[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 188 (Friday, September 28, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 55246]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-19249]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Madera Irrigation District Water Supply Enhancement Project

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

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

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

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the 
Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) proposes to prepare an EIS for the 
proposed Madera Irrigation District (MID) Water Supply Enhancement 
Project (Project), in which MID would construct a groundwater bank on 
the property known as Madera Ranch, west of the City of Madera, Madera 
County, CA. The Federal actions include approval from Reclamation for 
MID to bank a portion of their Central Valley Project (CVP) Friant 
Division contract water supply outside of its service area in the newly 
constructed groundwater bank at Madera Ranch and approval to extend the 
Reclamation-owned 24.2 Canal.

DATES: Reclamation will hold a scoping meeting to seek public input on 
topics, issues, and alternatives to be considered in the EIS. The 
scoping meeting will occur on October 22, 2007 at 6:30 p.m.
    Written comments should be mailed to Reclamation at the address 
below by close of business November 5, 2007.
    If special assistance is required at the scoping meeting, please 
contact Ms. Patti Clinton, Reclamation, at (559) 487-5127, TDD (559) 
487-5933, or via e-mail at [email protected] no less than five 
working days prior to the meeting.

ADDRESSES: The scoping meeting will be held at the Madera Irrigation 
District Office, 2152 Road 28 1/4, Madera, CA 93637.
    Written comments on the scope of the environmental document should 
be sent to Ms. Patti Clinton, Bureau of Reclamation, 1243 N Street, 
Fresno, CA 93721, via e-mail at [email protected], or fax to 559-
487-5397.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Patti Clinton, Reclamation, at the 
above address, (559) 487-5127; or MID, 12152 Road 28 1/4, Madera, CA 
93637-9199 (559) 268-2483, fax: (559) 673-0564.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the California 
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), MID approved its Water Supply 
Enhancement Project in September 2005 based on a Final Environmental 
Impact Report (EIR)--State Clearing House  2005031068. At the 
time, there was no Federal action. Reclamation commented on the draft 
EIR stating that once MID proposed a Federal action, Reclamation would 
need to complete and satisfy all NEPA and Endangered Species Act 
requirements before approving any Federal action. This EIS has been 
initiated in response to MID's request that Reclamation approve the 
banking of CVP water outside of its service area in the proposed Madera 
Ranch water bank, as well as alterations to Federal facilities.
    The primary objectives of the Project are to:
     Enhance water supply reliability and flexibility;
     Help maintain water costs at levels that are affordable to 
farmers;
     Reduce aquifer overdraft;
     Improve groundwater quality; and
     Encourage conjunctive use, where appropriate.
    The Project includes facilities necessary to store water in and 
recover water from the underlying aquifer. Phase 1 would be recharge-
related facilities only. Phase 2 would involve supplemental recharge 
facilities and facilities for recovery of stored water. The water bank 
would have a total storage capacity of 250,000 acre-feet (AF), and 
could recharge or recover up to 55,000 AF of water per year.

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.

    Dated: August 22, 2007.
Susan M. Fry,
Regional Environmental Officer, Mid-Pacific Region.
 [FR Doc. E7-19249 Filed 9-27-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-P