Categorical Exclusions Proposed Revisions (June 2024)

The Bureau of Reclamation proposes to revise 7 categorical exclusions (CE) under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) in Reclamation’s NEPA implementing procedures, Departmental Manual at Part 516, Chapter 14. The proposed revisions would clarify existing CEs on certain financial assistance funding, water-related contracting, and use authorization actions to allow for more consistent interpretation and more efficient review of appropriate actions based on Reclamation’s experience implementing these CEs. Reclamation invites public comment on the proposed revisions. Submit written comments on or before July 8, 2024 to usbr_ce@usbr.gov, or by mail to Bureau of Reclamation, Attn: USBR CE, 1849 C Street, NW, Suite 7069, Washington, DC 20240.

Proposed Categorical Exclusions Revisions

Substantiation Report

EAs and FONSIs Summarized in the Substantiation Report

  1. Oro Loma Water District Partial Assignment of 4,000 acre-feet of Cnetral Valley Project Water to Westlands Water District (2011)
  2. Widren Water District's Water Quality, Supply, and Drainage Enhancement Pilot Project (2016)
  3. Partial Assignment from Mercy Springs Water District and Fresno Slough Water District to Angiola Water District (2016)
  4. Ivanhoe Irrigation District 5 Year Warren Act Agreement for up to 6,500 Acre-Feet of Kaweah River Water in the Friant-Kern Canal (2017)
  5. Water Service Contract Renewal between the United States and the Town of Estes Park (2017)
  6. Fresno Irrigation District—Orange Cove Irrigation District—Table Mountain Rancheria Transfer (2018)
  7. Contracts for Conveyance of Non-Project Water through Klamath Project Facilities (2018)
  8. Water Acquisitions for National Wildlife Refuges (CA and OR) (2018)
  9. Sacramento Suburban Water District 5-year Warren Act Contract (2018)
  10. Central Valley Project Interim Renewal Contracts for Cities of Avenal, Coalinga, Huron, and CA Dept. Fish & Wildlife (2018)
  11. Fryingpan Arkansas Temporary Excess Capacity Storage Program (2018)
  12. 5-Year Warren Act Contracts for Conveyance of Groundwater in theTehama-Colusa Canal (2018)
  13. Kaweah River Warrent Act Agreements 2019-2023 (2019)
  14. Widren Water District Pilot Project Extension (2019)
  15. Santa Clara Valley Water District Five Year Warren Act Contract (2019)
  16. Transfer of Central Valley Project Water from the Santa Clara Valley Water District to the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors Water Authority (2020)
  17. Five-Year Warren Act for Westlands Water District (2020)
  18. Klamath Project Internal Water Transfers 2021-2025 (2021)
  19. Friant Division Groundwater Pump-in Program, Contract Years 2020-2022 (2021)
  20. Triview Metropolitan District Long-Term Excess Capacity Contract (2021)
  21. Warren Act Contract for Conveyance and Storage of Groundwater from Mapes Ranch to Del Puerto Water District (2022)
  22. Central Coast Water Authority Temporary Warren Act Contract (2022)
  23. Rextension of Del Puerto Water District's Warren Act Contract for Conveyance and Storage of Groundwater from Mapes Ranch (2022)
  24. Drought Adjustment for Widren Water District's Water Quality, Supply, and Drainage Enhancement Project (2022)
  25. Widren Water District Pilot Project Second Extension (2022)
  26. Indian Rock Estates Access Road Easement (2006)
  27. RD 773 Fabian Tract Spoils Reuse License (2013)
  28. Land Use Authorization and License Amendement for PG&E's Proposed Gas Pipeline Installation and Bayview Station Expansion near the San Luis (Volta) Wasteway (2014)
  29. License Agreement between the Bureau of Reclamation and Delta County for the Construction of a Parking Area for the Purposes of Wildlife Viewing on Reclamation Property, Fruitgrowers Project (2014)
