RESPONSES TO SUBSTANTIVE COMMENTS
ON THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT

METHODOLOGY AND PURPOSE

The Draft Environmental Impact Statement / Lake Management Plan was released for public review on April 24, 2002 (65 Fed. Reg. 15,078(200)), initiating a formal 60-day public comment period that lasted until June 26, 2002. The U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS) is the lead federal agency generating the plan. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement / Lake Management Plan proposes additional management of recreational use for the waters of Lake Mead National Recreation Area. The plan describes four alternatives for managing the recreation area, including the management of personal watercraft, which would protect the resources and values of the park while offering recreational opportunities as provided for in the park's enabling legislation, purpose, mission, and goals.

The comment period generated 10,013 documents containing 41,516 comments. Comments were received by letter, electronic mail, fax, oral transcript, petition, and meeting comment form. Of the 10,013 documents received, 8,474 were form letters on 10 separate form letter formats; 1,384 were individual letters; 6,495 letters were received by electronic mail; and 792 were signatures on 8 separate petitions. Comment letters received included 9,153 from individuals, 30 from businesses, 813 from organizations (organization was identified in the letter), and 17 from public agencies. Public information meetings held during the comment period generated 107 written comments and 40 oral statements. Respondents were very interested in the document, and they invested considerable time and effort to voice their opinions and concerns about proposed changes in lake management.

A process referred to as "content analysis" was used to compile and correlate similar public comments into a format useable by NPS decision makers. The content analysis team (comprised of the NPS interdisciplinary planning team and the NPS contractor for preparation of this environmental impact statement) read all comments and determined which comments would require a response. Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), responses were prepared for all substantive comments, and the content of this Final Environmental Impact Statement also demonstrates a responsiveness to public input.

Content analysis was performed in the four steps described below.

Develop a coding structure — Initially, a coding structure was developed to help sort comments into logical groups by topics and issues, derived from an analysis of the range of topics covered in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement / Lake Management Plan and past NPS planning documents, National Park Service legal guidance, and the letters themselves. The coding structure used was inclusive rather than restrictive; an attempt was made to capture all comment content. The codes were assigned to comments within letters, faxes, oral transcripts, meeting comment forms, and electronic mail.

Create a comment database — For each comment in a correspondence, codes were assigned by one staff person, validated by another, and then entered into a database.

Prepare a narrative summary — The database was used to help construct a narrative summary. Opinions, feelings, and preferences of one element or one alternative over another, and comments of personal and philosophical nature were all read and analyzed. All comments were considered, whether they were presented by thousands of people voicing the same concern or by a single person or organization raising a technical point.

Read and code public comment letters — After each document was coded, a series of steps were taken to determine whether the individual comment was substantive or nonsubstantive, according to the criteria set forth in the Council on Environmental Quality regulations.

Substantive comments are comments that raise an issue regarding law or regulation, agency procedure or performance, compliance with stated objectives, validity of impact analyses, or other matters of practical or procedural importance. Substantive comments require a response or a corresponding revision in the final environmental impact statement text.

Nonsubstantive comments are comments that offer opinions or provide information not directly related to issues or impact analyses. Nonsubstantive comments are used as background information for the environmental impact statement team, but do not require a formal response.

The purpose of reading, coding, and analyzing the contents of the comment letters was to assist the content analysis team in determining if the substantive issues raised by the public warranted further modification of the alternatives and further analysis of issues and impacts. With the information provided through the public review process, the agency reconsidered the draft preferred alternative (alternative C) and developed a "modified preferred alternative" (alternative C) as described in the "Alternatives Selected for Analysis" chapter of volume 1 of this Final Environmental Impact Statement / Lake Management Plan.

Although the content analysis process attempted to capture the full range of public concerns, it is acknowledged that comments from people who chose to respond do not necessarily represent the sentiments of the entire public. Further, this is not a vote-counting process; emphasis in this process was on the content of the comment rather than the number of times a comment was received.

All comments received can be tracked to the original letter and can be sorted and reported in a variety of ways as described below.

 

ORGANIZATION OF COMMENTS AND RESPONSES

Comments and responses are categorized by topics and issues. A topic is a category of subject matter. These categories were developed through the scoping process and were selected in order to track major subjects through the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Issues are subdivisions of topics. Each topic was broken down into several issues for ease of discussion. For example, the Visitor Conflicts topic was divided into eight issues, several of which include Boater Education, Shoreline Zoning, and Uniform Boating Regulations.

