Letter to Richard Bad Moccasin

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
NORTHWESTERN DIVISION, CORPS OF ENGINEERS
12565 WEST CENTER ROAD
OMAHA, NEBRASKA 68144-3869

April 16, 1998

Mr. Richard Bad Moccasin, Executive Director
Mni Sose Tribal Water Rights Coalition
P.O. Box 2890
Rapid City, South Dakota 57709-2890

Dear Mr. Bad Moccasin:

I am committed to improving the government-to-government relations between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the many Tribes in the Missouri River basin. I am writing today to provide the current status of the Missouri River Master Water Control Manual Review and Update (Review and Update) and to thank you for your assistance in facilitating a Master Manual coordination meeting with Tribal representatives.

The Review and Update began in 1989 in response to basin concerns regarding the operation of the Missouri River main stem reservoirs, mainly during drought periods. The purpose of the Review and Update is to determine if the current water control plan, or an alternate plan, best meets the contemporary needs of the Missouri River basin. A Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was published in September 1994 and was followed by a public comment period. In response to numerous comments on the DEIS, we agreed to prepare a Revised DEIS. We had anticipated that the Revised DEIS would be published this May, with a Final EIS publication in March 1999.

We had anticipated presenting a single preferred alternative in the Revised DEIS, as was done for the DEIS in 1994. As you know, the Missouri River Basin Association (MRBA) has been attempting to develop general consensus on a Missouri River main stem water control plan that would be acceptable to the majority of the basin interests. It became apparent in recent months that a change in the anticipated Master Manual EIS process and schedule could assist in this consensus building effort. Upon consultation with the MRBA and other basin interests, we have developed a new process and schedule strategy that we think will maximize the opportunity for Tribal input and consensus building.

The new process and schedule includes preparation of a Preliminary Revised Draft EIS (PRDEIS) with an associated Tribal and public coordination period. We anticipate that the PRDEIS will identify eight alternatives which represent the full range of interests in the basin but will not identify a specific preferred plan. The anticipated representative alternatives are as follows:

The current water control plan

Three alternatives with varying levels of water conservation in drought

Three alternatives that provided additional fish and wildlife benefits

Mississippi River target alternative

During the informal discussion of this new process and schedule with basin interests, we were asked to ensure that at some point a preferred alternative is presented to the Tribes and public for comment. To that end, we have agreed to follow the PRDEIS with a Revised DEIS which will present a preferred alternative. The Revised DEIS publication will be followed by a Tribal and public comment period.

The change in process also brings a change in schedule. The PRDEIS will be out for review and comment in August 1998. There will be Tribal and public workshops following its release to explain the alternatives and answer questions. This coordination period will extend into January 1999. The revised DEIS will be available for Tribal and public review and comment in October 1999 and the comment period will extend through March 2000. The final EIS will be published late that year, followed by a Record of Decision, Revision of the Master Manual, and implementation of the plan. While this change in process will take longer, I believe it will lead to an alternative that is acceptable to most interests in the basin.

I sincerely appreciate the Mni Sose Intertribal Water Rights Coalition for providing assistance to the Corps of Engineers in facilitating a meeting with Tribal representatives to further discuss this process and answer any questions. As discussed with Mr. Woody Corbine, the Master Manual Review and Update coordination meeting is tentatively scheduled for May 14, 1998, at the Howard Johnsons Hotel in Rapid City, SD.

If I can be of further assistance, please contact me at (402) 697-2400. If your staff or other Tribal representatives would like additional information on the Review and Update, please contact Rosemary Hargrave, Master Manual Study Manager, at (402) 697-2527.

Michael S. Meuleners
Colonel, Corps of Engineers
Deputy Division Engineer