[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 154 (Friday, August 10, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45068-45069]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-15429]


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INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER COMMISSION, UNITED STATES AND MEXICO


United States Section; Notice of Availability of Draft 
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, Improvements to the USIBWC 
Tijuana River Flood Control Project

AGENCY: United States Section, International Boundary and Water 
Commission (USIBWC).

ACTION: Notice of availability of Draft Programmatic Environmental 
Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the United States Section, 
International Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC) has prepared a 
Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Draft PEIS) for 
future improvements to the Tijuana River Flood Control Project operated 
by the USIBWC in southern San Diego County. The Draft PEIS, prepared in 
cooperation with the United States Army Corps of Engineers, analyzes 
potential effects of the No Action Alternative and two action 
alternatives for future improvements. Because several measures under 
consideration are at a conceptual level of development, the USIBWC has 
taken a broad programmatic look at the potential environmental 
implications of future implementation measures. The USIBWC will apply 
the programmatic evaluation as an overall guidance for future 
environmental evaluations of individual improvement projects whose 
implementation is anticipated or possible within a 20-year timeframe. 
Once any given improvement project is identified for future 
implementation, site-specific environmental documentation will be 
developed based on project specifications and PEIS findings. Public 
participation in the evaluation of potential effect is encouraged. A 
public hearing will be held at the City of Imperial Beach, California, 
to receive oral comments on the Draft PEIS from interested 
organizations and individuals through transcription by a certified 
court reporter. Written comments may be submitted at the public 
hearings or mailed to the USIBWC during the 45-day public review period 
to the contact and address below.

DATES: Written comments are requested by September 24, 2007, which is 
calculated from the anticipated date of the Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA) Notice of Availability of August 10, 2007. A Public 
hearing will be held on August 30, 2007, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. PST, at 
the City of Imperial Beach, Dempsey Holder Safety Center, 950 Ocean 
Lane, Imperial Beach, CA 91932. Hearing date and location will also be 
announced in local newspapers one week prior to the hearing date.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Daniel Borunda, Environmental 
Protection Specialist, Environmental Management Division, USIBWC, 4171 
North Mesa Street, C-100, El Paso, Texas 79902 or e-mail: 
[email protected].
    Copies of the Draft PEIS are available for inspection and review at 
the following locations: United States

[[Page 45069]]

Section, International Boundary and Water Commission, San Diego Field 
Office, 2225 Dairy Mart Road, San Ysidro, CA 92173; and San Diego 
Central Library, 820 E. Street, San Diego, CA 92101. A copy of the 
Draft PEIS will also be posted at the USIBWC Web site at http://www.ibwc.state.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Draft PEIS analyzes potential effects of 
the No Action Alternative and two action alternatives for future 
improvement of the Tijuana River FCP. Potential future improvements to 
the Tijuana River Flood Control Project were organized in two action 
alternatives, Enhanced Operation and Maintenance Alternative, focusing 
on engineering improvements; and Multipurpose Project Management 
Alternative, incorporating additional measures for multiple use of the 
floodway and environmental measures supporting initiatives by federal 
agencies, local governments, and other organizations; these initiatives 
would be conducted largely under cooperative agreements. The two action 
alternatives were evaluated in terms of their potential effects 
relative to those of the No Action Alternative, in the areas of water, 
biological, cultural and socioeconomic resources, land use, and 
environmental health issues.
    A copy of the DEIS has been filed with EPA in accordance with 40 
CFR parts 1500-1508 and USIBWC procedures. The public comment period of 
the Draft PEIS will end 45 days after publication of the NOA in the 
Federal Register by EPA.

    Dated: August 1, 2007.
Susan E. Daniel,
General Counsel.
 [FR Doc. E7-15429 Filed 8-9-07; 8:45 am]
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