Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Shasta Dam Fish Passage Evaluation, California, 27522-27524 [2017-12398]
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 114 / Thursday, June 15, 2017 / Notices
necessity of this information collection
for the proper performance of the
functions of the agency, including
whether the information will have
practical utility; (b) The accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of the burden (hours
and cost) of the collection of
information, including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions used;
(c) Ways we could enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected; and (d) Ways we could
minimize the burden of the collection of
the information on the respondents.
Please note that an agency may not
conduct or sponsor, and an individual
need not respond to, a collection of
information unless it has a valid OMB
Control Number.
It is our policy to make all comments
available to the public for review at the
location listed in the ADDRESSES section.
Before including your address, phone
number, email 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.
Respondents: Indian Tribes and Tribal
energy resource development
organizations under 25 U.S.C. 3502.
Number of Respondents: 27 per year,
on average; 13 project participants each
year, on average.
Frequency of Response: Once per year
for applications; 4 times per year for
progress reports.
Estimated Time per Response: 40
hours per application; 1.5 hours per
progress report.
Obligation to Respond: Response is
required to obtain a benefit.
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden:
1,158 hours (1,080 for applications and
78 for progress reports).
Estimated Total Annual Non-Hour
Dollar Cost: $0.
Authority
The authorities for this action are the
Energy Policy Act of 2005, 25 U.S.C.
3502, and the Paperwork Reduction Act
of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.
Carolyn Bragg, (916) 414–2433, fax (916)
414–2439, or email cbragg@usbr.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
[FR Doc. 2017–12444 Filed 6–14–17; 8:45 am]
I. Agencies Involved
BILLING CODE 4337–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
pmangrum on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES
Bureau of Reclamation
OMB Control Number: 1076–0177.
Title: Tribal Energy Development
Capacity Program Grants.
Brief Description of Collection: Indian
Tribes and Tribal energy resource
development organizations that would
like to apply for TEDC funding must
submit an application that includes
certain information. A complete
application must contain a formal
signed resolution of the governing body
of the Tribe or Tribal energy resource
development organization, a proposal
describing the planned activities and
deliverable products; and a detailed
budget estimate, including contracted
personnel costs, travel estimates, data
collection and analysis costs, and other
expenses. The IEED requires this
information to ensure that it provides
funding only to those projects that meet
the goals of the TEDC program and
purposes for which Congress provides
the appropriation. Upon acceptance of
an application, the successful applicant
must then submit one- to two-page
progress reports twice during the grant
period summarizing events,
accomplishments, problems and/or
results in executing the project.
Type of Review: Extension without
change of currently approved collection.
[RR02800000, 17XR0680A3,
RX178689471000000]
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Elizabeth K. Appel,
Director, Office of Regulatory Affairs and
Collaborative Action—Indian Affairs.
III. Data
VerDate Sep<11>2014
Oral and written comments will also
be accepted during two scoping
meetings held to solicit public input on
alternatives, concerns, and issues to be
addressed in the EIS:
1. Tuesday, June 27, 2017, 2–4 p.m.,
Sacramento, CA.
2. Wednesday, June 28, 2017, 6–8
p.m., Lakehead, CA.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to
Carolyn Bragg, Natural Resources
Specialist, Bureau of Reclamation, BayDelta Office, 801 I Street, Suite 140,
Sacramento, CA 95814–2536; fax to
(916) 414–2439; or email at cbragg@
usbr.gov.
The scoping meetings will be held at
the following locations:
1. Sacramento—Federal Building,
Cafeteria Room C–1001, 2800 Cottage
Way, Sacramento, CA 95825.
2. Lakehead—Lakehead Lions Club,
20814 Mammoth Drive, Lakehead, CA
96051.
Draft Environmental Impact Statement
for Shasta Dam Fish Passage
Evaluation, California
Bureau of Reclamation,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent and scoping
meetings.
