NOTICE OF PUBLIC REVIEW PERIOD FOR DRAFT AND INTENT TO ADOPT NEGATIVE DECLARATION for Participation in the Semitropic Water Storage District Water Banking and Exchange Program
PUBLIC REVIEW PERIOD: October 12th to November 10th, 2017
MONTECITO WATER DISTRICT (District) invites public comments on the Draft Initial Study/Negative Declaration (IS/ND) for Participation in the Semitropic Water Storage District Water Banking and Exchange Program.
Project Description: The primary objective of the District’s participation in the Semitropic Water Banking and Exchange Program is to increase drought resiliency. The Project involves conjunctive use of surface and groundwater through iterative exchanges through the use of San Luis Reservoir, Semitropic’s existing groundwater bank, and the existing State Water Project delivery system. The delivery of water to Semitropic for banking, and the return of banked water to the District would be undertaken with the cooperation of the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), Kern County Water Agency, Santa Barbara County Water Agency(SBCWA), Cachuma Operations and Maintenance Board (COMB), the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) and Central Coast Water Authority (CCWA). All of the agencies either own, operate, oversee, have contractual relationship and/or maintain the infrastructure associated with the delivery of water to and/or within Santa Barbara County. In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Public Resource Code §21000 et seq., this Initial Study/Negative Declaration (IS/ND) has been prepared to analyze the potential environmental impacts of the proposed Project. The District is the CEQA lead agency for this Project.
Summary of Findings: The Draft IS/ND states that the Project and its implementation will have no impact upon the environment, and that there are no resource areas that would be potentially affected by the project or its implementation.
Notice of Review Period: This notice is to provide any interested individuals and public agencies the opportunity to learn more about the project and provide comments during the thirty (30) day public review period from 10/12/17 to 11/10/17, prior to its proposed adoption on November 15, 2017. Comments regarding the draft IS/ND may be submitted in writing to Mr. Nick Turner, General Manager, Montecito Water District, 583 San Ysidro Road, Montecito, CA 93108 or by email: info@montecitowater.com. Comments may also be given at the Public Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Montecito Water District to be held on October 24, 2017 at 1:00 P.M. and on November 15, 2017 at 2:00pm at the Montecito Water District Office located at 583 San Ysidro Road.
For More Information: The proposed Negative Declaration is available here. It is also available for public review at the Montecito Water District’s Office located at 583 San Ysidro Rd, Montecito, CA 93108.