After all public comments were entered into the database by issue, substantive issue reports were generated per topic and issue. The team analyzed the comments and then grouped comments with similar subject matter in order to prepare issue statements that represented all comments in each subject matter group. Some of the more detailed comments that were received appear verbatim in this document, while others were summarized, reflecting the content of several similar comments. The issue statements were then sent to professionals in the respective fields (i.e., Air Quality, Water Quality, Wildlife and Habitat) for analysis and response. The resulting issue statement responses were reviewed by the contractor, Environmental Quality Division of the National Park Service, and Lake Mead National Recreation Area interdisciplinary planning team for accuracy and completeness, revisions and additions were made as needed, and the resulting responses to public comments are provided in this document.

There are two indexes provided in this document and each is described below.

Index of Comments by Category of Author — The Author Index lists businesses, organizations, and public agencies that submitted comments. Actual locations in this document of comments/responses by these groups can be found by locating the "Index of Comments by Category of Author" (see p. v) to first determine the document locator number and then choosing the appropriate topic heading in the Table of Contents. Individual members of the public submitted comments that were read, coded, and analyzed as described above. However, because of the large number of individuals submitting comments, those comment letters were not categorized by author. Authors of individual letters should consult the Index of Comments by Topic, as described in the next paragraph. The majority of comments received by the National Park Service were form letters. Examples of the 10 different types of form letters are included at the end of this volume 2.

Index of Comments by Topic — To locate a response to a representative individual comment, refer to the "Index of Comments by Topic" (see p. x) to determine the topic your comment falls under and then locate the comment/response section for that topic in the Table of Contents (see p. xv). If an individual cannot find a representation of his or her comment in this document, the Park Service can be contacted for a copy of the coded letter. All letters received will be kept at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area headquarters. The authors of comments from agencies, businesses, and organizations should also consult this index to review all topics and issues of interest.

 

References to Volume 1 Within Responses

Within some responses to comments, readers are directed to a particular section, chapter, table, figure, or appendix to find more information about a particular subject. Those referrals pertain specifically to volume 1 of this Final Environmental Impact Statement / Lake Management Plan.

 

INDEX OF COMMENT LETTERS BY CATEGORY OF AUTHOR

BUSINESS COMMENT LETTERS

Bilbray Industries, Inc. — 08890. Facilities: Facility Expansion (Launch Ramp, Marina, etc.).

Callville Bay Marina — 08088. Alternatives: Alternative A (No Action); Facilities: Lake Boating Capacities.

Fitzgibbons & Anderson Law Corporation — 09059. Soundscapes: Impact from Other Vessels; Water Quality: Impacts from Other Vessels; Air Quality: Impacts to Air Quality (visibility, vegetation); Resource Protection: Phasing of Clean Engine Technology; Recreational Opportunity Zoning: Recreational Opportunity Zoning in Primitive and Semiprimitive Areas at Lake Mead and Lake Mohave; Visitor Conflicts: Shoreline Zoning.

Kawasaki Motors Corp., USA — 09057. General Assumptions Used for Analysis: Personal Watercraft Use Trends and Assumptions.

Las Vegas Boat Harbor, Inc. — 07151, 08092. Alternatives: Alternative A (No Action); Alternatives: Alternative B; Alternatives: Alternative C (Preferred Alternative); Alternatives: Alternative D; Appendix: Analysis of Recreational Carrying Capacity; Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat: Cumulative Impacts; Soundscapes: Cumulative Impacts; Socioeconomics: Economic Impact Analysis; Water Quality: Cumulative Impacts; Socioeconomics: Economic Impact Analysis; Visitor Use, Experience, and Safety: Enforcement; Facilities: Facility Expansion (Launch Ramp, Marina, etc.); Consultation and Coordination: General Comments; Miscellaneous Topics: General Comments; General Assumptions Used for Analysis: General Methodology for Establishing Impacts/Effects; Sanitation and Litter: Glass/Styrofoam Prohibition; Socioeconomics: Impacts from Glass and Styrofoam Restriction; Facilities: Lake Boating Capacities (Boats at Any One Time); Facilities: Other Park Facilities; Recreational Opportunity Zoning: Park Location Specific to Zoning; Visitor Conflicts: Shoreline Zoning.

