Reclamation Bureau November 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), CEQ NEPA Regulations (40 CFR 1502.9[c][1]), and Public Resources Code, sections 21000-21177 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 15088.5 of the CEQA Guidelines, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), the lead Federal agency; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), a cooperating Federal agency; the Reclamation Board of the State of California, the lead State agency; and the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA), the local sponsor, have made available for public review and comment a Draft EIS/ EIR for the Folsom DS/FDR Action. The Folsom DS/FDR Draft EIS/EIR describes five action alternatives which include numerous features that address previously identified and ongoing dam safety, flood damage reduction, and security issues by modifying Folsom Dam and Appurtenant Structures (the Folsom Facility). The alternatives include features that would address Reclamation's dam safety objectives and the Corps' flood damage reduction objectives jointly, as well as features or increments that would exclusively address dam safety, security, or flood damage reduction objectives and would be constructed and authorized by the respective agencies. Engineering, economic, and environmental studies have been conducted to help determine reasonable design alternatives and their impacts. The no action alternative is also included in these analyses. As part of the NEPA process, two public hearing sessions will be held to provide interested individuals and organizations with an opportunity to comment verbally and in writing on the Folsom DS/FDR Draft EIS/EIR. The first hour of each public hearing session will allow time to review information stations and displays, ask questions, and provide written comments on comment forms; the formal hearing will be held for one hour and be extended to two hours if needed. Information gathered from the EIS/EIR review process will be used in conjunction with technical and economic principles to determine the preferred alternative.

The ``Criteria for Developing Refuge Water Management Plans'' (Refuge Criteria), as applied in the following areas, are now available for public comment. North Grassland State Wildlife Area, China Island North Grassland State Wildlife Area, Salt Slough Merced National Wildlife Refuge Los Banos State Wildlife Area Mendota State Wildlife Area San Luis National Wildlife Refuge Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Delevan National Wildlife Refuge Colusa National Wildlife Refuge Kern National Wildlife Refuge Volta State Wildlife Area Pixley National Wildlife Refuge The Refuge Criteria provides a common methodology, or standard, for efficient use of water by Federal Wildlife Refuges, State Wildlife Management Areas and Resource Conservation Districts that receive water under provisions of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA). They document the process and format by which Refuge Water Management Plans (Plans) should be prepared and submitted to Reclamation as part of the Refuge/District Water Supply Contracts and Memorandum of Agreements. The Refuge Criteria refers to Refuges, Wildlife Areas and Resource Conservation Districts as Refuges. Those Refuges that entered into water supply contracts with Reclamation, as a result of the CVPIA and subsequent Department of the Interior administrative review processes, are required to prepare Plans using the Refuge Criteria.

The Adaptive Management Program (AMP) was implemented as a result of the Record of Decision on the Operation of Glen Canyon Dam Final Environmental Impact Statement to comply with consultation requirements of the Grand Canyon Protection Act (Pub. L. 102-575) of 1992. The AMP includes a federal advisory committee (AMWG), a technical work group (TWG), a monitoring and research center, and independent review panels. The AMWG makes recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior concerning Glen Canyon Dam operations and other management actions to protect resources downstream of Glen Canyon Dam consistent with the Grand Canyon Protection Act. The TWG is a subcommittee of the AMWG and provides technical advice and recommendations to the AMWG. Dates and Addresses: The AMWG will conduct the following public meeting: Phoenix, ArizonaDecember 5-6, 2006. The meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. and conclude at 5 p.m. on the first day and begin at 8 a.m. and conclude at 3 p.m. on the second day. The meeting will be held at the Fiesta Inn Resort (Encantada Ballroom) located at 2100 South Priest Drive in Tempe, Arizona. Agenda: The purpose of the meeting will be to (1) review and develop a recommendation to the Secretary of the Interior for a Long- Term Experimental Plan; (2) receive an update on progress for development of a Lower Colorado River recovery program and related work/goals for the endangered humpback chub; (3) discuss a selective withdrawal structure for Glen Canyon Dam; (4) review fiscal year 2006 program expenditures; (5) approve the public outreach Web site; and (6) discuss research and monitoring reports, basin hydrology, and other administrative and resource issues pertaining to the AMP. To view a copy of the draft agenda, please visit Reclamation's Web site at: https://www.usbr.gov/uc/rm/amp/amwg/mtgs/06dec05/.