Reclamation and the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors Water Authority (Exchange Contractors) have scheduled a public scoping meeting to seek public input on the preparation of a joint Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) for a 10-year water transfer program. The public scoping meeting will be held to solicit input on issues and alternatives that should be addressed in the EIS/EIR.

The public scoping meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 18, 2003, at 6 p.m., at the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors Water Authority office boardroom, 541 H Street, in Los Banos, California.

The program would consist of the transfer of up to 130,000 acre-feet annually of substitute water (maximum of 80,000 acre-feet of developed water and a maximum of 50,000 acre-feet from land fallowing/crop idling) from the Exchange Contractors to other Central Valley Project (CVP) contractors, to Reclamation for delivery to the San Joaquin Valley wetland habitat areas, and/or to Reclamation and/or the Department of Water Resources for use by the CALFED Environmental Water Account as replacement water for CVP contractors. Reclamation would approve and/or execute water transfers and agreements.

Written comments on issues and alternatives that should be addressed in the EIS/EIR must be received by close of business on Tuesday, November 25, 2003. Send written comments to Bureau of Reclamation, Mid-Pacific Region, Division of Environmental Affairs, Attention: Mr. Bob Eckart, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, California 95825. For additional information, please call Mr. Eckart at 916-978-5051, TDD 916-978-5608.