Notice of Intent To Prepare a Joint Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report for the Proposed Lower Elkhorn Basin Levee Setback Project, Yolo County, CA, 62106-62107 [2016-21578]

Download as PDF mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES 62106 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 174 / Thursday, September 8, 2016 / Notices Order (E.O.) 7183 in 1935 and the Flood Control Acts of 1936 and 1938 for the purposes of flood control, low flow augmentation, and hydroelectric power development. The purposes were later expanded to include recreational activities under the Flood Control Act of 1944 and fish and wildlife enhancement under the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (FWCA) of 1958. 2. Background: a. Guidance for this study is provided in USACE Engineer Regulation (ER) 1110–2–1156 (October 2011). This guidance details agency policy and procedures for the study and implementation process addressing dam safety issues. b. Bluestone Lake is a multipurpose component of the Kanawha River basin system which provides for flood control, recreation, power development, low flow augmentation, and fish and wildlife enhancement. The project began operation in 1949 and helps control a 4,565 square mile drainage area. c. The ROD, signed in 1999, completed the NEPA process for the DSA project permitting the Huntington District to begin detailed design and subsequent construction of the recommended alternative which included a 13 foot cantilever wall on top of the dam, an additional concrete monolith on the east abutment, a floodgate closure across WV Rt. 20, removable closures at each end of the spillway, high strength anchors placed into the dam itself, massive concrete blocks placed against the downstream face of the dam, and a pavement for scour protection downstream of the hydropower penstocks. The majority of the ongoing construction on these measures will continue through the year 2019. The ROD for this work anticipated construction would be completed 2005. d. Physical modeling and expert analysis conducted during project construction has shown the downstream bedrock is vulnerable to erosion during high flow events as a result of deficiencies with the current stilling basin configuration. This potential erosion creates an unacceptable level of risk according to guidelines established in ER 1110–2–1156, under which this study is being conducted. e. The SDEIS and Dam Safety Modification report (DSMR) will consider the structural integrity of the dam, its ability to accommodate flood waters as well as transportation, noise, terrestrial, aquatic, economic, environmental justice and cultural resource issues associated with the performance of the dam. The SDEIS and DSMR will recommend any modifications necessary to ensure the VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:34 Sep 07, 2016 Jkt 238001 long-term safe performance of the structure as originally intended. f. Modifications to meet current acceptable risk guidelines per ER 1110– 2–1156 may include, modification of the existing stilling basin, modification of other dam components, construction of an alternative/auxiliary stilling basin, construction of an alternative/auxiliary spillway and non-structural measures or other actions to prevent overtopping. The No Action alternative will also be considered. As required by NEPA and Corps planning guidance, the No Action alternative will form a benchmark from which alternatives are evaluated and compared. 3. Public Participation: a. The SDEIS will be made available to the public in the affected area for forty-five (45) days for review and comment. A Notice of Availability will be advertised in affected area newspapers informing the general public about the SDEIS public review period. The SDEIS and draft ROD can be viewed at: https:// www.lrh.usace.army.mil/Missions/ PublicReview.aspx. Copies of the SDEIS and draft ROD may be obtained by contacting the Huntington District Office of the Corps of Engineers at (304) 399–5924 (See ADDRESSES). All persons and organizations that have an interest in the Bluestone Dam Project are urged to participate in this SDEIS review and comment period. Upon the close of the comment period, USACE will consider all comments and if necessary conduct further analysis. Additionally, the Corps will conduct public meetings to gain input from interested agencies, organizations, and the general public concerning the content, issues, and impacts of the SDEIS, a separate Notice of Intent will be published in the Federal Register for this action. Prior to the meeting, a public notice will be distributed to agencies, organizations, and the general public, informing interested parties of the date and location for the public meeting. The Corps invites full public participation to promote open communication and better decisionmaking. 