Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environment Impact Report (DEIS/DEIR) for a Permit Application for the Proposed Salton Sea Species Conservation Habitat Project at the Salton Sea, in Riverside and Imperial Counties, CA, 35770-35773 [2010-15176]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
35770
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 120 / Wednesday, June 23, 2010 / Notices
Pvt. Ltd. Monterey Mushrooms, Inc. was
the only party to request this
administrative review.
On March 30, 2010, the Department
published in the Federal Register a
notice of initiation of an administrative
review of the antidumping duty order
on certain preserved mushrooms from
India with respect to these companies.
See Initiation of Antidumping and
Countervailing Duty Administrative
Reviews and Request for Revocation in
Part, 75 FR 15679 (March 30, 2010).
On June 3, 2010, Monterey
Mushrooms, Inc. timely withdrew its
request for a review of the above–named
companies.
Rescission of Administrative Review
Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1), the
Department will rescind an
administrative review, in whole or in
part, if the parties that requested a
review withdraw the request within 90
days of the date of publication of notice
of initiation of the requested review.
Monterey Mushrooms, Inc. withdrew its
request for review before the 90-day
deadline, and no other party requested
an administrative review of the
antidumping duty order on certain
preserved mushrooms from India.
Therefore, in response to Monterey
Mushrooms, Inc.’s withdrawal of its
request for review, and pursuant to 19
CFR 351.213(d)(1), the Department is
rescinding the administrative review of
the antidumping duty order on certain
preserved mushrooms from India for the
period February 1, 2009, through
January 31, 2010.
mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with NOTICES
Assessment
The Department will instruct U.S.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to
assess antidumping duties on all
appropriate entries. Antidumping duties
shall be assessed at rates equal to the
cash deposit of estimated antidumping
duties required at the time of entry, or
withdrawal from warehouse, for
consumption, in accordance with 19
CFR 351.212(c)(1)(i). The Department
intends to issue appropriate assessment
instructions directly to CBP 15 days
after the date of publication of this
notice in the Federal Register.
Notification to Importers
This notice serves as a final reminder
to importers of their responsibility,
under 19 CFR 351.402(f)(2), to file a
certificate regarding the reimbursement
of antidumping duties prior to
liquidation of the relevant entries
during this review period. Failure to
comply with this requirement could
result in the Secretary’s presumption
that reimbursement of antidumping
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:17 Jun 22, 2010
Jkt 220001
duties occurred and the subsequent
assessment of double antidumping
duties.
Notification Regarding Administrative
Protective Order
This notice serves as the only
reminder to parties subject to
administrative protective order (APO) of
their responsibility concerning the
disposition of proprietary information
disclosed under APO in accordance
with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely
written notification of return/
destruction of APO materials or
conversion to judicial protective order is
hereby requested. Failure to comply
with the regulations and the terms of an
APO is a sanctionable violation.
This notice is published in
accordance with section 777(i)(1) of the
Act, and 19 CFR 351.213(d)(4).
Dated: June 18, 2010.
Gary Taverman,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Antidumping and Countervailing Duty
Operations.
[FR Doc. 2010–15220 Filed 6–22–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–DS–S
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of
Engineers
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement/
Environment Impact Report (DEIS/
DEIR) for a Permit Application for the
Proposed Salton Sea Species
Conservation Habitat Project at the
Salton Sea, in Riverside and Imperial
Counties, CA
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
Los Angeles District, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of Intent (NOI).
SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (Corps), in conjunction with
the California Natural Resources
Agency, is preparing an EIS/EIR for the
Salton Sea Species Conservation Habitat
(SCH) Project. The Corps is considering
the Natural Resources Agency’s
application for a Department of the
Army permit under section 404 of the
Clean Water Act to construct habitat
configured in a series of interconnected
shallow ponds within the current
footprint of the Salton Sea. Preliminary
evaluations of potential siting areas
indicate that ponds could be
constructed at either the north or south
ends of the Salton Sea, or in both areas.
The SCH Project would be created as the
Sea recedes by constructing dikes below
the elevation of ¥228 feet mean sea
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
level (msl) using material excavated
from the sea bed. Rivers, which have
better water quality than agricultural
drain water, would provide the source
of water for the ponds. The Project size
at total build-out is currently expected
to be approximately 2,400 acres, which
may be constructed over a period of
several years depending on land
availability and cost. The final project
size may vary depending on the
outcome of the alternatives
development process. Habitat ponds
would vary in size, with several ponds
constructed in each phase depending on
land availability. Habitat would
continue to be constructed in phases in
subsequent years as the Sea recedes
until the targeted acreage of habitat was
constructed. The habitat would be
designed with varying ranges of salinity
in order to maximize biological
productivity and minimize adverse
effects associated with water quality. It
is anticipated that the SCH Project
would begin construction in late 2011 or
early 2012.
The primary Federal involvement is
the potential issuance of a permit under
section 404 of the Clean Water Act,
which regulates the discharge of
dredged, excavated, or fill material in
wetlands, streams, rivers, and other U.S.
waters, as well as the evaluation of
potential impacts on the human
environment from such activities.
