[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 222 (Friday, November 18, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-28517]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: November 18, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation

 

Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report on the 
Proposed Amendment of the Water Service Contract Between the United 
States of America and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, 
Sacramento, CA

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement/
environmental impact report.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as 
amended, and the California Environmental Quality Act, the Bureau of 
Reclamation (Reclamation) and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District 
(SMUD) propose to prepare a joint environmental impact statement/
environmental impact report (EIS/EIR) on a proposed amendment of the 
water service contract between the United States and SMUD. Reclamation 
and SMUD propose to amend the existing contract to change the point of 
diversion of 15,000 acre-feet annually of contract water and the place 
of use. The ultimate purpose of the project is to provide 15,000 acre-
feet annually of municipal and industrial water supplies to the 
Sacramento County Water Agency (SCWA).

DATES: Written comments on the scope of alternatives and impacts to be 
considered should be sent to SMUD by January 6, 1995. A public scoping 
meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m., December 14, 1994, at the Sacramento 
Municipal Utility District Headquarters, 6201 ``S'' Street, Sacramento, 
CA 95817-1899.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the project scope should be sent to Mr. 
Paul Olmstead, Senior Project Manager, Sacramento Municipal Utility 
District, 6201 ``S'' Street, P.O. Box 15830-MS 37, Sacramento, 
California 95817-1899.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Roderick Hall, Environmental 
Specialist, Bureau of Reclamation, North Central California Area 
Office, 7749 Folsom Dam Road, Folsom, California 95630; telephone (916) 
988-1707.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The existing contract between the United 
States and SMUD contains a water allotment of 75,000 acre-feet per 
year, 15,000 acre-feet of which are water rights water, and the 
remaining 60,000 acre-feet are Reclamation project water. The current 
point of diversion for this water is the Folsom South Canal.
    SMUD seeks to amend its existing water service contract with 
Reclamation. Specifically, SMUD seeks to change the point of diversion 
of 15,000 acre-feet annually of contract water from the Folsom South 
Canal to existing City of Sacramento (City) diversion points on the 
lower American and Sacramento Rivers. SMUD additionally requests that 
Reclamation amend the place of use of waters from Rancho Seco, 
Sacramento County, California to SCWA's service area known as the Zone 
40 Master Plan Study Area and Zone 40 Expansion Area. As proposed, the 
amended contract would assign up to 15,000 acre-feet per year of SMUD's 
contracted water to the SCWA via existing City diversion points along 
the lower American River and Sacramento River. SCWA has a stated need 
for the additional water and wants to be assigned a portion of the SMUD 
water entitlement.
    Reclamation is considering the reassignment of SMUD's Central 
Valley Project water entitlement to SCWA. Upon amendment of the 
existing contract with Reclamation, SMUD would assign the water to SCWA 
for municipal and industrial uses in conformance with the Sacramento 
County General Plan. The proposed project is located entirely in 
Sacramento County. The City will be responsible for diversion and 
treatment of the assigned water prior to delivery to SCWA. Changing the 
point of delivery from the Folsom South Canal to the lower American 
River or Sacramento River will allow the diversion of the SMUD water at 
City diversion points. No physical improvements or modifications to 
water storage, conveyance, or treatment facilities will be required as 
a part of this project.
    Four alternative points of diversion will be evaluated in the EIS/
EIR. These alternatives would result in diversion of 15,000 acre-feet 
annually from: (1) The City's Fairbairn Treatment Plant on the lower 
American River; (2) the City's Sacramento River Treatment Plant on the 
Sacramento River downstream of the confluence of the American and 
Sacramento Rivers; (3) the City's Riverside Water Treatment Plant on 
the Sacramento River south of the confluence of the Sacramento and 
American Rivers; and (4) the City's proposed water treatment plant on 
the Sacramento River upstream of the confluence of the Sacramento and 
American Rivers.
    A public scoping process and pre-scoping meetings with resources 
agencies will take place to elicit information for the determination of 
the scope of the environmental impacts and issues related to the 
proposal. The results of the scoping process will help Reclamation and 
SMUD determine the scope and extent of the impact analysis.

    Dated: November 4, 1994.
Dan M. Fults,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 94-28517 Filed 11-17-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-95-P