AGENCY:
The Bureau of Reclamation
intends to prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) for the Shasta
Dam Fish Passage Evaluation. The
document will evaluate the program
that will be used to implement the nearterm actions identified under Action V
in the National Marine Fisheries
Service’s 2009 Biological Opinion and
Conference Opinion on the Long-Term
Operation of the Central Valley Project
and State Water Project Reasonable and
Prudent Alternative. This EIS will
evaluate the near-term actions of
reintroducing Federally-listed
endangered winter-run Chinook salmon
and potentially spring-run Chinook
salmon to historical habitats.
DATES: Submit written comments on the
scope of the EIS on or before July 21,
2017.
SUMMARY:
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Sfmt 4703
The Bureau of Reclamation
(Reclamation) will invite the following
agencies to participate as cooperating
agencies for the preparation of the EIS
in accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA):
National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest
Service, California Department of Fish
and Wildlife, California Department of
Water Resources, California State Water
Resources Control Board, Shasta
County, Siskiyou County, and
additional Federal and State agencies
with jurisdiction in the project area.
II. Why We Are Taking This Action
The National Marine Fisheries
Service’s 2009 Biological Opinion and
Conference Opinion on the Long-term
Operation of the Central Valley Project
and State Water Project (NMFS BO)
concluded that the continued operation
of the Central Valley Project and the
State Water Project were likely to
jeopardize the continued existence of
four anadromous species listed under
the federal Endangered Species Act:
Sacramento River winter-run Chinook
salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha),
Central Valley spring-run Chinook
salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha),
California Central Valley steelhead
(Oncorhynchus mykiss), and the
Southern Distinct Population Segment
of North American green sturgeon
(Acipenser medirostris). The NMFS BO
sets forth a Reasonable and Prudent
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 114 / Thursday, June 15, 2017 / Notices
Alternative (RPA) that if implemented,
will allow the Central Valley Project and
State Water Project to operate in
compliance with the Endangered
Species Act.
RPA Action V includes an evaluation
of the potential reintroduction of
Federally-listed Chinook salmon and
steelhead to historical habitats. Shasta
Dam Fish Passage Evaluation (SDFPE) is
an effort to determine the feasibility of
reintroducing winter-run and spring-run
Chinook salmon and steelhead to
tributaries above Shasta Dam. The
SDFPE is separated into near-term and
long-term actions. As part of the
requirements of the RPA, Reclamation,
in coordination with the Interagency
Fish Passage Steering Committee, is
developing the Pilot Program as an
adaptive management process to
evaluate the near-term reintroduction of
Chinook salmon into historical habitat
above Shasta Dam.
Reclamation is focusing the initial
near-term goals of re-introducing
winter-run and potentially spring-run
Chinook salmon upstream of Shasta
Dam as the location based on: a) the
imperiled status of winter-run Chinook
salmon and the resulting urgency to
move these fish back into their
historical habitats as a means of
reducing extinction risk; and b) the good
habitat conditions. NMFS requires the
use of Federally-listed Sacramento River
winter-run Chinook salmon, either from
the wild in the Sacramento River and/
or the Livingston Stone National Fish
Hatchery conservation program in order
to meet the goals of RPA Action V.
Reclamation has prepared a Draft
Pilot Implementation Plan and an
unpublished Preliminary Draft
Environmental Assessment for the
proposed action, which can be found at
https://www.usbr.gov/mp/
BayDeltaOffice/shasta-dam-fishpass.html. The initial analysis
conducted indicated uncertainties
associated with the resources analyzed.
Given these uncertainties, Reclamation
has decided to prepare an EIS. If the
near-term actions indicate that longterm fish passage of listed salmonids is
feasible and practical to implement,
then in accordance with RPA Action V,
Reclamation will develop and
implement a Long-Term Fish Passage
Program, which would require
additional environmental
documentation.
