Notice of Early Scoping for the San Francisco Waterfront Flood Resiliency Study National Environmental Policy Act Compliance, 51419-51420 [2020-18226]
Download as PDF
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 162 / Thursday, August 20, 2020 / Notices
DFC is
submitting its Application for DPA–DFC
Loan Program (DFC–014) to OMB for
review and approval. This collection
was previously granted an emergency
clearance by OMB on June 5, 2020. The
emergency clearance expires on
December 31, 2020 and DFC is now
seeking a regular clearance.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Summary Form Under Review
Title of Collection: Application for
DPA–DFC Loan Program.
Type of Review: Extension without
change of a currently approved
information collection.
Agency Form Number: DFC–014.
OMB Form Number: 3015–0013.
Frequency: Once per investor per
project.
Affected Public: Business or other forprofit; not-for-profit institutions;
individuals.
Total Estimated Number of Annual
Number of Respondents: 100.
Estimated Time Per Respondent: 1
hour.
Total Estimated Number of Annual
Burden Hours: 100 hours.
Abstract: DFC–014 Application for
DFC–DPA Loan Program is the principal
document to be used by the U.S.
International Development Finance
Corporation (‘‘DFC’’) to determine if the
proposed transaction is eligible for
DFC–DPA financing and whether it
meets required underwriting criteria.
Dated: August 17, 2020.
Nichole Skoyles,
Administrative Counsel, Office of the General
Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2020–18297 Filed 8–19–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3210–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Army Corps
of Engineers
Notice of Early Scoping for the San
Francisco Waterfront Flood Resiliency
Study National Environmental Policy
Act Compliance
Department of the Army, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers; Defense
(DOD).
ACTION: Notice of Early Scoping.
AGENCY:
The San Francisco District,
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE),
intends to prepare a feasibility study
integrated with an environmental
assessment (EA) or environmental
impact statement (EIS) to evaluate
coastal storm and flood risk
management alternatives along 7.5 miles
of the San Francisco Waterfront, from
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:01 Aug 19, 2020
Jkt 250001
Aquatic Park to Herons Head Park, in
the City of San Francisco, San Francisco
County, California. The Port of San
Francisco is the non-federal partner for
the study. USACE will conduct early
scoping to solicit public participation
and input to inform the environmental
analyses and to assist with determining
the appropriate level of NEPA
documentation required for the study.
DATES: USACE requests that written
comments regarding the scope of the
environmental analysis and alternatives
that should be considered as part of the
study and NEPA analysis should be
received by October 21, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Written scoping comments
or requests to be added to the mailing
list can be sent by email: SFWFRS@
usace.army.mil, or by mail: Ms. Anne
Baker, 450 Golden Gate Avenue, 4th
Floor, San Francisco, California 94102.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
Anne Baker via email or mail at (see
ADDRESSES). Study information will also
be posted periodically on the internet at:
https://www.spn.usace.army.mil/
Missions/Projects-and-Programs/
Projects-A-Z/San-Francisco-WaterfrontStorm-Damage-Reduction/
For inquiries from the media, please
contact the USACE San Francisco
District Public Affairs Officer, Mr.
Brandon Beach by email:
Brandon.A.Beach@usace.army.mil or by
telephone: (415) 503–6958.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The San
Francisco District, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE), intends to prepare
a feasibility study integrated with an
environmental assessment (EA) or
environmental impact statement (EIS) to
evaluate coastal storm and flood risk
management alternatives along 7.5 miles
of the San Francisco Waterfront, from
Aquatic Park to Herons Head Park, in
the City of San Francisco, San Francisco
County, California. The Port of San
Francisco is the non-federal partner for
the study. USACE will conduct early
scoping to solicit public participation
and input to inform the environmental
analyses and to assist with determining
the appropriate level of NEPA
documentation required for the study.
USACE has not yet determined that
an EIS will be necessary for the study,
but will conduct the appropriate
scoping and public outreach required
for the preparation of an EIS, since it is
the more stringent process. If at any
time during the NEPA analysis USACE
determines that there may be the
potential for significant, unmitigable
effects, then an EIS will be prepared. A
formal Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare
an EIS would be filed in the Federal
Register to initiate the EIS process.
