N. Coast Rivers Alliance v. U.S. Dep't of the Interior

I. INTRODUCTION

This case concerns approval by the United States Department of the Interior and its member agency, the United States Bureau of Reclamation (collectively, "Federal Defendants," "Reclamation," or the "Bureau"), of six interim renewal contracts that authorize delivery of water from March 1, 2016, through February 28, 2018, from federal reclamation facilities to certain water districts served by the federal Central Valley Project ("CVP") ("2016-18 Interim Contracts"). 1 Doc. 64 (First Amended and Supplemental Complaint ("FASC") ). The 2016-18 Interim Contracts at issue in this case provide water service to Westlands Water District, Santa Clara Valley Water District, and Pajaro *1201 Valley Water Management Agency (collectively, "Interim Contractors"). See FASC at ¶ 2. A coalition of environmental organizations led by the North Coast Rivers Alliance (collectively, "Plaintiffs") allege in the FASC's first claim for relief that Federal Defendants issued a deficient Revised Environmental Assessment ("EA") and associated Finding of No Significant Impact ("FONSI") 2 prior to approval of the Interim Contracts, in violation of the National Environmental Policy Act ("NEPA"),…