Therefore, in accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), the Corps is requiring the
preparation of an EIS prior to
consideration of any permit action. The
action must comply with the Section
404(b)(1) Guidelines (40 CFR part 230)
and not be contrary to the public
interest to be granted a Corps permit.
The Corps may ultimately make a
determination to permit or deny the
above project or permit or deny
modified versions of the above project.
Pursuant to the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the
Natural Resources Agency will be the
Lead Agency for the preparation of an
EIR and will use the EIR when
considering whether to approve the
project. The California Department of
Fish and Game (DFG) will act on behalf
of the Natural Resources Agency to
prepare the EIR and may issue
incidental take authorization under
section 2081 of the California
Endangered Species Act and a
Streambed Alteration Agreement under
section 1602 of the California Fish and
Game Code. The Corps and the Natural
Resources Agency have agreed to jointly
prepare the EIS/EIR to optimize
efficiency and avoid duplication. The
EIS/EIR is intended to be sufficient in
E:\FR\FM\23JNN1.SGM
23JNN1
mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 120 / Wednesday, June 23, 2010 / Notices
scope to address the Federal, State, and
local requirements for environmental
analysis and permitting.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Comments and questions regarding
scoping of the DEIS/DEIR may be
addressed to: Ms. Lanika Cervantes, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles
District, Regulatory Division, San Diego
Field Office, ATTN: CESPL–RG–RS–
2010–00142–LLC, 6010 Hidden Valley
Road, Suite 105, Carlsbad, CA 92011, or
lanika.l.cervantes@usace.army.mil.
Comments and questions can also be
sent to Ms. Kimberly Nicol, California
Department of Fish and Game Project
Manager, at 78078 Country Club Drive,
Suite 109, Bermuda Dunes, CA 92203,
or at knicol@dfg.ca.gov. Ms. Lanika
Cervantes, Corps Project Manager, can
be reached at (760) 602–4838, and Ms.
Nicol can be reached at (760) 200–9178.
Comment letters sent via electronic mail
should include the commenter’s
physical mailing address, and the
project title ‘‘Species Conservation
Habitat Project’’ should be included in
the electronic mail’s subject line.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Project Site and Background
Information: The Salton Sea is located
in both Imperial and Riverside counties
in southeastern California,
approximately 35 miles north of the
U.S. Mexico border and 50 miles west
of the Colorado River. Preliminary
evaluations of potential sites indicate
that SCH ponds could be constructed at
either the north end of the Salton Sea
near the Whitewater River, or the south
end of the Salton Sea near the New and
Alamo rivers, or in both areas.
As the Sea recedes and becomes more
saline, fish species will not be able to
survive. Simultaneously, the fish-eating
birds, including several species of
special concern, will lose their forage
base and begin to disappear. As the Sea
continues to become more saline,
current invertebrate species will become
less diverse and be replaced by species
tolerant of hyper-saline environments
(e.g., brine flies and brine shrimp).
The basic purpose of the proposed
SCH Project is to protect the fish and
wildlife species dependent on the
Salton Sea in accordance with
California Fish and Game Code, Section
2932 through the creation of aquatic
habitat; this is a water dependent
activity. The overall goals and purpose
of the project under the Clean Water
Act, and the objectives through which
the goals would be met are as follows:
Goal: Develop a range of aquatic
habitats that will support fish and
wildlife species dependent on the
Salton Sea.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:17 Jun 22, 2010
Jkt 220001
• Objectives for Goal:
—Provide adequate foraging habitat for
piscivorous (fish-eating) bird species.
—Develop habitats required to support
piscivorous bird species.
—Support a sustainable, productive
aquatic community.
—Provide suitable water quality for fish.
—Minimize adverse effects to desert
pupfish.
—Minimize risk of selenium.
—Minimize risk of disease/toxicity
impacts.
2. Proposed Action: The SCH Project
would provide habitat for both fish and
invertebrate species, which in turn
would provide forage for the numerous
bird species dependent on the Salton
Sea ecosystem. Salinity would be
managed to support various assemblages
of invertebrates and fish to diversify the
prey base for as wide a variety of bird
species as possible. The SCH ponds
would be designed to serve those
piscivorous bird species that would
experience significant declines if the
amount of Salton Sea habitat were
substantially reduced. For many of these
species, a significant proportion of their
population uses the Salton Sea.
The SCH ponds would also benefit
other bird species, such as the eared
grebe, gull-billed tern, western snowy
plover, ruddy duck, black tern, and
California brown pelican. These species
are either not piscivorous and/or only a
small proportion of their population
depends on the Salton Sea. There are
also some subspecies or population
segments that would likely use the
created habitats as well, such as the
least tern (interior subspecies of the
California least tern or Mexican least
tern, whichever is present at the Salton
Sea) and Baja population of the
California brown pelican which uses the
Salton Sea as a post-breeding site.
Ancillary affects to other federally
threatened or endangered species may
be identified during the development of
the EIS/EIR, and would be addressed
through either informal or formal
section 7 consultation, or a combination
there of, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, as applicable.
