Delta Research Station Project: Estuarine Research Station and Fish Technology Center, Final Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement; Sacramento, California, 40087-40089 [2019-17225]
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 156 / Tuesday, August 13, 2019 / Notices
falconry database (database) replaced a
legacy system based on outdated
programming. It reduced the cost to the
government by eliminating the need for
Service personnel to enter data for each
new falconer, and simply required the
entry of data for State administrators. In
addition, this new database enhances
the user experience by allowing them to
enter data from any device that has
internet access, including PCs, tablets,
and smart phones. This usability testing
helped the Service to address problems
and recommendations prior to the
database going live. We are now ready
to request full OMB approval of the
database.
The database is a web-based
application designed to monitor
falconry activities throughout the
United States. The process involves
keeping track of falconry acquisitions
and dispositions among falconry permit
holders. This process requires falconer
and/or propagator permit holders to
report their activities by filling out
electronic falconry applications.
Falconers and State administrators
must register to use the database. States
that participate in the falconry
application must first contact the
Service’s Division of Migratory Birds
located in Virginia to create a profile in
the database. Each State is required to
have at least one person acting as State
representative or administrator.
Information collected from States to
create new falconer profiles includes the
user’s State, access role, and basic
contact information.
A falconer must first apply for a
falconry permit in his/her State. Once
the permit is approved by the State
permit issuing office, the State
administrator will create the new
falconer profile by entering the
falconer’s State, class, basic contact
information, and permit information to
include number, date issued, and
expiration date into the database.
Additionally, a falconer is required to
notify his/her State 30 days in advance
via email of any change in address or
the location of the facilities where birds
are held.
Title of Collection: Falconry
Application Database.
OMB Control Number: 1018–New.
Form Number: FWS Form 3–186A
(electronic).
Type of Review: New.
Respondents/Affected Public:
Individuals/households and State
governments.
Total Estimated Number of Annual
Respondents: 40 (30 individuals, 10
State governments).
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:51 Aug 12, 2019
Jkt 247001
Total Estimated Number of Annual
Responses: 40 (30 individuals, 10 State
governments).
Estimated Completion Time per
Response: 2.5 hours.
Total Estimated Number of Annual
Burden Hours: 100 (75 hours for
individuals, 25 hours for State
governments).
Respondent’s Obligation: Required to
Obtain or Retain a Benefit.
Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
Total Estimated Annual Nonhour
Burden Cost: None.
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor and a person is not required to
respond to a collection of information
unless it displays a currently valid OMB
control number.
The authority for this action is the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).
Dated: August 7, 2019.
Madonna L. Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2019–17240 Filed 8–12–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS–R8–FAC–2018–N070;
FXFR133508RMAIN–189–FF08F00000]
Delta Research Station Project:
Estuarine Research Station and Fish
Technology Center, Final
Environmental Impact Report/
Environmental Impact Statement;
Sacramento, California
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (USFWS), have
prepared a final environmental impact
report/environmental impact statement
(EIR/EIS) under the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of
1969 and its implementing regulations.
The final EIR/EIS evaluates impacts
regarding construction and operation of
the Delta Research Station (DRS) in the
San Francisco Bay/Sacramento–San
Joaquin Delta Estuary, California. The
planned DRS would consist of two
facilities, a proposed Estuarine Research
Station and a Fish Technology Center.
The USFWS is the lead Federal agency
responsible for coordinating the
environmental analysis for the proposed
action under NEPA. The California
Department of Water Resources is the
lead State agency responsible for
coordinating the environmental analysis
PO 00000
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40087
under the California Environmental
Quality Act.
DATES: We must receive any comments
on the final EIR/EIS by 5 p.m. on
September 12, 2019. We will sign a
record of decision no sooner than 30
days after the publication of the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
notice of the final EIS in the Federal
Register.
ADDRESSES: To view or download the
Final EIR/EIS, or for a list of locations
to view hard-bound copies, go to https://
www.deltaresearchstation.com. For how
to view comments on the EIS from the
Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), or for information on EPA’s role
in the EIS process, see EPA’s Role in the
EIS Process under SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Barbara Beggs, at 916–930–5603 (phone)
or barbara_beggs@fws.gov (email).
