News Release Archive

Public Notice: Reclamation releases draft congressionally-mandated repayment contracts for Central Valley Project contractors

Media Contact: Jeff Hawk, 9169785100, jhawk@usbr.gov

For Release: December 20, 2019

FRESNO, Calif. - The Bureau of Reclamation is continuing public notice for congressionally-mandated contract conversions pursuant to the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN Act). Today’s notice includes five additional draft repayment contract assignments from the Delta Division and San Luis Unit for a 60-day public comment period. These are the 10th through 14th of more than 75 repayment contract conversions requested by federal Central Valley Project (CVP) contractors.

All negotiated contracts are available at: https://www.usbr.gov/mp/wiin-act/negotiated-conversion-contracts.html

Section 4011 of the WIIN Act directs Reclamation to convert water service contracts to repayment contracts upon a contractor’s request and authorizes prepayment of outstanding CVP construction costs. Under Section 4011, full repayment is due within three years of the contract conversion. Both the prepayment and accelerated repayment of the contracts will result in the federal government being repaid well in advance of the original repayment deadline. These dollars will be placed in a congressionally created storage account to fund much-needed storage projects. Increasing storage capacity will allow Reclamation’s projects to capture additional water in wet years to help meet the water needs for all project purposes in dry years.

Reclamation plans to release an additional 10 draft repayment contracts with north-of-delta contractors for public review in mid-January 2020 and approximately 25 additional draft repayment contracts with south-of-delta contractors starting in March 2020. Reclamation will continue to release draft repayment contracts in addition to these throughout the year.

The entire list of contract conversion requests can be viewed here: https://www.usbr.gov/mp/wiin-act/docs/the-wiin-act-9d-conversion-tracker.pdf.

Written comments on this set of contracts must be received by close of business on February 19, 2020, and sent to Erma Leal, South-Central California Area Office, Bureau of Reclamation, 1243 N Street, Fresno CA 93721; or faxed to 559-262-0371; or emailed to eleal@usbr.gov.

View contract and WIIN Act information at: https://www.usbr.gov/mp/wiin-act/.

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