[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 154 (Wednesday, August 11, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 48863]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-18387]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-6654-5]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for the Oxnard Plain Groundwater Recharge Project, Santa Clara 
River, Ventura County, CA

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
    Purpose: To comply with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) of 1969.
SUMMARY: The primary goal of the project is to increase the amount of 
water recharged into the Oxnard Plain aquifers to achieve a long-term 
balance between recharge and extractions. The benefits of additional 
recharge are a continued reduction in seawater intrusion, development 
of local water supplies to reduce the need for imported water, and 
increased flexibility and reliability in meeting future water demands 
through the conjunctive use of surface and groundwater supplies. United 
Water Conservation District (UWCD) manages groundwater and delivers 
water to cities and agricultural users in the Oxnard Plain region of 
Ventura County. One of UWCD's many responsibilities is recharge of the 
Oxnard Plain groundwater basins. To accomplish this recharge, the 
Freeman Diversion and related facilities were constructed in 1991 and 
are now used to divert 375 cfs from the Santa Clara River. The river 
water supply diverted by UWCD through these facilities is used for 
groundwater recharge and agricultural irrigation. Groundwater recharge 
is accomplished through the use of various UWCD-owned and operated 
facilities that include: the Freeman Diversion, lined and unlined 
canals, pipelines, desilting basins, and storage/recharge ponds and 
basins. The project will involve the purchase and use of abandoned 
aggregate mining pits and construction of water conveyance facilities 
for groundwater recharge using water diverted from the river in order 
to maximize recharge potential under current diversions. In addition, 
the project may include an increase in the maximum diversion rate, 
alternatives range from 375 to 1000 cfs, at the Freeman Diversion 
located along the Santa Clara River. An increase in diversion will 
require a modification of UWCD's water rights permits from the State of 
California. This Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare a Draft EIS is being 
published because EPA has determined that the proposed action may 
result in a significant impact to the environment.
    Alternatives: The alternatives include different configurations of 
new recharge basins using the mining pits, and varying peak diversion 
rates. All alternatives include the following facility improvements: 
(1) Modification of the fish screen at the Freeman Diversion to 
increase its effectiveness, improve flow capacity, and improve 
operations and maintenance of the screen; and (2) modification of the 
culvert at the outlet of the desilting basin to improve hydraulic 
capacity. EPA may approve or deny the proposed diversion, or approve 
with modifications to mitigate or reduce adverse impacts to acceptable 
levels. Other reasonable alternatives, including those outside EPA's 
authority, may also be evaluated in the EIS. Depending on the final 
alternative, the project could affect the federally endangered southern 
steelhead trout (South Coast Evolutionarily Significant Unit), which 
occurs along the Santa Clara River and passes through the Freeman 
Diversion through fish passage facilities. EPA will be consulting with 
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) regarding impacts of the 
project pursuant to Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act. Similarly, 
EPA will consult with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding 
potential effects on a downstream listed species, the tidewater goby.
    Scoping: The public scoping period begins with the publication of 
this Notice and concludes September 15, 2004. EPA invites Federal 
agencies, Native American tribes, State and local governments, and 
members of the public to comment on the scope of this EIS. EPA will 
consider fully all comments received by the close of the scoping period 
and will consider comments received after that date to the extent 
practicable.
    Contact Information: EPA invites public comment on the proposed 
scope of this EIS. Comments may be submitted by mail, electronic mail, 
or fax, and addressed as follows: Jared Vollmer, Project Officer, Water 
10, U.S. EPA Region 9, 75 Hawthorne St., San Francisco, CA, 94105. 
Electronic mail: [email protected], Fax: (415) 947-3537, Telephone: 
(415) 972-3447. A project summary is available upon request.
    Estimated Date of Release for Draft EIS: October 2004.
    Responsible Official: Wayne Nastri, Regional Administrator.

    Dated: August 5, 2004.
Anne Norton Miller,
Director, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 04-18387 Filed 8-10-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P