Persons who use a telecommunications
device for the deaf may call the Federal
Relay Service (FRS) at 1–800–877–8339.
The FRS is available 24 hours a day, 7
days a week, for you to leave a message
or question for the above individual.
You will receive a reply during regular
business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (USFWS), have prepared a Final
Environmental Impact Report/
Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/
EIS) under the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), and its
implementing regulations (40 CFR 1500
et seq.). The Final EIR/EIS evaluates
impacts regarding construction and
operation of the Delta Research Station
(DRS) in the San Francisco Bay/
Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta Estuary
(Bay-Delta), California. The planned
DRS would consist of two facilities, a
proposed Estuarine Research Station
(ERS) and a Fish Technology Center
(FTC). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (USFWS) is the lead Federal
agency responsible for coordinating the
environmental analysis for the proposed
action under NEPA. The California
Department of Water Resources (DWR)
is the lead State agency responsible for
coordinating the environmental analysis
under the California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA). The EIR/EIS is now
available for review. Volumes I and II
are the draft EIR/EIS, and Volume III
identifies the changes made to the draft
EIR/EIS and provides the responses to
comments. The Final EIR/EIS addressed
comments received on the Draft EIR/EIS
and contained two attachments related
E:\FR\FM\13AUN1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 156 / Tuesday, August 13, 2019 / Notices
to the public review of the Draft EIR/
EIS: Attachment A, which includes the
Draft EIR/EIS notices and mailing list;
and Attachment B, which includes
public meeting materials such as the
meeting sign-in sheet, comment form,
speaker card, and presentation.
Public Coordination
On December 10, 2014, the USFWS
issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) to
prepare an EIR/EIS on the DRS (79 FR
73332; https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/
FR-2014-12-10/pdf/2014-28891.pdf).
The NOI identified the purpose and
need of the project, provided an
overview of the DRS and proposed
facilities, and requested comments
throughout the scoping process. Two
scoping meetings were held, in Rio
Vista and Stockton, on December 15,
2014, and December 16, 2014,
respectively. On October 30, 2015, the
Draft EIR/EIS was released to the public
and a 45-day public comment period
was opened through notification in the
Federal Register (80 FR 66926; https://
www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-10-30/
pdf/FR-2015-10-30.pdf). This notice
described the proposed action and the
range of alternatives. Two public
meetings were held, in Rio Vista and
Stockton, on December 1, 2015, and
December 3, 2015, respectively.
jspears on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
Background
The proposed project consists of
construction and operation of two
facilities, a proposed Estuarine Research
Station (ERS) and a Fish Technology
Center (FTC). Collectively, these
facilities are intended to serve as an
aquatic research and monitoring facility
that is located in a centralized area of
the Bay-Delta. The project reflects the
outcome of a multiyear collaboration
between DWR, USFWS, California
Department of Fish and Wildlife, and
other agencies involved in the
Interagency Ecological Program (IEP).
The DRS would consolidate ongoing
Interagency Ecological Program (IEP)
research and monitoring activities
throughout the Bay-Delta and provide
facilities for study and production of
endangered Delta fishes. Currently, the
IEP has approximately 145 State and
Federal employees that conduct
research throughout the Bay-Delta. The
IEP collaboratively monitors, researches,
models, and synthesizes critical
information for adaptive management
water project operations and planning
and regulatory purposes relative to the
aquatic ecosystem in the Bay-Delta.
USFWS and DWR plan to construct the
DRS in a centrally located area within
the Bay-Delta, and the facilities are
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:51 Aug 12, 2019
Jkt 247001
expected to enhance interagency
coordination and collaboration.
The purpose of the DRS is to enhance
interagency coordination and
collaboration by developing a shared
facility. Currently, Federal and State
agency staff working on similar BayDelta issues are distributed among
different locations that are often remote
from the Bay-Delta. Construction and
operation of the DRS would reduce
travel times and costs and improve
research and monitoring activity
efficiency. The DRS would consolidate
existing IEP programs currently located
throughout the Delta, and the FTC
would house a new program to develop
and apply captive fish propagation
technologies in support of population
restoration.