Overton Beach Marina — 08089. Alternatives: Alternative A (No Action); Alternatives: Alternative C (Preferred Alternative); Socioeconomics: Economic Impact Analysis; Visitor Use, Experience, and Safety: Enforcement; Facilities: Facility Expansion (Launch Ramp, Marina, etc.); Resource Protection: Phasing of Clean Engine Technology; Water Quality: Regulations, Methodologies, and Assumptions; Visitor Conflicts: Shoreline – 100-foot Flat-Wake Area; Visitor Conflicts: Shoreline Zoning.

Valley Investigations — 00974. Visitor Conflicts: Alcohol Use; Visitor Use, Experience, and Safety: Enforcement; Consultation and Coordination: General Comments; Sanitation and Litter: Glass/Styrofoam Prohibition; Facilities: Lake Boating Capacities (Boats at Any One Time); Alternatives: New Alternatives or Elements; Visitor Use, Experience, and Safety: Park Operations; Visitor Use, Experience, and Safety: Visitor Experience and Satisfaction.

 

ORGANIZATION COMMENT LETTERS

American Bass — 02258, 08980. Alternatives: New Alternatives or Elements; Recreational Opportunity Zoning: Recreational Opportunity Zoning in Primitive and Semiprimitive Areas at Lake Mead and Lake Mohave.

American Canoe Association, Inc. — 08094. Alternatives: Alternative B; Alternatives: Alternatives Eliminated; Other NEPA Issues: General Comments; General Assumptions Used for Analysis: General Methodology for Establishing Impacts/Effects; Air Quality: Impacts from Personal Watercraft from Airborne Pollutants; Soundscapes: Impacts from Personal Watercraft Use; Visitor Use, Experience, and Safety: Impacts from Personal Watercraft Use; Alternatives: New Alternatives or Elements; Purpose and Need: National Park Service Interpretation of Impairment Policies and Mandates; Resource Protection: Phasing of Clean Engine Technology; General Assumptions Used for Analysis: Personal Watercraft Use Trends and Assumptions; Visitor Use: Personal Watercraft Use within Lake Mead; Visitor Conflicts: Personal Watercraft Visitor Conflicts; Recreational Opportunity Zoning: Recreational Opportunity Zoning in Primitive and Semiprimitive Areas at Lake Mead and Lake Mohave; Purpose and Need: Scope of the Analysis; Visitor Conflicts: Shoreline – 100-foot Flat-Wake Area.

Arizona and Nevada Concerned Citizens — 00001. Other NEPA Issues: General Comments; Consultation and Coordination: General Comments.

Arizona and Nevada Concerned Citizens for the Continued Use of All of Lake Mead for All Citizens — 00944. Alternatives: New Alternatives or Elements; Purpose and Need: Park Legislation/Authority; Recreational Opportunity Zoning: Park Location Specific to Zoning; Recreational Opportunity Zoning: Recreational Opportunity Zoning in Primitive and Semiprimitive Areas at Lake Mead and Lake Mohave; Visitor Conflicts: Shoreline Zoning.

B.A.S.S., Inc. — 09058. Socioeconomics: Economic Impact Analysis.

Bluewater Network — 08595. Alternatives: Alternative B; Purpose and Need: Current Personal Watercraft Regulatory Framework; Cultural Resources: Impacts from Personal Watercraft Access; Air Quality: Impacts from Personal Watercraft from Airborne Pollutants; Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat: Impacts from Personal Watercraft Use; Visitor Use, Experience, and Safety: Impacts from Personal Watercraft Use; Threatened and Endangered Species: Impacts from Personal Watercraft Use; Soundscapes: Impacts from Personal Watercraft Use; Water Quality: Impacts to Water Quality from Personal Watercraft Use; Facilities: Lake Boating Capacities (Boats at Any One Time); Purpose and Need: Objectives in Taking Action; Resource Protection: Phasing of Clean Engine Technology; General Assumptions Used for Analysis: Personal Watercraft Use Trends and Assumptions; Water Quality: Regulations, Methodologies, and Assumptions; Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat: Regulations, Methodologies, and Assumptions; Visitor Use, Experience, and Safety: Regulations, Methodologies, and Assumptions; Threatened and Endangered Species: Regulations, Methodologies, and Assumptions; Soundscapes: Regulations, Methodologies, and Assumptions; Cultural Resources: Regulations, Methodologies, and Assumptions.

Center for Biological Diversity: Grazing Reform Program — 09207. Threatened and Endangered Species: Cumulative Impacts.

