, 2005 -- 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Mountain Standard Time), Adam's Mark Hotel, Tower Court D, 1550 Court Place, Denver, Colo.

* Thursday, November 3, 2005 -- 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Mountain Standard Time), Arizona Department of Water Resources, Third Floor, Conference Rooms A&B, 500 North Third Street, Phoenix, Ariz.

* Tuesday, November 8, 2005 -- 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time), Henderson Convention Center, Grand Ballroom, 200 South Water Street, Henderson, Nev.

Both oral and written comments will be accepted at the meetings. Entities or individuals who are unable to attend a meeting but wish to submit written comments can do so by close of business on Wednesday, November 30, 2005. Comments can be mailed, faxed, or e-mailed to:

Regional Director, Bureau of Reclamation, Lower Colorado Region, Attention: BCOO-1000, P.O. Box 61470, Boulder City, NV 89006-1470, fax (702) 293-8156, strategies@lc.usbr.gov; and/or

Regional Director, Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado Region, Attention: UC-402, 125 South State Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84138-1147, fax (801) 524-3858, strategies@uc.usbr.gov.

A Federal Register Notice regarding this proposed action is available on Reclamation's Web site, at www.usbr.gov/lc/riverops.html.