III. Purpose and Need for Action
The range of Sacramento River
winter-run Chinook salmon has been
reduced by Keswick and Shasta dams
on the Sacramento River and by
hydroelectric dam development on
VerDate Sep<11>2014
14:10 Jun 14, 2017
Jkt 241001
Battle Creek. Currently, Sacramento
River winter-run Chinook salmon
spawning is limited to the mainstem
Sacramento River downstream of Shasta
and Keswick dams where the naturallyspawning population is maintained by
cool water releases from the dams.
Central Valley spring-run Chinook
salmon spawning occurs primarily in
other Sacramento River tributaries. The
need for the proposed action arises from
projections of increased incidences of
temperature related impacts to listed
anadromous fish, and their resulting
vulnerability below Shasta Dam. The
purpose of the proposed action is to
evaluate the feasibility of establishing
self-sustaining populations of listed
anadromous fish above Shasta Lake. The
Pilot Program seeks to do this by
evaluating various aspects of
reintroduction including the biological
and technological challenges.
IV. Project Area
The project area includes Shasta Lake,
the Sacramento River from Shasta Lake
upstream to Box Canyon Dam, and the
McCloud River from Shasta Lake
upstream to McCloud Dam. The project
area is within Shasta and Siskiyou
Counties.
V. Alternatives To Be Considered
The Preliminary Draft Environmental
Assessment included analysis of
reasonable alternatives that could
potentially be considered to meet the
purpose and need of the proposed nearterm actions of this EIS under Action V
for the reintroduction of Federally-listed
Chinook salmon to historical habitats. A
habitat assessment was conducted of the
mainstem reaches of the Upper
Sacramento River and McCloud River as
part of the development of the Pilot
Implementation Plan. The assessment
found good habitat conditions in both
watersheds. The Pilot Program includes
multiple pilot studies intended to be
conducted on a short-term basis to
answer questions regarding feasibility of
a Long-term Fish Passage Program. The
Preliminary Draft Environmental
Assessment included analysis of two
alternatives; introduction of Federallylisted endangered winter-run Chinook
salmon and potentially spring-run
Chinook salmon to the Upper
Sacramento River and McCloud River in
different years and the introduction of
Federally-listed endangered winter-run
Chinook salmon and potentially springrun Chinook salmon to both the Upper
Sacramento River and the McCloud
River at the same time. Additional
alternatives may be identified during
the scoping process, and potential
environmental effects of these
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
27523
alternatives will be evaluated in this
EIS. The results of the proposed action
will facilitate a determination by the
Interagency Fish Passage Steering
Committee as to whether it is feasible or
practical to implement a full-scale and
long-term reintroduction of listed
anadromous fish in the watershed above
Shasta Lake.
VI. Statutory Authority
National Marine Fisheries Service’s
2009 Biological Opinion and Conference
Opinion on the Long-Term Operation of
the Central Valley Project and State
Water Project RPA Action V obligates
the U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau
of Reclamation, to evaluate the
feasibility for the reintroduction of
winter-run and spring-run Chinook
salmon and steelhead upstream of
Shasta, Folsom and New Melones dams.
NEPA [42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.] requires
that Federal agencies conduct an
environmental analysis of their
proposed actions to determine if the
actions may significantly affect the
human environment. As required by
NEPA, Reclamation will analyze in the
EIS the potential direct, indirect, and
cumulative environmental effects that
may result from implementation of the
proposed action and alternatives, which
may include, but are not limited to, the
following areas of potential impact:
Surface Water Resources, Hazardous
Materials, Fisheries and Aquatic
Species, Wildlife, Botanical Resources,
Visual, Scenic, or Aesthetic Resources,
Air Quality, Noise, Transportation,
Public Services, and Utilities,
Recreation, Cultural Resources,
Socioeconomics, Environmental Justice,
Indian Trust Assets and Indian Sacred
Sites, Global climate change/greenhouse
gas emissions.
