[Federal Register: December 13, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 240)]
[Notices]
[Page 76731-76732]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr13de02-44]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Joint Environmental Impact Statement and
Environmental Impact Report for the Sacramento and San Joaquin River
Basins Comprehensive Study, Hamilton City Flood Damage Reduction and
Ecosystem Restoration, Glenn County, CA
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: A combined Feasibility Report and joint Environmental Impact
Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) will be prepared to
satisfy the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act and
the California Environmental Quality Act. The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (Corps), Sacramental District, will serve as the Federal lead
agency for the EIS with The Reclamation Board of the State of
California (the Board), the non-federal sponsor, serving as the State
lead agency for the EIR. The combined Feasibility Report and joint EIS/
EIR will evaluate the environmental effects of a potential flood damage
reduction and ecosystem restoration project at Hamilton City. The
Hamilton City Flood Damage Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration is the
first site-specific evaluation to be initiated as a result of the
Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins Comprehensive Study conducted
by the Corps and the Board. Concurrently with the release of this
notice of intent (NOI), the Board is issuing a notice of preparation
(NOP) to initiate the CEQA process.
Scoping and public involvement activities were conducted under the
original NOI issued for the Comprehensive Study. A series of scoping
and outreach meetings were held in February through May 1998, November
through December 1998, February 1999, June 1999, October through
November 2001, and August through September 2002. Development of the
EIS/EIR for the Comprehensive Study was at a programmatic level with
the preliminary site-specific evaluation for Hamilton City Flood Damage
Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration packaged as an attachment to the
main programmatic document. The Comprehensive Study has since
discontinued the environmental documentation effort and therefore this
NOI is being submitted to establish that the Feasibility Report and
EIS/EIR for Hamilton City Flood Damage Reduction
[[Page 76732]]
and Ecosystem Restoration will continue as a separate and complete
document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the combined
Feasibility Report and joint EIS/EIR can be answered by Erin Taylor at
(916) 557-6862 or by mail at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Planning
Division, ATTN: Erin Taylor, 1325 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95814-2922,
or e-mail: Erin.A.Taylor@usace.army.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Proposed Action
The combined Feasibility Report and joint EIS/EIR will evaluate
ways to reduce the risk of flooding and restore the Sacramento River's
connection with its flood plain, natural flood plain processes, and
riparian and associated flood plain habitat.
2. Alternatives
Alternatives include the no-action, reinforcing the existing levee,
several setback levee alignments at some distance from the river, and
flood-proofing or relocating structures at risk of flooding, with
different habitat configurations and methods of establishment. Maximum
area of potential effect is estimated to be 2,600 acres currently held
by a combination of private, State, and Federal agencies. Fee title
and/or conservation and flood easements would likely be required to
implement any project. The Corps will conduct site-specific hydrologic,
hydraulic and geotechnical analyses, to determine the most suitable
potential levee alignments and the feasibility of repairing the
existing levee in place. The Feasibility Study will focus on the
economic feasibility and will run a risk analysis of the alternatives.
Ecosystem restoration would consist of either planting native habitat
or allowing native habitats to establish naturally in the area between
any new levee and the river. Selection of a preferred alternative will
depend on the result of these studies and the desires of the local
community.
3. Scoping Process
a. This notice re-initiates the scoping process whereby the Corps
and the Board will identify the scope of issues to be addressed in the
EIS/EIR and identify the significant environmental issues related to
the flood damage reduction and ecosystem restoration at Hamilton City.
The Corps and the Board have initiated a process of involving Federal,
State, and local agencies, and concerned individuals under the
Comprehensive Study.
b. Significant issues to be analyzed in depth include; agricultural
resources, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources,
geology and soils, hazardous, toxic, and radioactive materials,
hydrology and water quality, and land use.
4. Public Meeting Scoping
Community meeting will be held during scoping, after the release of
the draft EIS/EIR, and after release of the final EIS/EIR. A public
scoping meeting will be held the week of January 6, 2003. The purpose
of the meeting is to explain the NOI/NOP, and to solicit suggestions,
recommendations, and comments to help refine the issues, measures, and
alternatives to be addressed in the EIS/EIR. The public is asked to
submit any issues (points of concern, dispute or disagreement)
regarding potential effects of the proposed action or alternatives by
mail to Corps (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT above for address).
5. Availability
The draft EIS/EIR is scheduled to be available for public review
and comment in August 2003. The comment period on the draft EIS/EIR
will be 45 days from the date the notice of availability is published
in the Federal Register by the Environmental Protection Agency. All
interested parties should respond to this notice and provide a current
address if they wish to be notified of the draft EIS/EIR circulation
and future scoping meeting dates.
Dated: November 26, 2002.
Michael J. Conrad, Jr.,
Col, EN, Commanding.
[FR Doc. 02-31456 Filed 12-12-02; 8:45 am]