[Federal Register: October 15, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 199)] [Notices] [Page 55406] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr15oc98-105] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Reclamation Long-Term Contract Renewal, Central Valley Project, California AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior. ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement and notice of meetings. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) proposes to prepare environmental documents for the purpose of renewing existing long-term and interim contracts for the Central Valley Project, California. Specific quantities of water to be in the renewal contracts will be subject to a needs assessment. At present, it is not clear whether the scope of the action and anticipated project impacts will require preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS) instead of an environmental assessment (EA). However, to ensure a timely and appropriate level of NEPA compliance and limit potential future delays to the project schedule, Reclamation is proceeding, at this time, as if the project impacts would require preparation of an EIS. Reclamation will reevaluate the need for an EIS after obtaining written and oral comments on project alternatives and impacts during the scoping process. Reclamation will publish a notice of cancellation if, as a result of scoping, a decision is made to prepare an EA rather than an EIS. DATES: See Supplementary Information Section for meeting dates. ADDRESSES: Written comments on the project scope of the environmental document(s) may be submitted by December 11, 1998, and sent to Mr. Alan R. Candlish, Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way. Attention: MP- 120, Sacramento CA 95825 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Alan R. Candlish, Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way. Attention: MP-120, Sacramento CA 95825, telephone: 916/978-5190 or Ms. Donna Tegelman, Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way. Attention: MP-440, Sacramento CA 95825, telephone: 916/978-5250 (TDD 978-5608). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 3404(c) of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act authorizes renewal of existing long-term water service contracts for 25 years after appropriate environmental review including the completion of a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) required under Section 3409. A draft PEIS was released on November 7, 1998, with an extended comment period closing April 17, 1998. A final PEIS is scheduled for release in June 1999. The additional environmental document(s) for contract renewal will tier off of the final PEIS. The long-term contract renewal environmental document(s) will be prepared on a regional basis. The specific regions will be determined following scoping. The different service areas of the CVP that will be evaluated include: Shasta/Trinity Division including Cow Creek and Clear Creek South Units; portions of the Sacramento River Division including Corning Canal, Tehama-Colusa Canal and Feather River Water District; American River Division including Folsom Unit, Sly Park Unit, and Auburn-Folsom South Unit; Delta Division including Contra Costa and Delta-Mendota Canals; San Luis Unit; San Felipe Division; Friant Division; and miscellaneous other CVP service areas that are served by New Melones, Hidden, and Buchanan Reservoirs and Cross Valley Canal. Individual service areas may be combined together in one document if they have related issues. Meetings Seven scoping meetings will be held to solicit comments from interested parties to assist in determining the scope of the environmental analysis and to identify the significant issues related to this proposed action, including issues related to negotiations. The meetings will be held on the following dates at the specified locations: Monday, November 2, 1998, at 7:00 p.m. at the: Waterfront Plaza Hotel, 10 Washington Street, Oakland, California, 510/836-3800. Thursday, November 5, 1998, at 7:00 p.m. at the: Las Molinas VFW, 7980 Sherwood Blvd, Las Molinas, California, 530/384-2759. Monday, November 9, 1998, at 7:00 p.m. at the: Sheraton Smugglers Inn, 3737 North Blackstone Ave, Fresno, California, 209/226- 2110. Tuesday, November 10, 1998, at 7:00 p.m. at the: Granzellas Hotel, 391 Sixth Street, Williams, California, 530/473-3310. Monday, November 16, 1998, at 7:00 p.m. at the: Sacramento Inn, 1401 Arden Way, Sacramento, California, 916/922-8041. Wednesday, November 18, 1998, at 7:00 p.m. at the: Forest Park Inn, 375 Leadvesley Road, Gilroy, California, 408/848-5144. Thursday, November 19, 1998, at 7:00 p.m. at the: Double Tree Inn, 1150 Ninth Street, Modesto, California, 209/526-6000. Special Services A headphone device for the hearing impaired will be available at the meetings. Persons requiring other special services should contact Alisha Sterud at 916/978-5190. Please notify this office as far in advance of the meetings as possible, but no later than 3 working days prior to the particular meeting to enable Reclamation to secure the needed services. If a request cannot be honored, the requester will be notified. Dated: October 8, 1998. Michael Jackson, Acting Deputy Regional Director. [FR Doc. 98-27639 Filed 10-14-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-94-P