Reach 4B, Eastside Bypass and Mariposa Bypass Low Flow Channel and Structural Improvements Project Under the San Joaquin River Restoration Program, Merced County, California, 46453-46454 [E9-21717]
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Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 173 / Wednesday, September 9, 2009 / Notices
Area Office, 1243 N Street, Fresno, CA
93721, or via e-mail to
pclinton@usbr.gov, or by fax to 559–
487–5397.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
Patti Clinton, Bureau of Reclamation,
South-Central California Area Office at
the above address or e-mail address, or
by phone at 559–487–5127.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: B.F. Sisk
Dam is a 300-foot-high compacted
earthfill embankment located on the
west side of California’s Central Valley
approximately 12 miles west of Los
Banos, California. The dam is more than
31⁄2 miles long and impounds San Luis
Reservoir, which has a total capacity of
over 2 million acre-feet. The dam was
built between 1963 and 1967 to provide
supplemental irrigation water storage
for the Federal Central Valley Project
and municipal and industrial water for
the California State Water Project. Water
is lifted into the reservoir for storage by
the Gianelli Pumping-Generating Plant
from the California Aqueduct and from
the Delta-Mendota Canal via O’Neill
Forebay. B.F. Sisk Dam (also known as
San Luis Dam) is owned by Reclamation
and operated by DWR. Of the total
reservoir storage capacity, 55 percent is
allotted to State uses and 45 percent is
allotted to the Federal uses.
The dam and reservoir are located in
an area of high potential for severe
earthquake loading from identified
active faults, primarily the Ortigalita
Fault that crosses the reservoir. In the
early 1980s, Reclamation conducted an
extensive investigation of the seismic
safety of B.F. Sisk Dam. The
investigation included drilling holes to
sample the soils and test their density
in place, laboratory testing of the
samples, and geophysical tests. Using
the methods available at the time, the
amount of deformation that would occur
under severe shaking was predicted to
be small, and the conclusion was that
the dam had no safety deficiencies.
By 2005, the state of the art in seismic
analysis of dams had changed
significantly, and additional dam safety
investigations were performed. These
included a reevaluation of the Ortigalita
Fault, development of a new
understanding of the behavior of the soil
materials (including embankment fill)
under earthquake loading, and
development of new computer-based
analysis methods for predicting the
behavior of the dam under various
loadings. With the updated methods
and earthquake loadings, the dam crest
was predicted to settle, during the most
severe earthquakes, resulting in the
height of the dam crest being at the
maximum water level in the reservoir.
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While the current state of the art of
analysis still involves uncertainties and
does not permit precise calculation of
the amount of settlement that would
occur, it is possible (although not likely)
that the embankment deformation
would exceed the available freeboard,
resulting in the reservoir overtopping
the embankment and eroding a breach
of the dam. Even without overtopping,
it is possible that water flowing through
cracks in the dam embankment could
erode a breach as well.
Reclamation is taking the lead on the
CAS. DWR is an active participant and
has participated in the Risk Analysis,
has reviewed technical documents, and
is participating in other CAS activities.
Scoping
Scoping is an open process that
assists agencies in determining the
scope of the EIS and in identifying
potentially significant issues related to
the proposed action. Scoping also
provides an opportunity to identify
alternatives to the proposed action and
possible mitigation measures. All
interested persons, organizations, and
agencies wishing to provide comments,
suggestions, or relevant information on
the proposed action may do so by
sending input by regular mail to
Reclamation at the above address;
attending and providing comments at
the public scoping meeting, or by
sending e-mail to the above e-mail
address.
Special Assistance for Public Scoping
Meeting
If special assistance is required at the
public hearings, please contact Ms.
Lynnette Wirth at 916–978–5102, or via
e-mail at lwirth@usbr.gov. Please notify
Ms. Wirth as far in advance as possible
to enable Reclamation to secure the
needed services. If a request cannot be
honored, the requestor will be notified.
A telephone device for the hearing
impaired (TDD) is available at 916–978–
5608.
