The Bureau of Reclamation has released for public review and comment draft repayment contracts with Friant Division contractors for water service and facilities repayment.  Reclamation is authorized and directed to convert, by December 31, 2010, the existing Friant Division long-term water service contracts to repayment contracts under mutually agreeable terms and conditions pursuant to Section 9 (d) of the Reclamation Project Act of 1939 and the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act (Part I, Title X of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, Public Law 111-11, March 2009).  The converted contracts will have accelerated repayment provisions to make funds available for implementing the Settlement Act.  The Friant Division, Hidden Unit, and Buchanan Unit contractors who currently have contracts available for review include:

The contracts are available online. If you encounter problems accessing the document online, please call 916-978-5100 or e-mail mpPublicAffairs@usbr.gov.

Written comments must be received by close of business Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2010, and should be sent to Rena Ballew, Bureau of Reclamation, South-Central California Area Office, 1243 "N" Street, Fresno, CA 93721, or may be faxed to 559-487-5397, or e-mailed to rballew@usbr.gov.  For additional information or to request a copy of the draft contracts, please contact Ms. Ballew at 559-487-5504 (TTY 800-735-2929).  A copy of the contracts may also be viewed at Reclamation's Fresno office (see address above).