Cachuma Project Contract Renewal, Santa Barbara County, CA

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

[FES-95-40]

Cachuma Project Contract Renewal, Santa Barbara County, CA

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability on the final environmental impact

statement/final environmental impact report.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of

1969 (as amended) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA),

the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), the Cachuma Project Authority

(Authority) and the Santa Barbara County Water Agency (Agency) have

prepared a joint final environmental impact statement/final

environmental impact report (FEIS/FEIR) for the Cachuma Project

contract renewal. The proposed action of the lead agencies is the

continuation of the member units' entitlement to water from the Cachuma

Project by means of a renewed water service contract. The proposed

action exercises the provisions of several Federal laws as applicable

to Reclamation.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the FEIS/FEIR are available for public inspection

and review at the following locations:

Bureau of Reclamation, Program Analysis Office, Room 7456,

1849 C Street NW., Washington, DC 20240; telephone: (202) 208-4662.

Bureau of Reclamation, Denver Office Library, Building 67,

Room 167, Denver Federal Center, 6th and Kipling, Denver, CO 80225;

telephone: (303) 236-6963.

Bureau of Reclamation, Regional Director, Attention: MP-

152, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento CA 95825-1898; telephone: (916) 979-

5129.

Bureau of Reclamation, South-Central California Area

Office, Attention: SCC-412, 2666 N. Grove Industrial Drive, Suite 106,

Fresno CA 93727-1551; telephone: (209) 487-5137.

Cachuma Project Authority, 3301 Laurel Canyon Road, Santa

Barbara CA 93105-2017; telephone: (805) 569-1391.

Santa Barbara County Water Agency, 123 E. Anapamu Street,

Santa Barbara CA 93101-2058; telephone: (805) 568-3542.

Libraries: Copies will also be available for inspection at public

libraries located in Carpinteria, Montecito, Santa Barbara, Goleta,

Solvang, Buellton, Vandenberg Village, Lompoc, and Santa Maria,

California.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert May, Program Manager, SCC-

412, Bureau of Reclamation, 2666 N. Grove Industrial Drive, Suite 106,

Fresno CA 93727-1551; telephone: (209) 487-5137; or Mr. Chris

Dahlstrom, Project Coordinator, Cachuma Project Authority, 3301 Laurel

Canyon Road, Santa Barbara CA 93105-2017; telephone: (805) 569-1391; or

Mr. Robert Almy, Santa Barbara County Water Agency, 123 E. Anapamu

Street, Santa Barbara CA 93101-2058; telephone: (805) 568-3542.

[[Page 66555]]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FEIS/FEIR considers the effects of

renewing the Cachuma Project Contract under which water service has

been provided to the member units. The original Cachuma Project

Contract (No. I75r-1802) was executed on September 12, 1949, for

irrigation, and municipal and industrial purposes under the provisions

of section 9(c)(2) and 9(e) of the 1939 Reclamation Project Act. The

authority for contract renewal is pursuant to the Act of July 2, 1956,

70 Stat. 483, and the Act of June 21, 1963, 77 Stat. 68, requiring the

Secretary of the Department of the Interior, upon request, to renew

long-term contracts.

The Cachuma Project has been the principal water supply for the

majority of the member units since initial deliveries began in 1955.

These member units include the City of Santa Barbara, Goleta Water

District, Montecito Water District, Summerland Water District,

Carpinteria County Water District, and the Santa Ynez River Water

Conservation District, Improvement District No. 1. The original Cachuma

Project Contract had a term of 40 years and expired on May 14, 1995.

A Phase I Renewal Contract was executed on April 25, 1995, for

purposes of continuing the rights and obligations under the original

Contract until April 15, 1996, to allow the contract renewal

negotiation process to be completed. A proposed Cachuma Project Long-

Term Renewal Contract was made available to the public for a 60-day

review period beginning November 14, 1995.

The proposed Cachuma Project Long-term Renewal Contract is a water

service contract with a term of 25 years. It will be retroactively

effective to extend from May 15, 1995, through September 30, 2020, even

though the contract requires repayment of the remaining Cachuma Project

capital costs within 20 years.

The FEIS/FEIR evaluates several alternatives, including the no

action alternative, and also describes the existing environment and

environmental consequences of contract renewal. The FEIS/FEIR considers

the following issues: environmental improvement and restoration with

respect to biological resources, including fisheries, wildlife, and

riparian vegetation, surface water hydrology, groundwater hydrology,

flood control, water supply and demand, water pricing and delivery

practices, increased operational efficiency, increased conservation,

conjunctive use, water exchanges and transfers, recreational

enhancement and land use policies, agriculture, socioeconomic

conditions, cultural resources, and Indian Trust Assets.

The terms and conditions of the proposed Cachuma Long Term Renewal

Contract represents the lead agencies' preferred alternative. It

combines features of the original Contract with higher water rates and

a ``renewal fund'' that may be used for various environmental

restoration purposes. Relative to the ``no action'' alternative, there

are no significant environmental, socioeconomic, or agricultural

impacts under the proposed contract/preferred alternative, and current

operations of the Cachuma Project are unchanged. In addition, there

will be opportunities to restore riparian and other habitats along the

Santa Ynez River using the renewal fund. Therefore, no mitigation

measures are required for renewal of the Cachuma Project Contract.

The Santa Ynez Indian Reservation, the Southern California Area

Office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and the Sacramento Area

Office of the BIA have been contacted by Reclamation regarding Indian

Trust Assets (ITAs) that may be affected by the proposed action. No

potentially affected ITAs have been identified by the BIA.

The Draft EIS/EIR (DEIS/DEIR) was issued November 16, 1994.

Responses to comments received from interested organizations and

individuals on the DEIS/DEIR are addressed in the FEIS/FEIR. No

decision will be made on the proposed action until 30 days after the

release of the FEIS/FEIR. 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.

Dated: December 8, 1995.

Franklin E. Dimick,

Acting Regional Director.

[FR Doc. 95-31027 Filed 12-21-95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-94-P