PO 00000
Frm 00017
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
51419
Should an EIS be necessary, written
comments submitted during this early
scoping period will be considered in
development of the EIS. Written public
comments in response to a Notice of
Intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS would
also be accepted and considered.
USACE will substitute the public
meetings associated with this Notice of
Early Scoping for the scoping meetings
that would normally occur after the
publication of a NOI to prepare an EIS.
Additional scoping meetings would
therefore not be held, if an NOI to
prepare an EIS is released. Written
comments, including those on the scope
of alternatives and impacts, will still be
considered through any formal scoping
period initiated by an NOI to prepare an
EIS. The district would also seek to
ensure that key resources agencies have
had an informed opportunity to weigh
in on subject proposals.
Please note that the San Francisco
Planning Department (Planning
Department) is the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) lead
agency for the study. The Planning
Department is conducting CEQA review
under a separate process, which is not
part of this early scoping effort under
NEPA.
1. Study Authorization. The San
Francisco Waterfront Flood Resiliency
Study was originally authorized under
Section 110 of the Rivers and Harbors
Act of 1950, Public Law 515, 64 Stat.
163. The project was subsequently
authorized under Section 142 of the
Water Resources Development Act
(WRDA) of 1976, Public Law 94–587, 90
Stat. 2917, 2930, as amended by Section
705 of WRDA of 1986, Public Law 99–
662, 100 Stat. 4082, 4158. Authority for
the NEPA early scoping process is
provided by the Council on
Environmental Quality (CEQ)
Regulations (Forty Most Asked
Questions Concerning CEQ’s National
Environmental Policy Act Regulation,
46 FR 18026, 18030 (March 23, 1981) as
amended 1986, see Question 13).
2. Study Location. The proposed
study area being considered is
approximately 7.5 miles, from Aquatic
Park to Herons Head Park, in the City
of San Francisco, San Francisco County,
California. This area of the waterfront is
highly urbanized, supporting
commercial, residential, recreation,
tourism, and open space land uses. The
area contains a complex mix of piers,
structures, and seawall—many of which
are considered historic. A study area
map can be found online at: https://
www.spn.usace.army.mil/Missions/
Projects-and-Programs/Projects-A-Z/
San-Francisco-Waterfront-StormDamage-Reduction/.
E:\FR\FM\20AUN1.SGM
20AUN1
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
51420
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 162 / Thursday, August 20, 2020 / Notices
3. NEPA Purpose and Need. The
purpose of the study is to determine
strategies to manage the risk of impacts
from future flooding in the project area,
including public health and safety.
Coastal storm risk management
measures would seek to reduce effects
to important building, utility, and
transportation infrastructure and
resources, as well as social and
economic resources, including
recreation facilities. During certain
conditions such as storms, king tides, or
El Nin˜o events, water from the San
Francisco Bay periodically overtops
sections of the seawall along the San
Francisco Embarcadero waterfront,
resulting in flooding of low-lying areas.
Sea level rise is expected to increase
risk of flooding in the future. Flooding
could result in limited or no access to
the Embarcadero, Ferry Building and
terminals, and portions of downtown
San Francisco. Potential flooding of
these areas could adversely impact
building infrastructure, including
historic buildings; transportation and
transportation infrastructure, including
the BART, Muni, and the Embarcadero
roadway; recreation and tourism;
government resources; local businesses
and economy; and public health and
safety. Therefore, with the existing and
increasing risk as sea levels continue to
rise there is a need to manage the risk
of flooding in the study area.
4. Alternatives. Alternative
formulation is in the early stages.
USACE and the Port of San Francisco
are developing preliminary alternatives
that combine a broad suite of flood risk
management structural, non-structural,
and natural and nature-based measures
in addition to a No Action Alternative.
Structural measures include options
such as construction of new levees and
floodwalls, or improvements to the
existing seawall to address coastal
flooding along the waterfront.
Nonstructural measures include options
such as raising critical infrastructure,
floodproofing structures, recommending
land use or zoning restrictions, or
enhancing flood warning systems.