VII. Request for Comments
The purposes of this notice are:
• To advise other agencies,
potentially affected local governments,
tribes, and the public of our intention to
gather information to support the
preparation of an EIS;
• To obtain suggestions and
information from other agencies,
interested parties, and the public on the
scope of alternatives and issues to be
addressed in the EIS; and.
• To identify important issues raised
by the public related to the development
and implementation of the proposed
action.
We invite written comments from
interested parties to ensure that the full
range of alternatives and issues related
to the development of the proposed
action are identified. Written comments
may be submitted by mail, electronic
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27524
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 114 / Thursday, June 15, 2017 / Notices
mail, facsimile transmission or in
person listed in the ADDRESSES section
of this notice. Comments and
participation in the scoping process are
encouraged.
VIII. Public Disclosure
Before including your address, phone
number, email 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.
IX. How To Request Reasonable
Accommodation
If special assistance is required at one
of the scoping meetings, please contact
Carolyn Bragg at the information
provided in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this
notice, or (TTY) 800–877–8339, at least
five working days before the meetings.
Information regarding this proposed
action is available in alternative formats
upon request.
Dated: June 9, 2017.
Pablo R. Arroyave,
Deputy Regional Director, Mid-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 2017–12398 Filed 6–14–17; 8:45 am]
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
COMMISSION
[Investigation Nos. 701–TA–578 and 731–
TA–1368 (Preliminary)]
pmangrum on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES
100- to 150-Seat Large Civil Aircraft
From Canada; Determinations
On the basis of the record 1 developed
in the subject investigations, the United
States International Trade Commission
(‘‘Commission’’) determines, pursuant
to the Tariff Act of 1930 (‘‘the Act’’),
that there is a reasonable indication that
an industry in the United States is
threatened with material injury by
reason of imports of 100- to 150-seat
large civil aircraft from Canada,
provided for in subheading 8802.40.00
of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of
the United States, that are alleged to be
sold in the United States at less than fair
value (‘‘LTFV’’) and to be subsidized by
the government of Canada.
1 The record is defined in sec. 207.2(f) of the
Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure (19
CFR 207.2(f)).
14:10 Jun 14, 2017
Jkt 241001
Pursuant to section 207.18 of the
Commission’s rules, the Commission
also gives notice of the commencement
of the final phase of its investigations.
The Commission will issue a final phase
notice of scheduling, which will be
published in the Federal Register as
provided in section 207.21 of the
Commission’s rules, upon notice from
the Department of Commerce
(‘‘Commerce’’) of affirmative
preliminary determinations in the
investigations under sections 703(b) or
733(b) of the Act, or, if the preliminary
determinations are negative, upon
notice of affirmative final
determinations in those investigations
under sections 705(a) or 735(a) of the
Act. Parties that filed entries of
appearance in the preliminary phase of
the investigations need not enter a
separate appearance for the final phase
of the investigations. Industrial users,
and, if the merchandise under
investigation is sold at the retail level,
representative consumer organizations
have the right to appear as parties in
Commission antidumping and
countervailing duty investigations. The
Secretary will prepare a public service
list containing the names and addresses
of all persons, or their representatives,
who are parties to the investigations.
Background
BILLING CODE 4332–90–P
VerDate Sep<11>2014
Commencement of Final Phase
Investigations
On April 27, 2017, The Boeing
Company, Chicago, Illinois filed a
petition with the Commission and
Commerce, alleging that an industry in
the United States is threatened with
material injury by reason of LTFV and
subsidized imports of 100- to 150-seat
large civil aircraft from Canada.
Accordingly, effective April 27, 2017,
the Commission, pursuant to sections
703(a) and 733(a) of the Act (19 U.S.C.
1671b(a) and 1673b(a)), instituted
countervailing duty investigation No.
701–TA–578 and antidumping duty
investigation No. 731–TA–1368
(Preliminary).
