Date: March 23, 2006

To: Responsible and Interested Parties

Contact: Henrietta Stern, Project Manager; phone 831/658-5621; fax 831/644-9560;

Subject: NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT/ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, AND NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR MPWMD PHASE 1 AQUIFER STORAGE AND RECOVERY PROJECT; State Clearinghouse Number 2004121065

The Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (MPWMD or District) has made available for public review and comment the Draft Environmental Impact Report and Environmental Assessment (EIR/EA) for the MPWMD Phase 1 Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) Project.

PUBLIC REVIEW PERIOD: Written comments on the EIR/EA will be received from March 23 through 4:30 PM on Monday, May 8, 2006. Hard copy comments should be addressed to Henrietta Stern, MPWMD Project Manager, PO Box 85, Monterey, CA 93942-0085. Electronic written comments should be sent to henri@mpwmd.dst.ca.us. Please ensure that any electronic submittal includes a U.S. Mail address to receive a written acknowledgement. Please provide a signed printed copy (or pdf with signature) to verify the comment author for electronic transmittals.

PUBLIC HEARING: Oral or written comments on the EIR/EA will be received at the regular MPWMD Board meeting, Monday, April 17, 2006 beginning at 7:00 PM at the Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency conference room, 5 Harris Court, Building D, Monterey (Ryan Ranch).

PROJECT LOCATION: The Phase 1 ASR Project would be located immediately adjacent to the existing MPWMD Santa Margarita Test Injection Well site, just east of General Jim Moore Boulevard, and south of Eucalyptus Avenue, on lands currently owned by the U.S. Army on the former Fort Ord military base.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Aquifer storage and recovery entails diversion of excess Winter/Spring flow from the Carmel River Basin, in compliance with specified triggers set by regulatory agencies, followed by water treatment and delivery to special injection/recovery well(s) in the Seaside Basin, for later extraction in dry periods. This conjunctive use reduces diversion impacts from the Carmel River when flow is minimal, and helps to replenish the over-drafted Seaside Basin. The MPWMD currently owns and operates a test injection/recovery well at the Santa Margarita Test Injection well site; Cal-Am treats and delivers the diverted water.

The Phase 1 ASR project includes a second injection/recovery well at the existing test site, electrical and disinfection facilities, and a replacement connector pipeline that links the injection well to the Cal-Am delivery system. The proposed project would entail a maximum diversion of 2,400 acre-feet per year (AFY) from the Carmel River Basin; the estimated average annual yield from the Seaside Basin would be 1,050 AFY. The project would benefit the Carmel River and Seaside Basins, and benefit the community by reducing the risk of exceeding Carmel River diversion limits set by the State Water Resources Control Board in its Order WR 95-10.

SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS or potentially significant adverse impacts (prior to mitigation) were identified for the following categories in the CEQA Notice of Completion:

Ø Aesthetic/Visual

Ø Air Quality

Ø Archaeological/Historical

Ø Biological Resources

Ø Noise

Ø Public Services/Facilities

Ø Toxic/Hazardous

Ø Vegetation

Ø Cumulative effects

LISTED TOXIC SITES: The entire former Fort Ord area, which includes a portion of the project study area, is currently designated by the Environmental Protection Agency as a National Priority List site (NPL), which means that there is known contamination on the property. NPL sites are slated for priority cleanup under the federal Superfund program. The same area is also designated by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) as a DOD site, a designation intended to indicate that, because of the area’s history of use as a military facility, various hazardous materials are likely to be present on site and that the site therefore will probably require hazardous remediation in the future. The Army has ensured that known munitions sites are fenced, posted with warning signs and are off-limits to unauthorized people. In addition, prior to the commencement of any construction, the DOD would clear the project area for drilling and trenching to the appropriate depth to ensure that no munitions and explosives of concern exist within these areas.

DOCUMENT AVAILABILITY: Printed copies for public review are available at local public libraries and the MPWMD office (see below). CDs may be purchased for $5.00 plus postage, upon request. The EIR/EA Executive Summary is available on the MPWMD website at: www.mpwmd.dst.ca.us. Responsible agencies have been provided a CD of the document along with this notice.

MPWMD OFFICE HARRISON MEMORIAL LIBRARY

5 HARRIS COURT, BLDG. G OCEAN AVENUE AND LINCOLN

MONTEREY, CA 93940 CARMEL, CA 93921

(Ryan Ranch)

CARMEL VALLEY LIBRARY MONTEREY PUBLIC LIBRARY

65 W. CARMEL VALLEY ROAD 625 PACIFIC STREET

CARMEL VALLEY, CA 93924 MONTEREY, CA 93940

PACIFIC GROVE PUBLIC LIBRARY SEASIDE BRANCH LIBRARY

550 CENTRAL AVENUE 550 HARCOURT AVENUE

PACIFIC GROVE, CA 93950 SEASIDE, CA 93955

U:\staff\word\boardpacket\2006\2006boardpackets\20060417\PubHrgs\12\item12_exh12a.doc