[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 128 (Wednesday, July 6, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38864-38866]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-13243]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Angeles National Forest, CA, Littlerock Reservoir Sediment 
Removal Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the USDA, Forest Service, Angeles 
National Forest (ANF) and the Palmdale Water District (District) will 
prepare a joint Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Environmental 
Impact Report (EIR), referred to as an EIR/EIS, that will evaluate the 
proposed project and alternatives to the proposed project. As the 
project proponent, the District proposes to excavate sediment from the 
Littlerock Reservoir and construct a grade control structure (proposed 
project) located on Littlerock Creek, in Los Angeles County, 
California. The proposed grade control structure would be located at, 
or just downstream of, River Station 4,235 (also know as Rocky Point). 
the proposed project would:
     Remove excess Reservoir sediment that has accumulated over 
time
     Restore the water storage and flood control capacity of 
the Reservoir; and
     Prevent sediment loss and headcutting of the stream 
channel upstream of Rocky Point to prevent the incidental ``take'' of 
arroyo toad (Bufo californicus), a federally endangered species.

The proposed project would entail the initial removal of between 
270,000 and 540,000 cubic yards of sediment from Littlerock Reservoir 
from below Rocky Point to just upstream of Littlerock Dam. Thereafter, 
the District would annually remove approximately 54,000 cubic yards of 
sediment to balance sediment deposition and maintain water storage 
capacity in the Reservoir. Sediment would be mechanically removed from 
the Reservoir by the use of heavy equipment. The ANF and the District 
invite written comments on the scope of this proposed project. In 
addition, the agencies give notice of this analysis so that interested 
and affected individuals are aware of how they may participate and 
contribute to the final decision.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by July 30, 2005. A public information and scoping meeting will be held 
July 13, 2005. The draft EIR/EIS is expected December 2005 and the 
Final EIR/EIS is expected March 2006.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Mr. Matt Knudson, Engineering 
Supervisor, Palmdale Water District, 2029 East Avenue Q, Palmdale, CA 
93550, [email protected], (661) 947-4111, ext. 118.
    For further information, mail correspondence to Mr. Rich Robertson, 
USDA Forest Service, Angeles National Forest, Santa Clara Mojave Rivers

[[Page 38865]]

Ranger District, 30800 Bouquet Canyon Road, Saugus, CA 91390, 
[email protected], (661) 296-9710, ext. 223. A public information 
and scoping meeting is scheduled at the following time and location: 
Palmdale Water District, Board Room, 2029 East Avenue Q, Palmdale, CA 
93550, July 13, 2005, 7 p.m.
    All project-related documents are available for review at the 
Palmdale Water District address stated above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information related to 
the proposed on National Forest System land, contact Mr. Rich 
Robertson, U.S. Forest Service, Angeles National Forest, Santa Clara 
Mojave Rivers Ranger District, (see address above). For additional 
information related to the project on non-National Forest System land, 
contact Mr. Matt Knudson, Engineering Supervisor, Palmdale Water 
District, (see address above).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for Action

    The underlying need of the project is to restore the water storage 
and flood control capacity of the Littlerock Reservoir. The Littlerock 
Dam and Reservoir are located on Littlerock Creek below the confluence 
of Santiago Canyon on National Forest System land (managed by the 
Angeles National Forest). The District operates the Littlerock 
Reservoir as a local surface water impoundment, and water is conveyed 
from the Reservoir to a water treatment facility located at Palmdale 
Lake. Inflow into the Reservoir is seasonal and varies widely depending 
on stream flows and snowmelt within the watershed. The Littlerock 
Reservoir was constructed in 1924 with an initial design capacity of 
4,300 acre-feet. This capacity has been substantially reduced over time 
by the deposition of sediment behind the Dam. Preliminary calculations 
conducted by the District indicated that the Reservoir capacity is 
further reduced at a rate of approximately 30 to 40 acre-feet per year.

