October 31, 2005
Maureen Oltrogge, 928-638-7779

Final Environmental Impact Statement for Grand Canyon’s Colorado River Management Plan anticipated to be released within the next two weeks

Grand Canyon, AZ – Although a Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Colorado River Management Plan (CRMP), Grand Canyon National Park, was published by the National Park Service (NPS), Department of the Interior, in the Federal Register today, the document will not be available to the public until it is cleared by the Environmental Protection Agency and a Notice of Availability is published by the EPA in the Federal Register. It is expected that EPA’s NOA will be published within the next two weeks.

A 30-day no-action period will follow publication of EPA’s NOA on the Final EIS for the CRMP in the Federal Register. Following the 30-day no-action period, a Record of Decision (ROD) will be prepared that documents the NPS decision and rationale for that decision. The ROD will be released to the public and a summary published in the Federal Register.

The NPS will issue a news release at the time EPA publishes the NOA in the Federal Register announcing the availability of the Final EIS for the CRMP. At that time, the document will be available online at http://www.nps.gov/grca/crmp. Copies of the document will also be available on compact disk (CD) by sending an email message to grca_crmp@nps.gov (typed: grca_crmp@nps.gov, don't forget the underscore) with the word "CD" in the subject line. Include your name and current mailing address in the body of the message, and a CD will be sent when they are available. Requests can also be sent to: CRMP Team, Grand Canyon National Park, P.O. Box 129, Grand Canyon, AZ 86023.

For further information please contact Rick Ernenwein, Lead Planner for the CRMP at (928) 779-6279 or Mary Killeen, Special Assistant at (928) 638-7885.