Nov28
CALL TO ACTION ON FEIS ADOPTION FOR OGWRP
About the Odessa Subarea FEIS
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) intends to adopt the Bureau of Reclamation’s 2012 Odessa Subarea Special Study Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) produced in cooperation with the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) and which supports the pursuit of the Odessa Ground Water Replacement Program (OGWRP) to address the declining Odessa Aquifer.
Why?
The adoption of Reclamation’s FEIS by NRCS will streamline the development of a Watershed Plan for OGWRP which is necessary to open a new funding avenue for OGWRP construction. Historically, OGWRP funding has come through the State, Reclamation, and landowners. The involvement of NRCS signals significant possibilities for a much-needed new source of funding, but access to compete for this funding is predicated on meeting NRCS requirements which include an authorized Watershed Plan.
Read more about the NRCS adoption of the FEIS for the Odessa Subarea Special Study here:
Watershed Planning Project | OGWRP (ogwrp-programs.org).
Call to Action in Support (now, don’t wait)
CBDL requests your participation in the NRCS public comment period with needed comments in support of the NRCS adoption of the FEIS. The public comment period is open, until around December 8, 2023. It takes less than 5 minutes! A broad base of support sends a clear message about the importance of OGWRP and demonstrates that stakeholders concur with this action.
How to provide public comment in support:
1. Click Here.
2. Enter your name (required).
3. Enter your contact information (email and address) as desired. Please note that any personal identifying contact information (email and address) may be made publicly available.
4. Provide your comment in the comment section (required). As CBDL supports development of the Columbia Basin Project and the implementation of OGWRP, we encourage you to include any of the following messaging in your public comment: “I support NRCS adoption of Reclamation’s FEIS for the Odessa Subarea Special Study, identifying Alternative 4A—the Odessa Ground Water Replacement Program--as the preferred alternative for implementation. Measures to address groundwater depletion in the Odessa Subarea and to ensure a reliable source of water for agricultural, domestic, municipal, industrial, and environmental uses are critically important to the region, the state, and the nation. In the interest of economic and environmental benefit as well as national food security, the adoption of the FEIS by NRCS will help expedite a ground water replacement project that must not be delayed.”
5. Click the "Submit" button.
Thank you for your continued support of the Columbia Basin Project and OGWRP.