Friends of Lake Mead — 08981. Consultation and Coordination: General Comments.

Lake Mead Boat Owners Association — 02215. Visitor Conflicts: Alcohol Use; Alternatives: Alternative A (No Action); Alternatives: Alternative C (Preferred Alternative); Soundscapes: Cumulative Impacts; Alternatives: Elements Common to All Alternatives; Visitor Use, Experience, and Safety: Enforcement; Facilities: Facility Expansion (Launch Ramp, Marina, etc.); Other NEPA Issues: General Comments; Water Quality: Impacts to Water Quality from Personal Watercraft Use; Facilities: Lake Boating Capacities (Boats at Any One Time); Alternatives: New Alternatives or Elements; Visitor Conflicts: Other Recreational Conflicts; Sanitation and Litter: Overnight/Boater Portable Toilet Requirement; Recreational Opportunity Zoning: Park Location Specific to Zoning; Visitor Use, Experience, and Safety: Park Operations; Resource Protection: Phasing of Clean Engine Technology; Visitor Conflicts: Portable Gas Containers; Water Quality: Regulations, Methodologies, and Assumptions; Visitor Conflicts: Shoreline Zoning.

Laughlin Chamber of Commerce — 02303. Appendix: Analysis of Recreational Carrying Capacity; Socioeconomics: Economic Impact Analysis; Facilities: Facility Expansion (Launch Ramp, Marina, etc.); Consultation and Coordination: General Comments; Facilities: Lake Boating Capacities (Boats at Any One Time).

Personal Watercraft Industry Association — 01626. Visitor Use, Experience, and Safety: Impacts from Personal Watercraft Use; Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat: Impacts from Personal Watercraft Use; General Assumptions Used for Analysis: Personal Watercraft Use Trends and Assumptions; Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat: Regulations, Methodologies, and Assumptions.

Sierra Club — 08207. Alternatives: Alternative B; Soundscapes: Cumulative Impacts; Soundscapes: Impacts from Personal Watercraft Use; Soundscapes: Regulations, Methodologies, and Assumptions.

Sierra Club, Southern Nevada Group — 01528. Water Quality: Cumulative Impacts; Other NEPA Issues: General Comments; Alternatives: New Alternatives or Elements; Recreational Opportunity Zoning: Recreational Opportunity Zoning in Primitive and Semiprimitive Areas at Lake Mead and Lake Mohave.

Wilderness Society and National Parks Conservation Association — 08204. Alternatives: Alternative B; Threatened and Endangered Species: Cumulative Impacts; Visitor Use, Experience, and Safety: Enforcement; References: General Comments; Cultural Resources: Impacts from Personal Watercraft Access; Visitor Use, Experience, and Safety: Impacts from Personal Watercraft Use; Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat: Impacts from Personal Watercraft Use; Soundscapes: Impacts from Personal Watercraft Use; Threatened and Endangered Species: Impacts from Personal Watercraft Use; Shoreline/Submerged Aquatic Vegetation: Impacts to Shoreline; Purpose and Need: National Park Service Interpretation of Impairment Policies and Mandates; Purpose and Need: Objectives in Taking Action; Visitor Conflicts: Other Recreational Conflicts; Recreational Opportunity Zoning: Park Location Specific to Zoning; Recreational Opportunity Zoning: Recreational Opportunity Zoning in Primitive Semiprimitive Areas at Lake Mead and Lake Mohave; Threatened and Endangered Species: Regulations, Methodologies, and Assumptions; Water Quality: Regulations, Methodologies, and Assumptions; Visitor Conflicts: Shoreline – 100-foot Flat-Wake Area.

 

PUBLIC AGENCY COMMENT LETTERS

Arizona Game and Fish Department — 08985. Visitor Conflicts: Boater Education; Consultation and Coordination: General Comments; Miscellaneous Topics: General Comments; Alternatives: New Alternatives or Elements; Sanitation and Litter: Overnight/Boater Portable Toilet Requirement; Recreational Opportunity Zoning: Park Location Specific to Zoning; Visitor Conflicts: Personal Watercraft Visitor Conflicts; Recreational Opportunity Zoning: Recreational Opportunity Zoning in Primitive and Semiprimitive Areas at Lake Mead and Lake Mohave; Water Quality: Regulations, Methodologies, and Assumptions; Visitor Conflicts: Shoreline – 100-foot Flat-Wake Area; Visitor Conflicts: Uniform Boating Regulations.