Fish currently existing in the Salton
Sea or tributaries are the likely
candidates for establishment in the SCH
ponds. The ponds would likely not
provide suitable habitat for the marine
species (orangemouth corvina, gulf
croaker, and sargo) previously found in
the Salton Sea. Tilapia are currently
found in large numbers in the Sea, and
would likely be the species providing
the primary forage base in the ponds for
fish eating birds. Since a primary
purpose of the ponds is to provide
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
35771
habitat for fish as forage for birds, the
ponds would be managed to maximize
fish productivity.
The SCH Project is being developed as
a proof-of-concept project for future
restoration to verify that the core ideas
are functional and feasible prior to full
scale restoration of the Salton Sea. The
SCH Project would help establish
viability, technical issues, and overall
direction, as well as providing feedback
for costs and requirements of
construction, operations and
management. The SCH project is
planned to be constructed beginning in
late 2011 or early 2012. The SCH Project
would be created in phases as the Sea
recedes by constructing dikes below the
elevation of ¥228 feet mean sea level
(msl) using material excavated from the
sea bed. Rivers, which have better water
quality than agricultural drain water,
would provide the primary source of
water for the ponds. Habitat ponds
would vary in size, and several ponds
could be constructed in each phase
depending on funding and land
availability. Habitat would continue to
be constructed in subsequent years as
the Sea continues to recede until the
targeted acreage of habitat was reached.
It is currently anticipated that about
2,400 acres of habitat would be created
as part of the SCH Project, although the
actual amount may vary depending on
the outcome of the alternatives
development process. Preliminary
evaluations of potential siting areas
indicate that ponds could be
constructed at either the north or south
ends of the Salton Sea, or in both areas.
The SCH would be designed with
varying ranges of salinity in order to
maximize biological productivity and
minimize adverse effects associated
with water quality. Ponds would be
designed to optimize fish habitat and
maximize fish productivity to provide a
sustainable prey base for fish-eating
birds. Ponds could also be managed to
optimize invertebrate production to
enhance the prey base for shorebirds
and wading birds.
Depth of water in the ponds is
dependent on the slope of the sea bed,
but could range up to approximately 6
feet, depending on the areas available
for development as the surface water
elevation declines. Deeper areas could
be created by excavating materials from
within the ponds for construction of the
dikes or islands. The dike separating
adjacent ponds at similar elevations
could also be modified to form larger
ponds in the future, with portions of the
original dike left intact to form islands.
A sedimentation basin could be
constructed on lands above elevation
¥228 msl, or the first SCH pond could
E:\FR\FM\23JNN1.SGM
23JNN1
mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with NOTICES
35772
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 120 / Wednesday, June 23, 2010 / Notices
function as a sedimentation basin in
addition to providing habitat. The first
pond may need to be drained
periodically for vegetation management
and sediment removal; triggers for such
actions will be developed as part of the
adaptive management plan. Water
discharged from the first pond would
flow into other ponds, and from there
into further ponds or into the Salton
Sea.
A variety of methods for managing
salinity will be thoroughly evaluated in
the EIR/EIS. Several methods are
currently under consideration, although
additional methods may be identified as
part of the scoping process and as a
result of special studies that are
underway. The method currently being
considered is evapo-concentration of
salts, which would result in higher
salinity in each subsequent pond until
the maximum salinity suitable for
optimal biological productivity was
achieved. Once the maximum desired
salinity was achieved, the next series of
ponds could again initially be supplied
by river water. Saline water from the
earlier ponds could be blended with
river water to obtain targeted salinities
in some of the newer ponds. If not
needed for blending in the next phase
of ponds, saline water from the ponds
would discharge to the Salton Sea. This
process would result in a mix of
salinities throughout the SCH complex,
with salinities being managed by
balancing river inflow, evaporation, and
discharge. Higher salinities in the initial
ponds, if needed, also could be achieved
by temporarily blending diverted river
water with saline water pumped from
the Salton Sea. If necessary, temporary
pumping could also be used to initially
achieve the targeted salinities in
subsequent series of ponds, but longerterm salinity management would be
maintained by balancing inflows,
evaporation, and discharge. If additional
salt water were needed in future years
to maintain salinity, saline water from
the higher salinity ponds could be
recirculated to the lower salinity ponds.
Siting SCH ponds adjacent to the
confluence of the New, Alamo, or
Whitewater rivers and the Salton Sea
would minimize the need for
conveyance facilities to transport
freshwater from these rivers to the
ponds. Water flow from the rivers and
between the ponds could be controlled
with valves to be able to respond to
varying evaporation or seepage rates and
to allow changes in operations to
modify salinity or water depth goals.
The precise method of conveying water
will be evaluated as part of the
engineering design and environmental
review process.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:17 Jun 22, 2010
Jkt 220001
Monitoring and evaluation would
commence upon completion of the
ponds in the first year and would
continue thereafter. A monitoring and
adaptive management plan would be
implemented to monitor and evaluate
biological and water quality parameters,
habitat function, and engineering
performance of the SCH Project.
Information obtained from monitoring
and evaluation would be used to refine
the engineering design, wildlife
management criteria, and adaptive
strategies for continued development of
subsequent phases of the SCH Project.
