To help gather information to determine the scope of issues associated with the proposed action, the office will host an open house on Wednesday, October 8, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the Cocopah Conference Room at the Quartermaster Depot State Historic Park (formerly known as the Yuma Crossing State Historic Park), at 201 N. 4th Avenue in Yuma.

Members of the public, organizations, and agencies that have an interest in this project are invited to attend the meeting and provide comments. Reclamation staff will make a brief presentation at 6:30 p.m. and provide project information on the EA schedule and objectives, and will be available to accept comments or answer questions throughout the meeting.

Reclamation proposes to operate the plant, in cooperation and partnership with the three lower Colorado River Basin states, for a period of up to one year, at up to one-third capacity, beginning in mid-2009. This extended operation is proposed to obtain data that can only be adequately evaluated under actual longer-term operating conditions; to identify and initiate technology improvements in the existing YDP desalination process to meet current technology standards; to refine and validate current cost estimates for operation, maintenance, and management of the plant; and to acquire updated process-related effluent and emissions data over an extended period of time for analysis of potential environmental consequences associated with operation of the YDP as intended by Title I of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act.

For those unable to attend the open house, Reclamation will also accept written comments on the scope of the EA; all written comments are due to Reclamation by close of business on October 16. Please address comments, questions, and mailing list requests regarding this project to Mr. Sean Torpey, Environmental Compliance and Planning Group Manager, at 928.343.8268, or by email, to: storpey@lc.usbr.gov.