[Federal Register: January 14, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 9)]
[Notices]
[Page 2061]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14ja09-46]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Army Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Joint Environmental Impact Statement/
Environmental Impact Report for the River Mile 208, Sacramento River
Bank Protection Project, CA
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, intends
to prepare a joint environmental impact statement/environmental impact
report (EIS/EIR) for the construction of bank protection at River Mile
208 on the Sacramento River to prevent continued bank erosion and
potential outflanking of the Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District Hamilton
City Pumping Plant (HCPP), near Hamilton City, CA. The proposed action
is being conducted under the HCPP Fish Screen Improvement Project.
DATES: A public scoping meeting is being held on Thursday, January 29,
2009, 7 to 9 pm at the Hamilton City High School (620 Canal Street,
Hamilton City). Send written comments by February 16, 2009 to (see
ADDRESSES).
ADDRESSES: Written comments and suggestions concerning this project may
be submitted to Mr. Matt Davis, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
Sacramento District, Attn: CESPK-PD-R, 1325 J Street, Sacramento, CA
95814-2922. Requests to be placed on the mailing list should also be
sent to this address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action
and EIS/EIR should be addressed to the Corps: Matt Davis at (916) 557-
6708, by e-mail Matthew.G.Davis@usace.army.mil, by fax (916) 557-7856;
or to GCID: William Menke at (530) 934-8881, by e-mail bmenke@gcid.net.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento
District (Corps) is the federal lead agency for compliance with the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for the Proposed Action. The
Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District (GCID) is the state lead agency for
compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for the
Proposed Action.
1. Proposed Action. The Corps and GCID are preparing an EIS/EIR to
analyze the impacts of constructing bank protection on the east bank of
the Sacramento River at River Mile 208. The purpose of the proposed
bank protection work is to prevent continued bank erosion and potential
outflanking of GCID's Hamilton City Pumping Plant (HCPP). Maintaining
the river's alignment upstream of the HCPP is important for the
continued functioning of the pumping plant. The HCPP Fish Screen
Improvement Project was constructed in 2000 to minimize losses of all
fish from operation of the HCPP and to restore GCID's capability to
divert the full quantity of water it is entitled to divert to meet its
water supply delivery obligations. GCID supplies water to 140,000 acres
of farmland, over 20,000 acres of federal wildlife refuge, and 40,000
acres of other lands and wetlands from diversions at the HCPP.
2. Alternatives. The EIS/EIR will address the No Action alternative
and four action alternatives including three different types of bank
protection alternatives and a levee setback alternative. The three
types of bank protection alternatives differ from one another in the
amount and extent of rock protection placed and the environmental
features (e.g., vegetation and instream woody material) incorporated in
the design.
3. Scoping Process.
a. A public scoping meeting will be held on Thursday, January 29,
2009 to present information to the public and to receive comments from
the public. The meeting is intended to initiate the process to involve
concerned individuals, and local, State, and Federal agencies.
b. Significant issues to be analyzed in depth in the EIS/EIR
include effects on hydraulics, wetlands and other waters of the U.S.,
river meander, vegetation and wildlife resources, special-status
species, aesthetics, cultural resources, recreation, land use,
fisheries, water quality, air quality, noise, transportation, visual
resources, and socioeconomics; and cumulative effects of related
projects in the study area.
c. The Corps will consult with the State Historic Preservation
Officer to comply with the National Historic Preservation Act and the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service to
comply with the Endangered Species Act. The Corps is also coordinating
with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to comply with the Fish and
Wildlife Coordination Act.
d. A 45-day public review period will be provided for individuals
and agencies to review and comment on the draft EIS/EIR. All interested
parties are encouraged to respond to this notice and provide a current
address if they wish to be notified of the draft EIS/EIR circulation.
4. Availability. The draft EIS/EIR is scheduled to be available for
public review and comment in November 2009.
Dated: December 23, 2008.
Thomas C. Chapman,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. E9-584 Filed 1-13-09; 8:45 am]
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