Adaptive and flexible strategies would
reduce the risks and uncertainties
associated with operating larger
complexes and facilitate managing or
mitigating observed issues and
problems.
3. Issues: A number of potential
environmental issues will be addressed
in the EIS/EIR. Additional issues may be
identified during the scoping process,
but issues initially identified as
potentially significant or that are
believed to be of local concern include:
1. Agricultural Resources: Impacts
from conversion of farmland to nonagricultural use, and dust due to
construction.
2. Air Quality: Impacts during
construction, operations, and
maintenance, and also the beneficial
impact on fugitive dust from covering
exposed playa with water.
3. Biological Resources: Impacts on
fish and wildlife during construction,
operations, and maintenance.
4. Cultural Resources: Potential
impacts to archaeological resources,
human remains, and sacred sites
activities.
5. Environmental Justice: Potential
effects on the Torres Martinez Desert
Cahuilla Indian Tribe and other local
communities from construction.
operations, and maintenance activities.
6. Geology and Soils: Impacts during
construction, operations, and
maintenance.
7. Greenhouse Gas Emissions/Climate
Change: Impacts during construction,
operations, and maintenance.
8. Hazards and Hazardous Materials:
Impacts during construction,
maintenance, and operations.
9. Hydrology and Water Quality:
Impacts during construction, operations,
and maintenance.
10. Indian Trust Assets: Effects on
Torres Martinez Tribe’s trust assets from
development of the sites near the
Whitewater River.
11. Land Use: Potential conflicts with
other existing or planned land uses and
local plans, policies, and ordinances.
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
12. Noise: Impacts during
construction, operations, and
maintenance.
13. Paleontological Resources:
Potential impacts from grounddisturbing activities.
14. Transportation and Traffic:
Impacts during construction, operations,
and maintenance.
4. Alternatives: Several alternatives
are being considered for the proposed
action. The EIS/EIR may include a coequal analysis of the project alternatives
considered. Alternatives initially being
considered for the SCH Project include:
(a) Alternative locations (at the
confluence of the New, Alamo, or
Whitewater rivers and the Salton Sea, or
a combination of sites); (b) different
acreages of created habitat; (c) different
pond sizes and configurations; (d)
different ranges of salinity within the
ponds; and (e) no action. The range and
characteristics of the alternatives
addressed in the EIS/EIR will be further
developed based on input from the
scoping process and special studies that
are underway.
5. Scoping Process: The Corps and the
Natural Resources Agency will jointly
conduct a series of public scoping
meetings to receive public comments
regarding the appropriate scope and
content of for the SCH Project DEIS/
DEIR and to assess public concerns.
Additionally, a public hearing will be
held during the public comment period
once the DEIS/DEIR is released.
Participation in the public meetings by
Federal, State, and local agencies,
affected Indian tribes, and other
interested organizations and persons is
encouraged. Parties interested in being
added to the electronic mail notification
list for any projects associated with the
Salton Sea can register at: https://
www.spl.usace.army.mil/regulatory/
under the Public Notice tab,
Distribution List registration. This list
will be used in the future to notify the
public about scheduled hearings and
availability of future public notices.
Parties interested in obtaining
additional information about the SCH
Project can also visit the Natural
Resources Agency Web site at https://
resources.ca.gov/
restoring_the_salton_sea.html.
The scoping meetings will be held at:
1. Palm Desert—July 7, 2010 at 1 p.m.
at University of California, 75–080
Frank Sinatra Drive, Room B200, Palm
Desert, CA 92211.
2. Thermal—July 7, 2010 at 6:30 p.m.
at Torrez-Martinez Tribal
Administration Building, 66–725
Martinez Road, Thermal, CA 92274.
E:\FR\FM\23JNN1.SGM
23JNN1
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 120 / Wednesday, June 23, 2010 / Notices
3. Calipatria—July 8, 2010 at 1 p.m. at
Calipatria Inn and Suites, 700 North
Sorenson Avenue, Calipatria, CA 92233.
4. Brawley—July 8, 2010 at 6:30 p.m.
at Elks Lodge #1420, 161 South Plaza,
Brawley, CA 92227.
Comments on the proposed action,
alternatives, or any additional concerns
should be submitted in writing. Written
comment letters will be accepted
through July 24, 2010.
The following permits and
consultations are expected to be
required: Clean Water Act section 404
permit/section 401 water quality
certification; Endangered Species Act
section 7 consultation; National Historic
Preservation Act section 106
consultation; California Endangered
Species Act section 2081 incidental take
authorization; California Fish and Game
Code section 1602 Streambed Alteration
Agreement; and air quality permits.
5. Availability of the DEIS/DEIR: The
DEIS/DEIR is expected to be published
and circulated by early 2011, and a
public meeting will be held after its
publication.
Dated: June 14, 2010.
Mark D. Cohen,
Deputy Chief, Regulatory Division, Corps of
Engineers.
[FR Doc. 2010–15176 Filed 6–22–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720–58–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Notice of Proposed Information
Collection Requests
Department of Education (ED).
Notice of Proposed Information
Collection Requests.
