Freeport Regional Water Authority. c/o Gregg Ellis 2600 V Street Sacramento, CA 95818

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1 Notice of Preparation and Notice of Intent for the Freeport Regional Water Project, Sacramento, Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement Freeport Regional Water Authority U.S. Bureau of Reclamation To Responsible Agencies and Interested Parties: The Freeport Regional Water Authority (FRWA), a joint powers authority formed under state law by the Sacramento County Water Agency (SCWA) and the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), is proposing the Freeport Regional Water Project. The project would increase water service reliability for customers, reduce rationing during droughts, and facilitate conjunctive use of groundwater supplies in central Sacramento County. The project would also allow the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) to meet delivery obligations under its water supply contracts with SCWA and EBMUD. The FRWA, acting as lead agency under the Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and Reclamation, acting as the lead agency in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), have determined that an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared. Responsible and trustee agencies under CEQA may include the City of Sacramento, Sacramento County, SCWA, EBMUD, San Joaquin County, Department of Fish and Game, Reclamation Board, Regional Water Quality Control Board, State Water Resources Control Board, State Lands Commission, Department of Conservation, and Department of Transportation. The FRWA and Reclamation need to know your views regarding the scope and content of the environmental information in connection with the proposed Freeport Regional Water Project. CEQA requires that your response be submitted to the FRWA at the earliest possible date, but not later than April 30, Responses should be sent to: Freeport Regional Water Project c/o Gregg Ellis 2600 V Street Sacramento, CA Attachment 1 provides the schedule of public scoping meetings and a general description of the proposed project. Attachment 2 shows the location of the proposed project. Attachment 3 shows the environmental factors potentially affected by the proposed project and the environmental topics to be addressed in the EIR/EIS. Attachment 4 shows the locations of the public scoping meetings. Keith DeVore, Director Sacramento County Dept. of Water Resources, on behalf of the Freeport Regional Water Authority Date

2 ATTACHMENT 1 Draft EIR/EIS and Scoping Schedule The Draft EIR/EIS is scheduled for circulation in fall It will contain an analysis of the physical, biological, social, and economic impacts arising from alternatives. In addition, it will address the cumulative impacts of implementation of alternatives in conjunction with other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable actions. The FRWA and Reclamation will seek public input on alternatives, concerns, and issues to be addressed in the EIR/EIS through a series of 5 scoping meetings in April The schedule and locations of the scoping meetings are as follows: Date Time Location April 8, :30 8:30 p.m. EBMUD Training Room, th Street, 2 nd Floor, Oakland, April 11, :30 8:30 p.m. Bartley Cavanaugh Golf Course, 8301 Freeport Boulevard, Sacramento, April 15, :30 8:30 p.m. Pannell Community Center, 2450 Meadowview Road, Sacramento, April 18, :30 8:30 p.m. Herald Fire Department, Hendrickson Hall, 127 Ivie Road, Herald, April 25, :30 8:30 p.m. Wildhawk Golf Course, 7713 Vineyard Road, Sacramento, Note: If special assistance is required, contact Janet Barbieri at (916) as far in advance of the workshops as possible to enable FRWA to secure the needed services. If a request cannot be honored, the requestor will be notified. A telephone device for the hearing impaired (TDD) is available at (916) Scoping is an early and open process designed to determine the issues and alternatives to be addressed in an EIR/EIS. The following issues have been identified by the FRWA and Reclamation to date:! Sacramento River fishery effects;! water quality;! water supply availability;! construction-related effects on the Sacramento River, urban areas, and natural habitats; and! wetland, upland, and aquatic habitats. Background SCWA provides water to 2 separate retail service areas within the unincorporated areas of central Sacramento County Zone 41 and Elk Grove Water Service on the east side of the city of Elk Grove. SCWA is responsible for providing water supplies and facilities throughout these areas, including the Laguna, Vineyard, Elk Grove and Mather Field communities through a capital funding zone known as Zone 40. The long-term master plan for Zone 40 envisions meeting present and future water needs through a program of conjunctive use of groundwater and surface water. SCWA presently has a CVP entitlement of 22,000 acre-feet. Water for SCWA is currently delivered through the City of Sacramento s intake and treatment facilities, based on SCWA need and available City capacity. These and additional water supplies are expected to be conveyed through the proposed project.

3 EBMUD is a multipurpose regional agency that provides water to over 1.3 million municipal and industrial water users throughout portions of Contra Costa and Alameda Counties in the East Bay region. EBMUD currently obtains most of its supply from Pardee Reservoir on the Mokelumne River, with the remainder collected from local runoff in its East Bay terminal reservoirs. On July 26, 2001, EBMUD and Reclamation entered into an amendatory CVP contract that allows EBMUD to take delivery of its CVP supply at the location known as Freeport on the Sacramento River south of downtown Sacramento, subject to all applicable environmental laws and regulations. The Freeport Regional Water Project would achieve the following:! provide surface water facilities through which SCWA can deliver water to its Zone 41 service area to facilitate the efficient conjunctive use of groundwater, consistent with the Sacramento Area Water Forum Agreement and County of Sacramento General Plan Policies to support growth consistent with the Sacramento County General Plan; water would be delivered under SCWA s CVP water service contract with Reclamation and anticipated CVP contract assignments and other water entitlements;! provide facilities through which EBMUD can take delivery of water pursuant to its CVP water service contract with Reclamation to provide EBMUD with a supplemental water supply that would substantially meet its need for water and reduce existing and future customer deficiencies to manageable levels during drought;! improve EBMUD system reliability by providing an alternate source of water in case of a catastrophic event or scheduled major maintenance at Pardee Dam or Reservoir;! minimize environmental impacts and costs to meet SCWA and EBMUD water supply needs; and! provide facilities that enable Reclamation to deliver water under its CVP amendatory contract with EBMUD and its contract with SCWA. As currently envisioned, the Freeport Regional Water Project would consist of:! a new intake structure with pumping facilities located on the Sacramento River, with a capacity of up to 185 million gallons per day (MGD);! a raw water pipeline extending from the intake structure to a turnout at approximately Bradshaw Road in central Sacramento County;! a new water treatment plant in central Sacramento County to serve SCWA needs;! a raw water pipeline from the turnout to the Folsom South Canal;! a new pumping plant near the existing terminus of Folsom South Canal;! a new connection pipeline from the terminus of Folsom South Canal to the Mokelumne Aqueducts; and! a new pumping and treatment facility at the Mokelumne Aqueducts to deliver water to EBMUD. The EIR/EIS will consider a range of alternatives, including a no-action alternative.

4 Additional information on the proposed project alternatives and project background is available for public review at the following addresses: Sacramento County Water Agency 827 7th Street, Room 301 Sacramento, CA East Bay Municipal Utility District th Street Oakland, CA Other contacts for project-related questions are: Freeport Regional Water Authority Mr. Tad Berkebile 827 7th Street, Room 301 Sacramento, CA (916) Ms. Maria C. Solis th Street Oakland, CA (510) U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Mr. Rob Schroeder 7794 Folsom Dam Road Folsom, CA (916)

5 ATTACHMENT 3 Environmental Factors Potentially Affected The environmental factors checked below would potentially be affected by this project, involving at least one impact that is a potentially significant impact. X Visual Resources X Agricultural Resources X Air Quality X Biological Resources X Cultural Resources X Geology and Soils X Hazards & Hazardous Materials X Hydrology/Water Quality X Land Use and Planning - Mineral Resources X Noise - Population and Housing X Public Services X Recreation X Transportation/Traffic X Utilities/Service Systems