4. Schedule: The Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement is scheduled to be released for public review and comment on or about September 1, 2016. The Final Report and Final Supplemental EIS are tentatively scheduled to be completed in May 2017. Rebecca A. Rutherford, Chief, Environmental Analysis Section, Planning Branch. [FR Doc. 2016–21570 Filed 9–7–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3720–58–P PO 00000 Frm 00035 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers Notice of Intent To Prepare a Joint Environmental Impact Statement/ Environmental Impact Report for the Proposed Lower Elkhorn Basin Levee Setback Project, Yolo County, CA Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD. ACTION: Notice of intent. AGENCY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Sacramento District, as the lead agency under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), as the lead agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), will prepare a joint Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) for the Lower Elkhorn Setback Levee Project. DWR is the project proponent and may be referred to as the Applicant or Requester. The EIS/EIR will analyze DWR’s proposed action to implement a flood risk management project in the Lower Elkhorn Basin in Yolo County, California. Because the proposed action would alter Federal levees, permission from USACE is required under Section 14 of the Rivers and Harbors Act (Section 408) (33 U.S.C. 408). The proposed action would also affect waters of the United States and require a permit from USACE under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344). DATES: Submit written comments by October 7, 2016. ADDRESSES: Written comments and suggestions concerning the scope and content of the environmental information may be submitted to Mr. Tyler Stalker, email at spk-pao@ usace.army.mil; or surface mail at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, Attn: Public Affairs Office (CESPK–PAO), 1325 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95814–2922. Requests to be placed on the electronic or surface mail notification lists should also be sent to this address. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Tanis Toland at (916) 557–6717, or by email at tanis.j.toland@usace.army.mil. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. Proposed Action. The proposed Lower Elkhorn Basin Levee Setback Project would include levee setbacks to widen portions of the Yolo and Sacramento Bypasses to increase conveyance capacity and reduce flood risk. The project would be part of a series of proposed flood risk SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\08SEN1.SGM 08SEN1 mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 174 / Thursday, September 8, 2016 / Notices management improvements contemplated under DWR’s Central Valley Flood Protection Plan and its related Sacramento Basin-Wide Feasibility Report. The project is located in Yolo County and is bounded by the Sacramento River on the east, the Tule Canal and Yolo Bypass on the west, the Sacramento Bypass on the south, and Interstate 5 on the north. The project would include the following elements: (1) Widening the Yolo Bypass by constructing a setback levee east of the Tule Canal in the Lower Elkhorn Basin, (2) widening the Sacramento Bypass by constructing a setback levee north of the existing levee, and (3) implementing improvements in the Lower Elkhorn Basin and Sacramento Bypass to mitigate project impacts. Widening of the Sacramento Bypass, per number (2) of the Proposed Action, is also a recommended feature of the American River Common Features GRR, for which a general reevaluation was completed in 2016, although it is not yet congressionally authorized. The proposed Lower Elkhorn Basin Levee Setback Project is not intended to duplicate this recommended feature, rather it offers DWR a potential alternative means to construct this key feature should the project not be authorized prior to USACE’s decision on DWR’s request under Section 408. 2. Alternatives. A number of project alternatives, including the no action alternative and the Requester’s/ Applicant’s preferred alternative will be evaluated in the EIS/EIR in accordance with NEPA (33 CFR part 230 (USACE NEPA Regulations) and 33 CFR part 325, Appendix B (NEPA Implementation Procedures for USACE Regulatory Projects). 