The Central Utah Water Conservancy District (CUWCD) began in 1964 as the financing and operating agency for the Central Utah Project (CUP). The CUP was a federally owned, Bureau of Reclamation project. In the late 1980's and early 1990's, steps were taken to create new legislation, and in 1992, the Central Utah Project Completion Act (CUPCA) was passed, and the remaining construction of the CUP was turned over to the District.
CUPCA required that the District enter into an agreement with the United States Department of the Interior (DOI) to act as a federal agency for compliance with environmental laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The District was required to develop its own NEPA handbook, just as all federal agencies are required to have, to guide their NEPA process.
The District continues to operate and maintain the federal, CUP facilities that were constructed pre-CUPCA and are in the process of completing construction of the remaining CUP Bonneville Unit - Utah Lake Drainage Basin Water Delivery System (ULS) facilities going to south Utah county. All projects with a federal nexus, whether it's a facility, federal water, or involves federal funding, requires NEPA when updates and changes take place.