00-2356. CALFED Bay-Delta Program Policy Group

AGENCY:

Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY:

The CALFED Bay-Delta Program Policy Group will meet on February 23, 2000. The agenda for the Policy Group meeting will include discussion of the CALFED Long-Term Water Management Strategy Evaluation Framework and the Preferred Program Alternative in the Final Programmatic EIS/R. This meeting is open to the public. Interested persons may make oral statements to the CALFED Bay-Delta Program Policy Group or may file written for consideration.

DATES:

The CALFED Bay-Delta Program Policy Group meeting will be held from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 23, 2000.

ADDRESSES:

This meeting will meet at The Sterling Hotel, 1300 H Street, Sacramento, CA 95814.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mary Selkirk, CALFED Bay-Delta Program, at [phone]. If reasonable accommodation is needed due to a disability, please contact the Equal Employment Opportunity Office at [phone] or TDD [phone] at least one week prior to the meeting.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary (Bay-Delta system) is a critically important part of California's natural environment and economy. In recognition of the serious problems facing the region and the complex resource management decisions that must be made, the state of California and the Federal government are working together to stabilize, protect, restore, and enhance the Bay-Delta system. The State and Federal agencies with management and regulatory responsibilities in the Bay-Delta system are working together as CALFED to provide policy direction and oversight for the process.

One area of Bay-Delta management includes the establishment of a joint State-Federal process to develop long-term solutions to problems in the Bay-Delta system related to fish and wildlife, water supply reliability, natural disasters, and water quality. The intent is to develop a comprehensive and balanced plan which address all of the resource problems. This effort, the CALFED Bay-Delta Program (Program), is being carried out under the direction of the CALFED Policy Group. The Program is exploring and developing a long-term solution for a cooperative planning process that will determine the most appropriate strategy and actions necessary to improve water quality, restore health to the Bay-Delta ecosystem, provide for a variety of beneficial uses, and minimize Bay-Delta system vulnerability. The CALFED Policy Group provides general policy direction on all aspects of the CALFED Program.

Dated: January 28, 2000.

Lester A. Snow,

Regional Director.