Notice of Preparation of an Environmental Impact Report and Scoping Meeting for the Petition Requesting an Extension of Time to More Fully Exercise Conditional Water Rights for[...]

PUBLIC NOTICE: Notice of Preparation of an Environmental Impact Report for the California Department of Water Resources' Petition to the State Water Resources Control Board for Extension of Time to modify the timeframe of Conditional Water Rights Under the State Water Project Permits 16478, 16479, 16481, and 16482 for water supply and Permits 16477 and 16480 for hydropower operations.

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) will prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the petition it filed with the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) for a water right extension of time (Extension of Time) to modify Water Right development timeframes but otherwise remain consistent with the existing conditions of the permits.

The EIR for the proposed Project is being prepared in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). DWR has issued a Notice of Preparation (NOP) to formally notify responsible and trustee agencies involved in the approval or funding of a project, the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, and other interested parties that an EIR will be prepared. The NOP provides information about the proposed project and its potential environmental impacts to allow recipients the opportunity to provide a meaningful response related to the scope and content of the EIR.

The EIR will evaluate potentially significant environmental impacts of the proposed Project, on both a direct, indirect, and cumulative basis; identify feasible mitigation measures that may lessen or avoid such impacts; and identify alternatives that may lessen one or more potentially significant impacts associated with the proposed Project.

COMMENT PERIOD: The 30-day public scoping period begins on September 30 and ends on October 30, 2025.

Written comments regarding the issues that should be addressed in the EIR, including potential alternatives to the proposed Project and the scope of the analysis, are invited.

A virtual public scoping meeting will be held on October 17, 2025 at 12:00pm via Zoom. Please use the link to register in advance of the meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_wZb_pdf9RZ2Nl2zG3Z4knw

Registrants will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Attendees can register and join the meeting at any time.

Written or oral comments may be submitted at the public scoping meetings, or written comments may be directed to Analisa Martinez, Department of Water Resources, Division of Environmental Services, P.O. Box 942836, Sacramento, CA, 94236-0001; or by email to [email protected] by 5:00 p.m. on October 20, 2025. Written comments should include your name/organization, address, and contact information, and the name of a contact person in your organization if applicable. Please note that your comment in its entirety could be made publicly available at any time.

The Notice of Preparation and Frequently Asked Questions are available at the project website, https://water.ca.gov/Programs/State-Water-Project.