[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 138 (Friday, July 18, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42758-42759]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-18291]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission


Battle Creek Salmon and Steelhead Restoration Project, Tehama and 
Shasta Counties, CA

AGENCIES: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior. Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, Energy.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) and notice of public 
workshop and notice of public hearing.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), the lead Federal 
agency; the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), a cooperating 
Federal agency; and the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), 
the lead State agency, have made available for public review and 
comment the Draft EIS/EIR for the Battle Creek Salmon and Steelhead 
Restoration Project (Restoration Project). The proposed CALFED-
supported Restoration Project would restore approximately 42 miles of 
habitat in Battle Creek and an additional 6 miles of habitat in its 
tributaries, while minimizing the loss of clean and

[[Page 42759]]

renewable energy produced by the Battle Creek Hydroelectric Project 
(Hydroelectric Project), owned and operated by Pacific Gas and Electric 
Company (PG&E).

DATES: Submit written comments on the Draft EIS/EIR on or before 
September 16, 2003 to both Ms. Mary Marshall and Mr. Jim Canaday at the 
addresses below.
    A public workshop will be held on Wednesday, July 23, 2003, from 6 
p.m. to 8 p.m. at the address below to discuss the purpose and content 
of the Draft EIS/EIR.
    As part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a public 
hearing will be held on Tuesday, August 12, 2003, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. 
at the address below. The purpose of the NEPA public hearing is to 
provide the public an opportunity to orally comment on the Draft EIS/
EIR. Written comments will also be accepted at the public hearing. Note 
that this public hearing is separate from and not associated with any 
SWRCB hearings.

ADDRESSES: The public workshop and public hearing will be held at the 
Manton Joint Union Elementary School, 31345 Forward Road, Manton, 
California.
    Written comments on the Draft EIS/EIR should be addressed to both, 
Ms. Mary Marshall, Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, 
CA 95825 and Mr. Jim Canaday, State Water Resources Control Board, 1001 
I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814.
    Copies of the Draft EIS/EIR may be requested from Ms. Sammie 
Cervantes at 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825, or by calling 
(916) 978-5104, TDD (916) 978-5608, or [email protected]. See 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for locations where copies of the 
Draft EIS/EIR are available for public review.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Mary Marshall, Reclamation, at 
(916) 978-5248, TDD (916) 978-5608, e-mail: [email protected] or 
Mr. Jim Canaday, SWRCB, at (916) 341-5308, e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Habitat restoration would enable safe 
passage for naturally produced salmonids and would facilitate their 
growth and recovery within the Sacramento River and its tributaries. 
These salmonids include the Central Valley spring-run chinook salmon, 
State and Federally listed as threatened; the Sacramento River winter-
run chinook salmon, State and Federally listed as endangered; and the 
Central Valley steelhead, Federally listed as threatened.
    The Restoration Project would be accomplished through the 
modification of Hydroelectric Project facilities and operations, 
including instream flow releases. The Federal Power Act establishes 
with FERC the exclusive authority to license nonfederal water-power 
projects on navigable waterways and Federal lands. PG&E is required to 
file an application with FERC for an amendment to PG&E's existing 
license to operate the hydropower facilities on Battle Creek that would 
be affected by implementation of the proposed Restoration Project. PG&E 
will make available for public review and comment its Draft License 
Amendment Application at the same time as the Draft EIR/EIS. FERC 
intends to adopt the EIS to fulfill its NEPA requirements as part of 
its review of PG&E's amendment application. FERC will ensure that 
proposed changes in the Hydroelectric Project comply with NEPA prior to 
issuing the license amendment.
    FERC licensing actions in California, including new licenses, 
license amendments that potentially effect water quality or designated 
beneficial uses, and project relicensing, require Federal Clean Water 
Act Section 401 water quality certification from the SWRCB. SWRCB 
involvement in Clean Water Act Section 401 certification is subject to 
compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act.
    The Draft EIS/EIR discusses the project purpose and need, project 
description, project background, and related projects. The Draft EIS/
EIR addresses the impacts of project construction and operation on 
fisheries, botanical, wetland and wildlife resources, hydrology, power 
generation and economics, water quality, groundwater, land use, 
socioeconomics, geology and soils, aesthetics and visual resources, 
transportation, noise, air quality, public health and safety, public 
services and utilities, recreation, cultural resources, environmental 
justice, and Indian trust assets.
    Copies of the Draft EIS/EIR are available for public review at the 
following locations:
    [sbull] Tehama County Library, 645 Madison, Red Bluff, CA, 96080, 
(530) 527-0604.
    [sbull] Bureau of Reclamation, Red Bluff Field Office, 22500 Altube 
Avenue, Red Bluff CA, 96080, (530) 529-3890.
    [sbull] Shasta County Library, 1855 Shasta Street, Redding, CA, 
96001, (530) 225-5769.
    [sbull] Susanville Library, Lassen County, 1618 Main Street, 
Susanville CA 96130, (530) 251-8127.
    [sbull] Bureau of Reclamation, Denver Office Library, Building 67, 
Room 167, Denver Federal Center, 6th and Kipling, Denver, CO 80225, 
(303) 445-2072.
    [sbull] Bureau of Reclamation, Office of Public Affairs, 2800 
Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825-1898, (916) 978-5100.
    [sbull] Natural Resources Library, U.S. Department of the Interior, 
1849 C Street NW., Main Interior Building, Washington, DC 20240-0001.
    Comments, including names and home addresses of respondents, will 
be made available for public review. Individual respondents may request 
that their home address be withheld from public disclosure, which will 
be honored to the extent allowable by law. There may be circumstances 
in which respondents' identity may also be withheld from public 
disclosure, as allowable by law. If you wish to have your name and/or 
address withheld, you must state this prominently at the beginning of 
your comment. All submissions from organizations or businesses and from 
individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of 
organizations or businesses will be made available for public 
disclosure in their entirety.

    Dated: May 14, 2003.
John F. Davis,
Deputy Regional Director, Mid-Pacific Region, Bureau of Reclamation.
    Dated: May 7, 2003.
Joseph D. Morgan,
Director, Division of Hydropower Administration and Compliance, Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission.
[FR Doc. 03-18291 Filed 7-17-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-P