AGENCY:
mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with NOTICES
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The Director, Information
Collection Clearance Division,
Regulatory Information Management
Services, Office of Management, invites
comments on the proposed information
collection requests as required by the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
DATES: An emergency review has been
requested in accordance with the Act
(44 U.S.C. Chapter 3507(j)), since public
harm is reasonably likely to result if
normal clearance procedures are
followed. Approval by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) has
been requested by July 15, 2010. A
regular clearance process is also
beginning. Interested persons are
invited to submit comments on or before
August 23, 2010.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should
be addressed to the Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Attention: Education Desk Officer,
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:17 Jun 22, 2010
Jkt 220001
Office of Management and Budget, 725
17th Street, NW., Room 10222, New
Executive Office Building, Washington,
DC 20503, be faxed to (202) 395–5806 or
e-mailed to
oira_submission@omb.eop.gov with a
cc: to ICDocketMgr@ed.gov.
Section
3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) requires
that the Director of OMB provide
interested Federal agencies and the
public an early opportunity to comment
on information collection requests. The
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) may amend or waive the
requirement for public consultation to
the extent that public participation in
the approval process would defeat the
purpose of the information collection,
violate State or Federal law, or
substantially interfere with any agency’s
ability to perform its statutory
obligations. The Information Collection
Clearance Division, Regulatory
Information Management Services,
Office of Management, publishes this
notice containing proposed information
collection requests at the beginning of
the Departmental review of the
information collection. Each proposed
information collection, grouped by
office, contains the following: (1) Type
of review requested, e.g., new, revision,
extension, existing or reinstatement; (2)
Title; (3) Summary of the collection; (4)
Description of the need for, and
proposed use of, the information; (5)
Respondents and frequency of
collection; and (6) Reporting and/or
Recordkeeping burden. ED invites
public comment.
The Department of Education is
especially interested in public comment
addressing the following issues: (1) Is
this collection necessary to the proper
functions of the Department; (2) will
this information be processed and used
in a timely manner; (3) is the estimate
of burden accurate; (4) how might the
Department enhance the quality, utility,
and clarity of the information to be
collected; and (5) how might the
Department minimize the burden of this
collection on respondents, including
through the use of information
technology.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Dated: June 18, 2010.
Darrin A. King,
Director, Information Collection Clearance
Division, Regulatory Information
Management Services, Office of Management.
Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services
PO 00000
Type of Review: New.
Frm 00010
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
35773
Title: Rehabilitation Services
Administration (RSA) Grant
Reallotment Form.
Frequency: Annually.
Affected Public: Not-for-profit
institutions; State, Local, or Tribal
Gov’t, SEAs or LEAs.
Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour
Burden:
Responses: 402.
Burden Hours: 12.
Abstract: The Rehabilitation Act of
1973, as amended, authorizes the
commissioner to reallot to other grant
recipients that portion of a recipient’s
annual grant that cannot be used. To
maximize the use of appropriated funds
under the formula grant programs, The
Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services has established a
reallotment process for the Basic
Vocational Rehabilitation State Grants;
Supported Employment State Grants;
Independent Living State Grants, Part B
(IL–Part B); Independent Living Services
for Older Individuals Who Are Blind
(IL–OB); Client Assistance (CAP) and
Protection and Advocacy of Individual
Rights (PAIR) Programs. The authority
for the Rehabilitation Services
Administration to reallot formula grant
funds is found at sections 110(b)(2)
(VR), 622(b) (SE), 711(c) (IL–Part B),
752(j)(4) (IL–OB), 112(e)(2) (CAP), and
509(e) (PAIR) of the act. The
information will be used by the
Rehabilitation Services Administration
State Monitoring and Program
Improvement Division to reallot formula
grant funds for the awards mentioned
above. Currently, the information is
collected through the issuance of an
annual Information Memorandum. For
each grant award, the grantee will be
required to enter the amount of funds
being relinquished and/or any
additional funds being requested.
Additional Information: The
Rehabilitation Services Administration
(RSA), within the U.S. Department of
Education’s (ED) Office of Special
Education and Rehabilitative Services
(OSERS), has developed an online
submission process for formula grant
recipients to indicate the amount of
funds they wish to relinquish during the
reallotment process and/or the amount
of funds they wish to request during this
process. In previous years, this
reallotment process was initiated
through an Information Memorandum
that RSA issued asking grantees to
indicate the amount of funds being
relinquished and/or requested. The
reallotment process is based upon both
statute and regulation and allows funds
unused by some grantees receiving
funds under the Rehabilitation Act of
E:\FR\FM\23JNN1.SGM
23JNN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 120 (Wednesday, June 23, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35770-35773]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-15176]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact
Statement/Environment Impact Report (DEIS/DEIR) for a Permit
Application for the Proposed Salton Sea Species Conservation Habitat
Project at the Salton Sea, in Riverside and Imperial Counties, CA
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of Intent (NOI).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), in conjunction with
the California Natural Resources Agency, is preparing an EIS/EIR for
the Salton Sea Species Conservation Habitat (SCH) Project. The Corps is
considering the Natural Resources Agency's application for a Department
of the Army permit under section 404 of the Clean Water Act to
construct habitat configured in a series of interconnected shallow
ponds within the current footprint of the Salton Sea. Preliminary
evaluations of potential siting areas indicate that ponds could be
constructed at either the north or south ends of the Salton Sea, or in
both areas. The SCH Project would be created as the Sea recedes by
constructing dikes below the elevation of -228 feet mean sea level
(msl) using material excavated from the sea bed. Rivers, which have
better water quality than agricultural drain water, would provide the
source of water for the ponds. The Project size at total build-out is
currently expected to be approximately 2,400 acres, which may be
constructed over a period of several years depending on land
availability and cost. The final project size may vary depending on the
outcome of the alternatives development process. Habitat ponds would
vary in size, with several ponds constructed in each phase depending on
land availability. Habitat would continue to be constructed in phases
in subsequent years as the Sea recedes until the targeted acreage of
habitat was constructed. The habitat would be designed with varying
ranges of salinity in order to maximize biological productivity and
minimize adverse effects associated with water quality. It is
anticipated that the SCH Project would begin construction in late 2011
or early 2012.