Notice of the institution of the
Commission’s investigations and of a
public conference to be held in
connection therewith was given by
posting copies of the notice in the Office
of the Secretary, U.S. International
Trade Commission, Washington, DC,
and by publishing the notice in the
Federal Register of May 3, 2017 (82 FR
20634). The conference was held in
Washington, DC, on May 18, 2017, and
all persons who requested the
opportunity were permitted to appear in
person or by counsel.
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The Commission made these
determinations pursuant to sections
703(a) and 733(a) of the Act (19 U.S.C.
1671b(a) and 1673b(a)). It completed
and filed its determinations in these
investigations on June 12, 2017. The
views of the Commission are contained
in USITC Publication 4702 (June 2017),
entitled 100- to 150-Seat Large Civil
Aircraft from Canada: Investigation Nos.
701–TA–578 and 731–TA–1368
(Preliminary).
By order of the Commission.
Issued: June 12, 2017.
Lisa R. Barton,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2017–12436 Filed 6–14–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020–02–P
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
COMMISSION
[Investigation No. 337–TA–1001]
Certain Digital Video Receivers and
Hardware and Software Components
Thereof Notice of Request for
Statements on the Public Interest
U.S. International Trade
Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
Notice is hereby given that
the presiding administrative law judge
(‘‘ALJ’’) has issued a recommended
determination on remedy and bonding
in the above-captioned investigation.
The Commission is soliciting
submissions from the public on any
public interest issues raised by the
recommended relief. The ALJ
recommended that a limited exclusion
order issue against certain digital video
receivers and hardware and software
components thereof imported by the
respondents. The respondents are
Comcast Corporation of Philadelphia,
PA; Comcast Cable Communications,
LLC of Philadelphia, PA; Comcast Cable
Communications Management, LLC of
Philadelphia, PA; Comcast Business
Communications, LLC of Philadelphia,
PA; Comcast Holdings Corporation of
Philadelphia, PA; Comcast Shared
Services, LLC of Chicago, IL;
Technicolor SA of Issy-les-Moulineaux,
France; Technicolor USA, Inc. of
Indianapolis, IN; Technicolor
Connected Home USA LLC of
Indianapolis, IN; Pace Ltd. of Saltaire,
England; Pace Americas, LLC of Boca
Raton, FL; Arris International plc of
Suwanee, GA; Arris Group Inc. of
Suwanee, GA; Arris Technology, Inc. of
Horsham, PA; Arris Enterprises Inc. of
Suwanee, GA; and Arris Solutions, Inc.
of Suwanee, GA. The ALJ also
SUMMARY:
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 114 (Thursday, June 15, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27522-27524]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-12398]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
[RR02800000, 17XR0680A3, RX178689471000000]
Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Shasta Dam Fish Passage
Evaluation, California
AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent and scoping meetings.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation intends to prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) for the Shasta Dam Fish Passage Evaluation. The
document will evaluate the program that will be used to implement the
near-term actions identified under Action V in the National Marine
Fisheries Service's 2009 Biological Opinion and Conference Opinion on
the Long-Term Operation of the Central Valley Project and State Water
Project Reasonable and Prudent Alternative. This EIS will evaluate the
near-term actions of reintroducing Federally-listed endangered winter-
run Chinook salmon and potentially spring-run Chinook salmon to
historical habitats.
DATES: Submit written comments on the scope of the EIS on or before
July 21, 2017.
Oral and written comments will also be accepted during two scoping
meetings held to solicit public input on alternatives, concerns, and
issues to be addressed in the EIS:
1. Tuesday, June 27, 2017, 2-4 p.m., Sacramento, CA.
2. Wednesday, June 28, 2017, 6-8 p.m., Lakehead, CA.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Carolyn Bragg, Natural Resources
Specialist, Bureau of Reclamation, Bay-Delta Office, 801 I Street,
Suite 140, Sacramento, CA 95814-2536; fax to (916) 414-2439; or email
at cbragg@usbr.gov.
The scoping meetings will be held at the following locations:
1. Sacramento--Federal Building, Cafeteria Room C-1001, 2800
Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825.