The Draft EIR/EIS evaluated the
potential impacts of three action
alternatives, as well as the No Project
Alternative: The No Project Alternative
(DWR and USFWS would not construct
the ERS or FTC); Alternative 2 (the ERS
and FTC facilities would be
consolidated in the predominantly
undeveloped portions of the Rio Vista
Army Reserve Center site); Alternative 3
(the ERS facilities would involve
rehabilitation and reuse of existing
facilities); and Alternative 4 (the ERS
and FTC facilities would be located at
the 845 Ryde Avenue site in Stockton).
California Department of Water
Resources (DWR), the CEQA lead
agency, identified Alternative 2 as the
proposed project and USFWS has
selected Alternative 2 as the NEPA
preferred alternative.
Since publication of the Draft EIR/EIS,
Alternative 2 was modified such that
the new marina would be partially
excavated inland, as opposed to being
entirely located within the existing
Sacramento River channel (as it was
described in the Draft EIR/EIS). The
Final EIR/EIS described and analyzed
project modifications and refinements to
Alternative 2 (Rio Vista Army Reserve
Center—Configuration 1). This modified
alternative consists of developing the
ERS and FTC facilities on the southern
edge of Rio Vista. The ERS and FTC
facilities would be consolidated in the
predominantly undeveloped portions of
the site, and the marina would be
established in the Sacramento River at
the southeastern end of the site. The
facilities layout of the modified
Alternative 2 would be very similar to
that which is described in the Draft EIR/
EIS, with the exception that some
building footprints would be shifted
westerly to accommodate the partially
excavated marina. These modifications
were made in response to comments
from the Army Corps of Engineers and
PO 00000
Frm 00069
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
did not result in substantial changes in
the proposed action relevant to
environmental concerns. Therefore, a
supplement was not required under 40
CFR 1502.9(c)(1)(i).
The Final EIR/EIS contains responses
to all substantive comments received on
the Draft EIR/EIS, reflects comments
and any information received during the
review period, and includes revisions to
the environmental analysis to reflect
modifications to Alternative 2.
DWR’s certification of the EIR and
final decision-making under the CEQA
occurred May 18, 2017. USFWS will not
sign the Record of Decision until at least
30 days after EPA publishes a notice of
availability of the Final EIR/EIS.
EPA’s Role in the EIS Process
The EPA is charged under section 309
of the Clean Air Act to review all
Federal agencies’ EISs and to comment
on the adequacy and the acceptability of
the environmental impacts of proposed
actions in the EISs.
EPA also serves as the repository (EIS
database) for EISs prepared by Federal
agencies and provides notice of their
availability in the Federal Register. The
EIS database provides information about
EISs prepared by Federal agencies, as
well as EPA’s comments concerning the
EISs. All EISs are filed with EPA, which
publishes a notice of availability on
Fridays in the Federal Register.
For more information, see https://
www.epa.gov/compliance/nepa/
eisdata.html. You may search for EPA
comments on EISs, along with EISs
themselves, at https://
cdxnodengn.epa.gov/cdx-enepa-public/
action/eis/search.
Public Availability of Comments
All comments received, including
names and addresses, will become part
of the decision record for this action and
will be available to the public. 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—will
be publicly available. If you submit a
hardcopy comment that includes
personal identifying information, you
may request at the top of your document
that we withhold this information from
public review. However, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Authority
This notice is published in
accordance with the requirements of
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et
seq.), the Council for Environmental
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 156 / Tuesday, August 13, 2019 / Notices
Quality’s regulations for implementing
NEPA (40 CFR 1500 through 1508), and
the Department of the Interior’s NEPA
regulations (43 CFR part 46).
Jody Holzworth,
Deputy Regional Director, Pacific Southwest
Region, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2019–17225 Filed 8–12–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS–R1–ES–2019–N095;
FXES11130100000–190–FF01E00000]
Endangered Species; Receipt of
Recovery Permit Application
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of receipt of permit
application; request for comments.
AGENCY:
We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, have received an
application for a permit to conduct
activities intended to enhance the
propagation and survival of endangered
species under the Endangered Species
Act of 1973, as amended. We invite the
public and local, State, Tribal, and
Federal agencies to comment on this
application. Before issuing the
requested permit, we will take into
consideration any information that we
receive during the public comment
period.
