Amador County – The Amador Water Agency discussed its Upcountry Gravity Supply Line last week, and a USDA Rural Development publicist said the project might be a likely candidate for federal recovery funds. USDA Public Information Officer Sarah Pursley said the Rural Utility Service department is “currently working with the Amador Water Agency on a few applications for projects in the county.” Pursley said there is a “project for a new gravity supply line that would be used instead of pumping water uphill to the treatment plant” in the Upcountry at Buckhorn. She said the “project would potentially create a significant savings for the district,” with “reduction of energy costs related to pumping the water uphill, and no longer subject to energy rate increases.” It would also “increase the reliability of service.” Pursley said the current proposed cost of the project is about $13.4 million, and RUS is “currently looking at an investment of around an $8 million loan and a $5 million grant.” She said AWA is also working with RUS on a new water tank and distribution lines project for Lake Comanche Improvement District. This project is estimated to cost about $1.8 million. Pursley said “It is likely that the funding for the new projects will come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.” District 3 AWA Director Don Cooper at the board meeting last week asked staff if they “need to do a rain dance” for the Gravity Supply Line. AWA Finance Manager Mike Lee said environmental documentation, with notices and public meetings must be carried out, possibly starting in January. AWA Interim General Manager Gene Mancebo said they are “waiting for RUS to say they are satisfied with the Draft (Environmental Impact Report),” then AWA can schedule meetings. He said “in order to complete the environmental documents, they need a public meeting and the board needs to approve a mitigated negative declaration.” AWA attorney Steve Kronick said federal and state governments must approve the plans under National EPA and California Environmental Quality Act laws, and one USDA OKs the GSL, AWA will circulate it for 30-day public review and comments. Kronick said they must evaluate comments. It also involves regulated time frames. Cooper said board talk about the GSL “can make it sound like it is happening tomorrow, but in reality we could be looking at 30, 60 or 90 days.” Kronick said with a mitigated negative declarations, AWA is “not obligated to respond to comments, but a lot of agencies choose to answer those comments anyway.” He said sometimes the issue brought up could cause reason for an EIR, or they “could find adequate mitigation.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.