The Bureau of Reclamation has released for public review the Draft Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for an exchange of Central Valley Project Water involving the Westlands Water District, San Luis Water District, and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.
The exchange program would deliver in 2010 a total of up to 150,000 acre-feet of Central Valley Project (CVP) water from the Westlands Water District and San Luis Water District to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD).
In 2011, the MWD, a State Water Project (SWP) contractor, would return two-thirds of the total amount delivered from their exchange with Westlands Water District and the San Luis Water District. Under the proposed action, CVP water would be delivered outside of the CVP's permitted place of use. For 2009-2010, a petition was successfully filed and an order was issued by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) consolidating the respective places of use of the SWP and CVP water. A similar order of consolidation has been filed for 2010-2011 with the SWRCB.
The Draft Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact (EA/FONSI) were prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and are available online at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_project_details.php?Project_ID=6416. If you encounter problems accessing the document online, please call 916-978-5100 or e-mail mppublicaffairs@usbr.gov.
Please send written comments to Chuck Siek, Bureau of Reclamation, 1243 N Street, Fresno, CA 93721, by Sept. 30, 2010. Comments may also be faxed to Mr. Siek at 559-487-5194, or e-mailed to csiek@usbr.gov. For additional information or to request a copy of the Draft EA/FONSI, please contact Mr. Siek at 559-487-5138 (TTY 800-735-2929). Copies of the Draft EA/FONSI may also be viewed at Reclamation's Fresno office at the above address.
Source: Bureau of Reclamation