Public Disclosure
Before including your name, address,
phone number, e-mail address, or other
personal identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware that
your entire comment—including your
personal identifying information—may
be made publicly available at any time.
While you can ask us in your comment
to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
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46453
Dated: July 2, 2009.
Anastasia T. Leigh,
Acting Regional Environmental Officer, MidPacific Region.
[FR Doc. E9–21723 Filed 9–8–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–MN–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
Reach 4B, Eastside Bypass and
Mariposa Bypass Low Flow Channel
and Structural Improvements Project
Under the San Joaquin River
Restoration Program, Merced County,
California
AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement/
Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR)
and Notice of Scoping Meetings.
SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation
and the California Department of Water
Resources (DWR) are proposing to
prepare a joint EIS/EIR, pursuant to the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) and the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), to
evaluate effects of the proposed Reach
4B, Eastside Bypass and Mariposa
Bypass Low Flow Channel and
Structural Improvements Project
(Proposed Action) under the San
Joaquin River Restoration Program
(SJRRP or Program). The Proposed
Action includes the construction,
operation, and maintenance of a low
flow channel in Reach 4B of the San
Joaquin River and in the Eastside and
Mariposa bypasses and improvements to
facilities in the Eastside and Mariposa
bypasses to allow for fish passage. The
purpose of the Proposed Action is to
comply with the San Joaquin River
Settlement by improving conveyance
capacity in Reach 4B of the San Joaquin
River to ensure conveyance of at least
475 cubic feet per second (cfs),
modifying the Eastside and Mariposa
bypass channels to establish a low flow
channel, and modifying structures in
the Eastside and Mariposa bypasses to
provide for fish passage. The Proposed
Action is a component of the San
Joaquin River Settlement.
Scoping meetings will be held to
solicit input on alternatives, concerns,
and issues to be addressed in the EIS/
EIR. Written comments may also be
sent.
DATES: Two scoping meetings will be
held to solicit comments from interested
parties to assist in determining the
scope of the environmental analysis,
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09SEN1
cprice-sewell on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES
46454
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 173 / Wednesday, September 9, 2009 / Notices
including the alternatives to be
addressed, and to identify the
significant environmental issues related
to the Proposed Action.
• Wednesday, September 23, 2009, 6 to
8 p.m., Los Banos, California
• Thursday, September 24, 2009, 6 to 8
p.m., Merced, California
Written comments on the scope of the
EIS/EIR should be sent by October 9,
2009.
ADDRESSES: The public hearings will be
held at:
• Los Banos: Miller & Lux Building,
830 6th Street.
• Merced: Merced Fairgrounds Rock
House Facility, 900 Martin Luther King
Jr. Way.
Send written comments to Ms.
Margaret Gidding, Bureau of
Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, MP–
170, Sacramento, CA 95825 or via email at reach4b@restoresjr.net.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
Margaret Gidding at the above address,
by telephone at 916–978–5461, TDD
916–978–5608 or via fax at 916–978–
5469. Additional information is
available online at https://
www.restoresjr.net. If special assistance
is required at the scoping meetings,
please contact Ms. Margaret Gidding at
the above phone or fax numbers or via
e-mail at mgidding@usbr.gov no less
than ten working days prior to the
meetings.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Proposed Action includes improving
conveyance capacity in Reach 4B of the
San Joaquin River to ensure conveyance
of at least 475 cfs, modifying the
Eastside and Mariposa bypass channels
to establish a low flow channel, and
modifying structures in the Eastside and
Mariposa bypasses to provide for fish
passage. The following are the
applicable Settlement Paragraphs
related to the Proposed Action:
• Paragraph 11(a)(3) stipulates
channel modifications to Reach 4B to
ensure conveyance of at least 475 cfs.
• Paragraph 11(a)(4) stipulates
modifications to the San Joaquin River
headgates at the upstream end of Reach
4B to ensure fish passage and enable
flow routing into Reach 4B.
