Abstract |
Pursuant to EPA policies, guidelines and regulations under Section 208 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972, EPA action on water quality management plans is subject to NEPA review. EPA has determined that its action on the Water Quality Management Plan for El Paso and Teller Counties is a major federal action that may have significant effects on the environment, and that an environmental impact statement is necessary to provide an opportunity for public review of EPA's decisions on plan approval. The format of this EIS is unique in that it highlights the issues raised by the plan while incorporating, by reference to the plan documentation, the basic information and analyses that normally constitute an EIS. This approach is made possible by the water quality management planning process, which is designed to incorporate and document all of the elements of an environmental impact statement in the planning/decision-making process. In addition, EPA has complied with its NEPA responsibility to conduct an independent, objective evaluation of the plan by participating with the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments in an advisory capacity during the two-year plan development period. |