PHOENIX – The Bureau of Reclamation has issued a draft environmental assessment on its proposed approval of an exchange agreement between the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and the Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District/Salt River Valley Water Users’ Association (collectively known as SRP).

A 1994 settlement agreement entitles the Nation to up to 13,933 acre-feet annually of Central Arizona Project water. The CAP water can only be delivered via an exchange which allows the Nation to divert water from the Verde River. SRP will then receive an equivalent amount of the Nation's CAP water entitlement at its CAP/SRP Interconnection Facility. Because this is a federal action, compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act is required. Reclamation is required to approve this agreement on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior.

The draft environmental assessment is posted for public review on Reclamation’s Phoenix Area Office website, www.usbr.gov/lc/phoenix. A hard copy or CD version of the document is available by calling the Environmental Resource Management Division at (623) 773-6251, or by e-mailing jharagara@usbr.gov.

Please mail your comments to Ms. Sandra Eto, Bureau of Reclamation, 6150 W. Thunderbird Rd., Glendale AZ 85306-4001, Attention PXAO-1500; via electronic mail to seto@usbr.gov; or fax to (623) 773-6486, no later than December 14, 2012.

Questions should be directed to Ms. Eto at (623) 773-6254.