The Great Basin National Park Foundation has called for federal officials to halt the Southern Nevada Water Authority's plan to pipe eastern Nevada groundwater south to Las Vegas.
In a letter to Nevada Bureau of Land Management officials, foundation co-chair Robert Norrill said scientists are undecided about what impacts the plan would have.
"Therefore, we believe that the project should not proceed in the valleys adjacent to Great Basin National Park until it can be demonstrated that the project will not impact the sustainability of the park's ecological, economic and social resources," Norrill's letter says.
The letter quotes comments from the federal Environmental Protection Agency stating that the draft environmental impact statement for the project was insufficient and specifically citing potential impacts to the park.
The foundation urged the BLM to accept the EPA recommendations and identify a preferred alternative that excludes any right of way or developments for groundwater pumping from the Spring and Snake Valleys.
The foundation is the non-profit organization created to support programs and projects enhancing Great Basin National Park.