• Paragraph 11(a)(5) stipulates
modifications to the Sand Slough
Control Structure to ensure fish passage.
• Paragraph 11(a)(8) stipulates
modifications to structures in the
Eastside and Mariposa bypass channels
to provide anadromous fish passage on
an interim basis until a final flow
routing is selected and completed.
• Paragraph 11(a)(9) stipulates
modifications in the Eastside and
Mariposa bypass channels to establish a
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suitable low-flow channel, if the
Secretary of the Interior in consultation
with the Restoration Administrator,
determines that such modifications are
necessary to support anadromous fish
migration through these channels.
Because the functions of these
channels are interrelated, the design,
environmental compliance, and
construction are being addressed as one
Proposed Action. The planning and
environmental review for the Proposed
Action is authorized under Section
3406(c)(1) of the Central Valley Project
Improvement Act (CVPIA), (Pub. L.
102–575) and the San Joaquin River
Restoration Act (SJRRA), included in
Public Law 111–11. Construction of the
Proposed Action is authorized under
Section 10004 of the SJRRA (Pub. L.
111–11). The Proposed Action would be
implemented consistent with both the
Settlement and the SJRRA, Public Law
111–11.
San Joaquin River Restoration Program
In 1988, a coalition of environmental
groups led by the Natural Resources
Defense Council (NRDC) filed a lawsuit
challenging the renewal of the long-term
water service contracts between the
United States and the Central Valley
Project Friant Division Contractors.
After more than 18 years of litigation
known as NRDC, et al., v. Kirk Rodgers,
et al., the NRDC, Friant Water Users
Authority, and the Departments of the
Interior and Commerce (Settling Parties)
reached agreement on the terms and
conditions of the San Joaquin River
Settlement (Settlement) which was
subsequently approved by the Court on
October 23, 2006. The Settlement can be
found online at https://
www.restoresjr.net.
The Settlement is based on two
parallel Goals:
• The Restoration Goal—To restore
and maintain fish populations in ‘‘good
condition’’ in the main stem of the San
Joaquin River below Friant Dam to the
confluence of the Merced River,
including naturally reproducing and
self-sustaining populations of salmon
and other fish; and
• The Water Management Goal—To
reduce or avoid adverse water supply
impacts to all of the Friant Division
long-term Contractors that may result
from the Interim Flows and Restoration
Flows provided for in the Settlement.
The Settling Parties acknowledge that
accomplishing the Goals requires
planning, implementation, and funding
of certain activities, such as
environmental review, design, and
construction. With regard to the
Restoration Goal, the Settlement calls
for a combination of channel and
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structural improvements along the San
Joaquin River below Friant Dam,
releases of additional water from Friant
Dam to the confluence of the Merced
River, and the reintroduction of spring
and/or fall-run Chinook salmon.
The Settlement states that the
Secretary of the Interior shall implement
the terms and conditions of the
Settlement. Additionally, the Settling
Parties agreed that implementation of
the Settlement shall also require
participation of the State of California.
Therefore, concurrent with the
execution of the Settlement, the Settling
Parties entered into a Memorandum of
Understanding with the State of
California, by and through the California
Resources Agency, DWR, the
Department of Fish and Game (DFG),
and the California Environmental
Protection Agency (CalEPA), regarding
the State’s role in the implementation of
the Settlement. The program established
to implement the Settlement is the
SJRRP, and the ‘‘Implementing
Agencies’’ responsible for the
management of the SJRRP include
Reclamation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (USFWS), the National Marine
Fisheries Service (NMFS), DWR, and
DFG. The Federal Implementing
agencies (Reclamation, USFWS and
NMFS) are authorized to implement the
Settlement under the SJRRA included in
Public Law 111–11.
A Program Environmental Impact
Statement/Environmental Impact Report
(PEIS/EIR) is currently being developed
for implementation of the SJRRP. If
applicable, the EIS/EIR for the Proposed
Action will supplement, tier from,
incorporate by reference, or adopt
relevant NEPA analyses from the PEIS/
EIR. The Record of Decision for the
PEIS/EIR is anticipated to be signed in
2010.
