Army Department September 12, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Section 2031 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (Pub. L. 110-114) directs the Secretary of the Army to revise the Economic and Environmental Principles and Guidelines for Water and Related Land Resources Implementation Studies (P&G), which the Water Resources Council issued on March 10, 1983. The Army Corps of Engineers (``Corps'') proposes to craft the revision in phases. The first phase would address the basic principles of water resources planning (``Principles'') and the next phase or phases would provide more detailed implementing guidance. This notice includes a copy of the proposed Principles (see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION), which would replace the first two pages of the P&G. The proposed Principles may also be found at: https:// www.usace.army.mil/cw/hot_topics/ht_2008/pandg_rev.htm.

The South Folsom Property Owners Group proposes to implement a large-scale, mixed-use, mixed-density master planned community with residential, commercial, office, public/quasi-public uses, open space, and parks. The proposed project consists of approximately 1,464 acres of residential development, 523 acres of mixed-use and commercial development, 109 acres of parks, and 1,053 acres of open space. The majority of the 1,053 acres of open space would be located in the western portion of the project site. This area includes Alder Creek, numerous cultural resources sites, and the highest concentration of oak woodland habitat within the project site. The proposed Folsom South of 50 Specific Plan includes development of up to 10,045 mixed-density residential homes and approximately 7.4 million square feet of retail and office uses within an area south of Highway 50 that would be annexed to the City of Folsom. The proposed project would provide five elementary schools, one joint middle school/ high school, and a campus for the Sacramento County Day School. It is anticipated that construction would begin in 2010. The initiation and duration of construction would depend on market conditions and receipt of environmental permits and clearances; full build-out would likely be completed within 20 years from construction commencement. The project site is approximately 3,502 acres and contains 82.89 acres of waters of the United States. The proposed project would directly affect approximately 21.28 acres of waters of the United States, including vernal pools and other wetlands. These acreages do not include indirect impacts from the proposed action or impacts anticipated to result from off-site infrastructure that may be determined to be required as part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process. The EIS will be prepared as a joint document with the City of Folsom. The City is the local agency responsible for preparing an Environmental Impact Report in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of NEPA, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and the U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers (Corps) propose to jointly prepare an EIS that analyzes and discloses effects associated with modifications to Intake Diversion Dam. The proposed Federal action is to modify Intake Diversion Dam and canal headworks, features of Reclamation's Lower Yellowstone Project, to improve passage and reduce entrainment for endangered pallid sturgeon and other native fish in the lower Yellowstone River. Reclamation and the Corps will serve as joint lead Federal agencies in the preparation of the Intake Diversion Dam Modification EIS. Reclamation will act as administrative lead for NEPA compliance activities during preparation of the EIS. Reclamation and the Corps will each consider and approve a Record of Decision regarding actions and decisions for which the respective agencies are responsible.