[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 246 (Friday, December 23, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76262-76264]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-24399]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Prado Basin Master Plan, San Bernardino and Riverside 
Counties, CA

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) addresses potential 
environmental impacts associated with the proposed Prado Basin Master 
Plan, and identifies recommended measures to reduce such impacts. The 
Prado Basin Master Plan proposes a range of recreation uses and 
features for identified planning areas with the Basin. Specific site 
plans and layouts for these proposed uses would be prepared when future 
specific development plans are proposed. The impact discussion, in 
turn, is purposely general in nature, and recommended measures to 
reduce impacts allow for flexibility. The potential impacts as stated 
and the commitment to minimize impacts are intended to provide a 
framework for future proposals. They also provide some guidelines for 
impacts that will require mitigation; short of making untimely, 
detailed, recommendations. This approach allows future recreation 
development sponsors the appropriate

[[Page 76263]]

flexibility to design and formulate specific mitigation, including the 
parties responsible for implementation and verification, when details 
of specific Master Plan development proposals are presented. The U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers has cooperated with counterparts in Orange, San 
Bernardino and Riverside Counties in Developing this Master Plan.
    Two alternatives are proposed for consideration for the Prado 
Basin: Adopting the proposed Prado Basin Master Plan, and the No 
Project alternative. The proposed plan would serve as a guide for 
orderly and coordinated use, development and management of the land in 
the Prado Basin. The discussion of affected environment and potential 
environmental impacts in this Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) are 
based on evaluation of land use designations proposed in the Basin 
Master Plan. Specific development proposals within the general land use 
Planning Areas would require appropriate National Environmental Policy 
act (NEPA) clearance to specifically address the potential 
environmental effects of those proposals.
    The No Project Alternative would eliminate the implementation of 
the recreation land use contemplated in the proposed Basin Master Plan, 
and in the continuation of current land use activities on the site. 
This alternative would result in the Corps being unable to meet its 
project objectives such as providing for the expressed public interests 
for recreation.

DATES: Comments concerning this Draft EIS should be submitted by 
January 23, 2005.

