Boulder City, Nev. -- The Bureau of Reclamation has released a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and final Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Planet Ranch Lease (Lease). The EA details Reclamation's proposed lease of 3,418 acres of land and 5,549 acre-feet of water per year within Planet Ranch in Mohave and La Paz counties in Arizona from the Freeport Minerals Corporation. The leased land and water will benefit the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program.
After issuing the Lease, Freeport Minerals Corporation would donate the land and water rights to the State of Arizona, thorough the Arizona Game and Fish Commission, who would then acquire the Lease with Reclamation remaining the lessee. This action is authorized and directed by the Bill Williams River Water Rights Settlement Act of 2014.
A draft EA was released for public review in April, 2015. The final EA includes all comments received on the draft EA. The FONSI and final EA are posted on Reclamation's website at: http://www.usbr.gov/lc/region/g2000/envdocs.html at the link titled, "Planet Ranch Lease Environmental Assessment."
For questions on the project or to request a compact disk or paper copy of the FONSI and Final EA, please contact Ms. Streier at 702-293-8132 or fstreier@usbr.gov.
The FONSI and final EA were prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act.
Source: Bureau of Reclamation