Proposed Action

    The Angeles National Forest Supervisor proposes to authorize and 
issue a special use permit to the District to excavate sediment from 
the Littlerock Reservoir and construct a grade control structure at, or 
just downstream of, River Station, 4,235, also known as Rocky Point. 
The proposed project would entail the excavation of approximately 
between 270,000 and 540,000 cubic yards of material from the Reservoir, 
followed by excavation of approximately 54,000 cubic yards annually. 
Initial excavation would commence just upstream of the Dam and extend 
to River Station 3,037. The grade control structure, which would be 
constructed at or just downstream of River Station 4,235 (the Rocky 
Point Area), would be constructed of soil cement or concrete and span 
approximately 250 feet of the channel. The structure would be buried, 
with the top at, or slightly below, the existing channel surface. 
Maximum depth of the structure would be approximately 70 feet. 
Construction of the structure would result in a temporary disturbance 
to a section of the channel and adjacent bank approximately 300 feet 
wide in width and 500 feet wide in the direction parallel to flow.
    The proposed project involves lands managed by the Santa Clara/
Mojave Rivers Ranger District, Angeles National Forest within Township 
5 North, Range 11 West, and Section 34.

Possible Alternatives

    For the purpose of this analysis, the ANF and the District have 
identified preliminary action alternatives for consideration in the 
scoping process. The alternatives currently under consideration are:
     No Project/No Action Alternative: Under the No Action 
Alternative, sediment removal would not occur and sediment would 
continue to accumulate upstream of Littlerock Dam. In addition, no 
grade control structure would be built.
     Alternative 1--Initial excavation of approximately 270,000 
cubic yards of material from the Reservoir, followed by yearly 
excavation of approximately 54,000 cubic yards. Initial excavation to 
commence just upstream of the Dam and extend to River Station 1,390: 
Under this alternative, the District would excavate a trapezoidal 
section of the Reservoir with an approximate 80-foot bottom width and 
5:1 side slopes. All excavation would occur in Reach 1 and maximum 
excavation would be approximately 43 feet in depth.
     Alternative 2--Initial excavation of approximately 270,000 
cubic yards of material from the Reservoir, followed by yearly 
excavation of approximately 54,000 cubic yards. Initial excavation to 
commence just upstream of the Dam and extend to River Station 4,235: 
Under this alternative, the District would excavate a trapezoidal 
section of the Reservoir with an approximate 200-foot bottom width and 
5:1 side slopes. All excavation would occur in Reach 1 and 2, and 
maximum excavation would occur near River Station 2,210 and would be 
approximately 10 feet in depth.
     Alternative 3--Initial excavation of approximately 540,000 
cubic yards of material from the Reservoir, followed by excavation of 
approximately 270,000 cubic yards every five years. Initial excavation 
to commence just upstream of the Dam and extend to River Station 3,037: 
Under this alternative, the District would excavate a trapezoidal 
section of the Reservoir with an approximate 80-foot bottom width and 
5:1 side slopes. All excavation would occur in Reach 1 and 2, and 
maximum excavation would be approximately 43 feet in depth.
     Alternative 4--Initial excavation of approximately 540,000 
cubic yards of material from the Reservoir, followed by excavation of 
approximately 270,000 cubic yards every five years. Initial excavation 
to commence just upstream of the Dam and extend to River Station 4,235: 
Under this alternative, excavation depths would be 20 feet, and would 
occur in Reach 1 and 2. The maximum top width excavation would begin 
approximately 370 feet from the dam and would remain consistent to 
River Station 2,815, at which point the top width would taper to zero 
at Station 4,235.

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

    The Forest Service is the lead agency under the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in accordance with 40 CFR 1501.5(b). 
Palmdale Water District is the lead agency under the California 
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in accordance with California Code of 
Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, Article 4, Sec.  15050.

Responsible Official

    The responsible official for the preparation of the EIR/EIS is Jody 
Noiron, Forest Supervisor, Angeles National Forest, 701 N. Santa Anita 
Avenue, Arcadia, CA 91006.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The Angeles National Forest Supervisor will decide whether to 
permit the proposed sediment removal from behind Littlerock Dam and 
construction of the grade control structure within National Forest 
System lands. The authorization will include removal of sediment from 
National Forest System lands needed to restore the Littlerock 
Reservoir's capacity, and construction of a grade control structure to 
maintain the Reservoir capacity. If this alternative is approved, the 
Forest Supervisor will also decide what mitigation measures and 
monitoring will be required. The Forest Supervisor

[[Page 38866]]

will only make a decision regarding impacts on National Forest System 
lands.

