News Release Archive

Reclamation Publishes Notice of Intent to Prepare Joint Environmental Document for the South County Ag Water Recycling Program

Media Contact: Shane Hunt, 916-978-5100, shunt@usbr.gov

For Release: October 30, 2015

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Bureau of Reclamation and the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District (Regional San) are preparing a joint Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) for the South County Ag Water Recycling Program (Project).

Today, Reclamation published a Notice of Intent for the joint EIR/EIS in the Federal Register. The Regional San distributed a Notice of Preparation on Jan. 30, 2015, and held a scoping meeting on the joint EIR/EIS on Feb. 18, 2015, at the Sacramento Farm Bureau in Elk Grove.

The Project would deliver approximately 45,000 acre-feet per year of Title 22 disinfected tertiary treated recycled water to about 16,000 acres of irrigated lands in southern Sacramento County for agricultural and urban landscape uses and to the Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. The Project could also provide an additional 5,000 acre-feet per year of recycled water for groundwater recharge.

Reclamation may provide federal funds, if authorized by Congress, to reimburse a portion of the cost to construct the Project through Section 1604 of the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act of 1992 (Title XVI of Public Law 102-575, as amended). Section 1604 authorizes federal cost sharing in water reuse projects up to 25 percent but no higher than $20 million of construction costs for authorized projects.

Written comments on the scope of the Project (possible issues and alternatives) must be submitted by Monday, Nov. 30, 2015, to Jose Ramirez, Project Manager, Sacramento County Regional Sanitation District, 10060 Goethe Road, Sacramento, CA 95827 or ramirezj@sacsewer.com or to Doug Kleinsmith, Natural Resources Specialist, Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, MP-150, Sacramento, CA 95825 or dkleinsmith@usbr.gov.

For Project information, please visit http://www.regionalsan.com/south-county-ag-program or contact Kleinsmith at 916-978-5034 (TTY 800-877-8339).

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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.