The primary Federal involvement is the potential issuance of a
permit under section 404 of the Clean Water Act, which regulates the
discharge of dredged, excavated, or fill material in wetlands, streams,
rivers, and other U.S. waters, as well as the evaluation of potential
impacts on the human environment from such activities. Therefore, in
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Corps
is requiring the preparation of an EIS prior to consideration of any
permit action. The action must comply with the Section 404(b)(1)
Guidelines (40 CFR part 230) and not be contrary to the public interest
to be granted a Corps permit. The Corps may ultimately make a
determination to permit or deny the above project or permit or deny
modified versions of the above project.
Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the
Natural Resources Agency will be the Lead Agency for the preparation of
an EIR and will use the EIR when considering whether to approve the
project. The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) will act on
behalf of the Natural Resources Agency to prepare the EIR and may issue
incidental take authorization under section 2081 of the California
Endangered Species Act and a Streambed Alteration Agreement under
section 1602 of the California Fish and Game Code. The Corps and the
Natural Resources Agency have agreed to jointly prepare the EIS/EIR to
optimize efficiency and avoid duplication. The EIS/EIR is intended to
be sufficient in
[[Page 35771]]
scope to address the Federal, State, and local requirements for
environmental analysis and permitting.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Comments and questions regarding
scoping of the DEIS/DEIR may be addressed to: Ms. Lanika Cervantes,
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District, Regulatory
Division, San Diego Field Office, ATTN: CESPL-RG-RS-2010-00142-LLC,
6010 Hidden Valley Road, Suite 105, Carlsbad, CA 92011, or
lanika.l.cervantes@usace.army.mil. Comments and questions can also be
sent to Ms. Kimberly Nicol, California Department of Fish and Game
Project Manager, at 78078 Country Club Drive, Suite 109, Bermuda Dunes,
CA 92203, or at knicol@dfg.ca.gov. Ms. Lanika Cervantes, Corps Project
Manager, can be reached at (760) 602-4838, and Ms. Nicol can be reached
at (760) 200-9178. Comment letters sent via electronic mail should
include the commenter's physical mailing address, and the project title
``Species Conservation Habitat Project'' should be included in the
electronic mail's subject line.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Project Site and Background Information: The Salton Sea is
located in both Imperial and Riverside counties in southeastern
California, approximately 35 miles north of the U.S. Mexico border and
50 miles west of the Colorado River. Preliminary evaluations of
potential sites indicate that SCH ponds could be constructed at either
the north end of the Salton Sea near the Whitewater River, or the south
end of the Salton Sea near the New and Alamo rivers, or in both areas.
As the Sea recedes and becomes more saline, fish species will not
be able to survive. Simultaneously, the fish-eating birds, including
several species of special concern, will lose their forage base and
begin to disappear. As the Sea continues to become more saline, current
invertebrate species will become less diverse and be replaced by
species tolerant of hyper-saline environments (e.g., brine flies and
brine shrimp).
The basic purpose of the proposed SCH Project is to protect the
fish and wildlife species dependent on the Salton Sea in accordance
with California Fish and Game Code, Section 2932 through the creation
of aquatic habitat; this is a water dependent activity. The overall
goals and purpose of the project under the Clean Water Act, and the
objectives through which the goals would be met are as follows:
Goal: Develop a range of aquatic habitats that will support fish
and wildlife species dependent on the Salton Sea.
Objectives for Goal:
--Provide adequate foraging habitat for piscivorous (fish-eating) bird
species.
--Develop habitats required to support piscivorous bird species.
--Support a sustainable, productive aquatic community.
--Provide suitable water quality for fish.
--Minimize adverse effects to desert pupfish.
--Minimize risk of selenium.
--Minimize risk of disease/toxicity impacts.
2. Proposed Action: The SCH Project would provide habitat for both
fish and invertebrate species, which in turn would provide forage for
the numerous bird species dependent on the Salton Sea ecosystem.
Salinity would be managed to support various assemblages of
invertebrates and fish to diversify the prey base for as wide a variety
of bird species as possible. The SCH ponds would be designed to serve
those piscivorous bird species that would experience significant
declines if the amount of Salton Sea habitat were substantially
reduced. For many of these species, a significant proportion of their
population uses the Salton Sea.