DATES: We must receive your written
comments on or before September 12,
2019.
SUMMARY:
Application No.
TE–48278D–0
Applicant, city,
state
Archipelago Research and
Conservation,
Kalaheo, HI.
jspears on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
Background
With some exceptions, the ESA
prohibits activities that constitute take
of listed species unless a Federal permit
is issued that allows such activity. The
ESA’s definition of ‘‘take’’ includes such
activities as pursuing, harassing,
trapping, capturing, or collecting, in
addition to hunting, shooting, harming,
wounding, or killing.
A recovery permit issued by us under
section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA
authorizes the permittee to conduct
activities with endangered or threatened
species for scientific purposes that
promote recovery or for enhancement of
propagation or survival of the species.
These activities often include such
prohibited actions as capture and
collection. Our regulations
implementing section 10(a)(1)(A) for
these permits are found in the Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR) at 50 CFR
17.22 for endangered wildlife species,
50 CFR 17.32 for threatened wildlife
species, 50 CFR 17.62 for endangered
plant species, and 50 CFR 17.72 for
threatened plant species.
Permit Application Available for
Review and Comment
Proposed activities in the following
permit request are for the recovery and
enhancement of propagation or survival
of the species in the wild. The ESA
requires that we invite public comment
before issuing this permit. Accordingly,
we invite local, State, Tribal, and
Federal agencies and the public to
submit written data, views, or
arguments with respect to this
application. The comments and
recommendations that will be most
useful and likely to influence agency
decisions are those supported by
quantitative information or studies.
Location
Take activity
Band-rumped
storm-petrel
or
akeake (Oceanodroma castro)
and Hawaiian petrel or uau
(Pterodroma sandwichensis).
Hawaii ............
Harass by capture, handle, band,
release, survey, monitor nests,
install artificial burrows, and install social attraction array.
Written comments we receive become
part of the administrative record
associated with this action. 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 request in your comment
that we withhold your personal
identifying information from public
review, we cannot guarantee that we
will be able to do so. All submissions
17:51 Aug 12, 2019
Document availability and comment
submission: Submit requests for a copy
of the application and related
documents and submit any comments
by one of the following methods. All
requests and comments should specify
the applicant name and application
number:
• Email: permitsR1ES@fws.gov.
• U.S. Mail: Marilet Zablan, Program
Manager, Restoration and Endangered
Species Classification, Ecological
Services, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Pacific Regional Office, 911 NE 11th
Avenue, Portland, OR 97232–4181.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Colleen Henson, Regional Recovery
Permit Coordinator, Ecological Services,
(503) 231–6131 (phone); permitsR1ES@
fws.gov (email). Individuals who are
hearing or speech impaired may call the
Federal Relay Service at 1–800–877–
8339 for TTY assistance.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite
the public to comment on an
application for a permit under section
10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species
Act, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531
et seq.). The requested permit would
allow the applicant to conduct activities
intended to promote recovery of species
that are listed as endangered under the
ESA.
Species
Public Availability of Comments
VerDate Sep<11>2014
ADDRESSES:
Jkt 247001
from organizations or businesses, and
from individuals identifying themselves
as representatives or officials of
organizations or businesses, will be
made available for public disclosure in
their entirety.
Next Steps
Katherine Norman,
Acting Assistant Regional Director—
Ecological Services, Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 2019–17231 Filed 8–12–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
Authority
We publish this notice under section
10(c) of the Endangered Species Act of
Frm 00070
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Sfmt 9990
New.
1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et
seq.).
If we decide to issue a permit to the
applicant listed in this notice, we will
publish a notice in the Federal Register.
