[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 33 (Friday, February 19, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8401-8402]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-4087]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Tracy Fish Facility Improvement Program, New Tracy Fish Facility, 
Central Valley Project, California

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare environmental documents 
(environmental assessment and initial study or environmental impact 
statement and environmental impact report) and notice of public 
meetings.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and Public Resources Code, Sections 21000-
21178.1 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Bureau 
of Reclamation (Reclamation), the lead Federal agency, and the 
California Department of Water Resources (DWR), the lead State agency, 
propose to prepare environmental documents for the purpose of 
constructing and testing new fish screens and salvage facilities 
associated with a new Tracy Fish Facility (TFF), Central Valley 
Project, California. The environmental documents will evaluate the 
effects of the development and testing of a new TFF at or near the 
existing Tracy Fish Collection Facility.
    A new TFF will provide timely information on critical issues 
related to new fish protection facilities at the State of California's 
diversion at Clifton Court Forebay (CCF), Tracy, and the North Delta. 
The project intent is to build, operate, and evaluate a best available 
technology facility that will screen a portion of Tracy flows until a 
decision is made on screening the full Tracy pumping capacity. The new 
facilities would screen about 2,500 cfs at an approach velocity of 0.2 
fps and would meet other appropriate fish agency criteria. The facility 
would have the structural and operational flexibility to optimize 
screening operations for multiple species in the challenging south 
Delta environment. The old Tracy Fish Collection Facility would be 
improved and remain in place to screen the remainder of the flow, until 
a decision is made to screen the remainder of the Tracy flow at Tracy 
and/or the CCF.
    At present, it is not clear whether the scope of the action and 
anticipated project impacts will require preparation of an 
environmental impact statement and environmental impact report (EIS/
EIR) instead of an environmental assessment and initial study (EA/IS). 
However, to ensure the timely and appropriate level of NEPA and CEQA 
compliance and to limit potential future delays to the project 
schedule, Reclamation and the DWR are proceeding, at this time, as if 
the project impacts would require preparation of an EA/IS. Reclamation 
and the DWR will reevaluate the need for an EIS/EIR after obtaining 
written and oral comments on the project scope, alternatives and 
impacts during the scoping process. Reclamation and the DWR will 
publish a notice of change if, as a result of scoping, a decision is 
made to prepare an EIS/EIR rather than an EA/IS. However, the scoping 
process to be conducted will suffice for either course of action.
    There are no known Indian Trust Asset or environmental justice 
issues associated with the proposed action.


[[Page 8402]]


DATES: Two scoping meetings will be held to solicit comments from 
interested parties to assist in determining the scope of the 
environmental analysis and to identify the significant issues related 
to this proposed action. The meeting dates are:
     Wednesday, March 17, 1999, at 8:30 a.m., in Sacramento, 
California
     Thursday, March 18, 1999, at 7:00 p.m., in Tracy, 
California
    Written comments on the scope of the environmental documents should 
be submitted to Reclamation by April 5, 1999.

ADDRESSES: The meeting locations are:
     Sacramento--Red Lion Sacramento Inn, Comstock II Room, 
1401 Arden Way, Sacramento CA 95815, (916) 922-8041
     Tracy--Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 1537, 430 West 
Grantline Road, Tracy CA 95376, (209) 839-1537
    Send written comments on the scope of the environmental documents 
to Mr. Richard Raines, Environmental Document Manager, Bureau of 
Reclamation, Technical Service Center, Attention: D-8210, P.O. Box 
25007, Denver CO 80225-0007.
    See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for electronic mail addresses and 
Internet site address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Richard Raines, telephone: (303) 
445-2237; or Ms. Lynnette Wirth, Bureau of Reclamation, Mid-Pacific 
Region, Public Affairs Office, Attention: MP-140, 2800 Cottage Way, 
Sacramento CA; telephone: (916) 978-5102. Additional information 
regarding the new TFF can be obtained from the Mid-Pacific Regional 
Office ``Grapevine'' at 1-800-742-9474.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Tracy Fish Facility Improvement Program 
has been identifying and making physical improvements and operational 
changes, assessing fishery conditions, and monitoring fish salvage 
operations per numerous agency agreements. On October 30, 1992, Pub. L. 
102-575, the Reclamation Projects Authorization and Adjustment Act of 
1992, was enacted. Title 34, the Central Valley Project Improvement 
Act, Section 3406(b)(4), states in part that the Secretary of the 
Interior will ``develop and implement a program to mitigate for fishery 
impacts associated with operations of the Tracy Pumping Plant. Such a 
program shall include, but not be limited to, improvement or 
replacement of the fish screens and fish recovery facilities and 
practices associated with the Tracy Pumping Plant.''
    To significantly improve the Tracy Fish Collection Facility, new 
approaches and development and experimentation of new technologies will 
be required. Importantly, improvements must be made while not 
threatening the existing contracted water deliveries through the Tracy 
Pumping Plant. Presently, the Tracy Fish Facility Improvement Program 
is constrained by these daily water deliveries which prevent 
significant modification of the facilities. Because of this, 
Reclamation proposes to develop the new TFF to be located adjacent to 
the existing Tracy Fish Collection Facility. Several conceptual 
alternatives are being investigated. The new TFF will be designed 
initially for testing and demonstrating new technology. Successful 
components will ultimately be used to replace the present Tracy Fish 
Collection Facility, and this action will require additional 
environmental documentation.
    The new TFF will also provide timely information on critical issues 
related to new fish protection facilities for the State of California's 
diversion at Clifton Court Forebay (CCF), and/or for a diversion in the 
North Delta being considered as a part of the CALFED Bay-Delta Program. 
The CALFED Bay-Delta Program (a cooperative effort among State and 
Federal agencies and California's environmental, urban, and 
agricultural communities) is supportive of efforts to develop new fish 
screen and salvage technology that can be applied at Tracy and other 
locations. Currently, Reclamation is working with the CALFED Bay-Delta 
Program agencies to develop a Project Management Agreement for the 
preferred design approach, facility specifications, and process for 
incorporating input from participating agencies. The new TFF is 
presently supported by a professional team of fishery scientists, 
engineers, and management staff now working with the Tracy Fish 
Facility Improvement Program.

Electronic Mail Addresses and Internet Site

    You may submit comments and data by sending electronic mail (e-
mail) or faxograms to the following addresses:
     Mr. Richard Raines, Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, 
Colorado; electronic mail address: [email protected]; facsimilie 
number: (303) 445-6328.
     Ms. Lynnette Wirth, Bureau of Reclamation, Mid-Pacific 
Region; electronic mail address: [email protected]; facsimilie number: 
(916) 978-5114.
    Additional information regarding the new TFF can be obtained from 
the Mid-Pacific Regional Office Internet web site (http://
www.mp.usbr.gov/tffdir.html).

Special Services

    A headphone device for the hearing impaired will be available at 
the meetings. Persons requiring other special services should contact 
Ms. Lynnette Wirth at (916) 978-5102. Please notify Ms. Wirth as far in 
advance of the particular meeting as possible, but no later than 3 
working days prior to the meeting to enable Reclamation to secure the 
services. If a request cannot be honored, the requester will be 
notified.

    Dated: February 12, 1999.
Kirk C. Rodgers,
Deputy Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 99-4087 Filed 2-18-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-P