Public Disclosure
Before including your name, address,
phone number, e-mail address, or other
personal identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware that
your entire comment—including your
personal identifying information—may
be made publicly available at any time.
While you can ask us in your comment
to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
Dated: July 13, 2009.
Mike Chotkowski,
Regional Environmental Officer, Mid-Pacific
Region.
[FR Doc. E9–21717 Filed 9–8–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–MN–P
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 173 (Wednesday, September 9, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46453-46454]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-21717]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
Reach 4B, Eastside Bypass and Mariposa Bypass Low Flow Channel
and Structural Improvements Project Under the San Joaquin River
Restoration Program, Merced County, California
AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/
Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) and Notice of Scoping Meetings.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation and the California Department of
Water Resources (DWR) are proposing to prepare a joint EIS/EIR,
pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), to evaluate effects of the
proposed Reach 4B, Eastside Bypass and Mariposa Bypass Low Flow Channel
and Structural Improvements Project (Proposed Action) under the San
Joaquin River Restoration Program (SJRRP or Program). The Proposed
Action includes the construction, operation, and maintenance of a low
flow channel in Reach 4B of the San Joaquin River and in the Eastside
and Mariposa bypasses and improvements to facilities in the Eastside
and Mariposa bypasses to allow for fish passage. The purpose of the
Proposed Action is to comply with the San Joaquin River Settlement by
improving conveyance capacity in Reach 4B of the San Joaquin River to
ensure conveyance of at least 475 cubic feet per second (cfs),
modifying the Eastside and Mariposa bypass channels to establish a low
flow channel, and modifying structures in the Eastside and Mariposa
bypasses to provide for fish passage. The Proposed Action is a
component of the San Joaquin River Settlement.
Scoping meetings will be held to solicit input on alternatives,
concerns, and issues to be addressed in the EIS/EIR. Written comments
may also be sent.
DATES: Two scoping meetings will be held to solicit comments from
interested parties to assist in determining the scope of the
environmental analysis,
[[Page 46454]]
including the alternatives to be addressed, and to identify the
significant environmental issues related to the Proposed Action.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009, 6 to 8 p.m., Los Banos,
California
Thursday, September 24, 2009, 6 to 8 p.m., Merced, California
Written comments on the scope of the EIS/EIR should be sent by
October 9, 2009.
ADDRESSES: The public hearings will be held at:
Los Banos: Miller & Lux Building, 830 6th Street.
Merced: Merced Fairgrounds Rock House Facility, 900 Martin
Luther King Jr. Way.
Send written comments to Ms. Margaret Gidding, Bureau of
Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, MP-170, Sacramento, CA 95825 or via e-
mail at reach4b@restoresjr.net.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Margaret Gidding at the above
address, by telephone at 916-978-5461, TDD 916-978-5608 or via fax at
916-978-5469. Additional information is available online at https://www.restoresjr.net. If special assistance is required at the scoping
meetings, please contact Ms. Margaret Gidding at the above phone or fax
numbers or via e-mail at mgidding@usbr.gov no less than ten working
days prior to the meetings.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Proposed Action includes improving
conveyance capacity in Reach 4B of the San Joaquin River to ensure
conveyance of at least 475 cfs, modifying the Eastside and Mariposa
bypass channels to establish a low flow channel, and modifying
structures in the Eastside and Mariposa bypasses to provide for fish
passage. The following are the applicable Settlement Paragraphs related
to the Proposed Action:
Paragraph 11(a)(3) stipulates channel modifications to
Reach 4B to ensure conveyance of at least 475 cfs.
Paragraph 11(a)(4) stipulates modifications to the San
Joaquin River headgates at the upstream end of Reach 4B to ensure fish
passage and enable flow routing into Reach 4B.
