[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 126 (Tuesday, July 1, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35524-35525]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-17236]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency's Water Supply Project, 
Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties, California

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a draft environmental impact 
statement and notice of scoping meetings.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA), the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) proposes to 
prepare a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for Pajaro Valley 
Water Management Agency's (PVWMA) Water Supply Project. The PVWMA's 
Water Supply Project involves the use of diverse imported water 
supplies, including Central Valley Project (CVP) water supplies, within 
the PVWMA's service area (along the Central California Coast) for 
agricultural irrigation purposes and for the management of seawater 
intrusion into the Pajaro Valley groundwater basin. The action also 
includes the use of San Felipe Project facilities for the conveyance of 
imported water supplies to proposed PVWMA facilities and physical 
connection of an imported water supply to the San Felipe Project. 
Analysis of the use of imported water suppliers will be programmatic 
and will include water from diverse sources such as: State water 
project transfer, water rights purchase, and CVP transfer, contract, or 
contract assignment and purchase. This action will be evaluated in 
accordance with the legislative requirements of the Central Valley 
Project Improvement Act, the Warren Act, NEPA, and other relevant 
regulations. PVWMA is also preparing two environmental impact reports 
(EIR's) on the project, pursuant to the California Environmental 
Quality Act (CEQA).

DATES: Scoping meetings are proposed for the project. However, the 
schedule and location for these meetings have not as yet been 
determined. There will be ample notice given in the local papers of the 
times and locations of all scoping meetings.


[[Page 35525]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Steve Edmondson, Bureau of 
Reclamation, South-Central California Area Office, 2666 N. Grove 
Industrial Drive, Suite 106, Fresno, CA 93727; telephone (209) 487-
5049.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The PVWMA has identified and evaluated 
several water supply alternatives to meet its future water supply needs 
and manage seawater intrusion into the Pajaro Valley groundwater basin. 
These alternatives were evaluated in the Final Program Environmental 
Impact Report for the Basin Management Plan, under CEQA, State Clearing 
House No. 9302-3035, and certified in 1993. The findings and 
recommendations of this document will be incorporated by reference in 
preparation of site-specific analysis of the Water Supply Project 
components. The alternatives to be considered for this DEIS include:
     A long-term water supply contract for CVP water.
     The purchase and assignment of long-term CVP water supply 
contracts from willing sellers.
     Transfer of CVP water supply to PVWMA.
     The acquisition of imported water supplies from non-CVP 
sources sources possibly including the California State Water Project 
and purchase of water rights south of the Delta.
     No Action.
    The alternatives to be considered at a site-specific level include:
     Use of San Felipe Project for conveyance of imported 
supplies and No Action.
     Physical connection of the proposed imported water supply 
pipeline to the San Felipe Project and No Action.
    The imported water supply component of the water supply project 
will allow PVWMA to meet its projected annual water supply needs from 
various imported and local sources, including water conservation, 
managed groundwater pumping, development of local supplies, and 
importation of new supplies. Imported water supplies will be conveyed 
using the San Felipe Project facilities and the existing turnout on the 
San Felipe Project.
    The PVWMA is preparing two EIR's. One EIR will analyze development 
of local water supply projects and a distribution system. The other EIR 
will analyze construction of an import water supply pipeline and a 
change in the place of use for CVP and other imported water rights.
    The PVWMA held scoping meetings on the above water supply project 
environmental review documents on February 11, 12, and 13, 1997.

    Dated: June 23, 1997.
Susan Kelly,
Acting Area Manager, South-Central California Area Office.
[FR Doc. 97-17236 Filed 6-30-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-P