Natural and nature-based features
include measures like horizontal levees,
ecological seawalls or ‘‘ecotones’’ that
reduce flood risk while improving the
environment. USACE and the Port of
San Francisco will coordinate with
interested stakeholders to further
describe and refine the alternatives and/
or develop additional alternatives
throughout the study process. As
alternative formulation progresses, more
information will be available on the
project website: https://
www.spn.usace.army.mil/Missions/
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:01 Aug 19, 2020
Jkt 250001
Projects-and-Programs/Projects-A-Z/
San-Francisco-Waterfront-StormDamage-Reduction/.
5. Scoping Process.
a. Two virtual public scoping
meetings will be held to present an
overview of the San Francisco
Waterfront Flood Resiliency Study, the
USACE alternative formulation process,
and the NEPA process. Additionally,
these meetings will afford all interested
parties an opportunity to comment on
the scope of analysis and potential
alternatives. The first virtual scoping
meeting will be held on September 16,
2020, from 6:00–7:30 p.m. The second
virtual scoping meeting will be held on
September 17, 2020, from 2:00–3:30
p.m. Information on accessing the
virtual public meetings can be found at:
https://www.spn.usace.army.mil/
Missions/Projects-and-Programs/
Projects-A-Z/San-Francisco-WaterfrontStorm-Damage-Reduction/.
b. USACE will be soliciting public
comments throughout the 60-day
scoping period (See Dates and
Addresses above).
6. Availability. A minimum 30-day
public review period will be provided
for individuals, interested parties, and
agencies to review and comment on the
Draft NEPA document. All interested
parties are encouraged to respond to this
notice and provide a current address if
they wish to be notified of the Draft
NEPA Document’s public circulation.
The Draft NEPA Document is scheduled
to be available for public review and
comment in spring 2022.
USACE
believes it is important to inform the
public of the environmental review
process. To assist the USACE in
identifying and considering issues
related to the study, comments made
during formal scoping and later on the
draft NEPA document should be as
specific as possible. Reviewers should
structure their participation in the
environmental review of the proposal so
that it alerts USACE to the reviewers’
position and concerns. It is very
important that those interested in this
study participate by the close of the
scoping period so that substantive
comments and objections are made
available to the USACE at a time when
we can meaningfully consider them for
alternative development and
incorporate them into the study, as
appropriate.
PUBLIC DISCLOSURE STATEMENT:
Paul E. Owen,
Brigadier General, U.S. Army, Commanding.
[FR Doc. 2020–18226 Filed 8–19–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720–58–P
PO 00000
Frm 00018
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of
Engineers
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for
construction of the Proposed Delta
Conveyance Project, Sacramento, San
Joaquin, Contra Costa, and Alameda
Counties, CA
Department of the Army, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
AGENCY:
The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers Sacramento District (USACE),
as the lead agency under the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), will
prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for construction of the
Delta Conveyance Project. The
California Department of Water
Resources (DWR) is the project
proponent and will be referred to
hereafter as the Applicant. The EIS will
analyze the Applicant’s proposed action
to construct new conveyance facilities
in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
(Delta) which includes intake facilities
on the Sacramento River, tunnel reaches
and tunnel shafts, a southern forebay
and pumping plant, and south Delta
Conveyance facilities that would
connect to the existing State Water
Project (SWP) infrastructure.
ADDRESSES: U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Sacramento Regulatory
Division, Attn: Mr. Zachary Simmons,
1325 J Street, Room 1350, Sacramento,
CA 95814–2922.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions about the proposed action
and EIS can be answered by Mr.
Zachary Simmons, at (916) 557–6746,
by email at Zachary.M.Simmons@
usace.army.mil; or mail at U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, Sacramento
Regulatory Division, Attn: Mr. Zachary
Simmons, 1325 J Street, Room 1350,
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 or media inquiries, contact
Mr. Paul Bruton at (916) 557–5166, or
by email at spk-pao@usace.army.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
proposed action requires permission
from USACE is required under Section
14 of the Rivers and Harbors Act (RHA).
In addition, the proposed work in
navigable waters and discharge of
dredge or fill material into waters of the
U.S. requires authorization from USACE
under Section 10 of the RHA of 1899
and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\20AUN1.SGM
20AUN1
Agencies
- DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
- Department of the Army, Army Corps of Engineers
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 162 (Thursday, August 20, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51419-51420]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-18226]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Army Corps of Engineers
Notice of Early Scoping for the San Francisco Waterfront Flood
Resiliency Study National Environmental Policy Act Compliance
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Defense
(DOD).
