Environmental Review

Project EIR/EIS

The Sites Project Authority is the lead agency under the California Environmental Quality Act for preparation of an Environmental Impact Report on the proposal to construct and operate a new offstream water storage reservoir and associated facilities. Public involvement is an important part of the environmental review process, with several opportunities to participate and help inform the content of the project's environmental analyses.

On November 12, 2021, the Sites Project Authority issued a Notice of Availability announcing the public review and comment period for the Revised Draft Environmental Impact Report/Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (RDEIR/SDEIS) and dates of virtual public meetings.

On December 22, 2021, the Sites Project Authority announced a two week extension of the public review and comment period from January 11, 2022 to January 28, 2022.

The Final EIR/EIS is expected to be released in fall 2023.

CEQA Record of Proceeding
The record of proceeding, also called the administrative record, for the Sites Reservoir Project California Environmental Quality Act effort is under preparation. The Authority is preparing and making the record available consistent with Senate Bill 149. The record is in preparation and will be made available as quickly as possible with the entire record certified within 5 days of certification of the Project’s Final Environmental Impact Report (currently in preparation). The record is organized consistent with the 2023 California Rules of Court.

View the CEQA Record Of Proceeding page here.

2023-2024 Sites Reservoir Test Pits, Fault Studies and Quarry Studies

The Sites Project Authority is the lead agency under the California Environmental Quality Act for preparation of environmental documents for Sites Reservoir Test Pits, Fault Studies and Quarry Studies in Glenn, Colusa, and Yolo Counties. The purpose of this effort is to conduct field investigations to obtain data needed to formulate and refine the engineering design and to assist in the preparation of permit applications for the proposed Sites Reservoir and associated facilities in western Sacramento Valley. Test pits would provide information regarding the quantity and quality of borrow materials at proposed quarry locations, as well as information regarding pipeline trench stability; fault studies would provide information in areas of suspected and known fault traces/zones; and quarry studies would provide information on quantity and quality of borrow materials.

On September 23, 2022, the Sites Project Authority released the Notice of Intent to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the 2023-2024 Sites Reservoir Test Pits, Fault Studies and Quarry Studies (IS/MND) for a 30-day public review, and a Notice of Completion was posted to the State Clearinghouse website.

The review period ended on October 24, 2022, and comments were received from four public agencies. Responses to those comments have been included in a Final IS/MND. The Sites Project Authority Board adopted the 2023-2024 Sites Reservoir Test Pits, Fault Studies and Quarry Studies Final Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration and approved the Project on Friday, December 16, 2022. A Notice of Determination was filed with the Glenn, Colusa, and Yolo county clerks and posted to the State Clearinghouse website on Friday, December 16, 2022.

Geotechnical Investigations

The Sites Project Authority is the lead agency under the California Environmental Quality Act for preparation of environmental documents for geologic, geophysical, and geotechnical investigations in Glenn, Colusa, and Yolo Counties. The purpose of this effort is to conduct field investigations and surveys to obtain data and information needed to formulate and refine the engineering design and to assist in the preparation of permit applications for the proposed Sites Reservoir and associated facilities in western Sacramento Valley. On May 23, 2022, the Sites Project Authority issued a Notice of Intent to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the 2022-2024 Sites Reservoir Geologic, Geophysical, and Geotechnical Investigations. The associated Draft Environmental Assessment/Initial Assessment (EA/IS) was also released on May 23, 2022 for a 30-day public review.

The review period ended on June 21, 2022 and comments were received from four public agencies. Responses to those comments have been included in a Final EA/IS. The Sites Project Authority Board adopted the CEQA IS/Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring or Reporting Program and approved the Project on Wednesday, July 27, 2022. A Notice of Determination was filed with the Colusa, Glenn, and Yolo county clerks and posted to the State Clearinghouse on Monday, August 1, 2022. The Mitigated Negative Declaration and Final EA/IS for the 2022-2024 Sites Reservoir Geologic, Geophysical, and Geotechnical Investigations was also filed at the State Clearinghouse as an attachment to the Notice of Determination.