Department of Administrative Services – Laughlin Town Manager — 05387. Socioeconomics: Economic Impact Analysis; Facilities: Facility Expansion (Launch Ramp, Marina, etc.); Consultation and Coordination: General Comments; Socioeconomics: Methodology and Assumptions.

Department of the Interior, Grand Canyon National Park — 09049; Alternatives: Alternative C (Preferred Alternative); Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat: Cumulative Impacts; Recreational Opportunity Zoning: Park Location Specific to Zoning.

Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation — 08206. Consultation and Coordination: General Comments; Miscellaneous Topics: General Comments; Purpose and Need: Park Legislation/Authority; Threatened and Endangered Species: Regulations, Methodologies, and Assumptions; Purpose and Need: Scope of the Analysis; Appendix: Summary of Operations Under Forecasted Water Elevation.

Environmental Protection Agency — 08203. Facilities: Facility Expansion (Launch Ramp, Marina, etc.); Other NEPA Issues: General Comments; Water Quality: Impacts from other Vessels; Air Quality: Impacts from Personal Watercraft from Airborne Pollutants; Air Quality: Impacts to Air Quality (visibility, vegetation); Water Quality: Impacts to Water Quality from Personal Watercraft Use; Air Quality: Methodology and Assumptions; Resource Protection: Phasing of Clean Engine Technology; Water Quality: Regulations, Methodologies, and Assumptions.

Mohave County Board of Supervisors — 08986. Visitor Use, Experience, and Safety: Enforcement; Alternatives: New Alternatives or Elements; Sanitation and Litter: Overnight/ Boater Portable Toilet Requirement; Recreational Opportunity Zoning: Recreational Opportunity Zoning in Primitive and Semiprimitive Areas at Lake Mead and Lake Mohave; Visitor Conflicts: Shoreline – 100-foot Flat-Wake Area.

Searchlight Town Advisory Board — 09048. Facilities: Facility Expansion (Launch Ramp, Marina, etc.); Consultation and Coordination: General Comments; General Assumptions Used for Analysis: General Methodology for Establishing Impacts/Effects.

State of Nevada Department of Cultural Affairs, State Historic Preservation Office — 03666. Consultation and Coordination: General Comments; Cultural Resources: Regulations, Methodologies, and Assumptions.

State of Nevada Division of Wildlife — 08205. Visitor Conflicts: Alcohol Use; Alternatives: Alternative C (Preferred Alternative); Visitor Conflicts: Boater Education; Socioeconomics: Economic Impact Analysis; Facilities: Facility Expansion (Launch Ramp, Marina, etc.); Consultation and Coordination: General Comments; Threatened and Endangered Species: Impacts from All Watercraft; Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat: Impacts from All Watercraft; Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat: Impacts to Water Quality from Personal Watercraft Use; Facilities: Lake Boating Capacities (Boats at Any One Time); Alternatives: New Alternatives or Elements; Visitor Conflicts: Other Recreational Conflicts; Sanitation and Litter: Overnight/Boater Portable Toilet Requirement; Recreational Opportunity Zoning: Park Location Specific to Zoning; Visitor Use, Experience, and Safety: Park Operations; Resource Protection: Phasing of Clean Engine Technology; Visitor Use: Personal Watercraft Use within Lake Mead; Visitor Conflicts: Personal Watercraft Visitor Conflicts; Recreational Opportunity Zoning: Recreational Opportunity Zoning in Primitive and Semiprimitive Areas at Lake Mead and Lake Mohave; Visitor Conflicts: Shoreline – 100-foot Flat-Wake Area; Visitor Conflicts: Shoreline Zoning; Visitor Conflicts: Uniform Boating Regulations.

 

FORM LETTERS

EXAMPLES OF FORM LETTERS SUBMITTED

American Watercraft Association — 00106

Daily, Barbara — 03043

Dunbar, Gloria — 08655

Faulconer, Jamie — 01890

James, Alan — 06898

Jorgensen, Bob and Barbara — 01165

Larson, Beth — 00998

McVey, Candace — 00982

Schuessler, Douglas — 00999

Wend, Hannah — 05903

 

INDEX OF COMMENTERS BY TOPIC

AIR QUALITY    Page 81

Impacts from Personal Watercraft from Airborne Pollutants

American Canoe Association, Inc. — 08094
Bluewater Network — 08595
Environmental Protection Agency — 08203

