This document provides an overview and agenda for an Imported Water Committee meeting regarding review of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) documents. It summarizes prior board briefings on BDCP issues, the BDCP review process, the environmental review process for BDCP under CEQA and NEPA, and initial subject areas proposed for comment in a letter, such as governance, funding, economic analysis, and project risks. The staff recommendation is to authorize submitting a formal comment letter on the BDCP Draft EIR/EIS.

1. Larry Purcell, Water Resources Manager
Imported Water Committee
March 27, 2014

2. Agenda
 History of Board/Committee meetings
 Approach to BDCP document review
 Environmental review process
 Initial subject areas for comment letter
 Staff recommendation
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3. Prior Board Briefings
 14 meetings since January 2013
 Bay Delta issues and alternatives
 Scope of alternatives for staff review
 Demand assumptions, export yields
 Economic study, cost and funding
 BDCP process and timeline, CEQA/NEPA process, baselines
 Water supply/demand/yield analysis
 Physical facilities, supply/demand risk assessment
 Financing risk assessment, MWD costs
 Engineering risk assessment, BDCP governance
 Economic and financial risk to Water Authority
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4. BDCP Document Review
 BDCP analyses contained in detailed
planning and technical documents
exceeding 30,000 pages
 Inter-departmental team
 Documents Reviewed
 Draft BDCP
 Draft EIR/EIS
 Draft Conceptual Engineering Report
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5. Bay Delta Conservation Plan
 22 Conservation Measures (CMs)
 Allows issuance of Endangered Species Act permits
for 56 species over a 50-year term
 State Natural Communities Conservation Plan (NCCP)
 Federal Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP)
 BDCP is the “project” for
environmental review
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6. Environmental Review Process
BDCP addresses:
 Delta ecosystem health and
productivity
 Species/habitat decline
 Water supply reliability
 Volume and timing
 Seismic and climate change
 Delta hydrology and water
quality
 Salinity, nutrients, PCBs,
metals, and pesticides
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7. Environmental Review Process
 EIR/EIS is a joint CEQA (state) and NEPA (federal)
document
 Common practice to issue a combined EIR/EIS
 Regulations require very similar analyses
 Review the environmental effects of
proposed project and a reasonable
range of alternatives
 Completion of EIR/EIS required for
execution of Implementing
Agreement and HCP/NCCP permit
issuance
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8. CEQA and NEPA as Parallel Processes
EIR
CEQA
Notice of Preparation
Public and Agency Review
Scoping
Draft EIR
State Clearinghouse
Final EIR
Review of Response by
Commenting Agencies
Agency Decision/ Findings,
Statement of Overriding
Consideration, Mitigation Monitoring
Preparation of Response to Comments
NEPA
EIS
Notice of Intent
Public and Agency Review
Scoping
Draft EIS
EPA Filing: Federal Register
Final EIS
EPA Filing: Federal Register
Agency Decision/
Record of Decision
Circulate Final EIS
Preparation of Response to Comments
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9. Subject Areas for Comment
Draft BDCP & EIR/EIS Conceptual Engineering Report
 Governance
 organization and authority
 Implementation
 schedule and agreements
 Funding
 allocation and commitments
 Economic Benefits
 water costs and alternatives
 Environmental Analysis
 models and conclusions
 Environmental Baseline
 multiple approaches
 Decision Tree
 studies and operations
 Schedule
 inconsistent and constrained dates
 Cost Estimate Accuracy
 contingency estimates and level of
design
 Project Risks
 land acquisition, project delivery,
construction methods and
equipment , geotechnical, and
adequate specialized resources
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10. Staff Recommendation
 Authorize the General Manager to submit a formal
comment letter on the Bay Delta Conservation Plan
Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental
Impact Statement
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