Notice of Availability of the Whitewater River Groundwater Replenishment Facility Project Final Environmental Impact Statement, Riverside County, CA, 49883 [2022-17312]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Bureau of Land Management

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 155 (Friday, August 12, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Page 49883]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-17312]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCAD06000.51010000.ER0000.LVRWB20B6340.20X5017AP.CACA56753; 
MO#450059376]


Notice of Availability of the Whitewater River Groundwater 
Replenishment Facility Project Final Environmental Impact Statement, 
Riverside County, CA

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management 
Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has 
prepared a final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the 
Whitewater River Groundwater Replenishment Facility Project (Project), 
and by this notice is announcing the availability of the final EIS for 
a 30-day review period.

DATES: The BLM will issue a final decision on the proposal a minimum of 
30 days after the date that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 
publishes its notice of availability (NOA) in the Federal Register. The 
EPA usually publishes its NOAs on Fridays.

ADDRESSES: You may review the final EIS at https://go.usa.gov/x6KsM. 
Copies of the Whitewater River Groundwater Replenishment Facility final 
EIS are available at the Palm Springs South Coast Field Office at 1201 
Bird Center Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brandon G. Anderson, BLM Project 
Manager, telephone: (760) 422-9120; email: [email protected]; address 
Bureau of Land Management, 1201 Bird Center Drive, Palm Springs, CA 
92262.
    Persons who use telecommunication devices for the deaf may call the 
Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the BLM during 
normal business hours. The FRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a 
week, to leave a message or question. You will receive a reply during 
normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) 
seeks a right-of-way (ROW) grant from the BLM for its existing 
groundwater replenishment facility in North Palm Springs that is 
partially located on public lands managed by the BLM. The existing 
facility consists of water control berms, intake structures, conveyance 
structures, and 19 infiltration ponds over approximately 690 acres of 
BLM-managed public lands. The facility also includes 1,480 acres of 
lands held by CVWD. No new construction and no change in operations are 
proposed. The change in volume represents CVWD's request that the BLM 
analyze environmental impacts for the full annual capacity of the 
facility, instead of the anticipated water allotments, as was done for 
the previous grant. The change in acreage represents CVWD's request to 
authorize the use of public lands for water control berms upstream of 
its intake structure.
    The Proposed Action (Alternative 1) is the BLM Preferred 
Alternative and would authorize the facility in its existing 
configuration, which has the ability to infiltrate up to 511,000 acre-
feet per year, representing the maximum physical capacity of the 
facility. In addition to the Proposed Action, the final EIS considers a 
no action alternative and three action alternatives. Alternative 2 
(Partial Implementation) would authorize only the area of public lands 
on which the water control structures upstream of the intake are 
located. Alternative 3 (Reduced Volume) would authorize the same 
facility as described under Alternative 1 but would limit annual 
infiltration volume to 220,000 acre-feet per year. Alternative 4 (Land 
Disposal) would authorize the sale or exchange of the public lands 
within the project footprint and would authorize the facility operation 
on public lands for a period of 10 years, sufficient to implement the 
disposal. Alternative 5 (No Action) would not authorize those portions 
of the facility that are located on public lands. Those portions would 
be removed, and the public lands rehabilitated.
    The BLM is the lead agency under NEPA and will make Federal 
decisions regarding the ROW for the Project. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service is a Cooperating Agency and will issue a Biological Opinion for 
the project. The U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs, Agua Caliente Band of 
Cahuilla Indians, Desert Water Agency, and Metropolitan Water District 
of Southern California are Cooperating Agencies in this environmental 
review, but do not have direct permitting roles in the project.
    On June 11, 2021, the BLM published a draft EIS for a 45-day review 
period. The BLM received nine comments during the public comment 
process. Issues raised included: concerns for ground water quality and 
quantity, impacts to listed species, and feasibility of mitigation 
measures. These issues are addressed in the response to comments and 
final EIS analysis.
    The BLM utilized and coordinated the NEPA process to help fulfill 
the public involvement process under the National Historic Preservation 
Act (54 U.S.C. 306108), as provided in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3).

(Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6; 40 CFR 1506.10)

Erica E. St. Michel,
BLM California Deputy State Director, Communications.

[FR Doc. 2022-17312 Filed 8-11-22; 8:45 am]
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