Impacts to Air Quality (visibility, vegetation)

Environmental Protection Agency — 08203
Fitzgibbons & Anderson Law Corporation — 09059

Methodology and Assumptions

Environmental Protection Agency — 08203

 

ALTERNATIVES    Page 14

Alternative A (No Action)

Callville Bay Marina — 08088
Lake Mead Boat Owners Association — 02215
Las Vegas Boat Harbor, Inc. — 07151, 08092
Overton Beach Marina — 08089

Alternative B

American Canoe Association, Inc. — 08094
Bluewater Network — 08595
Las Vegas Boat Harbor, Inc. — 07151, 08092
Sierra Club — 08207
Wilderness Society and National Parks Conservation Association — 08204

Alternative C (Preferred Alternative)

Department of the Interior — 09049
Lake Mead Boat Owners Association — 02215
Las Vegas Boat Harbor, Inc. — 07151, 08092
Overton Beach Marina — 08089
State of Nevada Division of Wildlife — 08205

Alternative D

Las Vegas Boat Harbor, Inc. — 07151, 08092

Alternatives Eliminated

American Canoe Association, Inc. — 08094

Elements Common to All Alternatives

Lake Mead Boat Owners Association — 02215

New Alternatives or Elements

American Bass — 02258, 08980
American Canoe Association, Inc. — 08094
Arizona and Nevada Concerned Citizens for the Continued Use of All of Lake Mead for All Citizens — 00944
Arizona Game and Fish Department — 08985
Lake Mead Boat Owners Association — 02215
Mohave County Board of Supervisors — 08986
Sierra Club, Southern Nevada Group — 01528
State of Nevada Division of Wildlife — 08205
Valley Investigations — 00974

 

APPENDIX    Page 146

Analysis of Recreational Carrying Capacity

Las Vegas Boat Harbor, Inc. — 07151
Laughlin Chamber of Commerce — 02303

Summary of Operations Under Forecasted Water Elevation

Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation — 08206

 

CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION    Page 140

General Comments

Arizona and Nevada Concerned Citizens — 00001
Arizona Game and Fish Department — 08985
Department of Administrative Services – Laughlin Town Manager — 05387
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation — 08206
Friends of Lake Mead — 08981
Las Vegas Boat Harbor, Inc. — 07151
Laughlin Chamber of Commerce — 02303
Searchlight Town Advisory Board — 09048
State of Nevada Department of Cultural Affairs, State Historic Preservation Office — 03666
State of Nevada Division of Wildlife — 08205
Valley Investigations — 00974

 

CULTURAL RESOURCES    Page 117

Impacts from Personal Watercraft Access

Bluewater Network — 08595
Wilderness Society and National Parks Conservation Association — 08204
Regulations, Methodologies, and Assumptions
Bluewater Network — 08595
State of Nevada Department of Cultural Affairs, State Historic Preservation Office — 03666

 

FACILITIES    Page 33

Facility Expansion (Launch Ramp, Marina, etc.)

Bilbray Industries, Inc. — 08890
Department of Administrative Services – Laughlin Town Manager — 05387
Environmental Protection Agency — 08203
Lake Mead Boat Owners Association — 02215
Las Vegas Boat Harbor, Inc. — 08092
Laughlin Chamber of Commerce — 02303
Overton Beach Marina — 08089
Searchlight Town Advisory Board — 09048
State of Nevada Division of Wildlife — 08205

Lake Boating Capacities (Boats at Any One Time)

Bluewater Network — 08595
Callville Bay Marina — 08088
Lake Mead Boat Owners Association — 02215
Las Vegas Boat Harbor, Inc. — 07151, 08092
Laughlin Chamber of Commerce — 02303
State of Nevada Division of Wildlife — 08205
Valley Investigations — 00974

Other Park Facilities

Las Vegas Boat Harbor, Inc. — 07151, 08092

 

GENERAL ASSUMPTIONS USED FOR ANALYSIS    Page 76

General Methodology for Establishing Impacts/Effects

American Canoe Association, Inc. — 08094
Las Vegas Boat Harbor, Inc. — 07151

Personal Watercraft Use Trends and Assumptions

American Canoe Association, Inc. — 08094
Bluewater Network — 08595
Kawasaki Motors Corp., USA — 09057
Personal Watercraft Industry Association — 01626

 

MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS    Page 150

General Comments

Arizona Game and Fish Department — 08985
Las Vegas Boat Harbor, Inc. — 07151
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation — 08206

 

OTHER NEPA ISSUES    Page 138

General Comments

American Canoe Association, Inc. — 08094
Arizona and Nevada Concerned Citizens — 00001
Environmental Protection Agency — 08203
Lake Mead Boat Owners Association — 02215
Sierra Club, Southern Nevada Group — 01528

 

PURPOSE AND NEED    Page 3

Current Personal Watercraft Regulatory Framework

Bluewater Network — 08595

National Park Service Interpretation of Impairment Policies and Mandates

American Canoe Association, Inc. — 08094
Wilderness Society and National Parks Conservation Association — 08204

Objectives in Taking Action

Bluewater Network — 08595
Wilderness Society and National Parks Conservation Association — 08204

Park Legislation/Authority

Arizona and Nevada Concerned Citizens for the Continued Use of All of Lake Mead for All Citizens — 00944
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation — 08206

Scope of the Analysis

American Canoe Association, Inc. — 08094
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation — 08206

 

RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITY ZONING    Page 23

Park Location Specific to Zoning

Arizona and Nevada Concerned Citizens for the Continued Use of All of Lake Mead for All Citizens — 00944
Arizona Game and Fish Department — 08985
Department of the Interior — 09049
Lake Mead Boat Owners Association — 02215
Las Vegas Boat Harbor, Inc. — 07151
State of Nevada Division of Wildlife — 08205
Wilderness Society and National Parks Conservation Association — 08204

Recreational Opportunity Zoning in Primitive and Semiprimitive Areas at Lake Mead and Lake Mohave

American Bass — 02258
American Canoe Association, Inc. — 08094
Arizona and Nevada Concerned Citizens for the Continued Use of All of Lake Mead for All Citizens — 00944
Arizona Game and Fish Department — 08985
Fitzgibbons & Anderson Law Corporation — 09059
Mohave County Board of Supervisors — 08986
Sierra Club, Southern Nevada Group — 01528
State of Nevada Division of Wildlife — 08205
Wilderness Society and National Parks Conservation Association — 08204

 

REFERENCES    Page 149

General Comments

Wilderness Society and National Parks Conservation Association — 08204

 

RESOURCE PROTECTION  Page 73

Phasing of Clean Engine Technology

American Canoe Association, Inc. — 08094
Bluewater Network — 08595
Environmental Protection Agency — 08203
Fitzgibbons & Anderson Law Corporation — 09059
Lake Mead Boat Owners Association — 02215
Overton Beach Marina — 08089
State of Nevada Division of Wildlife — 08205

 

SANITATION AND LITTER    Page 70

Glass/Styrofoam Prohibition

Las Vegas Boat Harbor, Inc. — 08092
Valley Investigations — 00974

Overnight/Boater Portable Toilet Requirement

Arizona Game and Fish Department — 08985
Lake Mead Boat Owners Association — 02215
Mohave County Board of Supervisors — 08986
State of Nevada Division of Wildlife — 08205

 

SOCIOECONOMICS    Page 129

Economic Impact Analysis

B.A.S.S., Inc. — 09058
Department of Administrative Services - Laughlin Town Manager — 05387
Las Vegas Boat Harbor, Inc. — 07151, 08092
Laughlin Chamber of Commerce — 02303
Overton Beach Marina — 08089
State of Nevada Division of Wildlife — 08205

Impacts from Glass and Styrofoam Restriction

Las Vegas Boat Harbor, Inc. — 08092

Methodology and Assumptions

Department of Administrative Services – Laughlin Town Manager — 05387

 

SOUNDSCAPES    Page 109

Cumulative Impacts

Las Vegas Boat Harbor, Inc. — 07151
Lake Mead Boat Owners Association — 02215
Sierra Club — 08207

Impact from Other Vessels

Fitzgibbons & Anderson Law Corporation — 09059

Impacts from Personal Watercraft Use

American Canoe Association, Inc. — 08094
Bluewater Network — 08595
Sierra Club — 08207
Wilderness Society and National Parks Conservation Association — 08204

Regulations, Methodologies, and Assumptions

Bluewater Network — 08595

 

THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES    Page 101

Cumulative Impacts

Center for Biological Diversity: Grazing Reform Program — 09207
Wilderness Society and National Parks Conservation Association — 08204

