FRESNO, Calif. - The Bureau of Reclamation has released for public review the Draft Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact (EA/FONSI) for the proposed amendment to the existing long-term water banking exchange program between Reclamation and the Meyers Family Farm Trust’s groundwater bank.

The amendment would increase the annual rate of extraction from 6,316 acre-feet to 10,526 acre-feet; increase the cumulative total amount of Central Valley Project (CVP) water banked in Meyers Bank at any given time from 35,000 acre-feet to 60,000 acre-feet; increase the amount of Banta Carbona Irrigation District’s non-CVP water conveyed in the Delta-Mendota Canal for banking from 5,000 acre-feet per year to 10,000 acre-feet per year; approve the annual transfer of up to 10,000 acre-feet per year of Banta Carbona Irrigation District’s CVP water in lieu of their non-CVP water for banking at Meyers Bank; and include the delivery of banked water via the existing exchange program to other lands within the service area of the San Luis Water District.

The Draft EA/FONSI were prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and are available online at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_projdetails.cfm?Project_ID=10152. If you encounter problems accessing the documents online, please call 916-978-5100 or email mppublicaffairs@usbr.gov.

Please email comments to Rain Healer at rhealer@usbr.gov. Written comments may also be mailed to Ms. Healer at Bureau of Reclamation, 1243 N Street, Fresno, CA 93721, or faxed to Ms. Healer at 559-487-5194. Comments are due by close of business Tuesday, July 31. For additional information or to request a copy of the Draft EA/FONSI, please contact Ms. Healer at 559-487-5196 (TTY 800-735-2929). Copies of the Draft EA/FONSI may also be viewed at Reclamation’s Fresno office at the above address.