[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 210 (Tuesday, October 30, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54779-54780]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-27206]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Lower Santa Ynez River Fish Management Plan and Cachuma Project 
Biological Opinion, Santa Barbara County, CA

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement/
report (EIS/R).

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and the Cachuma 
Operation and Maintenance Board (COMB) will prepare a joint EIS/R on 
the management actions and projects included in the: (1) Lower Santa 
Ynez River Fish Management Plan (FMP) prepared by Reclamation and other 
agencies and parties involved in the Cachuma Project; and (2) the 
Biological Opinion (BO) prepared by the National Marine Fisheries 
Service (NMFS) on the Cachuma Project relative to the endangered 
southern steelhead population that resides in the Santa Ynez River. 
Management actions in the FMP and BO are designed to improve habitat 
for the steelhead along the river downstream of Lake Cachuma through 
mandated flow, habitat, and passage improvements.

DATES: Reclamation and COMB will hold a scoping meeting at 7 p.m. on 
November 19, 2001, in Solvang, California to seek public input on 
alternatives, possible impacts, and issues to be addressed in the EIS/
R. Written comments on the scope of the alternatives and impacts to be 
considered should be sent to the address below by December 3, 2001.

ADDRESSES: The scoping meeting will be at the Veteran's Memorial 
Building, 1745 Mission Drive in Solvang. Written comments on the scope 
of the EIS/R should be sent to Mr. David Young, Bureau of Reclamation, 
South-Central California Area Office, 1243 N Street, Fresno, CA 93721, 
or by phone at 559-487-5127, or by fax to 559-487-5130.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. David Young at the above address, 
telephone: (559) 487-5127.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In June 1994, the Memorandum of 
Understanding for Cooperation in Research and Fish Maintenance (Fish 
MOU) was executed among various parties with interests along the Santa 
Ynez River, and is currently being continued through the 2001 Fish MOU. 
The MOU provides water for fish studies and fish habitat and passage. 
Since 1993, the Santa Ynez River Technical Advisory Committee (SYRTAC), 
comprised of various biologists and resource agency personnel, has 
directed the studies and releases. Signatories to the 1994 MOU include 
Reclamation, the Santa Barbara County Water Agency, California 
Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Santa Ynez 
Water River Conservation District--Improvement District #1 (SYRWCD 
ID#1), Cachuma Conservation Release Board (CCRB), City of Lompoc, and 
Santa Ynez River Water Conservation District.
    One of the primary objectives of the Fish MOU is to identify 
management actions to improve conditions for native fish and other 
aquatic resources, including southern steelhead. A draft FMP was 
prepared by the SYRTAC and issued for public comment in 2000. A final 
FMP was issued in October 2000. It incorporated the requirements in the 
BO for the Cachuma Project independently issued by NMFS in September 
2000, which includes mandatory terms and conditions that require 
Reclamation to implement 15 specific reasonable and prudent measures to 
minimize take of the southern steelhead. Reclamation is currently 
implementing these measures in coordination with COMB. The 2001 Fish 
MOU supports the implementation of the BO and the FMP.
    The FMP and BO management actions have been designed to benefit 
steelhead and other aquatic species directly and indirectly by: (1) 
Creating new habitat and improving existing habitat in the lower river 
and tributaries; (2) improving access to spawning and rearing habitats 
in the lower river and tributaries; and (3) increasing public awareness 
and support for beneficial actions on private lands. Many management 
actions can be implemented independent of others and as such, can be 
considered individual ``projects.''
    The FMP management actions or projects would be implemented by one 
or more agencies, depending upon funding sources, location of a project 
on federal versus non-federal land, and whether the project is also a 
mandatory requirement of the steelhead BO. Agencies that may implement 
projects separately or jointly include

[[Page 54780]]

Reclamation, COMB, CCRB, SYRWCD ID#1, and Caltrans.
    The EIS/R will address the following management actions and 
projects contained in the FMP and BO:

Actions by Reclamation and/or COMB, CCRB, SYRWCD ID#1, & Caltrans

     Surcharging the reservoir to 3.0 feet to provide water for 
fish accounts
     Mainstem rearing releases to achieve downstream target 
flows for rearing habitat; maintain residual pools; revise ramping; use 
Hilton Creek for releases; conjunctive use of water rights releases 
with releases for fish; using water from surcharging
     Fish passage supplementation using water from surcharging
     Adaptive Management Account for discretionary releases, 
using water from surcharging
     Hilton Creek habitat enhancement and fish passage 
projects: (1) Releases to Hilton Creek; (2) supplemental watering 
system; (3) cascade chute passage improvement; and (4) channel 
extension. In addition, Caltrans passage improvement at Hwy 154 culvert 
will be included.
     Fish rescue program

Actions That Require Cooperation of Other Agencies and Private 
Landowners

     Tributary passage impediment removal. Sites on public and 
private property on Quiota (6), El Jaro (1), Nojoqui (1) creeks.
     Tributary enhancement measures--riparian restoration; 
instream habitat enhancement; and conservation easements. These 
measures are located on private property on Quiota, Alisal, 
Salsipuedes, El Jaro, Nojoqui, and San Miguelito creeks.
     Mainstem habitat enhancement and protection.
    The management actions described in the FMP/BO will be implemented 
in a phased manner over the next 7 years. Projects that will be 
implemented in the next 2-3 years include: modifying spillgates for 3-
foot surcharge; implementing releases using long-term rearing, passage, 
and Adaptive Management accounts; installing pump system and variable 
intake facility for the Hilton Creek supplemental watering system; and 
completing the modification of passage impediments on Hilton Creek.
    The EIS/R will evaluate the environmental impacts of the projects 
in the FMP/BO, as a whole, in a programmatic manner. As the FMP/BO is 
implemented over time, the EIS/R can be used for tiering project-
specific Environmental Assessments. The EIS/R will address impacts of 
certain FMP/BO management actions at a project level such as 
surcharging Lake Cachuma to 3.0 feet and several of the Hilton Creek 
projects.
    The FMP/BO is designed to improve environmental conditions for fish 
and aquatic and riparian habitats. As such, the EIS/R will be focused 
on incidental adverse impacts associated with implementing the FMP/BO 
projects. Most of these impacts would be temporary, and associated with 
construction and access. However, other unintended impacts would be 
addressed such as loss of oak trees at Lake Cachuma due to surcharging, 
displacement or disruption of recreational facilities at the lake due 
to surcharging, increased need for flood control maintenance in the 
river, and possible conversion of more arid habitats to aquatic 
habitats.
    The following alternatives would be addressed in the EIS/R, as well 
as any others identified in the scoping process:
     No project alternative
     No surcharging alternative
     Phased surcharging: 1.8 feet, then 3.0 feet
     Smaller surcharging (1.8 feet)
    Our practice is to make comments, including names and home 
addresses of respondents, available for public review. Individual 
respondents may request that we withhold their home address from public 
disclosure, which we will honor to the extent allowable by law. There 
also may be circumstances in which we would withhold a respondent's 
identity from public disclosure, as allowable by law. If you wish us to 
withhold your name and/or address, you must state this prominently at 
the beginning of your comment. We will make all submissions from 
organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying 
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or 
businesses, available for public disclosure in their entirety.

    Dated: October 11, 2001.
Frank Michny,
Regional Environmental Officer.
[FR Doc. 01-27206 Filed 10-29-01; 8:45 am]
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