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Show Response: Planning for some aspects of the Bonneville Unit began during the early 1900* s. The Unit was authorized as part of the initial phase of the Central Utah Project in 195& as a participating project with the Colorado River Storage Project. The Bonneville Unit Definite Plan Report93 was published in August I96U. The DPR included input from a number of Federal agencies concerned with water resource development. These agencies included the National Park Service, Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife and the U. S. Forest Service. At the time the DPR was published, much of the potential input from these agencies was incomplete and only preliminay data were included. Avenues of communication were arranged so that these agencies could contribute new input resulting from completed studies and modifications in the Unit plan. The Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife submitted a description and evaluation of expected Unit effects upon the fish and wildlife resources of the Bonneville Unit area. This report was prepared under the authority of and in accordance with the provisions of the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act and reflected the view of the Ute Indian Tribe and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The report also had the concurrence of the State of Utah. Prior to the implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act, the Bureau of Reclamation depended almost entirely upon cooperating agencies to provide the analysis of environmental impacts of project implementation. This usually amounted to an analysis of recreation, fish and wildlife benefits, and impacts of the project. Upon implementation of NEPA,, the Bureau of Reclamation assumed the responsibility of insuring that adequate ecological studies were completed to properly assess environmental impacts and have hired environmental specialists to assist in this endeavor. The final environmental statement has been significantly expanded to include reference to all of the ecological input provided by the cooperating agencies as well as data from several independent studies. "> 7o, 06 Additional information was obtained from an analysis of the official comments received on the draft environmental statement and personal communications with Federal and State biologists. °> -^ 3? 120, 122, 133 Of particular constructive value were the inputs and comments provided by the State Department of Natural Resources and the U. S. Forest Service. Since the advent of NEPA and the assumption of increased ecological responsibility, the Bureau of Reclamation has attempted to develop a more sensitive and comprehensive approach to environmental problems. With the Bonneville Unit, another complication has occurred in that the basic formulation of the Unit plan of development and operation t was completed several - years ago. On the basis of this plan, contracts and agreements have been consummated. Major changes in the basic 643 |