Colorado River Management Plan www.nps.gov/grca/colorado/

sound•ing n. an environmental probe an act of measuring the depth of a body of water [often pl.] an exploratory sampling, as of public opinions.

Planning Process Update

In late April, the Planning Team distributed the Summary of Public Comment from the 1997 Colorado River Management Plan Scoping Process. This document summarized the comments received during the scoping period from September through December 1997. The Summary was not designed to reproduce the details of the comments, but to provide an overview of the issues identified, solutions offered, and opinions of those who submitted comments. A copy of the document may be obtained online.

The next step of the planning process is to present the primary issues and the Park's strategy for addressing the issues. The purpose of the May 16 Public Information Meeting in Flagstaff, Arizona, and the information posted on this website on the same date, is to provide information on how the Park will proceed in the next phase of the planning process. This issue of Soundings serves as another medium for disseminating the information presented at the May 16 meeting and on the website.

Summary of the Phase Two
Public Involvement Process

As a continuing part of the public involvement process, workgroups will be formed to focus on the following issues

• Access method or system which provides for all users equally
• Distribution and Volume of Use (Computer-Modeling Project)
• Noncommercial Permit System
• The Spectrum of Outfitted Trips and Services
• Resource Stewardship

Each workgroup will serve the following purposes:

1. review the related issues and solutions offered during the scoping process, and
2. develop and evaluate a range of alternatives for addressing the issue.

Specific objectives will be determined for each issue category based on NPS management objectives and guiding principles for the CRMP.

The CRMP website will serve as the primary means of forming and facilitating workgroup discussions. This method is not intended to replace face-to-face contact, but to supplement the process, and provide greater access for those interested in specific issues. Website "workshops" will be scheduled and facilitated. A public record of each "workshop" will be published in Soundings. Each workgroup will determine the need for further face-to-face public workshop(s).

The Planning Process and Timeline

Phase One
	Identify Planning Team		August 1997
	Develop Public Involvement Plan		August 1997
	Conduct Public Workshops		September 1997
	Conduct Comment Analysis		October 1997-January 1998
	Report to Public on Workshops/Scoping		December 1997
	Compile Summary of Public Comment		March 1998
	Distribute Summary of Public Comment		April 1998
Phase Two
	Involve Public in Developing Alternatives		June 1998 - November 1998
	Draft Plan and Environmental Assessment (EA) Distributed		March 1999
	Public Involvement on Draft Plan		April 1999
	Draft Alternatives from Workgroups submitted to Planning Team		November 1998
Phase Three
	Release Final Plan		January 2000

Soundings is published by Grand Canyon National Park. To get on or off the Soundings mailing list or for information on the Colorado River Management Plan process please contact: Grand Canyon National Park, PO Box 129, Grand Canyon, Arizona 86029.

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