PO 00000
Permit action
E:\FR\FM\13AUN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 156 (Tuesday, August 13, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40087-40089]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-17225]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R8-FAC-2018-N070; FXFR133508RMAIN-189-FF08F00000]
Delta Research Station Project: Estuarine Research Station and
Fish Technology Center, Final Environmental Impact Report/Environmental
Impact Statement; Sacramento, California
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), have prepared
a final environmental impact report/environmental impact statement
(EIR/EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969
and its implementing regulations. The final EIR/EIS evaluates impacts
regarding construction and operation of the Delta Research Station
(DRS) in the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary,
California. The planned DRS would consist of two facilities, a proposed
Estuarine Research Station and a Fish Technology Center. The USFWS is
the lead Federal agency responsible for coordinating the environmental
analysis for the proposed action under NEPA. The California Department
of Water Resources is the lead State agency responsible for
coordinating the environmental analysis under the California
Environmental Quality Act.
DATES: We must receive any comments on the final EIR/EIS by 5 p.m. on
September 12, 2019. We will sign a record of decision no sooner than 30
days after the publication of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
notice of the final EIS in the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: To view or download the Final EIR/EIS, or for a list of
locations to view hard-bound copies, go to https://www.deltaresearchstation.com. For how to view comments on the EIS from
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or for information on EPA's
role in the EIS process, see EPA's Role in the EIS Process under
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara Beggs, at 916-930-5603 (phone)
or [email protected] (email). Persons who use a telecommunications
device for the deaf may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-
877-8339. The FRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for you
to leave a message or question for the above individual. You will
receive a reply during regular business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), have prepared a
Final Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/
EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as
amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), and its implementing regulations (40
CFR 1500 et seq.). The Final EIR/EIS evaluates impacts regarding
construction and operation of the Delta Research Station (DRS) in the
San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary (Bay-Delta),
California. The planned DRS would consist of two facilities, a proposed
Estuarine Research Station (ERS) and a Fish Technology Center (FTC).
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is the lead Federal agency
responsible for coordinating the environmental analysis for the
proposed action under NEPA. The California Department of Water
Resources (DWR) is the lead State agency responsible for coordinating
the environmental analysis under the California Environmental Quality
Act (CEQA). The EIR/EIS is now available for review. Volumes I and II
are the draft EIR/EIS, and Volume III identifies the changes made to
the draft EIR/EIS and provides the responses to comments. The Final
EIR/EIS addressed comments received on the Draft EIR/EIS and contained
two attachments related
[[Page 40088]]
to the public review of the Draft EIR/EIS: Attachment A, which includes
the Draft EIR/EIS notices and mailing list; and Attachment B, which
includes public meeting materials such as the meeting sign-in sheet,
comment form, speaker card, and presentation.
Public Coordination
On December 10, 2014, the USFWS issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) to
prepare an EIR/EIS on the DRS (79 FR 73332; https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2014-12-10/pdf/2014-28891.pdf). The NOI identified the purpose
and need of the project, provided an overview of the DRS and proposed
facilities, and requested comments throughout the scoping process. Two
scoping meetings were held, in Rio Vista and Stockton, on December 15,
2014, and December 16, 2014, respectively. On October 30, 2015, the
Draft EIR/EIS was released to the public and a 45-day public comment
period was opened through notification in the Federal Register (80 FR
66926; https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-10-30/pdf/FR-2015-10-30.pdf). This notice described the proposed action and the range of
alternatives. Two public meetings were held, in Rio Vista and Stockton,
on December 1, 2015, and December 3, 2015, respectively.
Background
The proposed project consists of construction and operation of two
facilities, a proposed Estuarine Research Station (ERS) and a Fish
Technology Center (FTC). Collectively, these facilities are intended to
serve as an aquatic research and monitoring facility that is located in
a centralized area of the Bay-Delta. The project reflects the outcome
of a multiyear collaboration between DWR, USFWS, California Department
of Fish and Wildlife, and other agencies involved in the Interagency
Ecological Program (IEP).
The DRS would consolidate ongoing Interagency Ecological Program
(IEP) research and monitoring activities throughout the Bay-Delta and
provide facilities for study and production of endangered Delta fishes.
Currently, the IEP has approximately 145 State and Federal employees
that conduct research throughout the Bay-Delta. The IEP collaboratively
monitors, researches, models, and synthesizes critical information for
adaptive management water project operations and planning and
regulatory purposes relative to the aquatic ecosystem in the Bay-Delta.
USFWS and DWR plan to construct the DRS in a centrally located area
within the Bay-Delta, and the facilities are expected to enhance
interagency coordination and collaboration.
