FRESNO, Calif. - The Bureau of Reclamation announced today ongoing congressionally mandated contract conversions pursuant to the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act. These draft repayment contracts from the Central Valley Project Cross Valley contractors are available for a 60-day public comment period. Over 86 repayment contract conversions have been requested by CVP contractors since 2019.
The contractors include: Hills Valley Irrigation District, Kern-Tulare and Kern-Tulare/Rag Gulch Water Districts, Lower Tule River Irrigation District, Pixley Irrigation District, Tri-Valley Irrigation District, and Fresno and Tulare counties.
Reclamation plans to release additional draft repayment contracts with south-of-delta contractors, as applicable for public review this year.
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 in advance of the original repayment deadline. These dollars will be placed in an 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 project purposes in dry years.
Written comments on this contract must be received by close of business on Sept. 13, 2021, 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. Check the following links to learn more about WIIN Act CVP contract conversions:
* All negotiated contracts are available at https://www.usbr.gov/mp/wiin-act/negotiated-conversion-contracts.html.
* The entire list of contract conversion requests can be viewed at https://www.usbr.gov/mp/wiin-act/documents.html
* View contract and WIIN Act information at https://www.usbr.gov/mp/wiin-act/index.html
Contact Leal for more information at 559-262-0350 or eleal@usbr.gov or (TTY 800-877-8339).
Source: Bureau of Reclamation