  30. Grazing Authorization for Retired Lands in Fresno County (2016)
  31. Rolle Airfield, San Luis, Arizona (2017)
  32. Use Authorization Application from Wyoming Department of Transportation, Alpine Bear Pit, Lincoln County, Wyoming & Bonneville County, Idaho (2017)
  33. Drag Boat Exhibitions/Competitions—East Park Reservoir—Orland Project (2017)
  34. Right of Use—Downgradient Study Area Activities (2018)
  35. License for Bakersfield Multi-Use Train Along the Friant-Kern Canal (2018)
  36. Fire Fuels Reduction by Goat Grazing at Auburn Recreation District Lands (2020)
  37. Orestimba Creek Recharge and Recovery Expansion Project (2022)
  38. Santa Clara Valley Water District’s Pacheco/Santa Clara Conduit Right-of-Way Acquisition Project (2022)
  39. Horsefly Irrigation District WaterSMART Grant: Dairy and Yonna Canals Piping Project (2016)
  40. Lower French Creek Off-Channel Habitat Development Project (2016)
  41. Shasta River Water Association WaterSMART Grant: Irrigation Water Measurement and Billing Accounting System (2016)
  42. Horsefly Irrigation District WaterSMART Grand: Horsefly Somers Canal Piping Project (2017)
  43. Quartz Valley Indian Reservation Wells Project (2017)
  44. Yuba City Irrigation Systems Upgrade Project (2017)
  45. North Kern Water Storage District Calloway Canal Lining and Water Delivery Improvements (2017)
  46. Loma Rica Hydroelectric Generating Facility (2017)
  47. Tocquerville Secondary Water System Smart Meter Installation Project (2017)
  48. Washington County Water Conservancy District WaterSMART Small Scale Water Efficiency Project (2017)
  49. City of Sanger Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System Upgrade Project (2018)
  50. Shafter-Wasco Irrigation District Recovery and Return Improvements to District’s Spreading Grounds for Drought Resiliency Project (2018)
  51. Kern County Water Agency Improvement District No. 4 Cross Valley Canal Extension-Pool No. 8 Lining Project (2018)
  52. Southern Nevada Water Authority WaterSMART Grant-Landscape Rebate Program (2018)
  53. El Camino Irrigation District-Pump 1 Conveyance Efficiency Upgrade Project (2019)
  54. Middle Klamath Coho Habitat Enhancement Planning and Design Team Support (2019)
  55. Day Ranch Conservation Project (2019)
  56. Horse Creek Habitat Restoration Project (2019)
  57. McMullin Area Groundwater Sustainability Agency Groundwater Credit Surface Water Marketing Strategy Project (2019)
  58. Natomas Central Mutual Water Company: Cottonwood Check Structure Project (2019)
  59. North Kern Water Storage District Supervisory Control and Acquisition System Automation and Evapotranspiration Improvements (2019)
  60. Round Valley Indian Tribes-Mill Creek Streamflow and Riparian Corridor Restoration Project (2019)
  61. Lindmore Irrigation District 93.2E Plant Modernization (2019)
  62. Washington County Water Conservancy District 2019-2020 WaterSMART Small-Scale Water Efficiency Project (2019)
  63. Arvin-Edison Water Storage District Groundwater Well Metering Project (2019)
  64. Carpenter Valley Recreational Improvements Project (2019)
  65. Development of a Smart Water Grid at Blue Lake Rancheria (2019)
  66. Distribution Systems Improvement Project—Reclamation District 108 (2019)
  67. Maybell Canal Water Conservation Project (2019)
  68. Hobble Creek Piping Project, Utah County, Utah (2019)
  69. Northeast Colorado Walker Recharge Project, Central Colorado Water Conservancy District (2019)
  70. Lower Colorado Region WaterSMART Grants Program (2020)
  71. Reclaimed Water Distribution Cheney Purple Pipe Project (2022)
Last Updated: 6/7/24