[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 58 (Friday, March 27, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13424-13425]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-6862]


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

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Army Corps of Engineers


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/
Environmental Impact Report for Natomas Levee Improvement Program Phase 
4a Landside Improvements Project, Sacramento, CA

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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

SUMMARY: The action being taken is preparation of an environmental 
impact statement/environmental impact report (EIS/EIR) for the Natomas 
Levee Improvement Program (NLIP) Phase 4a Landside Improvements Project 
(Phase 4a Project). The Corps is considering a request to issue both 
408 permission to the Central Valley Flood Protection Board and 404 
permit to Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA) for work on the 
NLIP. Under 33 U.S.C. 408, the Chief of Engineers may grant permission 
to alter an existing Federal project if it is not injurious to the 
public interest and does not impair the usefulness of the project. 
Under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, the District Engineer permits 
the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United 
States if the discharge meets the requirements of the Environmental 
Protection Agency's 404(b)(1) guidelines and is not contrary to the 
public interest. The NLIP is located in Sacramento and Sutter Counties, 
CA. The 408 permission is required for structural improvements to the 
Sacramento River east levee and the Natomas Cross Canal south levee. A 
404 permit is needed for dredge and discharge of fill materials into 
waters of the United States resulting from levee improvements, 
relocation of the Riverside Canal, and development of associated 
habitat.

DATES: A public scoping meeting will be held on April 13, 2009 from 
4:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. at South Natomas Community Center, Activity 
Room (see ADDRESSES). Send written comments by April 27, 2009 to (see 
ADDRESSES).

ADDRESSES: Public Scoping Meeting, South Natomas Community Center, 
Activity Room, 2921 Truxel Road, Sacramento, CA. Send written comments 
and suggestions concerning this study to Ms. Elizabeth Holland, U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, Attn: Planning Division 
(CESPK-PD-R), 1325 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95814-2922. Requests to be 
placed on the mailing list should also be sent to this address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and EIS/EIR should be addressed to Ms. Elizabeth Holland at (916) 557-
6763, e-mail [email protected] or by mail (see 
ADDRESSES).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. Proposed Action. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is preparing 
an EIS/EIR to analyze the impacts of the work proposed by SAFCA to 
implement the NLIP Phase 4a Project. The overall purpose of the NLIP is 
to bring the entire 42-mile Natomas Basin perimeter levee system into 
compliance with applicable Federal and state standards for levees 
protecting urban areas. The NLIP Phase 4a Project is a component of the 
NLIP proposed by SAFCA to improve a portion of the Natomas Basin's 
perimeter levee system in Sacramento and Sutter Counties, CA.
    2. Alternatives. The EIS/EIR will address an array of flood damage 
reduction alternatives. Alternatives analyzed during the investigation 
will consist of a combination of one or more flood risk reduction 
measures. These measures include strengthening the existing levee in 
place, constructing seepage berms, constructing adjacent setback 
levees, installing relief wells and cutoff walls, and relocating 
irrigation ditches.
    3. Scoping Process. a. A public scoping meeting will be held on 
April 13, 2009 to present information to the public and to receive 
comments from the public. This meeting will begin a process to involve 
concerned individuals, and local, State, and Federal agencies with the 
Phase 4a Project.
    b. Significant issues to be analyzed in depth in the EIS/EIR 
include effects on agricultural resources, land use, geology and soils, 
hydrology and hydraulics, water quality, biological resources 
(including fisheries, vegetation and wildlife resources, special-status 
species, and wetlands and other waters of the U.S.), cultural 
resources, paleontological resources, transportation and circulation, 
air quality, noise, visual resources, utilities and service systems, 
hazards and hazardous materials, socioeconomics and population and 
housing, and environmental justice. The EIS/EIR will also evaluate the 
cumulative effects of the proposed NLIP (including the past and 
anticipated future NLIP project phases) and other related projects in 
the study area.
    c. The Corps is consulting with the State Historic Preservation 
Officer to comply with the National Historic Preservation Act, the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service to 
provide a Biological Opinion, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to 
provide a Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act Report.
    d. A 45-day public review period will be provided for individuals 
and agencies to review and comment on the draft EIS/EIR. All interested 
parties are encouraged to respond to this notice and provide a current 
address if they

[[Page 13425]]

wish to be notified of the draft EIS/EIR circulation.
    4. Availability. The draft EIS/EIR is scheduled to be available for 
public review and comment in early summer 2009.

    Dated: March 16, 2009.
Thomas Chapman,
COL, EN, Commanding.
[FR Doc. E9-6862 Filed 3-26-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P