ACTION: Notice of Early Scoping.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The San Francisco District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE), intends to prepare a feasibility study integrated with an
environmental assessment (EA) or environmental impact statement (EIS)
to evaluate coastal storm and flood risk management alternatives along
7.5 miles of the San Francisco Waterfront, from Aquatic Park to Herons
Head Park, in the City of San Francisco, San Francisco County,
California. The Port of San Francisco is the non-federal partner for
the study. USACE will conduct early scoping to solicit public
participation and input to inform the environmental analyses and to
assist with determining the appropriate level of NEPA documentation
required for the study.
DATES: USACE requests that written comments regarding the scope of the
environmental analysis and alternatives that should be considered as
part of the study and NEPA analysis should be received by October 21,
2020.
ADDRESSES: Written scoping comments or requests to be added to the
mailing list can be sent by email: [email protected], or by mail:
Ms. Anne Baker, 450 Golden Gate Avenue, 4th Floor, San Francisco,
California 94102.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Anne Baker via email or mail at
(see ADDRESSES). Study information will also be posted periodically on
the internet at: https://www.spn.usace.army.mil/Missions/Projects-and-Programs/Projects-A-Z/San-Francisco-Waterfront-Storm-Damage-Reduction/
For inquiries from the media, please contact the USACE San
Francisco District Public Affairs Officer, Mr. Brandon Beach by email:
[email protected]my.mil or by telephone: (415) 503-6958.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The San Francisco District, U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers (USACE), intends to prepare a feasibility study integrated
with an environmental assessment (EA) or environmental impact statement
(EIS) to evaluate coastal storm and flood risk management alternatives
along 7.5 miles of the San Francisco Waterfront, from Aquatic Park to
Herons Head Park, in the City of San Francisco, San Francisco County,
California. The Port of San Francisco is the non-federal partner for
the study. USACE will conduct early scoping to solicit public
participation and input to inform the environmental analyses and to
assist with determining the appropriate level of NEPA documentation
required for the study.
USACE has not yet determined that an EIS will be necessary for the
study, but will conduct the appropriate scoping and public outreach
required for the preparation of an EIS, since it is the more stringent
process. If at any time during the NEPA analysis USACE determines that
there may be the potential for significant, unmitigable effects, then
an EIS will be prepared. A formal Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an
EIS would be filed in the Federal Register to initiate the EIS process.
Should an EIS be necessary, written comments submitted during this
early scoping period will be considered in development of the EIS.
Written public comments in response to a Notice of Intent (NOI) to
prepare an EIS would also be accepted and considered. USACE will
substitute the public meetings associated with this Notice of Early
Scoping for the scoping meetings that would normally occur after the
publication of a NOI to prepare an EIS. Additional scoping meetings
would therefore not be held, if an NOI to prepare an EIS is released.
Written comments, including those on the scope of alternatives and
impacts, will still be considered through any formal scoping period
initiated by an NOI to prepare an EIS. The district would also seek to
ensure that key resources agencies have had an informed opportunity to
weigh in on subject proposals.
Please note that the San Francisco Planning Department (Planning
Department) is the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) lead
agency for the study. The Planning Department is conducting CEQA review
under a separate process, which is not part of this early scoping
effort under NEPA.
1. Study Authorization. The San Francisco Waterfront Flood
Resiliency Study was originally authorized under Section 110 of the
Rivers and Harbors Act of 1950, Public Law 515, 64 Stat. 163. The
project was subsequently authorized under Section 142 of the Water
Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 1976, Public Law 94-587, 90 Stat.
2917, 2930, as amended by Section 705 of WRDA of 1986, Public Law 99-
662, 100 Stat. 4082, 4158. Authority for the NEPA early scoping process
is provided by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations
(Forty Most Asked Questions Concerning CEQ's National Environmental
Policy Act Regulation, 46 FR 18026, 18030 (March 23, 1981) as amended
1986, see Question 13).
