[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 21 (Thursday, January 31, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 6833]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-02076]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report 
for the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors Water Authority's 25-
Year Water Transfer Program, 2014-2038, San Joaquin Valley, CA

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation and the San Joaquin River Exchange 
Contractors Water Authority have prepared a Final Environmental Impact 
Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) for a 25-Year Water 
Transfer Program, 2014-2038. The proposed new program would provide for 
the transfer and/or exchange of up to 150,000 acre-feet of substitute 
water from the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors Water Authority 
to several potential users over a 25-year timeframe (water service 
years 2014-2038).
    A Notice of Availability of the joint Draft EIS/EIR was published 
in the Federal Register on Friday, May 4, 2012 (77 FR 26578). The 
written comment period on the Draft EIS/EIR ended Tuesday, July 3, 
2012. The Final EIS/EIR contains responses to all comments received and 
reflects comments and additional information received during the review 
period.

DATES: The Bureau of Reclamation will not make a decision on the 
proposed action until at least 30 days after release of the Final EIS/
EIR. After the 30-day waiting period, Reclamation will complete a 
Record of Decision (ROD). The ROD will state the action that will be 
implemented and will discuss all factors leading to the decision.

ADDRESSES: To request a compact disc of the Final EIS/EIR, please 
contact Mr. Brad Hubbard, Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, Room 
2905, Sacramento, California 95825; telephone, 916-978-5034; or email 
[email protected]. The Final EIS/EIR may be viewed at the Bureau of 
Reclamation's Web site at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_projdetails.cfm?Project_ID=9086. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section 
for locations where copies of the Final EIS/EIR are available for 
public inspection.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Brad Hubbard, Natural Resources 
Specialist, at 916-978-5204, or email at [email protected]; or Ms. 
Joann White, San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors Water Authority, at 
209-827-8616, or email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors 
Water Authority (Exchange Contractors) proposes to make up to 150,000 
acre-feet of water available via tailwater recovery, water 
conservation, and temporary land fallowing for transfer and/or exchange 
of substitute water to either the state and Federal wildlife refuges, 
Central Valley Project (CVP) contractors for existing municipal and 
industrial (M&I) and/or agricultural areas, and other potential State 
Water Project (SWP) contractors for agricultural and/or M&I uses, or to 
some combination of these users. The Bureau of Reclamation 
(Reclamation), Mid-Pacific Region; CVP and SWP contractors; and the 
Exchange Contractors would execute agreements for water transfers for 
water service years 2014 to 2038. A similar 10-year program ends 
February 28, 2014.
    The water transfers would occur largely within the San Joaquin 
Valley of central California but could extend to districts taking water 
deliveries in the east San Francisco Bay Area. The Exchange 
Contractors' service area covers parts of Fresno, Madera, Merced, and 
Stanislaus counties. The agricultural water users that would benefit 
from the potential transfers are located in the counties of Stanislaus, 
San Joaquin, Merced, Madera, Fresno, San Benito, Santa Clara, Tulare, 
Kern, Kings, Contra Costa, Alameda, Monterey, and Santa Cruz counties. 
The wetland habitat areas that may receive water are located in Merced, 
Fresno, Kings, Tulare, and Kern counties.
    One public hearing was held on June 13, 2012 in Los Banos, 
California.
    Copies of the Final EIS/EIR are available for public inspection and 
review at the following locations:

 Bureau of Reclamation, Regional Library, 2800 Cottage Way, 
Sacramento, CA 95825-1898
 California State Library, 914 Capitol Mall, Suite E-29, 
Sacramento, CA 95814-4802
 University of California, Berkeley, Water Resources Center 
Archives, 410 O'Brien Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720-1718
 University of California, Davis, Peter J. Shields Library, 
Documents Department, 100 Northwest Quad, Davis, CA 95616-5292
 California Research Bureau, California State Library, PO Box 
942837, Sacramento, CA 94237-0001
 Fresno County Public Library, Government Publications, 2420 
Mariposa Street Fresno, CA 93721-2204
 Merced County Library, 2100 O Street, Merced, CA 95340-3637
 Merced County Public Library, 1312 South 7th Street, Los 
Banos, CA 93635-4757
 Stanislaus County Library, 1500 I Street, Modesto, CA 95354
 San Francisco Public Library, Government Documents Department, 
100 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

Public Disclosure

    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in any communication, you should 
be aware that your entire communication--including your personal 
identifying information--may be made publicly available at any time. 
While you can ask us in your communication to withhold your personal 
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we 
will be able to do so.

    Dated: January 25, 2013.
Michelle Denning,
Acting Regional Director, Mid-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 2013-02076 Filed 1-30-13; 8:45 am]
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