Impacts from All Watercraft

State of Nevada Division of Wildlife — 08205

Impacts from Personal Watercraft Use

Bluewater Network — 08595
Wilderness Society and National Parks Conservation Association — 08204

Regulations, Methodologies, and Assumptions

Bluewater Network — 08595
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation — 08206
Wilderness Society and National Parks Conservation Association — 08204

 

VISITOR CONFLICTS    Page 49

Alcohol Use

Lake Mead Boat Owners Association — 02215
State of Nevada Division of Wildlife — 08205
Valley Investigations — 00974

Boater Education

Arizona Game and Fish Department — 08985
State of Nevada Division of Wildlife — 08205

Other Recreational Conflicts

Lake Mead Boat Owners Association — 02215
State of Nevada Division of Wildlife — 08205
Wilderness Society and National Parks Conservation Association — 08204

Portable Gas Containers

Lake Mead Boat Owners Association — 02215

Personal Watercraft Visitor Conflicts

American Canoe Association, Inc. — 08094
Arizona Game and Fish Department — 08985
State of Nevada Division of Wildlife — 08205

Shoreline – 100 ft Wakeless Area

American Canoe Association, Inc. — 08094
Arizona Game and Fish Department — 08985
Mohave County Board of Supervisors — 08986
Overton Beach Marina — 08089
State of Nevada Division of Wildlife — 08205
Wilderness Society and National Parks Conservation Association — 08204

Shoreline Zoning

Arizona and Nevada Concerned Citizens for the Continued Use of All of Lake Mead for All Citizens — 00944
Fitzgibbons & Anderson Law Corporation — 09059
Lake Mead Boat Owners Association — 02215
Las Vegas Boat Harbor, Inc. — 08092
Overton Beach Marina — 08089
State of Nevada Division of Wildlife — 08205

Uniform Boating Regulations

Arizona Game and Fish Department — 08985
State of Nevada Division of Wildlife — 08205

 

VISITOR USE    Page 67

Personal Watercraft Use within Lake Mead

American Canoe Association, Inc. — 08094
State of Nevada Division of Wildlife — 08205

 

VISITOR USE, EXPERIENCE, AND SAFETY    Page 120

Enforcement

Lake Mead Boat Owners Association — 02215
Las Vegas Boat Harbor, Inc. — 08092
Mohave County Board of Supervisors — 08986
Overton Beach Marina — 08089
Valley Investigations — 00974
Wilderness Society and National Parks Conservation Association — 08204

Impacts from Personal Watercraft Use

American Canoe Association, Inc. — 08094
Bluewater Network — 08595
Personal Watercraft Industry Association — 01626
Wilderness Society and National Parks Conservation Association — 08204

Park Operations

Lake Mead Boat Owners Association — 02215
State of Nevada Division of Wildlife — 08205
Valley Investigations — 00974

Regulations, Methodologies, and Assumptions

Bluewater Network — 08595
Visitor Experience and Satisfaction
Valley Investigations — 00974

 

WATER QUALITY    Page 85

Cumulative Impacts

Las Vegas Boat Harbor, Inc. — 08092
Sierra Club, Southern Nevada Group — 01528

Impacts from Other Vessels

Environmental Protection Agency — 08203
Fitzgibbons & Anderson Law Corporation — 09059

Impacts to Water Quality from Personal Watercraft Use

Bluewater Network — 08595
Environmental Protection Agency — 08203
Lake Mead Boat Owners Association — 02215

Regulations, Methodologies, and Assumptions

Arizona Game and Fish Department — 08985
Bluewater Network — 08595
Environmental Protection Agency — 08203
Lake Mead Boat Owners Association — 02215
Overton Beach Marina — 08089
Wilderness Society and National Parks Conservation Association — 08204

 

WILDLIFE AND WILDLIFE HABITAT    Page 92

Cumulative Impacts

Department of the Interior — 09049
Las Vegas Boat Harbor, Inc. — 07151

Impacts from All Watercraft

State of Nevada Division of Wildlife — 08205

Impacts from Personal Watercraft Use

Bluewater Network — 08595
Personal Watercraft Industry Association — 01626
Wilderness Society and National Parks Conservation Association — 08204

Impacts to Water Quality from Personal Watercraft Use

State of Nevada Division of Wildlife — 08205

Regulations, Methodologies, and Assumptions

Bluewater Network — 08595
Personal Watercraft Industry Association — 01626