2. Lakehead--Lakehead Lions Club, 20814 Mammoth Drive, Lakehead, CA
96051.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carolyn Bragg, (916) 414-2433, fax
(916) 414-2439, or email cbragg@usbr.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Agencies Involved
The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) will invite the following
agencies to participate as cooperating agencies for the preparation of
the EIS in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA): National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, U.S. Forest Service, California Department of Fish and
Wildlife, California Department of Water Resources, California State
Water Resources Control Board, Shasta County, Siskiyou County, and
additional Federal and State agencies with jurisdiction in the project
area.
II. Why We Are Taking This Action
The National Marine Fisheries Service's 2009 Biological Opinion and
Conference Opinion on the Long-term Operation of the Central Valley
Project and State Water Project (NMFS BO) concluded that the continued
operation of the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project
were likely to jeopardize the continued existence of four anadromous
species listed under the federal Endangered Species Act: Sacramento
River winter-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), Central
Valley spring-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), California
Central Valley steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss), and the Southern
Distinct Population Segment of North American green sturgeon (Acipenser
medirostris). The NMFS BO sets forth a Reasonable and Prudent
[[Page 27523]]
Alternative (RPA) that if implemented, will allow the Central Valley
Project and State Water Project to operate in compliance with the
Endangered Species Act.
RPA Action V includes an evaluation of the potential reintroduction
of Federally-listed Chinook salmon and steelhead to historical
habitats. Shasta Dam Fish Passage Evaluation (SDFPE) is an effort to
determine the feasibility of reintroducing winter-run and spring-run
Chinook salmon and steelhead to tributaries above Shasta Dam. The SDFPE
is separated into near-term and long-term actions. As part of the
requirements of the RPA, Reclamation, in coordination with the
Interagency Fish Passage Steering Committee, is developing the Pilot
Program as an adaptive management process to evaluate the near-term
reintroduction of Chinook salmon into historical habitat above Shasta
Dam.
Reclamation is focusing the initial near-term goals of re-
introducing winter-run and potentially spring-run Chinook salmon
upstream of Shasta Dam as the location based on: a) the imperiled
status of winter-run Chinook salmon and the resulting urgency to move
these fish back into their historical habitats as a means of reducing
extinction risk; and b) the good habitat conditions. NMFS requires the
use of Federally-listed Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon,
either from the wild in the Sacramento River and/or the Livingston
Stone National Fish Hatchery conservation program in order to meet the
goals of RPA Action V.
Reclamation has prepared a Draft Pilot Implementation Plan and an
unpublished Preliminary Draft Environmental Assessment for the proposed
action, which can be found at https://www.usbr.gov/mp/BayDeltaOffice/shasta-dam-fish-pass.html. The initial analysis conducted indicated
uncertainties associated with the resources analyzed. Given these
uncertainties, Reclamation has decided to prepare an EIS. If the near-
term actions indicate that long-term fish passage of listed salmonids
is feasible and practical to implement, then in accordance with RPA
Action V, Reclamation will develop and implement a Long-Term Fish
Passage Program, which would require additional environmental
documentation.
III. Purpose and Need for Action
The range of Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon has been
reduced by Keswick and Shasta dams on the Sacramento River and by
hydroelectric dam development on Battle Creek. Currently, Sacramento
River winter-run Chinook salmon spawning is limited to the mainstem
Sacramento River downstream of Shasta and Keswick dams where the
naturally-spawning population is maintained by cool water releases from
the dams. Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon spawning occurs
primarily in other Sacramento River tributaries. The need for the
proposed action arises from projections of increased incidences of
temperature related impacts to listed anadromous fish, and their
resulting vulnerability below Shasta Dam. The purpose of the proposed
action is to evaluate the feasibility of establishing self-sustaining
populations of listed anadromous fish above Shasta Lake. The Pilot
Program seeks to do this by evaluating various aspects of
reintroduction including the biological and technological challenges.
