News Release Archive

Reclamation announces 60-day comment period extension for Central Valley Project draft repayment contracts

Media Contact: Mary Lee Knecht, 9169785100, mknecht@usbr.gov

For Release: June 05, 2020

Sacramento, Calif. –The Bureau of Reclamation announced today ongoing congressionally mandated contract conversions pursuant to the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN Act). Today’s release announces an additional 60-day public comment period for 20 irrigation contracts. No substantive changes were made from the original public comment period. The comment period extension is provided to ensure parties without access to the Internet are provided notice of these proposed contract conversions. The contracts include:

One Black Butte Division Contract: Stony Creek Water District

Two Eastside Division Contracts: Stockton East Water District and Central San Joaquin Water Conservation District

Two Trinity Division Contracts: Bella Vista Water District and Clear Creek Community Services District

Fifteen Sacramento River Division Contracts: 4-M Water District, Colusa County Water District (2), Corning Water District, Dunnigan Water District, Glenn Valley Water District, Glide Water District, Kanawha Water District, Proberta Water District, Davis Water District, Cortina Water District, La Grande Water District (2), Holthouse Water District and Orland-Artois Water District

Section 4011 of the WIIN Act directs Reclamation to convert water service contracts to repayment contracts upon a contractor’s request and authorizes prepayment of outstanding CVP construction costs. Under Section 4011, full repayment is due within three years of the contract conversion.

Both the prepayment and accelerated repayment of the contracts will result in the federal government being repaid well in advance of the original repayment deadline. These dollars will be placed in an account to fund much-needed storage projects. Increasing storage capacity will allow Reclamation’s projects to capture additional water in wet years to help meet the water needs for project purposes in dry years.

Written comments on these contracts must be received by close of business on August 9, 2020. Comments on Eastside Division contracts should be sent to Georgiana Gregory, Central California Area Office, Bureau of Reclamation, 7794 Folsom Dam Road, Folsom, California 95630; or emailed to ggregory@usbr.gov.

Comments on the remaining contracts should be sent to Jacob Berens, Northern California Area Office, Bureau of Reclamation, 1140 W. Wood Street, Willows, California 95988; faxed to 530-934-7679; or emailed to jberens@usbr.gov.

A draft form of the proposed conversion contract and exhibits will be available for download at https://www.usbr.gov/mp/wiin-act/. For additional information or assistance, contact Gregory at 916-537-7051 or Berens at 530-892-6203 (TTY 800-877-8339).

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