3. Scoping Process. a. A public scoping meeting will be held on Thursday, September 15, 2016, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., West Sacramento Civic Center, 1110 West Capitol Avenue, West Sacramento, CA 95691 to present information to the public and to receive comments from the public on the project and the scope of the environmental analysis. Affected Federal, State, regional, and local agencies; Native American Tribes; other interested private organizations; and the general public are invited to participate. b. The EIS/EIR will analyze the environmental effects of construction, operations, and maintenance of the project. Potentially significant issues to be analyzed in depth include loss of waters of the United States (including wetlands), cultural resources, biological resources, special status species, air quality, hydrology and water quality, land use, Prime and Unique Farmlands, VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:34 Sep 07, 2016 Jkt 238001 noise, traffic, aesthetics, utilities and service systems, and socioeconomic effects. c. USACE will consult with the State Historic Preservation Officer and with Native American Tribes to comply with the National Historic Preservation Act, and with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service to comply with the Endangered Species Act. USACE will also coordinate with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to comply with the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act. d. A 45-day NEPA public review period will be provided for all interested parties, 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 2017. Dated: August 28, 2016. David G. Ray, Colonel, U.S. Army, District Commander. [FR Doc. 2016–21578 Filed 9–7–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3720–58–P DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers Inland Waterways Users Board Meeting Notice Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD. ACTION: Notice of open Federal advisory committee meeting. AGENCY: The Department of the Army is publishing this notice to announce the following Federal advisory committee meeting of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Inland Waterways Users Board (Board). This meeting is open to the public. For additional information about the Board, please visit the committee’s Web site at https:// www.iwr.usace.army.mil/Missions/ Navigation/InlandWaterways UsersBoard.aspx. SUMMARY: The Army Corps of Engineers, Inland Waterways Users Board will meet from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on October 5, 2016. Public registration will begin at 8:15 a.m. ADDRESSES: The Board meeting will be conducted at the Holiday Inn Hotel Chicago—Tinley Park—Convention Center, 18501 Convention Center Drive, Tinley Park, IL 60477, 708–444–1100. DATES: PO 00000 Frm 00036 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 62107 Mr. Mark R. Pointon, the Designated Federal Officer (DFO) for the committee, in writing at the Institute for Water Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: CEIWR–GM, 7701 Telegraph Road, Casey Building, Alexandria, VA 22315–3868; by telephone at 703–428–6438; and by email at Mark.Pointon@usace.army.mil. Alternatively, contact Mr. Kenneth E. Lichtman, the Alternate Designated Federal Officer (ADFO), in writing at the Institute for Water Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: CEIWR–GW, 7701 Telegraph Road, Casey Building, Alexandria, VA 22315–3868; by telephone at 703–428–8083; and by email at Kenneth.E.Lichtman@ usace.army.mil. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The committee meeting is being held under the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 U.S.C., Appendix, as amended), the Government in the Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended), and 41 CFR 102–3.150. Purpose of the Meeting: The Board is chartered to provide independent advice and recommendations to the Secretary of the Army on construction and rehabilitation project investments on the commercial navigation features of the inland waterways system of the United States. At this meeting, the Board will receive briefings and presentations regarding the investments, projects and status of the inland waterways system of the United States and conduct discussions and deliberations on those matters. The Board is interested in written and verbal comments from the public relevant to these purposes. Proposed Agenda: At this meeting the agenda will include the status of funding for inland navigation projects and studies budgeted in FY 2017; the status of the Inland Waterways Trust Fund and comparison of revenues; the status of the Olmsted Locks and Dam Project, and the Locks and Dams 2, 3, and 4 on the Monongahela River Project; update of Kentucky Lock and Chickamauga Lock economics information; basic Economic Analysis by the Corps; and status of the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal (IHNC) Lock General Re-evaluation Report. Availability of Materials for the Meeting. A copy of the agenda or any updates to the agenda for the October 5, 2016 meeting. The final version will be provided at the meeting. All materials will be posted to the Web site after the meeting. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: E:\FR\FM\08SEN1.SGM 08SEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 174 (Thursday, September 8, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62106-62107]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-21578]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Joint Environmental Impact 
Statement/Environmental Impact Report for the Proposed Lower Elkhorn 
Basin Levee Setback Project, Yolo County, CA

