North-to-South Water Transfers Subsequent El R to the 2019 Long-Term Water Transfers Final ElR

The North-to-South Water Transfers Subsequent EIR (SEIR) will evaluate a range of alternatives for potential single-year water transfers over a multi-year period to facilitate responsible transfers when climate or water resource variability limit water supply availability in Central Valley Project-dependent areas. Transfers would occur through agreements between willing Sellers and Buyers. Each potential transfer must be proposed, reviewed, and approved by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation on an annual basis. The project location includes the counties that overlap with the Buyers’ and Sellers’ Service Areas and at reservoirs used for release transfers. Affected counties include Alameda, Butte, Colusa, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Kings, Merced, Placer, Sacramento, Shasta, Stanislaus, Sutter, San Benito, Santa Clara, Tehama, and Yolo counties. The San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority (SLDMWA) plans to prepare a SEIR to the 2019 Long-Term Water Transfers Final EIR (LTWT EIR). In April 2020, SLDMWA certified the LTWT EIR. Since certification, changes have been proposed to the project that warrant consideration in a subsequent EIR to assess the potential effects of the project with the proposed changes (consistent with California Public Resources Code, § 21166 and State CEQA Guidelines, 14 CCR § 15162). Specifically, the SEIR will consider a revised list of participating sellers and transfer quantities. The LTWT EIR retains its informational value regarding the environmental effects of the project. Preparation of the SEIR will evaluate the potential environmental effects of the project as revised and ensure that any new or substantially more severe environmental impacts are addressed through the CEQA process.