The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), or co-lead agencies, are pushing back virtual public scoping meetings they previously scheduled for the week of April 7, 2025. The co-lead agencies will also extend the scoping period for a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the Columbia River System Operations.

This is part of the effort to supplement the 2020 Columbia River System Operations EIS (CRSO EIS) that they announced Dec. 18, 2024, in a news release and a notice of intent.

On Feb. 25, 2025, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued an Interim Final Rule for the removal of CEQ’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Implementing Regulations, which is expected to go into effect on April 11, 2025. Considering this final rule, the delay allows agencies to assess any NEPA process changes, align agency objectives, and better describe their proposal to the public for more informed feedback during the rest of the scoping period.

USACE and Reclamation are committed to transparency and meaningful public participation, and both agencies remain available to discuss the SEIS and provide information related to this process. The co-lead agencies’ goal is to ensure the use of updated information to continue balancing the Columbia River System’s authorized purposes in accordance with all relevant laws and regulations and to continue operating and maintaining their facilities to meet Congressionally authorized purposes.

The co-lead agencies continue to seek public input and invite federal and state agencies, Native American Tribes, local governments, and the public to submit scoping comments relevant to the supplemental NEPA process. In the next several weeks, the agencies expect to publish an updated schedule for the public scoping meetings and public comment period in the Federal Register and update the project website at https://www.nwd.usace.army.mil/columbiariver/.

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