[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 57 (Thursday, March 23, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 15649]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-7210]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Development of a Groundwater Replenishment System

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of a Final Environmental Impact Report/
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIR/EIS) FES 00-10.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 
1969, as amended, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), Orange 
County Water District, and Orange County Sanitation District have 
prepared a FEIR/EIS on potential impacts from the development of a 
Groundwater Replenishment System in Orange County, California. 
Reclamation's involvement stems from the possibility of the agency 
funding some of the project.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the FEIR/EIS are available for public inspection 
and review at the following locations:

Bureau of Reclamation, Program Analysis Office, Room 7456, 1849 C 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240; telephone: (202) 208-4662.
Bureau of Reclamation, Denver Office Library, Building 67, Room 167, 
Denver Federal Center, 6th and Kipling, Denver, CO 80225; telephone: 
(303)236-6963.
Bureau of Reclamation, Lower Colorado Region, P.O. Box 61470, Boulder 
City, NV 89006-1470: telephone: (702) 293-8698.
Orange County Water District, P.O. Box 8300, Fountain Valley, CA; 
telephone: (714) 378-3200.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Del Kidd, Bureau of Reclamation, 
Lower Colorado Region, P.O. Box 61470, Boulder City, NV 89006-1470, 
telephone: (702) 293-8698, or Ms. Debbie Burris, Orange County Water 
District, P.O. Box 8300, Fountain Valley, CA 92728-8300; telephone 
(714) 378-3200 ext. 4423.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Groundwater Replenishment System is a 
proposal to take secondary, treated wastewater from the Orange County 
Sanitation District treatment plant in Fountain Valley, California, and 
further process this water to drinking water standards. The processed 
water will be used for groundwater recharge, for injection into a 
seawater intrusion barrier, and for landscape irrigation and industrial 
process water. Otherwise, the water would be discharged into the 
Pacific Ocean. The Groundwater Replenishment System would supplement 
existing water supplies. The System would provide a new, cost-effective 
and reliable source of water to recharge the Orange County Groundwater 
Basin, protect the Basin from further degradation due to seawater 
intrusion, and augment the supply of reclaimed water for irrigation and 
industrial use.
    Review of the Draft EIR/EIS led to some modifications of the 
proposed project. These modifications do not substantially change the 
nature and significance of impacts of the proposal, nor do they 
substantially change the construction disturbances or project 
operations. They do require that all (100%) of the secondary effluent 
treated by the Groundwater Replenishment System treatment facilities 
would be routed through the micro filtration and reverse osmosis 
filtration process. (Under the original proposal there was to be 
blending of some of the water.)
    This additional processing will improve the water quality to beyond 
Environmental Protection Agency's Drinking Water Standards and the 
processed water will be better than any other water used for 
replenishment in the Orange County Groundwater Basin today. The comment 
on the Draft also lead the Districts to commit to study expansion of 
the injection well system. In addition, the Districts committed to 
conducting a risk assessment.
    The Draft EIR/EIS was issued on December 3, 1998. Comments received 
from interested organizations and individuals on the Draft EIR/EIS were 
addressed in the Final EIR/EIS. No decision will be made on the 
proposal until 30 days after the release of the Final EIR/EIS. After 
the 30 day waiting period, Reclamation will complete a Record of 
Decision. This document will present the action that will be 
implemented and will discuss all factors leading to the decision.

    Dated: March 7, 2000.
William J. Leibhauser,
Manager, Environmental Compliance and Realty Group.
[FR Doc. 00-7210 Filed 3-22-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-P