Scoping Process

    Public participation will be especially important at several stages 
during the analysis. The purpose of scoping is to help ensure that a 
comprehensive and focused EIR/EIS will be prepared that provides a firm 
basis for the decision-making process. Members of the public, affected 
Federal, State, and local agencies, interested groups, and other 
interested parties may participate in the scoping process for this 
project by providing written and verbal comments or recommendations 
concerning the issues to be analyzed in the EIR/EIS. Comments can be 
given verbally by attending the scheduled scoping meeting at: Palmdale 
Water District, July 13, 2005, 7 p.m., 2029 East Avenue Q, Palmdale, CA 
93550, (661) 947-4111.
    Attendees requiring language interpretation services at the Scoping 
Meeting must call (818) 597-3407, ext. 338 by July 6, 2005. The meeting 
location is wheelchair accessible.

Preliminary Issues

    The EIR/EIS will present the analysis of the environmental impacts 
of the proposed project and comparative environmental effects of the 
alternatives, and will identify mitigation measures for potentially 
significant impacts. The EIR/EIS will address all issue areas for which 
potential significant impacts are anticipated. These issue areas 
include: Air quality; biological resources; cultural resources; geology 
and soils; hazardous materials; land use and public recreation; noise; 
socioeconomics and environmental justice; traffic; utilities and 
service system; visual resources; and water resources.

Permits or Licenses Required

    The Regional Director of Natural Resource Management of the Forest 
Service would issue a Special Use Permit for construction of the grade 
control structure and maintenance of the Reservoir capacity through 
sediment removal. Additional permits that may be required for the 
proposed project could include: A Permit to Operate issued by the 
Antelope Valley air Quality Management District, a National Pollutant 
Discharge Elimination system General Construction Permit issued by 
California's Regional Water quality Control Board, a Section 404 Permit 
(per Section 404 of the Clean Water Act) issued by the U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers, and a Streambed Alteration Agreement (per Section 1601 of 
the California Fish and Game Code) issued by the California Department 
of fish and Game.

Comment Requested

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process which guides 
the development of the EIR/EIS. The Forest Service is seeking public 
and agency comment on the proposed project to identify major issues to 
be analyzed in depth and assistance in identifying potential 
alternatives to be evaluated. Comments received on this notice, 
including the names and addresses of those who comment, will be 
considered as part of the public record on this proposed project, and 
will be available for public inspection. Comments submitted anonymously 
will be accepted and considered; however, those who submit anonymous 
comments will not have standing to appeal the subsequent decision under 
36 CFR Part 215. Additionally, pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27(d), any person 
may request the agency to withhold a submission from the public record 
by showing how the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) permits such 
confidentiality. Persons requesting such confidentiality should be 
aware that, under the FOIA, confidentiality may be granted in only very 
limited circumstances, such as to protect trade secrets. The Forest 
Service will inform the requester of the agency's decision regarding 
the request for confidentiality. Where the request is denied, the 
agency will return the submission and notify the requester that the 
comments may be resubmitted, without names and addresses, within a 
specified number of days.
    Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent 
Environmental Review: A Draft EIR/EIS will be prepared for comment. The 
comment period on the draft EIR/EIS will be 45 days from the date the 
Environmental Protection Agency publishes the notice of availability in 
the Federal Register.
    The Forest Service believes, at this early stage, it is important 
to give reviewers notice of several court rulings related to public 
participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of 
the Draft EIR/EIS must structure their participation in the 
environmental review of the proposal so that it is meaningful and 
alerts an agency to the reviewer's position and contentions. Vermont 
Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553 (1978). Also, 
environmental objections that could be raised at the Draft EIR/EIS 
stage but that are not raised until after completion of the Final EIR/
EIS may be waived or dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, 
803 F.2d 1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v 
Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of these 
court rulings, it is very important that those interested in this 
proposed action participate by the close of the 45-day EIR/EIS comment 
period so that substantive comments and objections are made available 
to the Forest Service at a time when it can meaningfully consider them 
and respond to them in the Final EIR/EIS.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues 
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the Draft EIR/EIS 
should be as specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer 
to specific pages or chapters of the draft statement. Comments may also 
address the adequacy of the Draft EIR/EIS or the merits of the 
alternatives formulated and discussed in the statement. Reviewers may 
wish to refer to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for 
implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental 
Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.
    Comments received, including the names and addresses of those who 
comment, will be considered part of the public record on this proposal 
and will be available for public inspection.

(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service Handbook 
1909.15, Section 21)

    Dated: June 28, 2005.
Susan Swinson,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 05-13243 Filed 7-5-05; 8:45 am]
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