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- Reclamation Releases Draft EA/FONSI for 2010-2011 Water Transfer Program for Public Review and Comment
News Release Archive
Reclamation Releases Draft EA/FONSI for 2010-2011 Water Transfer Program for Public Review and Comment
Media Contact:
Pete Lucero, 916-978-5100, plucero@usbr.gov
For Release: January 05, 2010
The Bureau of Reclamation has released for a 15-day public review a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) and draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the 2010-2011 Water Transfer Program.
The proposed program's purpose is to help make possible water transfers from willing sellers of Central Valley Project (CVP) water upstream of the Delta to buyers in the state that are at risk of experiencing water shortages in 2010 and 2011. Reclamation would review and approve proposed CVP water transfers in accordance with the Interim Guidelines for the Implementation of Water Transfers under the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA) that can be found at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/cvpia/3405a/index.html.
The water would be made available for transfer through a combination of cropland idling, crop substitution, and groundwater substitution and would be available for purchase by public and private water providers in California. The Draft EA analyzes the potential upper limit of water that may be made available by transfers in 2010 and 2011.
California has experienced 3 consecutive years of dry and critically dry conditions that have reduced water supplies to many water districts. The hydrologic conditions for 2010 and 2011 are not yet known, but it is likely that some California water providers will need to supplement local and imported supplies to meet critical demands because of past dry years and low reservoir storage levels.
The draft EA and FONSI were developed to meet requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act and are available for review at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_project_details.php?Project_ID=4699. If you encounter problems accessing documents online, please call 916-978-5100 or e-mail mppublicaffairs@usbr.gov.
Written comments on the draft EA and FONSI are due by close of business Tuesday, January 19, 2010, and should be mailed to Mr. Brad Hubbard, Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, MP-410, Sacramento, CA 95825, e-mailed to bhubbard@usbr.gov, or faxed to 916-978-5290. For a copy of the documents or for additional information, please contact Mr. Hubbard at 916-978-5204 (TDD 916-978-5608).
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