The purpose of the DRS is to enhance interagency coordination and
collaboration by developing a shared facility. Currently, Federal and
State agency staff working on similar Bay-Delta issues are distributed
among different locations that are often remote from the Bay-Delta.
Construction and operation of the DRS would reduce travel times and
costs and improve research and monitoring activity efficiency. The DRS
would consolidate existing IEP programs currently located throughout
the Delta, and the FTC would house a new program to develop and apply
captive fish propagation technologies in support of population
restoration.
The Draft EIR/EIS evaluated the potential impacts of three action
alternatives, as well as the No Project Alternative: The No Project
Alternative (DWR and USFWS would not construct the ERS or FTC);
Alternative 2 (the ERS and FTC facilities would be consolidated in the
predominantly undeveloped portions of the Rio Vista Army Reserve Center
site); Alternative 3 (the ERS facilities would involve rehabilitation
and reuse of existing facilities); and Alternative 4 (the ERS and FTC
facilities would be located at the 845 Ryde Avenue site in Stockton).
California Department of Water Resources (DWR), the CEQA lead agency,
identified Alternative 2 as the proposed project and USFWS has selected
Alternative 2 as the NEPA preferred alternative.
Since publication of the Draft EIR/EIS, Alternative 2 was modified
such that the new marina would be partially excavated inland, as
opposed to being entirely located within the existing Sacramento River
channel (as it was described in the Draft EIR/EIS). The Final EIR/EIS
described and analyzed project modifications and refinements to
Alternative 2 (Rio Vista Army Reserve Center--Configuration 1). This
modified alternative consists of developing the ERS and FTC facilities
on the southern edge of Rio Vista. The ERS and FTC facilities would be
consolidated in the predominantly undeveloped portions of the site, and
the marina would be established in the Sacramento River at the
southeastern end of the site. The facilities layout of the modified
Alternative 2 would be very similar to that which is described in the
Draft EIR/EIS, with the exception that some building footprints would
be shifted westerly to accommodate the partially excavated marina.
These modifications were made in response to comments from the Army
Corps of Engineers and did not result in substantial changes in the
proposed action relevant to environmental concerns. Therefore, a
supplement was not required under 40 CFR 1502.9(c)(1)(i).
The Final EIR/EIS contains responses to all substantive comments
received on the Draft EIR/EIS, reflects comments and any information
received during the review period, and includes revisions to the
environmental analysis to reflect modifications to Alternative 2.
DWR's certification of the EIR and final decision-making under the
CEQA occurred May 18, 2017. USFWS will not sign the Record of Decision
until at least 30 days after EPA publishes a notice of availability of
the Final EIR/EIS.
EPA's Role in the EIS Process
The EPA is charged under section 309 of the Clean Air Act to review
all Federal agencies' EISs and to comment on the adequacy and the
acceptability of the environmental impacts of proposed actions in the
EISs.
EPA also serves as the repository (EIS database) for EISs prepared
by Federal agencies and provides notice of their availability in the
Federal Register. The EIS database provides information about EISs
prepared by Federal agencies, as well as EPA's comments concerning the
EISs. All EISs are filed with EPA, which publishes a notice of
availability on Fridays in the Federal Register.
For more information, see https://www.epa.gov/compliance/nepa/eisdata.html. You may search for EPA comments on EISs, along with EISs
themselves, at https://cdxnodengn.epa.gov/cdx-enepa-public/action/eis/search.
Public Availability of Comments
All comments received, including names and addresses, will become
part of the decision record for this action and will be available to
the public. 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--will be publicly available. If you submit a hardcopy
comment that includes personal identifying information, you may request
at the top of your document that we withhold this information from
public review. However, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do
so.
Authority
This notice is published in accordance with the requirements of
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321
et seq.), the Council for Environmental
[[Page 40089]]
Quality's regulations for implementing NEPA (40 CFR 1500 through 1508),
and the Department of the Interior's NEPA regulations (43 CFR part 46).
Jody Holzworth,
Deputy Regional Director, Pacific Southwest Region, Fish and Wildlife
Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-17225 Filed 8-12-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P