The SCH ponds would also benefit other bird species, such as the
eared grebe, gull-billed tern, western snowy plover, ruddy duck, black
tern, and California brown pelican. These species are either not
piscivorous and/or only a small proportion of their population depends
on the Salton Sea. There are also some subspecies or population
segments that would likely use the created habitats as well, such as
the least tern (interior subspecies of the California least tern or
Mexican least tern, whichever is present at the Salton Sea) and Baja
population of the California brown pelican which uses the Salton Sea as
a post-breeding site. Ancillary affects to other federally threatened
or endangered species may be identified during the development of the
EIS/EIR, and would be addressed through either informal or formal
section 7 consultation, or a combination there of, with the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, as applicable.
Fish currently existing in the Salton Sea or tributaries are the
likely candidates for establishment in the SCH ponds. The ponds would
likely not provide suitable habitat for the marine species (orangemouth
corvina, gulf croaker, and sargo) previously found in the Salton Sea.
Tilapia are currently found in large numbers in the Sea, and would
likely be the species providing the primary forage base in the ponds
for fish eating birds. Since a primary purpose of the ponds is to
provide habitat for fish as forage for birds, the ponds would be
managed to maximize fish productivity.
The SCH Project is being developed as a proof-of-concept project
for future restoration to verify that the core ideas are functional and
feasible prior to full scale restoration of the Salton Sea. The SCH
Project would help establish viability, technical issues, and overall
direction, as well as providing feedback for costs and requirements of
construction, operations and management. The SCH project is planned to
be constructed beginning in late 2011 or early 2012. The SCH Project
would be created in phases as the Sea recedes by constructing dikes
below the elevation of -228 feet mean sea level (msl) using material
excavated from the sea bed. Rivers, which have better water quality
than agricultural drain water, would provide the primary source of
water for the ponds. Habitat ponds would vary in size, and several
ponds could be constructed in each phase depending on funding and land
availability. Habitat would continue to be constructed in subsequent
years as the Sea continues to recede until the targeted acreage of
habitat was reached. It is currently anticipated that about 2,400 acres
of habitat would be created as part of the SCH Project, although the
actual amount may vary depending on the outcome of the alternatives
development process. Preliminary evaluations of potential siting areas
indicate that ponds could be constructed at either the north or south
ends of the Salton Sea, or in both areas. The SCH would be designed
with varying ranges of salinity in order to maximize biological
productivity and minimize adverse effects associated with water
quality. Ponds would be designed to optimize fish habitat and maximize
fish productivity to provide a sustainable prey base for fish-eating
birds. Ponds could also be managed to optimize invertebrate production
to enhance the prey base for shorebirds and wading birds.
Depth of water in the ponds is dependent on the slope of the sea
bed, but could range up to approximately 6 feet, depending on the areas
available for development as the surface water elevation declines.
Deeper areas could be created by excavating materials from within the
ponds for construction of the dikes or islands. The dike separating
adjacent ponds at similar elevations could also be modified to form
larger ponds in the future, with portions of the original dike left
intact to form islands.
A sedimentation basin could be constructed on lands above elevation
-228 msl, or the first SCH pond could
[[Page 35772]]
function as a sedimentation basin in addition to providing habitat. The
first pond may need to be drained periodically for vegetation
management and sediment removal; triggers for such actions will be
developed as part of the adaptive management plan. Water discharged
from the first pond would flow into other ponds, and from there into
further ponds or into the Salton Sea.
A variety of methods for managing salinity will be thoroughly
evaluated in the EIR/EIS. Several methods are currently under
consideration, although additional methods may be identified as part of
the scoping process and as a result of special studies that are
underway. The method currently being considered is evapo-concentration
of salts, which would result in higher salinity in each subsequent pond
until the maximum salinity suitable for optimal biological productivity
was achieved. Once the maximum desired salinity was achieved, the next
series of ponds could again initially be supplied by river water.
Saline water from the earlier ponds could be blended with river water
to obtain targeted salinities in some of the newer ponds. If not needed
for blending in the next phase of ponds, saline water from the ponds
would discharge to the Salton Sea. This process would result in a mix
of salinities throughout the SCH complex, with salinities being managed
by balancing river inflow, evaporation, and discharge. Higher
salinities in the initial ponds, if needed, also could be achieved by
temporarily blending diverted river water with saline water pumped from
the Salton Sea. If necessary, temporary pumping could also be used to
initially achieve the targeted salinities in subsequent series of
ponds, but longer-term salinity management would be maintained by
balancing inflows, evaporation, and discharge. If additional salt water
were needed in future years to maintain salinity, saline water from the
higher salinity ponds could be recirculated to the lower salinity
ponds.
Siting SCH ponds adjacent to the confluence of the New, Alamo, or
Whitewater rivers and the Salton Sea would minimize the need for
conveyance facilities to transport freshwater from these rivers to the
ponds. Water flow from the rivers and between the ponds could be
controlled with valves to be able to respond to varying evaporation or
seepage rates and to allow changes in operations to modify salinity or
water depth goals. The precise method of conveying water will be
evaluated as part of the engineering design and environmental review
process.
