A coalition of 15 environmental and labor groups is asking the Bureau of Reclamation to extend the deadline for comments on the Southern Delivery System draft environmental impact statement.
The groups are asking for 60 more days beyond the April 29 deadline, which would push the date to June 27.
The groups sent a letter Monday, asking for more time because of the amount of information included in the 550-page draft EIS, as well as more than 3,000 pages of technical reports.
“Due to the sheer volume of information, significant time will be required to complete a detailed review of the draft EIS and its appendices and to supply substantive input from the public - input that is at the very core of the public review process embodied in the National Environmental Policy Act,” the letter stated.
In addition to commenting on the draft EIS, the groups want to include additional conservation and water supply options.
The groups say SDS could impact stream flows, water quality, wetlands, paleontological and geologic sites, habitat areas, plant species and other resources.
The letter is signed by representatives from the Colorado Environmental Coalition, Western Resource Advocates, Trout Unlimited’s Colorado Water Project, Sierra Club, High Country Citizens Campaign, Environment Colorado and the Colorado Progressive Coalition.
Labor unions signing the letter include International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 113; Laborers International of North America Local 578; United Association of Plumbers Pipefitters & Journeymen Local 58; International Association of Heat & Frost Insulators & Asbestos Workers Local 28; Colorado Statewide Iron Workers, International Union of Operating Engineers; Bridge, Structural, Ornamental & Reinforcing Iron Workers Local 24; and IBEW Local 12.
Reclamation officials have not had adequate time to reply to the letter, but said Monday they understand the need for time to make it through the reports.
“We anticipated that people would want a lot of time to look at the information in order to comment on it,” said Kara Lamb, public information officer for Reclamation. “That was part of our thought process in releasing the technical reports in January a month ahead of the draft EIS.”
SDS is a proposal by Colorado Springs, Security, Fountain and Pueblo West to construct a pipeline from the Pueblo Dam 43 miles north to meet water supply needs for the communities through 2046. It would also provide redundancy for Colorado Springs water supply systems and allow the city to fully develop water rights it already owns. No new water supplies are being claimed in the proposal.
Reclamation evaluated seven alternatives in the draft EIS, and chose the proposed action as its preferred alternative. That decision could change in the final EIS, if new scientific or technical information is presented.
A series of public meetings on the draft EIS continues tonight in Fountain. |