ADDRESSES: District Engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles 
District, ATTN: CESPL-PD-RQ, P.O. Box 532711, Los Angeles, CA 90053-
2325.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Nedenia Kennedy, Chief, 
Environmental Policy Group, telephone (213) 452-3856, Mr. Alex Watt, 
Chief, Environmental Resources Branch, telephone (213) 452-3840.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. Authorization. This Master Plan was 
prepared as a guide for the orderly and coordinated use, development 
and management of all resources in the existing and proposed Prado 
Flood Control Basin. Under guidance at ER 1130-2-550, ``Preparation of 
Project Master Plans,'' dated November 15, 1996, ``master plans are to 
be developed and kept current for all Civil Works projects and other 
fee-owned lands for which the Corps has administrative responsibility 
for management.'' The master plan is to be an ``essential element in 
fostering an efficient and cost-effective project natural resources 
management program,'' and by providing direction for project 
development and use is ``a vital tool for the responsible stewardship 
of project resources for the benefit of present and future generations 
* * * [that] * * * promotes the protection, conservation and 
enhancement of natural, cultural and man-made resources.'' The previous 
Master Plan for the Prado Flood Control Basin was prepared in February 
1976, and no longer adequately implements Corps policies and goals 
summarized above. The 1976 Master Plan, moreover, did not contemplate 
notable changes in the physical environment, and notably the 
substantial increase in the amount of biologically valuable reparian 
plant communities, the increase in species and populations of 
threatened and endangered species in the Basin; combined with the 
dramatic increase in visitation and variety of public outdoor 
recreation opportunities, plus the changing profile of adjacent land 
use types and development intensity.
    2. Background. Construction of Prado Dam was authorized by the 
Flood Control Act of 1936, as amended (Pub. L. 74-738), as part of a 
general plan for the construction of flood control facilities in the 
Santa Ana River Basin in Southern California. Construction of the Dam 
was completed in May 1941. The Flood Control Act of 1944, as amended, 
(Pub. L. 78-534), authorized the United States Army Corps of Engineers 
(Corps) to construct, maintain and operate public park and recreation 
facilities at water resources development projects. The law also 
permitted the Corps to authorize local interests to construct, maintain 
and operate recreation facilities.
    Because flood reduction remains the primary purpose of the Prado 
Dam project, this document first considers these requirements, or 
constraints. It also identifies environmentally sensitive areas, and 
multiple resources management areas for continued and future use. 
Careful planning is required to balance the sometimes competing needs 
and desires of the public for high-density recreation uses with 
environmental protection requirements and with the flood control 
protection purpose of the Prado Basin. This Master Plan is intended, 
therefore, to allow balanced use of the subject natural and recreation 
resources.
     Conceptual guidance is provided in this plan for recreation 
development for Corps lands located primarily in upland portions of the 
Prado Basin. Under guidelines such as the Corps Environmental Operating 
Principles, this plan supports leaving the lower portions of the Basin 
as a natural refuge as evaluated in the EIS. Specific development 
proposals for recreation and environmental features under this plan, 
however, will still require supplemental evaluation and documentation 
under NEPA.
    This DEIS, in turn, provides: (1) A description of alternatives, 
including the No-Action alternative; (2) an analysis of existing and 
future conditions in the area without the project; (3) and an analysis 
of potential impacts associated with the two alternatives, including 
the preferred alternative (proposed action).
    3. Proposed Action. The proposed Prado Basin Master Plan is 
considered a `` * * * continuing and dynamic document * * * '' that 
presents broad concepts, not specific design proposals. The Basin 
Master Plan identifies numerous ``Planning Areas'' in the Prado Basin 
and gives a range of land use development alternatives based on input 
from local agencies and potential development intensity. These Planning 
Areas are described in detail, and specific recreational use proposals 
are provided for most areas up to the 556-foot (169 meter) contour 
elevation. For each recreation use alternative, a more detailed list of 
potential site design components is described.
    The purpose of this Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is to 
evaluate the potential environmental impacts of the land uses proposed 
in the Basin Master Plan, and to recommend methods to mitigate for 
future, specific, development proposals. This environmental review is 
conducted at a programmatic level to provide environmental clearance 
for the Master Plan in accordance with the National Environmental 
Policy Act. The Impact analysis considers the highest intensity of 
development anticipated for each Planning Area. Further NEPA clearance 
for specific proposals would be required in the form of an 
Environmental Assessment (EA) for minor changes in use/intensity from 
what was evaluated in the EIS or in the form of a site-specific EIS for 
major changes in proposed use or development intensity.
    4. Alternatives.
    a. No Action: The No Project alternative would eliminate the 
implementation of the recreation land uses in the Proposed Basin Master 
Plan and in the continuation of current land use activities on the 
site. This alternative would result in the Corps being unable to meet 
its project

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objectives such as providing for the expressed public interest for 
recreation. No Planning Areas would be designated as such.
    b. Proposed Master Plan Alternative: The proposed Basin Master Plan 
would serve as a guide for orderly and coordinated use, development and 
management of land in the Prado Basin. Specific development proposals 
within the general land use Planning Areas will require appropriate 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) clearance to specifically 
address the potential environmental effects of those proposals.
    5. Scoping Process. Participation of all interested Federal, State 
and County resource agencies, as well as Native American peoples, 
groups with environmental interests, and all interested individuals has 
been and is encouraged. The public review period will conclude 45 days 
after publication of this notice.
    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will consider public concerns on 
the Draft EIS. A summary of the Public Hearing and written comment 
letters and responses will be incorporated into the Final EIS as 
appropriate.
    6. Dates. The draft EIS will be released for public review on or 
about December 9, 2005. The Environmental Protection Agency plans to 
publish a Notice of Availability of the Draft EIS in the Federal 
Register on or about December 9, 2005. The public review of the Draft 
EIS ends on January 23, 2006. The final Public Hearing will be 
scheduled in January, 2006 at the El Prado Golf Course, 6555 Pine 
Avenue, Chino, California. The location, date, and time of the public 
hearing will be announced in the local news media, and separate notice 
will be sent to all parties on the project mailing list.

    Dated: December 8, 2005.
Mark R. Blackburn,
Lieutenant Colonel, US Army, Acting District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 05-24399 Filed 12-22-05; 8:45am]
BILLING CODE 3710-KF-M