Monitoring and evaluation would commence upon completion of the
ponds in the first year and would continue thereafter. A monitoring and
adaptive management plan would be implemented to monitor and evaluate
biological and water quality parameters, habitat function, and
engineering performance of the SCH Project. Information obtained from
monitoring and evaluation would be used to refine the engineering
design, wildlife management criteria, and adaptive strategies for
continued development of subsequent phases of the SCH Project. Adaptive
and flexible strategies would reduce the risks and uncertainties
associated with operating larger complexes and facilitate managing or
mitigating observed issues and problems.
3. Issues: A number of potential environmental issues will be
addressed in the EIS/EIR. Additional issues may be identified during
the scoping process, but issues initially identified as potentially
significant or that are believed to be of local concern include:
1. Agricultural Resources: Impacts from conversion of farmland to
non-agricultural use, and dust due to construction.
2. Air Quality: Impacts during construction, operations, and
maintenance, and also the beneficial impact on fugitive dust from
covering exposed playa with water.
3. Biological Resources: Impacts on fish and wildlife during
construction, operations, and maintenance.
4. Cultural Resources: Potential impacts to archaeological
resources, human remains, and sacred sites activities.
5. Environmental Justice: Potential effects on the Torres Martinez
Desert Cahuilla Indian Tribe and other local communities from
construction. operations, and maintenance activities.
6. Geology and Soils: Impacts during construction, operations, and
maintenance.
7. Greenhouse Gas Emissions/Climate Change: Impacts during
construction, operations, and maintenance.
8. Hazards and Hazardous Materials: Impacts during construction,
maintenance, and operations.
9. Hydrology and Water Quality: Impacts during construction,
operations, and maintenance.
10. Indian Trust Assets: Effects on Torres Martinez Tribe's trust
assets from development of the sites near the Whitewater River.
11. Land Use: Potential conflicts with other existing or planned
land uses and local plans, policies, and ordinances.
12. Noise: Impacts during construction, operations, and
maintenance.
13. Paleontological Resources: Potential impacts from ground-
disturbing activities.
14. Transportation and Traffic: Impacts during construction,
operations, and maintenance.
4. Alternatives: Several alternatives are being considered for the
proposed action. The EIS/EIR may include a co-equal analysis of the
project alternatives considered. Alternatives initially being
considered for the SCH Project include: (a) Alternative locations (at
the confluence of the New, Alamo, or Whitewater rivers and the Salton
Sea, or a combination of sites); (b) different acreages of created
habitat; (c) different pond sizes and configurations; (d) different
ranges of salinity within the ponds; and (e) no action. The range and
characteristics of the alternatives addressed in the EIS/EIR will be
further developed based on input from the scoping process and special
studies that are underway.
5. Scoping Process: The Corps and the Natural Resources Agency will
jointly conduct a series of public scoping meetings to receive public
comments regarding the appropriate scope and content of for the SCH
Project DEIS/DEIR and to assess public concerns. Additionally, a public
hearing will be held during the public comment period once the DEIS/
DEIR is released. Participation in the public meetings by Federal,
State, and local agencies, affected Indian tribes, and other interested
organizations and persons is encouraged. Parties interested in being
added to the electronic mail notification list for any projects
associated with the Salton Sea can register at: https://www.spl.usace.army.mil/regulatory/ under the Public Notice tab,
Distribution List registration. This list will be used in the future to
notify the public about scheduled hearings and availability of future
public notices. Parties interested in obtaining additional information
about the SCH Project can also visit the Natural Resources Agency Web
site at https://resources.ca.gov/restoring_the_salton_sea.html.
The scoping meetings will be held at:
1. Palm Desert--July 7, 2010 at 1 p.m. at University of California,
75-080 Frank Sinatra Drive, Room B200, Palm Desert, CA 92211.
2. Thermal--July 7, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. at Torrez-Martinez Tribal
Administration Building, 66-725 Martinez Road, Thermal, CA 92274.
[[Page 35773]]
3. Calipatria--July 8, 2010 at 1 p.m. at Calipatria Inn and Suites,
700 North Sorenson Avenue, Calipatria, CA 92233.
4. Brawley--July 8, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. at Elks Lodge 1420,
161 South Plaza, Brawley, CA 92227.
Comments on the proposed action, alternatives, or any additional
concerns should be submitted in writing. Written comment letters will
be accepted through July 24, 2010.
The following permits and consultations are expected to be
required: Clean Water Act section 404 permit/section 401 water quality
certification; Endangered Species Act section 7 consultation; National
Historic Preservation Act section 106 consultation; California
Endangered Species Act section 2081 incidental take authorization;
California Fish and Game Code section 1602 Streambed Alteration
Agreement; and air quality permits.
5. Availability of the DEIS/DEIR: The DEIS/DEIR is expected to be
published and circulated by early 2011, and a public meeting will be
held after its publication.
Dated: June 14, 2010.
Mark D. Cohen,
Deputy Chief, Regulatory Division, Corps of Engineers.
[FR Doc. 2010-15176 Filed 6-22-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P
