Why is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers involved?
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is responsible for all aspects of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process. The Corps is preparing an EIS to evaluate the environmental consequences of Denver Water’s proposed alternatives to increase water supply. An EIS is a document required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for federal government agency actions “significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.” Although the Corps is not proposing, designing, funding or constructing the Moffat Collection System Project, it will require a Section 404 Permit, which is a federal permit required under the Clean Water Act. The Corps is neither an opponent nor a proponent of proposed projects, but it examines the environmental consequences on behalf of the public. The NEPA process is designed to involve the public and gather the best available information regarding the project so decision-makers can be fully informed when they make their choices. An EIS describes
