[Federal Register: January 30, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 19)]
[Notices]
[Page 5649-5650]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr30ja09-42]
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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 Sacramento River Bank Protection
Project Phase II Supplemental Authority providing for implementation of
up to 80,000 linear feet of additional bank protection in the
Sacramento River Flood Control Project area, Butte, Colusa, Contra
Costa, Glenn, Placer, Sacramento, Solano, Sutter, Tehama, Yolo, and
Yuba Counties, CA
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The action being taken is the preparation of a joint
environmental impact statement/environmental impact report (EIS/EIR)
for the Sacramento River Bank Protection Project (SRBPP) Phase II
Supplemental Authority. The SRBPP Phase II Supplemental Authority will
result in the implementation of an additional 80,000 linear feet of
bank protection in the Sacramento River Flood Control Project area, as
authorized by the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2007. The
SRBPP Phase II Supplemental Authority is located in the Sacramento
River Flood Control Project (SRFCP) area, consisting of the Sacramento
River and its Tributaries, CA.
DATES: A series of public scoping meetings will be held as follows:
1. Tuesday, February 17, 2009, 6 to 8 p.m. at Colusa Fairgrounds,
Atwood Hall (1303 10th Street, Colusa).
2. Wednesday, February 18, 2009, 6 to 8 p.m. at Jean Harvie
Community and Senior Center (14273 River Road, Walnut Grove).
3. Tuesday, February 24, 2009, 4 to 6 p.m. at Library Galleria (828
``I'' Street, Sacramento).
4. Wednesday, February 25, 2009, 6 to 8 p.m. at the Chico Masonic
Family Center (110 West East Avenue, Chico).
Send written comments by March 16, 2009 to the address below.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and suggestions concerning this project may
be submitted to Mr. Matthew 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 Matthew Davis at (916) 557-6708, by
e-mail Matthew.G.Davis@usace.army.mil, by fax (916) 557-7856, or by
mail to (see ADDRESSES).
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
Central Valley Flood Protection Board of the State of California
(CVFPB) is the state lead agency for compliance with the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for the Proposed Action.
1. Proposed Action. Section 3031 of the Water Resources Development
Act (WRDA) of 2007 authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and its
local sponsors to construct an additional 80,000 linear feet of bank
protection in the SRBPP area. The Corps and the CVFPB are preparing an
EIS/EIR to analyze the impacts of constructing an additional 80,000
linear feet of bank protection in the SRBPP area in the form
[[Page 5650]]
of bank stabilization, employing primarily riprap, and levee setbacks
where feasible.
The planning area for the proposed actions is considered to be the
entire Sacramento River Flood Control Project, and the Corps' current
inventory of critical eroding sites will constitute a representative
sample of the sites to eventually be treated. As streambank erosion is
episodic and new critical sites can appear each year, the environmental
analysis will be programmatic in nature allowing for future
environmental impact analysis for specific projects, as needed.
2. Alternatives. The EIS/EIR will address the No Action alternative
and five action alternatives including four different types of bank
protection alternatives and a levee setback alternative. The four 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 series of public scoping meetings will be held in February
2009 to present information to the public and to receive comments from
the public. These meetings are 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 river meander, hydraulics, wetlands and other waters
of the U.S., 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 October 2010.
Dated: January 22, 2009.
Thomas C. Chapman,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. E9-2036 Filed 1-29-09; 8:45 am]
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