[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 148 (Thursday, August 2, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42428-42429]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-15029]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


San Joaquin River Restoration Program

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare a Program Environmental Impact 
Statement/Environmental Impact Report (PEIS/EIR) and Notice of Scoping 
Meetings.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and 
the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Bureau of 
Reclamation (Reclamation) and the California Department of Water 
Resources (DWR) propose to prepare a PEIS/EIR for the San Joaquin River 
Restoration Program (Program). The proposed Program is expected to be 
implemented by Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the 
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the California Department of 
Fish and Game (DFG), and the DWR.

DATES: Four scoping meetings will be held to solicit public input on 
alternatives, concerns, and issues to be addressed in the PEIS/EIR. The 
meeting dates are:

 Tuesday, August 28, 2007, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Tulare, CA
 Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Fresno, CA
 Thursday, August 30, 2007, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Los Banos, CA
 Monday, September 10, 2007, 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., Sacramento, 
CA

    Written comments on the scope of the PEIS/EIR should be sent by 
September 21, 2007 to Ms. Margaret Gidding, Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 
Cottage Way MP-140, Sacramento, CA 95825 or via e-mail at 
[email protected].

ADDRESSES: The scoping meeting locations are:

 International Agri-Center, Banquet Hall, 4450 S. Laspina St., 
Tulare, CA 93274
 Piccadilly Inn, University, Ballroom, 4961 North Cedar Ave., 
Fresno, CA 93726
 Merced County Fairgrounds, Germino Room, 403 F St., Los Banos, 
CA 93635
 Library Galleria, 828 I St., Sacramento, CA 95814

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Margaret Gidding at the above 
address, by telephone at 916-978-5104, TDD 916-978-5608 or via fax at 
916-978-5114. Additional information is available online at http://www.restoresjr.com. If special assistance is required at one of the 
scoping meetings, please contact Ms. Margaret Gidding via the phone 
number or e-mail listed above no less than five working days prior to 
the meetings.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Development of the PEIS/EIR for the Program 
is being carried out under Congressional authorization granted to the 
Secretary of the Interior under section 3406(c)(1) of the Central 
Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA) and will serve as the initial 
planning and environmental review activities necessary to implement the 
Settlement described below.
    In 1992, Congress passed the CVPIA (Pub. L. 102-575, Title XXXIV) 
in order to protect, restore, and enhance fish, wildlife, and 
associated habitats in California's Central Valley. Specifically, CVPIA 
Section 3406(c)(1) requires the Secretary of the Interior to 
``[d]evelop a comprehensive plan, which is reasonable, prudent, and 
feasible, to address fish, wildlife, and habitat concerns on the San 
Joaquin River, including but not limited to the streamflow, channel, 
riparian habitat, and water quality improvements that would be needed 
to reestablish where necessary and to sustain naturally reproducing 
anadromous fisheries from Friant Dam to its confluence with the San 
Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary.''
    In 1988, a coalition of environmental groups, led by the Natural 
Resources Defense Council (NRDC), filed a lawsuit challenging the 
renewal of the long-term water service contracts between the United 
States and the Central Valley Project, Friant Division contractors. 
After more than 18 years of litigation of this lawsuit, known as the 
Natural Resources Defense Council et al., v. Rodgers, et al., a 
Settlement was reached. On September 13, 2006, the Settling Parties 
reached agreement on the terms and conditions of the Settlement which 
was subsequently approved by the Court on October 23, 2006. The 
``Settling Parties'' include the NRDC, Friant Water Users Authority, 
and the Departments of the Interior and Commerce.
    The Settlement is based on two parallel goals:
     To restore and maintain fish populations in ``good 
condition'' in the main stem of the San Joaquin River below Friant Dam 
to the confluence of the Merced River, including naturally reproducing 
and self-sustaining populations of salmon and other fish (Restoration 
Goal); and
     To reduce or avoid adverse water supply impacts to all of 
the Friant Division long-term contractors that may result from the 
Interim Flows and Restoration Flows provided for in the Settlement 
(Water Management Goal).
    The Settlement states that the Secretary of the Interior will 
implement the terms and conditions of the Settlement. Additionally, the 
Settling Parties agreed that implementation of the Settlement will also 
require participation of the State of California (State). Therefore, 
concurrent with the execution of the Settlement, the Settling Parties 
entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the State (by and 
through the California Resources Agency, DWR, DFG, and the California 
Environmental Protection Agency) regarding the State's role in the 
implementation of the Settlement. The ``implementing agencies'', which 
include Reclamation, USFWS, NMFS, DWR, and DFG, are responsible for the 
management of the Program to implement the Settlement.

Public Disclosure

    Before including your name, address, phone number, e-mail address, 
or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should 
be aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.


[[Page 42429]]


    Dated: July 27, 2007.
John F. Davis,
 Deputy Regional Director, Mid-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. E7-15029 Filed 8-1-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-P