Paragraph 11(a)(5) stipulates modifications to the Sand
Slough Control Structure to ensure fish passage.
Paragraph 11(a)(8) stipulates modifications to structures
in the Eastside and Mariposa bypass channels to provide anadromous fish
passage on an interim basis until a final flow routing is selected and
completed.
Paragraph 11(a)(9) stipulates modifications in the
Eastside and Mariposa bypass channels to establish a suitable low-flow
channel, if the Secretary of the Interior in consultation with the
Restoration Administrator, determines that such modifications are
necessary to support anadromous fish migration through these channels.
Because the functions of these channels are interrelated, the
design, environmental compliance, and construction are being addressed
as one Proposed Action. The planning and environmental review for the
Proposed Action is authorized under Section 3406(c)(1) of the Central
Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA), (Pub. L. 102-575) and the San
Joaquin River Restoration Act (SJRRA), included in Public Law 111-11.
Construction of the Proposed Action is authorized under Section 10004
of the SJRRA (Pub. L. 111-11). The Proposed Action would be implemented
consistent with both the Settlement and the SJRRA, Public Law 111-11.
San Joaquin River Restoration Program
In 1988, a coalition of environmental groups led by the Natural
Resources Defense Council (NRDC) filed a lawsuit challenging the
renewal of the long-term water service contracts between the United
States and the Central Valley Project Friant Division Contractors.
After more than 18 years of litigation known as NRDC, et al., v. Kirk
Rodgers, et al., the NRDC, Friant Water Users Authority, and the
Departments of the Interior and Commerce (Settling Parties) reached
agreement on the terms and conditions of the San Joaquin River
Settlement (Settlement) which was subsequently approved by the Court on
October 23, 2006. The Settlement can be found online at https://www.restoresjr.net.
The Settlement is based on two parallel Goals:
The Restoration Goal--To restore and maintain fish
populations in ``good condition'' in the main stem of the San Joaquin
River below Friant Dam to the confluence of the Merced River, including
naturally reproducing and self-sustaining populations of salmon and
other fish; and
The Water Management Goal--To reduce or avoid adverse
water supply impacts to all of the Friant Division long-term
Contractors that may result from the Interim Flows and Restoration
Flows provided for in the Settlement.
The Settling Parties acknowledge that accomplishing the Goals
requires planning, implementation, and funding of certain activities,
such as environmental review, design, and construction. With regard to
the Restoration Goal, the Settlement calls for a combination of channel
and structural improvements along the San Joaquin River below Friant
Dam, releases of additional water from Friant Dam to the confluence of
the Merced River, and the reintroduction of spring and/or fall-run
Chinook salmon.
The Settlement states that the Secretary of the Interior shall
implement the terms and conditions of the Settlement. Additionally, the
Settling Parties agreed that implementation of the Settlement shall
also require participation of the State of California. Therefore,
concurrent with the execution of the Settlement, the Settling Parties
entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the State of
California, by and through the California Resources Agency, DWR, the
Department of Fish and Game (DFG), and the California Environmental
Protection Agency (CalEPA), regarding the State's role in the
implementation of the Settlement. The program established to implement
the Settlement is the SJRRP, and the ``Implementing Agencies''
responsible for the management of the SJRRP include Reclamation, the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), DWR, and DFG. The Federal Implementing agencies
(Reclamation, USFWS and NMFS) are authorized to implement the
Settlement under the SJRRA included in Public Law 111-11.
A Program Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact
Report (PEIS/EIR) is currently being developed for implementation of
the SJRRP. If applicable, the EIS/EIR for the Proposed Action will
supplement, tier from, incorporate by reference, or adopt relevant NEPA
analyses from the PEIS/EIR. The Record of Decision for the PEIS/EIR is
anticipated to be signed in 2010.
Public Disclosure
Before including your name, address, phone number, e-mail address,
or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should
be aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
Dated: July 13, 2009.
Mike Chotkowski,
Regional Environmental Officer, Mid-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. E9-21717 Filed 9-8-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-P