The Bureau of Reclamation has released a Draft Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact (EA/FONSI) for the award of a grant for construction of the Mt. Vernon Siphon Project by the Nevada Irrigation District (NID).  Reclamation would fund $300,000 of the $1.063 million project under a grant to NID; NID would fund the remaining $763,000.  

The Nevada Irrigation District proposes to construct a 3,550-foot-long raw water pipeline, known as the Mt. Vernon Siphon, to bypass a leaking 5,680-foot-long portion of the Combie Ophir IV Canal.  The canal, which supplies water from the Bear River, is the main conduit for NID service areas in Placer County.  Construction of the Mt. Vernon Siphon would conserve water by modernizing existing infrastructure and improve the service and system reliability for NID customers served by the Combie Ophir IV Canal.

The Draft EA/FONSI were prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and are available for public review online.  If you encounter problems accessing the documents, please call 916-978-5100 (TTY 916-978-5608) or e-mail mpPublicAffairs@usbr.gov.

Written comments must be received by close of business Wednesday, August 11, 2010, and should be sent to Melissa Harris, Bureau of Reclamation, 7794 Folsom Dam Road, Folsom, Calif.  95630.  Comments may also be faxed to Ms. Harris at 916-989-7208 or e-mailed to mmharris@usbr.gov.

For additional information or to request a copy of the Draft EA/ FONSI, please contact Ms. Harris at 916-989-7162 (TTY 916-989-7285).  Copies of the draft documents may also be viewed at Reclamation's Folsom office at the above address.