News Release Archive

Draft Environmental Documents Available for Cross Valley CVP Contractors' Interim Renewal Contracts and Exchanges

Media Contact: Pete Lucero, MP Region Public Affairs Officer, 916-978-5100, plucero@usbr.gov

For Release: December 28, 2011

Reclamation today released for public review a Draft Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for the proposed execution of interim renewal contracts with Central Valley Project Cross Valley contractors and approval of exchange arrangements. 

The Cross Valley contractors are seven Central Valley Project (CVP) contractors located on the east side of the San Joaquin Valley in Fresno, Kern, Tulare and Kings counties. These water districts are referred to as the Cross Valley contractors because of their use of the Cross Valley Canal to obtain their water supplies from the Delta. The Cross Valley contractors are: County of Fresno, Hills Valley Irrigation District, Kern-Tulare Water District, Lower Tule River Irrigation District, Pixley Irrigation District, Tri-Valley Water District and County of Tulare.

Interim renewal contracts (IRCs) for the Cross Valley contractors have been undertaken, consistent with the  authority of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act, to provide a bridge between the expiration of the original long-term water service contracts and the execution of new long-term water service contracts. Due to direct conveyance hurdles, Reclamation envisioned that the Cross Valley contractors would obtain their CVP supplies via exchanges. The exchange arrangements are set forth in Article 5(a) of the Cross Valley contractors’ respective water service contracts. Each of the IRCs would be renewed for up to two years, beginning in March 1, 2012, and the Article 5 exchanges would be in effect concurrently with the IRCs.

The Draft Environmental Assessment/Finding of No Significant Impact (EA/FONSI) was prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and are available at: http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_project_details.php?Project_ID=8812. If you encounter problems accessing the documents online, please call 916-978-5100 or e-mail mppublicaffairs@usbr.gov.

Written comments must be received by close of business Thursday, January 26, 2012, and should be sent to Chuck Siek, Bureau of Reclamation, South-Central California Area Office, 1243 N Street, Fresno, CA 93721.  Comments may also be faxed to Mr. Siek at 559-487-5397 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 documents may also be viewed at Reclamation's Fresno office at the above address.

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Relevant Link:

EA/FONSI & National Environmental Policy Act