[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 248 (Thursday, December 26, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78787-78788]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-32457]



[[Page 78787]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Army Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 
for a Special Area Management for the San Jacinto River and Upper Santa 
Margarita River Watersheds, Riverside County, CA

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, (DoD).

ACTION: Notice of intent.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps of Engineers) is 
announcing its intent to prepare a DEIS for a Special Area Management 
Plan (SAMP). The SAMP is being developed to address anticipated 
development, infrastructure, and maintenance projects and aquatic 
resources in the watersheds of the San Jacinto River and Upper Santa 
Margarita River (SAMP study area). The DEIS will assess the impacts of 
various land development and aquatic resource protection alternatives 
as set forth below and further identified during the preparation of the 
SAMP.
    The SAMP will provide a comprehensive plan for protecting and 
enhancing aquatic resources while providing for the permitting of 
reasonable economic development and public infrastructure, in 
coordination with local land use plans and a regional Multi-Species 
Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP) being developed by the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service for western Riverside County. The SAMP will provide a 
framework for a long-term programmatic permitting process for projects 
in the watersheds subject to the Corps of Engineers' permit authority 
under section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Section 404 of the Clean 
Water Act regulates the discharge of dredged or fill material into 
waters of the United States, including wetlands.
    In addition, the SAMP will include a comprehensive reserve program 
for the protection, restoration, and management of aquatic resources 
within the study area.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and DEIS can be answered by: Dr. Fari Tabatabai, SAMP Program 
Coordinator, (213) 452-3291, [email protected], Regulatory 
Branch (CESPL-CO-RS), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles 
District, PO Box 532711, Los Angeles, California 90053-2325.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. Proposed Action: The Corps of Engineers utilizes Special Area 
Management Plans to assist in long-term planning for regulatory actions 
under section 404 of the Clean Water Act that involve large areas, 
complex projects, and sensitive aquatic resources. The subject SAMP 
study area consists of San Jacinto River and Upper Santa Margarita 
River watersheds located in western Riverside County.
    The SAMP will describe an approach and a set of actions to 
preserve, enhance, and restore aquatic resources, while allowing 
reasonable economic development and construction and maintenance of 
public infrastructure facilities within the study area. Key objectives 
of the SAMP for these two watersheds in western Riverside County are 
to: (1) Evaluate the extent and condition of existing aquatic 
resources; (2) develop a comprehensive reserve program for the 
protection, restoration and management of aquatic resources; and (3) 
identify and evaluate alternative land development scenarios in the 
context of the aquatic resource reserve program. Based on the SAMP, the 
Corps of Engineers will identify potential areas and/or activities 
suitable for authorization using programmatic permitting procedures 
under section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Activities that may be 
authorized using such programmatic permitting procedures include, but 
are not limited to, the construction of public infrastructure such as 
roads, flood control projects and utilities, maintenance of public 
facilities, and residential, commercial, industrial, and recreational 
development.
    The Corps of Engineers will develop the SAMP in close coordination 
with other agencies, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the California Regional Water 
Quality Control Boards, as necessary. The Corps of Engineers encourages 
active participation by County and local governments, concerned 
landowners and the general public.
    The California Department of Fish and Game will cooperate in the 
SAMP process by formulating a Master Streambed Alteration Agreement 
(MSAA) under sections 1601 and 1603 of the California Fish and Game 
Code for activities in the SAMP study area that affect lakes, rivers, 
streams and associated riparian habitats subject to the Department's 
jurisdiction.
    The environmental analysis and the SAMP will be presented in a 
joint federal and state document. The California Department of Fish and 
Game will prepare a Program Environmental Impact Report (EIR) in 
accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for the 
actions described in the SAMP. A separate CEQA Notice of Preparation 
(NOP) will be prepared and published by the Department. The Corps of 
Engineers and the Department of Fish and Game will work cooperatively 
to prepare a joint EIS/EIR document, and to coordinate the public 
noticing and hearing processes under federal and state laws.
    2. Alternatives: Alternatives that may be considered include the 
following two categories:
    I. No-SAMP alternatives (also called No-Action alternatives): (a) 
No SAMP would be prepared, all future development would be reviewed 
under the current project-by-project review; (b) No construction 
requiring a DA permit would occur.
    II. SAMP alternatives: Alternatives that may be considered under 
this category include those based on the following goals: (a) Maximize 
opportunities to protect, restore, and manage aquatic resources while 
allowing minimal impacts to aquatic resources; (b) minimize new impacts 
to aquatic resources in areas containing high hydrologic, water 
quality, and habitat integrity, or in low integrity areas that serve as 
important corridors or regionally rare aquatic resources; and (c) limit 
new impacts in aquatic resources that provide habitat for federal and 
state listed aquatic species. Programmatic DA Permit(s) would be issued 
for specifically identified activities and permitting criteria would be 
established for other future activities pursuant to the requirements of 
section 404 of the Clean Water Act. SAMP alternatives would be 
developed in consideration of the on-going MSHCP that seek to maximize 
the opportunities to protect, restore and manage aquatic resources. 
SAMP alternatives also would address alternative methods and 
institutional arrangements for aquatic resource reserve management.
    3. Scoping Process: The Corps' scoping process for the DEIS will 
involve soliciting written comments and a public meeting. Potentially 
significant issues to be analyzed in the DEIS include aquatic 
resources, surface water quality, threatened and endangered species, 
and cultural resources.
    4. Other environmental review, consultation requirements or 
considerations include compliance with section 106 of the National 
Historic Preservation Act and section 7 of the Endangered Species Act.

Public Scoping:

    A public scoping meeting to receive input on the scope of the DEIS 
will be conducted on January 23, 2003 at 6:30-9 pm. at the Simpson 
Center located at

[[Page 78788]]

305 E. Devonshire Avenue, Hemet, CA 92543. This meeting will address 
both the DEIS for the SAMP and the EIR for the MSAA. The public scoping 
will be conducted in an open-house format.

Schedule

    The estimated date the DEIS will be made available to the public is 
November 2003.

    Dated: December 16, 2002.
Richard G. Thompson,
Colonel, U.S. Army, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 02-32457 Filed 12-24-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-92-P