News Release Archive

Reclamation Releases Environmental Documents Allowing Atwell Island Expansion

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

For Release: December 16, 2015

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The Bureau of Reclamation has released an Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact that will allow the Bureau of Land Management to expand its Atwell Island Project, mostly made up of 7,000 acres of retired farm land in Tulare County.

Reclamation is providing $835,000 to the BLM in order to acquire 251 acres for its project, which it uses to protect special status species and wildlife travel corridors. The additional acres are located in the southern San Joaquin Valley, in unincorporated portions of Tulare and Kings counties.

Funding is provided through the Central Valley Project Improvement Act Habitat Restoration Program and the Central Valley Project Conservation Program. For more on these programs, please visit: http://www.usbr.gov/mp/cvpcp/aboutus.html.

The EA and FONSI were prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and are available at: http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_projdetails.cfm?project_ID=23795. If you encounter problems accessing the documents, please call 916-978-5100 (TTY 800-877-8339) or email mppublicaffairs@usbr.gov.

For more information or to request a copy of the documents, please contact Ms. Jamie LeFevre at 916-978-5035 or jlefevre@usbr.gov.

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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.