Reclamation Bureau November 28, 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.