[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 133 (Wednesday, July 12, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 39355]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-6161]



[[Page 39355]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Delta-Mendota Canal/California Aqueduct Intertie, Alameda County, 
California

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement 
(EIS) and notice of public scoping meetings.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the 
Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) intends to prepare an EIS for the 
Delta-Mendota Canal/California Aqueduct Intertie (Intertie). A primary 
purpose of the Intertie is to allow for operation and maintenance 
activities on the Tracy pumping plant and fish facility, the Delta-
Mendota Canal, and the O'Neill pumping plant and intake canal. A Draft 
EIS is expected to be available in May 2007.
    The Intertie consists of constructing and operating a pumping plant 
and pipeline connection between the Delta Mendota Canal (DMC) and the 
California Aqueduct. The Intertie would be used in a number of ways to 
achieve multiple benefits, including meeting current water supply 
demands, allowing for the maintenance and repair of the Central Valley 
Project (CVP) Delta export and conveyance facilities, and providing 
operational flexibility to respond to emergencies related to both the 
CVP and State Water Project (SWP).
    Reclamation decided to withdraw the recently published Finding of 
No Significant Impact and Environmental Assessment (EA) for the 
Intertie and to initiate an EIS based on public challenge to the EA 
content and conclusions.

DATES: A series of public scoping meetings will be held to solicit 
public input on the alternatives, concerns, and issues to be addressed 
in the EIS. The meeting dates are as follows:
     Tuesday, August 1, 2006, 10 a.m. to 12 Noon, Sacramento, 
CA.
     Thursday, August 3, 2006, 6 to 8 p.m., Stockton, CA.
    Written comments on the scope of the EIS should be mailed to 
Reclamation at the address below by September 4, 2006.

ADDRESSES: The public scoping meeting locations are:
     Sacramento--Federal Building, 2800 Cottage Way, Cafeteria 
Rooms C-1001 and C-1002, Sacramento, CA 95825.
     Stockton--Cesar Chavez Central Library, 605 North El 
Dorado Street, Steward-Hazelton Room, Stockton, CA 95202.
    Written comments on the scope of the EIS should be sent to: Ms. 
Sammie Cervantes, Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, MP-730, 
Sacramento, CA 95825.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Sharon McHale, Reclamation Project 
Manager, at the above address, at 916-978-5086, TDD 916-978-5608, or 
via fax at 916-978-5094 or e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The project area is in an unincorporated 
area of the San Joaquin Valley in Alameda County, west of the city of 
Tracy. The site is in a rural area zoned for general agriculture and is 
under federal and state ownership. The Intertie would be located at 
milepost 7.2 of the DMC, connecting with milepost 9.1 of the California 
Aqueduct, where they are approximately 500 feet apart.
    The Intertie would include a 450 cubic feet per second (cfs) 
pumping plant at the DMC that would allow up to 400 cfs to be pumped 
from the DMC to the California Aqueduct through an underground 
pipeline. Because the aqueduct is located approximately 50 feet higher 
in elevation than the DMC, up to 900 cfs could be conveyed from the 
aqueduct to the DMC using gravity flow.
    The Intertie would be owned by the Federal government and operated 
by the San Luis and Delta Mendota Water Authority (Authority). An 
agreement among Reclamation, the California Department of Water 
Resources, and the Authority would identify the responsibilities and 
procedures for operating the Intertie. A permanent easement would be 
obtained by Reclamation where the Intertie alignment crosses state 
property.
    If special assistance is required at the scoping meetings, please 
contact Ms. Sammie Cervantes at 916-978-5189, TDD 916-978-5608, or via 
e-mail at [email protected]. Please notify Ms. Cervantes as far in 
advance of the meetings as possible to enable Reclamation to secure the 
needed services. If a request cannot be honored, the requestor will be 
notified. A telephone device for the hearing impaired (TDD) is 
available at 916-978-5608.
    Written 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 respondent's 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 10, 2006.
Frank Michny,
Regional Environmental Officer, Mid-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 06-6161 Filed 7-11-06; 8:45am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-M