The Bureau of Reclamation announces the availability of the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) and Draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Madera Irrigation District Transfer, Banking, and Exchange of Friant Central Valley Project (CVP) Water to Westlands Water District as Facilitated by North Kern Water Storage District, Semitropic Water Storage District, and Kern County Water Agency.

The project allows Westlands Water District to purchase 25,000 acre-feet of Madera Irrigation District's Central Valley Project (Friant) water to be delivered to two non-CVP water user organizations, the North Kern Water Storage District and Semitropic Water Storage District, for future exchange to Westlands Water District when it is needed. The project's exchange components may involve the Friant Division CVP water, North Kern Water Storage District's Kern River water, Semitropic Water Storage District's State Water Project water, and Kern County Water Agency's State Water Project water. This project would aid Westlands Water District in receiving consistent water supplies to meet crop demands during dry seasons.

The Draft EA and FONSI are available for a 15-day public review. Comments are due to Ms. Tamara LaFramboise by close of business January 4, 2007. The documents are available online at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_projdetails.cfm?Project_ID=2478. If you encounter problems accessing documents online, please contact Ms. Lynnette Wirth at 916-978-5102 or e-mail lwirth@mp.usbr.gov.

To request a copy of the draft documents, please contact Ms. LaFramboise at 916-978-5269 or e-mail tlaframboise@mp.usbr.gov.