IV. Project Area
The project area includes Shasta Lake, the Sacramento River from
Shasta Lake upstream to Box Canyon Dam, and the McCloud River from
Shasta Lake upstream to McCloud Dam. The project area is within Shasta
and Siskiyou Counties.
V. Alternatives To Be Considered
The Preliminary Draft Environmental Assessment included analysis of
reasonable alternatives that could potentially be considered to meet
the purpose and need of the proposed near-term actions of this EIS
under Action V for the reintroduction of Federally-listed Chinook
salmon to historical habitats. A habitat assessment was conducted of
the mainstem reaches of the Upper Sacramento River and McCloud River as
part of the development of the Pilot Implementation Plan. The
assessment found good habitat conditions in both watersheds. The Pilot
Program includes multiple pilot studies intended to be conducted on a
short-term basis to answer questions regarding feasibility of a Long-
term Fish Passage Program. The Preliminary Draft Environmental
Assessment included analysis of two alternatives; introduction of
Federally-listed endangered winter-run Chinook salmon and potentially
spring-run Chinook salmon to the Upper Sacramento River and McCloud
River in different years and the introduction of Federally-listed
endangered winter-run Chinook salmon and potentially spring-run Chinook
salmon to both the Upper Sacramento River and the McCloud River at the
same time. Additional alternatives may be identified during the scoping
process, and potential environmental effects of these alternatives will
be evaluated in this EIS. The results of the proposed action will
facilitate a determination by the Interagency Fish Passage Steering
Committee as to whether it is feasible or practical to implement a
full-scale and long-term reintroduction of listed anadromous fish in
the watershed above Shasta Lake.
VI. Statutory Authority
National Marine Fisheries Service's 2009 Biological Opinion and
Conference Opinion on the Long-Term Operation of the Central Valley
Project and State Water Project RPA Action V obligates the U.S.
Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, to evaluate the
feasibility for the reintroduction of winter-run and spring-run Chinook
salmon and steelhead upstream of Shasta, Folsom and New Melones dams.
NEPA [42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.] requires that Federal agencies conduct an
environmental analysis of their proposed actions to determine if the
actions may significantly affect the human environment. As required by
NEPA, Reclamation will analyze in the EIS the potential direct,
indirect, and cumulative environmental effects that may result from
implementation of the proposed action and alternatives, which may
include, but are not limited to, the following areas of potential
impact: Surface Water Resources, Hazardous Materials, Fisheries and
Aquatic Species, Wildlife, Botanical Resources, Visual, Scenic, or
Aesthetic Resources, Air Quality, Noise, Transportation, Public
Services, and Utilities, Recreation, Cultural Resources,
Socioeconomics, Environmental Justice, Indian Trust Assets and Indian
Sacred Sites, Global climate change/greenhouse gas emissions.
VII. Request for Comments
The purposes of this notice are:
To advise other agencies, potentially affected local
governments, tribes, and the public of our intention to gather
information to support the preparation of an EIS;
To obtain suggestions and information from other agencies,
interested parties, and the public on the scope of alternatives and
issues to be addressed in the EIS; and.
To identify important issues raised by the public related
to the development and implementation of the proposed action.
We invite written comments from interested parties to ensure that
the full range of alternatives and issues related to the development of
the proposed action are identified. Written comments may be submitted
by mail, electronic
[[Page 27524]]
mail, facsimile transmission or in person listed in the ADDRESSES
section of this notice. Comments and participation in the scoping
process are encouraged.
VIII. Public Disclosure
Before including your address, phone number, email 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.
IX. How To Request Reasonable Accommodation
If special assistance is required at one of the scoping meetings,
please contact Carolyn Bragg at the information provided in the FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice, or (TTY) 800-877-
8339, at least five working days before the meetings. Information
regarding this proposed action is available in alternative formats upon
request.
Dated: June 9, 2017.
Pablo R. Arroyave,
Deputy Regional Director, Mid-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 2017-12398 Filed 6-14-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4332-90-P
