Scoping Press Release

Upgrades to the Primary Power Servicing the Echo Bay Developed Area

Officials at Lake Mead National Recreation Area are partnering with the Overton Power District to develop options to upgrade the power supply servicing the Echo Bay developed area. The demand for electrical power at Echo Bay has continuously increased, yet, the more than 35-year- old primary power service equipment has remained unchanged. Brown-outs and power outages have occurred during peak use periods when the existing power delivery system becomes overloaded by power demands. During the summer of 2002, failure of the local power service equipment forced NPS and concession employees and their families to leave their residences at Echo Bay for temporary lodging in the town of Overton, Nevada, located more than 30 miles away. Additionally, the frequent brown-outs and power outages at Echo Bay have resulted in numerous failures of the new water treatment plant. These failures occurred at the time of peak annual water demand requiring extreme response measures by NPS operation and maintenance staff in order to ensure the availability of minimal quantities of potable water for domestic, structural fire, and sanitary needs.

Upgrading the primary power source would ensure that reliable power is supplied to the Echo Bay developed area to provide for NPS, concessioner, and visitor safety, by eliminating power outages that impact the daily operations of NPS staff and concession operations. The NPS would work cooperatively with Overton Power District (OPD) to achieve these results.

An environmental assessment will be prepared to identify and evaluate potential alternatives, including no action, for the power upgrades. Officials at Lake Mead National Recreation Area encourage input from the public on alternatives and on potential issues and impacts to be addressed in the environmental assessment.

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