[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 240 (Friday, December 13, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76731-76732]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-31456]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Joint Environmental Impact Statement and 
Environmental Impact Report for the Sacramento and San Joaquin River 
Basins Comprehensive Study, Hamilton City Flood Damage Reduction and 
Ecosystem Restoration, Glenn County, CA

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: A combined Feasibility Report and joint Environmental Impact 
Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) will be prepared to 
satisfy the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act and 
the California Environmental Quality Act. The U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers (Corps), Sacramental District, will serve as the Federal lead 
agency for the EIS with The Reclamation Board of the State of 
California (the Board), the non-federal sponsor, serving as the State 
lead agency for the EIR. The combined Feasibility Report and joint EIS/
EIR will evaluate the environmental effects of a potential flood damage 
reduction and ecosystem restoration project at Hamilton City. The 
Hamilton City Flood Damage Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration is the 
first site-specific evaluation to be initiated as a result of the 
Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins Comprehensive Study conducted 
by the Corps and the Board. Concurrently with the release of this 
notice of intent (NOI), the Board is issuing a notice of preparation 
(NOP) to initiate the CEQA process.
    Scoping and public involvement activities were conducted under the 
original NOI issued for the Comprehensive Study. A series of scoping 
and outreach meetings were held in February through May 1998, November 
through December 1998, February 1999, June 1999, October through 
November 2001, and August through September 2002. Development of the 
EIS/EIR for the Comprehensive Study was at a programmatic level with 
the preliminary site-specific evaluation for Hamilton City Flood Damage 
Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration packaged as an attachment to the 
main programmatic document. The Comprehensive Study has since 
discontinued the environmental documentation effort and therefore this 
NOI is being submitted to establish that the Feasibility Report and 
EIS/EIR for Hamilton City Flood Damage Reduction

[[Page 76732]]

and Ecosystem Restoration will continue as a separate and complete 
document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the combined 
Feasibility Report and joint EIS/EIR can be answered by Erin Taylor at 
(916) 557-6862 or by mail at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Planning 
Division, ATTN: Erin Taylor, 1325 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95814-2922, 
or e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Proposed Action

    The combined Feasibility Report and joint EIS/EIR will evaluate 
ways to reduce the risk of flooding and restore the Sacramento River's 
connection with its flood plain, natural flood plain processes, and 
riparian and associated flood plain habitat.

2. Alternatives

    Alternatives include the no-action, reinforcing the existing levee, 
several setback levee alignments at some distance from the river, and 
flood-proofing or relocating structures at risk of flooding, with 
different habitat configurations and methods of establishment. Maximum 
area of potential effect is estimated to be 2,600 acres currently held 
by a combination of private, State, and Federal agencies. Fee title 
and/or conservation and flood easements would likely be required to 
implement any project. The Corps will conduct site-specific hydrologic, 
hydraulic and geotechnical analyses, to determine the most suitable 
potential levee alignments and the feasibility of repairing the 
existing levee in place. The Feasibility Study will focus on the 
economic feasibility and will run a risk analysis of the alternatives. 
Ecosystem restoration would consist of either planting native habitat 
or allowing native habitats to establish naturally in the area between 
any new levee and the river. Selection of a preferred alternative will 
depend on the result of these studies and the desires of the local 
community.

3. Scoping Process

    a. This notice re-initiates the scoping process whereby the Corps 
and the Board will identify the scope of issues to be addressed in the 
EIS/EIR and identify the significant environmental issues related to 
the flood damage reduction and ecosystem restoration at Hamilton City. 
The Corps and the Board have initiated a process of involving Federal, 
State, and local agencies, and concerned individuals under the 
Comprehensive Study.
    b. Significant issues to be analyzed in depth include; agricultural 
resources, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, 
geology and soils, hazardous, toxic, and radioactive materials, 
hydrology and water quality, and land use.

4. Public Meeting Scoping

    Community meeting will be held during scoping, after the release of 
the draft EIS/EIR, and after release of the final EIS/EIR. A public 
scoping meeting will be held the week of January 6, 2003. The purpose 
of the meeting is to explain the NOI/NOP, and to solicit suggestions, 
recommendations, and comments to help refine the issues, measures, and 
alternatives to be addressed in the EIS/EIR. The public is asked to 
submit any issues (points of concern, dispute or disagreement) 
regarding potential effects of the proposed action or alternatives by 
mail to Corps (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT above for address).

5. Availability

    The draft EIS/EIR is scheduled to be available for public review 
and comment in August 2003. The comment period on the draft EIS/EIR 
will be 45 days from the date the notice of availability is published 
in the Federal Register by the Environmental Protection Agency. All 
interested parties should respond to this notice and provide a current 
address if they wish to be notified of the draft EIS/EIR circulation 
and future scoping meeting dates.

    Dated: November 26, 2002.
Michael J. Conrad, Jr.,
Col, EN, Commanding.
[FR Doc. 02-31456 Filed 12-12-02; 8:45 am]
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