News Release Archive

Public Review Period Extended for San Joaquin River Restoration Program Environmental Document

Media Contact: Pete Lucero, 916-978-5100, 06/07/2011 13:03
Ted Thomas, 916-653-9712, tthomas@water.ca.gov

For Release: June 07, 2011

The Bureau of Reclamation and the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) have extended the public review and comment period by another 60 days for the Draft Program Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (Draft PEIS/R) for the San Joaquin River Restoration Program (SJRRP).  Comments are now due by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, September 21, 2011. The joint document describes the direct, indirect and cumulative impacts of implementing the SJRRP. The SJRRP is being implemented by Reclamation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the California Department of Fish and Game and DWR. 

The SJRRP is a comprehensive, long-term effort to re-establish flows to the San Joaquin River from Friant Dam to the confluence of the Merced River to restore a self-sustaining Chinook salmon fishery in the river and reduce or avoid adverse water supply impacts from restoration flows. The SJRRP implements the Stipulation of Settlement (Settlement) in NRDC, et al., v. Rodgers, et al., that resolved more than 18 years of litigation related to Reclamation's operation of Friant Dam.

The joint document was prepared in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act and the California Environmental Quality Act to evaluate implementing the Settlement and considers the alternative actions that will be implemented over the next several years, as specified in the Settlement, toward achieving the SJRRP goals.

The additional 60-day extension allows the Draft PEIS/R to be available for public review and comment for 150 days. Written comments are now due at one of the following physical or e-mail addresses no later than 5 p.m. (PDT) on Wednesday, September 21, 2011:

Michelle Banonis, SJRRP Natural Resources Specialist, Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, MP-170, Sacramento, CA 95825-1898; peisrcomments@restoresjr.net.
or
Fran Schulte, SJRRP Program Office, Department of Water Resources South Central Region Office, 3374 E. Shields Avenue, Fresno, CA 93726; fschulte@water.ca.gov.

The Draft PEIS/R may be reviewed during normal business hours (from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) at:

  • Reclamation's Mid-Pacific Regional Office, 2800 Cottage Way, MP-170, Sacramento, CA 95825 
  • Reclamation's South-Central California Area Office, 1243 N Street, Fresno, CA 93721
  • DWR South Central Region Office, 3374 E. Shields Avenue, Fresno, CA 93726
  • Several public libraries in Fresno, Madera, Merced and Stanislaus Counties listed on the SJRRP website at www.restoresjr.net.

The Executive Summary and Draft PEIS/R are also available on Reclamation's website at www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_project_details.php?Project_ID=2940 or on the SJRRP website at www.restoresjr.net.

If you would like to request a copy of the Executive Summary or a compact disc containing the document, please contact Margaret Gidding, Bureau of Reclamation, at 916-978-5461 or mgidding@usbr.gov.

To learn more about the SJRRP, please visit www.restoresjr.net.

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Relevant Link:

NEPA Documents