May 6, 2004

To the many people interested in the Grand Canyon:

In January 2004, we announced our plan to release a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Colorado River Management Plan (CRMP) for public review and comment in May 2004.

It is our desire to present a comprehensive and thorough document to the public. We are nearing completion of the Draft EIS, which we now expect to release later this summer following publication of a Notice of Availability in the Federal Register.

Development of the plan has been guided by high-quality scientific data, as well as a great deal of public involvement. We are eager to present the draft plan and will offer a 90-day public review and comment period following its release. Following its release a series of public meetings will be held at locations throughout the country.

We will continue to post updated information about the CRMP on the park's website. Please continue to check this site for updated information on the release of the draft, as well as how to stay involved in the process.

We appreciate your patience as we work towards the completion and release of the Draft EIS, and look forward to your continued participation in the revision of the CRMP.

Sincerely,

Rick Ernenwein
CRMP Planning Team Leader
National Park Service