2. Study Location. The proposed study area being considered is
approximately 7.5 miles, from Aquatic Park to Herons Head Park, in the
City of San Francisco, San Francisco County, California. This area of
the waterfront is highly urbanized, supporting commercial, residential,
recreation, tourism, and open space land uses. The area contains a
complex mix of piers, structures, and seawall--many of which are
considered historic. A study area map can be found online at: https://www.spn.usace.army.mil/Missions/Projects-and-Programs/Projects-A-Z/San-Francisco-Waterfront-Storm-Damage-Reduction/.
[[Page 51420]]
3. NEPA Purpose and Need. The purpose of the study is to determine
strategies to manage the risk of impacts from future flooding in the
project area, including public health and safety. Coastal storm risk
management measures would seek to reduce effects to important building,
utility, and transportation infrastructure and resources, as well as
social and economic resources, including recreation facilities. During
certain conditions such as storms, king tides, or El Ni[ntilde]o
events, water from the San Francisco Bay periodically overtops sections
of the seawall along the San Francisco Embarcadero waterfront,
resulting in flooding of low-lying areas. Sea level rise is expected to
increase risk of flooding in the future. Flooding could result in
limited or no access to the Embarcadero, Ferry Building and terminals,
and portions of downtown San Francisco. Potential flooding of these
areas could adversely impact building infrastructure, including
historic buildings; transportation and transportation infrastructure,
including the BART, Muni, and the Embarcadero roadway; recreation and
tourism; government resources; local businesses and economy; and public
health and safety. Therefore, with the existing and increasing risk as
sea levels continue to rise there is a need to manage the risk of
flooding in the study area.
4. Alternatives. Alternative formulation is in the early stages.
USACE and the Port of San Francisco are developing preliminary
alternatives that combine a broad suite of flood risk management
structural, non-structural, and natural and nature-based measures in
addition to a No Action Alternative. Structural measures include
options such as construction of new levees and floodwalls, or
improvements to the existing seawall to address coastal flooding along
the waterfront. Nonstructural measures include options such as raising
critical infrastructure, floodproofing structures, recommending land
use or zoning restrictions, or enhancing flood warning systems. Natural
and nature-based features include measures like horizontal levees,
ecological seawalls or ``ecotones'' that reduce flood risk while
improving the environment. USACE and the Port of San Francisco will
coordinate with interested stakeholders to further describe and refine
the alternatives and/or develop additional alternatives throughout the
study process. As alternative formulation progresses, more information
will be available on the project website: https://www.spn.usace.army.mil/Missions/Projects-and-Programs/Projects-A-Z/San-Francisco-Waterfront-Storm-Damage-Reduction/.
5. Scoping Process.
a. Two virtual public scoping meetings will be held to present an
overview of the San Francisco Waterfront Flood Resiliency Study, the
USACE alternative formulation process, and the NEPA process.
Additionally, these meetings will afford all interested parties an
opportunity to comment on the scope of analysis and potential
alternatives. The first virtual scoping meeting will be held on
September 16, 2020, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. The second virtual scoping
meeting will be held on September 17, 2020, from 2:00-3:30 p.m.
Information on accessing the virtual public meetings can be found at:
https://www.spn.usace.army.mil/Missions/Projects-and-Programs/Projects-A-Z/San-Francisco-Waterfront-Storm-Damage-Reduction/.
b. USACE will be soliciting public comments throughout the 60-day
scoping period (See Dates and Addresses above).
6. Availability. A minimum 30-day public review period will be
provided for individuals, interested parties, and agencies to review
and comment on the Draft NEPA document. All interested parties are
encouraged to respond to this notice and provide a current address if
they wish to be notified of the Draft NEPA Document's public
circulation. The Draft NEPA Document is scheduled to be available for
public review and comment in spring 2022.
PUBLIC DISCLOSURE STATEMENT: USACE believes it is important to inform
the public of the environmental review process. To assist the USACE in
identifying and considering issues related to the study, comments made
during formal scoping and later on the draft NEPA document should be as
specific as possible. Reviewers should structure their participation in
the environmental review of the proposal so that it alerts USACE to the
reviewers' position and concerns. It is very important that those
interested in this study participate by the close of the scoping period
so that substantive comments and objections are made available to the
USACE at a time when we can meaningfully consider them for alternative
development and incorporate them into the study, as appropriate.
Paul E. Owen,
Brigadier General, U.S. Army, Commanding.
[FR Doc. 2020-18226 Filed 8-19-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P