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Sacramento District, 
as the lead agency under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 
and the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), as the lead 
agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), will 
prepare a joint Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact 
Report (EIS/EIR) for the Lower Elkhorn Setback Levee Project. DWR is 
the project proponent and may be referred to as the Applicant or 
Requester.
    The EIS/EIR will analyze DWR's proposed action to implement a flood 
risk management project in the Lower Elkhorn Basin in Yolo County, 
California. Because the proposed action would alter Federal levees, 
permission from USACE is required under Section 14 of the Rivers and 
Harbors Act (Section 408) (33 U.S.C. 408). The proposed action would 
also affect waters of the United States and require a permit from USACE 
under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344).

DATES: Submit written comments by October 7, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and suggestions concerning the scope and 
content of the environmental information may be submitted to Mr. Tyler 
Stalker, email at spk-pao@usace.army.mil; or surface mail at U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, Attn: Public Affairs Office 
(CESPK-PAO), 1325 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95814-2922. Requests to be 
placed on the electronic or surface mail notification lists should also 
be sent to this address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Tanis Toland at (916) 557-6717, or 
by email at tanis.j.toland@usace.army.mil.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    1. Proposed Action. The proposed Lower Elkhorn Basin Levee Setback 
Project would include levee setbacks to widen portions of the Yolo and 
Sacramento Bypasses to increase conveyance capacity and reduce flood 
risk. The project would be part of a series of proposed flood risk

[[Page 62107]]

management improvements contemplated under DWR's Central Valley Flood 
Protection Plan and its related Sacramento Basin-Wide Feasibility 
Report. The project is located in Yolo County and is bounded by the 
Sacramento River on the east, the Tule Canal and Yolo Bypass on the 
west, the Sacramento Bypass on the south, and Interstate 5 on the 
north. The project would include the following elements: (1) Widening 
the Yolo Bypass by constructing a setback levee east of the Tule Canal 
in the Lower Elkhorn Basin, (2) widening the Sacramento Bypass by 
constructing a setback levee north of the existing levee, and (3) 
implementing improvements in the Lower Elkhorn Basin and Sacramento 
Bypass to mitigate project impacts. Widening of the Sacramento Bypass, 
per number (2) of the Proposed Action, is also a recommended feature of 
the American River Common Features GRR, for which a general 
reevaluation was completed in 2016, although it is not yet 
congressionally authorized. The proposed Lower Elkhorn Basin Levee 
Setback Project is not intended to duplicate this recommended feature, 
rather it offers DWR a potential alternative means to construct this 
key feature should the project not be authorized prior to USACE's 
decision on DWR's request under Section 408.
    2. Alternatives. A number of project alternatives, including the no 
action alternative and the Requester's/Applicant's preferred 
alternative will be evaluated in the EIS/EIR in accordance with NEPA 
(33 CFR part 230 (USACE NEPA Regulations) and 33 CFR part 325, Appendix 
B (NEPA Implementation Procedures for USACE Regulatory Projects).
    3. Scoping Process.
    a. A public scoping meeting will be held on Thursday, September 15, 
2016, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., West Sacramento Civic Center, 1110 
West Capitol Avenue, West Sacramento, CA 95691 to present information 
to the public and to receive comments from the public on the project 
and the scope of the environmental analysis. Affected Federal, State, 
regional, and local agencies; Native American Tribes; other interested 
private organizations; and the general public are invited to 
participate.
    b. The EIS/EIR will analyze the environmental effects of 
construction, operations, and maintenance of the project. Potentially 
significant issues to be analyzed in depth include loss of waters of 
the United States (including wetlands), cultural resources, biological 
resources, special status species, air quality, hydrology and water 
quality, land use, Prime and Unique Farmlands, noise, traffic, 
aesthetics, utilities and service systems, and socioeconomic effects.
    c. USACE will consult with the State Historic Preservation Officer 
and with Native American Tribes to comply with the National Historic 
Preservation Act, and with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and 
National Marine Fisheries Service to comply with the Endangered Species 
Act. USACE will also coordinate with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
to comply with the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act.
    d. A 45-day NEPA public review period will be provided for all 
interested parties, 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 2017.

    Dated: August 28, 2016.
David G. Ray,
Colonel, U.S. Army, District Commander.
[FR Doc. 2016-21578 Filed 9-7-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3720-58-P

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.