[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 68 (Thursday, April 8, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18625-18626]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-7948]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Freeport Regional Water Project, Sacramento, California

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

[[Page 18626]]


ACTION: Notice of availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) and Environmental Impact Report (EIR)

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and 
the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Bureau of 
Reclamation (Reclamation) and the Freeport Regional Water Authority 
(FRWA) have prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and a 
Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Freeport Regional Water 
Project. The proposed project would construct and operate a water 
supply project to meet regional water supply needs.
    A Notice of Availability of the joint Draft EIS/EIR was published 
in the Federal Register on Friday, August 8, 2003 (68 FR 47363). The 
written comment period on the Draft EIS/EIR ended Friday, December 15, 
2003. The Final EIS and Final EIR contain responses to all comments 
received and reflect comments and any additional information received 
during the review period.

DATES: Reclamation will not make a decision on the proposed action 
until at least 30 days after release of the Final EIS. After the 30-day 
waiting period, Reclamation will complete a Record of Decision (ROD). 
The ROD will state the action that will be implemented and will discuss 
all factors leading to the decision.

ADDRESSES: A compact disk or a copy of the Final EIS and Final EIR may 
be requested from Mr. Kurt Kroner, Freeport Regional Water Authority, 
1510 J Street, Suite 140, Sacramento, CA 95814, at 916-326-5489, or by 
e-mail at [email protected]. The final documents are available online 
at http://www.freeportproject.org.
    See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for locations where 
copies of the Final EIS and Final EIR are available.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Rob Schroeder, Bureau of 
Reclamation, at 916-989-7274; or Mr. Kurt Kroner, FRWA, at 916-326-
5489, or e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The project would (1) support acquisition of 
additional Sacramento County Water Agency (SCWA) surface water 
entitlements to promote efficient conjunctive use of groundwater in its 
Zone 40 area, consistent with the Sacramento Area Water Forum Agreement 
and County of Sacramento General Plan policies; (2) provide facilities 
through which SCWA can deliver existing and anticipated surface water 
entitlements to Zone 40 area; (3) provide facilities through which East 
Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) can take delivery of a 
supplemental supply of water that would substantially meet its need for 
water and reduce existing and future customer deficiencies during 
droughts; and (4) improve EBMUD system reliability and operational 
flexibility during droughts, catastrophic events, and scheduled major 
maintenance at Pardee Dam/Reservoir.
    The Draft EIS/EIR addressed facilities-related impacts including 
the effects of project construction and operation on hydrology, water 
quality, fish resources, recreation, vegetation and wildlife, visual 
resources, cultural resources, land use, geology, soils, seismicity, 
groundwater, traffic and circulation, air quality, noise, and public 
health and safety. Diversion-related impacts include the effects of 
increased diversions from the Sacramento River and associated changes 
in Reclamation's operation of Central Valley Project facilities. 
Project diversions therefore may directly or indirectly affect the 
Sacramento River, its tributaries, and Delta resources including water 
supply, fish and aquatic habitat, riparian vegetation and habitat, 
water quality, recreation, visual and cultural resources, and power 
supply. The Draft EIS/EIR also evaluated potential growth-inducing 
impacts for the SCWA and EBMUD water service areas. An evaluation of 
cumulative hydrologic and water service area impacts associated with 
reasonably foreseeable actions was also included.
    Public hearings were held on the following dates and locations: 
Thursday, September 4, 2003, in Sacramento, CA; Tuesday, September 9, 
2003, in Herald, CA; Wednesday, September 10, 2003, in Oakland, CA; 
Thursday, September 11, 2003, in Sacramento, CA; and Monday, September 
29, 2003, in Sacramento, CA.
    Copies of the final documents are available for public inspection 
and review at the following locations:
     East Bay Municipal Utility District, 375 11th 
Street, Oakland, CA 94607.
     Sacramento County Water Agency, 827 Seventh 
Street, Room 301, Sacramento, CA 95814.
     Sacramento County Clerk-Recorder's Office, 600 
Eighth Street, Sacramento, CA 95814.
     Sacramento Public Library, 828 I Street, 
Sacramento, CA 95814.
     Bureau of Reclamation, 7794 Folsom Dam Road, 
Folsom, CA 95630.
    Bureau of Reclamation, Denver Office Library, Building 67, Room 
167, Denver Federal Center, 6th and Kipling, Denver, CO 80225; 
telephone: 303-445-2072.
     Bureau of Reclamation, Office of Public Affairs, 
2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825-1898; telephone: 916-978-5100.
     Natural Resources Library, U.S. Department of 
the Interior, 1849 C Street N.W., Main Interior Building, Washington, 
D.C. 20240-0001.
     Elk Grove Community Library, 8962 Elk Grove 
Boulevard, Elk Grove, CA 95624.
     Belle Cooledge Community Library, 5600 Southland 
Park Drive, Sacramento, CA 95822.
     Valley Hi--North Laguna, 6351 Mack Road, 
Sacramento, CA 95823.
     Southgate Community Library, 6132 66th Avenue, 
Sacramento, CA 95823.
     Galt Neighborhood Library, 1000 Caroline Avenue, 
Sacramento, CA 95632.
     Pannell Community Center, 2450 Meadowview Road, 
Sacramento, CA 95832.
     Clarksburg Branch Library, 52915 Netherlands 
Road, P.O. Box 229, Clarksburg, CA 95612.
     Lodi Public Library, 201 W. Locust Street, Lodi, 
CA 95240.
    It is Reclamation's practice to publicly disclose respondents' 
comments, including names and addresses. Respondents may request that 
their address be withheld from disclosure; this will be honored to the 
extent allowable by law. There may also be circumstances in which a 
respondent's identity may be withheld from disclosure; again, this will 
be honored to the extent 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. All submissions from organizations or 
businesses will be publicly disclosed in their entirety.

    Dated: February 19, 2004.
John F. Davis,
Deputy Regional Director, Mid-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 04-7948 Filed 4-7-04; 8:45 am]
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