News Release Archive

Federal, State Agencies Release Final Environmental Impact Document on Suisun Marsh Habitat Management, Preservation and Restoration Plan

Media Contact: Lynnette Wirth, MP Region Deputy Public Affairs Officer 916-978-5100, Sarah Swenty (USFWS) 916-414-6571, 12/06/2011 12:31
Kyle Orr (DFG) 916-322-8958

For Release: December 06, 2011

The Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in partnership with the California Department of Fish and Game, have released the final environmental impact document on the restoration and enhancement plan for the largest contiguous brackish water marsh on the West Coast.

The Suisun Marsh Habitat Management, Preservation and Restoration Plan (SMP) is a comprehensive 30-year plan designed to address various conflicts regarding uses of resources within about 50,000 acres of the Suisun Marsh near Fairfield, Calif. The SMP focuses on achieving an acceptable multi-stakeholder approach to habitat conservation by providing the stakeholder coordination and environmental compliance foundation for tidal marsh restoration and managed wetland enhancements in the Marsh.

The SMP was prepared by the Suisun Charter Group Principal Agencies, which include Reclamation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG), the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the Suisun Resource Conservation District (SRCD). The SMP was prepared in coordination with other related resource planning efforts such as the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP). The BDCP addresses overall San Francisco Bay Estuary/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta ecosystem and water supply reliability issues while the SMP is focused specifically on habitat management, preservation, and restoration within the Marsh. The majority of the 5,000 to 7,000 acres proposed for tidal marsh restoration under the SMP would be contributing to the recovery of listed species, and could be implemented under BDCP or any other habitat restoration efforts in the Marsh and would not limit those efforts.

The SMP Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) that has been made available contains responses to comments received during the public review period for the Draft EIS/EIR in the fall of 2010. Reclamation and the FWS may complete Records of Decisions stating the actions to be implemented following a 30-day waiting period.

The Final EIS/EIR was prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Reclamation and the FWS are the NEPA lead agencies and DFG is the CEQA lead agency. The lead agencies prepared the Final EIS/EIR in cooperation with the NMFS, the DFG and the SRCD.

The EIS/EIR is available online at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_project_details.php?Project_ID=781. If you encounter problems accessing documents, please call Reclamation Public Affairs Office at 916-978-5100 (TTY 916-978-5608) or e-mail mppublicaffairs@usbr.gov. For more information or to request a copy of the Final EIS/EIR, please contact Becky Victorine by mail at the Bureau of Reclamation, 801 I Street, Suite 140, Sacramento CA 95814-2536; by e-mail at rvictorine@usbr.gov; or by calling 916-414?2429 (TTY 916-978-5608). The documents may also be viewed at the above address.

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The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.

Relevant Link:

EIS/EIR