[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 117 (Friday, June 18, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32889-32890]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-15378]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Placer County Water Agency American River Pump Station Project, 
Placer County, California

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement/
environmental impact report (EIS/EIR) and notice of scoping meeting.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 
1969, as amended, and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) 
of 1970, as amended, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and Placer 
County Water Agency (PCWA) intend to prepare a joint EIS/EIR for 
development of a year-round water supply diversion of up to 35,000 
acre-feet annually (AFA) from PCWA's Middle Fork Project on the 
American River (MFP) with water entitlements from the North Fork of the 
American River. The proposed project, which is subject to review during 
the EIS/EIR process, consists of constructing a diversion and intake 
structure, pump station and associated facilities including: pipelines, 
access roads, power lines, and safety features. The proposed location 
of the diversion structure is approximately 150 feet upstream of the 
Auburn Dam bypass tunnel.
    Reclamation and PCWA are negotiating a contract that will define 
the terms and conditions upon which ownership of the facilities would 
be transferred to PCWA, including responsibilities for operation, 
maintenance, and related activities for the project.

DATES: A public scoping meeting to help identify environmental concerns 
to be addressed in the EIS/EIR will be held on July 8, 1999, at 7:00pm 
at the Placer County Water Agency (see address below). Written comments 
on the scope of the EIS/EIR should be sent to Reclamation at the 
address below by July 30, 1999. Requests for special services at the 
meeting must be received no later than July 2, 1999 (see special 
services section for more details).

ADDRESSES: The scoping meeting will be held at Placer County Water 
Agency, American River Room, 144 Ferguson Road, Auburn, California.
    Please send written comments on the scope of the EIS/EIR to Mr. Rod 
Hall, Environmental Specialist, Bureau of Reclamation, 7794 Folsom Dam 
Road, Folsom, California 95630-1799, by July 30, 1999. Please include 
your name and address so that Reclamation can contact you directly if 
clarification is needed.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Rod Hall, telephone: (916) 989-
7279.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    PCWA provides municipal and agricultural water to cities and 
landowners in western Placer County. PCWA holds appropriative rights to 
divert 120,000 AFA from the MFP under water right permit numbers 13856 
and 13858, as authorized by the State Water Resources Control Board. In 
the late 1960's, PCWA built a 50 cubic feet per second (cfs) pump 
station on the North Fork of the American River to convey its MFP water 
supplies to the Auburn Ravine Tunnel for delivery to PCWA's service 
area. However, before pump station operations began, PCWA's pump 
station was removed by Reclamation, under a Land Purchase Contract as 
supplemented (Contract). Under certain terms and conditions, the 
Contract requires Reclamation to make water deliveries to PCWA. 
Reclamation has met these water delivery obligations through 
installation and removal of a seasonal pump station on an as-needed 
basis since 1977. Also, during initial construction of Auburn Dam, the 
river was diverted through a bypass tunnel away from the previous pump 
station site.
    PCWA also has a contractual entitlement of Yuba/Bear River water 
supplies, under an agreement with Pacific Gas and Electric Company 
(PG&E). PCWA uses MFP supplies from the American River to supplement 
Yuba/Bear supplies and to provide backup supplies when PG&E's Yuba/Bear 
system is not operating.
    Beginning in 1990, PCWA has required access to its American River 
supply every year to meet its system demands, and Reclamation has 
responded with the seasonal re-installation and removal of the pump 
station. In addition, PCWA's service area needs for water have exceeded 
the 100,000 AFA supply of the PG&E Yuba/Bear system, and the demand is 
projected to increase. By the early 2000's, PCWA will require access to 
its American River supply beyond the seasonal (July through October) 
operating period of the pumps. The seasonal pumps, however, have become 
increasingly expensive to install and maintain, and are limited in use 
to the summer and fall. High winter and spring riverflows sometimes 
inundate the site of the seasonal pump station and pipeline, rendering 
them unreliable for water diversions. Further, because of pumping 
capacity limitations (50 cfs), timing of seasonal diversions, demand 
patterns, and applicable permits and other requirements, the maximum 
diversion capacity for the seasonal pumps is approximately 20,000 AFA. 
As a result, Reclamation can no longer provide PCWA with a reliable 
water supply to meet PCWA's system demands in accordance with the 
Contract.

Alternatives Being Considered

    In addition to the upstream diversion alternative described above, 
the EIS/EIR will include evaluation of a ``no project'' alternative of 
continuing the present seasonal pump station operation. Also evaluated 
will be a flood-proofing alternative, which involves raising the 
existing pump station to a higher elevation to reduce flooding risks 
and

[[Page 32890]]

allow Reclamation to meet its obligations under the Contract. In 
addition, an evaluation will be made of a mid-channel alternative of 
setting a permanent diversion intake structure within the currently de-
watered portion of the river channel. The mid-channel alternative 
includes restoration of the de-watered river channel and closure of the 
bypass tunnel. The other alternatives do not include closure of the 
bypass tunnel, but would not preclude its possible closure in the 
future.

Environmental Issues

    The EIS/EIR will address potential impacts to the environment that 
may result from construction, operation and maintenance of the project. 
PCWA and Reclamation have identified standard best management practices 
as part of the project, thereby minimizing potential construction-
related impacts. These will also be discussed in the EIS/EIR.
    In addition, the EIS/EIR will address potential impacts to the area 
watercourses associated with PCWA's exercise of its American River 
water entitlement. Historically, only a portion of PCWA's current 
entitlements have been diverted from the American River. Hydrologic 
impact analyses will consider the effects of PCWA's increasing its 
entitlement diversion under varying hydrologic conditions and the 
impacts of the diversions on the potentially affected hydrologic 
system, including the North Fork of the American River, Folsom 
Reservoir, lower American River, and other Central Valley Project (CVP) 
system components.
    Potential impacts to water supplies, fisheries and other aquatic 
resources, wetland and riparian communities, special-status species, 
recreational activities, and flood control will be assessed. Also 
addressed will be growth inducement as a potential secondary impact 
associated with PCWA's exercise of its existing entitlements within the 
service area. The cumulative impacts of the proposed project and other 
ongoing and anticipated future projects on the environment, 
specifically upstream and downstream American River resources, will be 
examined in the EIS/EIR.
    No adverse impacts to Indian Trust Assets are anticipated with this 
project. No disproportionately high or adverse human health or 
environmental impacts to minority or low-income communities are 
anticipated with this project.

Environmental Process

    The lead agencies began evaluation of the environmental effects of 
the proposed project with an Environmental Assessment/Initial Study 
(EA/IS). They also held several public meetings for the EA/IS. 
Evaluation of this and other proposals within the CVP raised concerns 
of significant cumulative impacts on resources of the lower American 
River and other portions of the hydrologic system. In response to these 
concerns and potential significant impacts, the lead agencies decided 
to prepare an EIS/EIR. A draft version of the EIS/EIR is expected to be 
available for review and comment in the fall of 1999.

Special Services

    If special services are required at the meeting, please contact Ms. 
Gay Howe at (530) 823-4889. Please notify Ms. Howe as far in advance of 
the meeting as possible, but no later than July 2, 1999, so that she 
will have time to secure the needed services. If a request cannot be 
honored, the requestor will be notified.

    Dated: June 11, 1999.
Kirk C. Rodgers,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 99-15378 Filed 6-17-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-P