[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 35 (Tuesday, February 23, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 8047]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-3493]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Army Corps of Engineers


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Joint Environmental Impact 
Statement and Environmental Impact Report for the Lower Walnut Creek 
General Reevaluation Report

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

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and 
the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, Sacramento District (USACE) intends to prepare a joint 
environmental impact statement/environmental impact report (EIS/EIR) 
for the Lower Walnut Creek General Reevaluation Report (LWCGRR). USACE 
will serve as lead agency for compliance with NEPA, and the Contra 
Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (CCCFCWCD) 
will serve as lead agency for compliance with CEQA. The LWCGRR will 
evaluate alternatives, including a locally preferred plan, for 
providing flood risk management and ecosystem restoration along the 
northern portion of the Walnut Creek watershed in the Central Coast of 
California. The approximate drainage area of the proposed action and 
analysis is 180 square miles.

DATES: Written comments regarding the scope of the environmental 
analysis should be received by March 23, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Written comments concerning this study and requests to be 
included on the LWCGRR mailing list should be submitted to Ms. Jamie 
LeFevre, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, Attn: 
Planning Division (CESPK-PD-R), 1325 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95814.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Jamie LeFevre via telephone at 
(916) 557-6693, e-mail at [email protected], or mail at 
(see ADDRESSES).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. Proposed Action. USACE is preparing an EIS/EIR to analyze the 
environmental impacts associated with a range of alternatives for 
providing flood damage reduction and ecosystem restoration along the 
northern portion of the Walnut Creek watershed (Figure 1).
    2. Alternatives. The EIS/EIR will address an array of alternatives 
for providing flood risk management within the project area. 
Alternatives analyzed during the investigation may include, but are not 
limited to, a combination of one or more of the following flood risk 
management measures: modifying the channel cross section and building 
setback levees along the lower reaches of the creek to recreate a 
larger floodplain; increasing conveyance by raising levees; widening 
channels and floodway areas; dredging; and various floodplain 
management measures. Ecosystem restoration measures may include, but 
are not limited to: restoring riparian, wetland, and floodplain 
habitats for habitat restoration and/or providing fish passage.
    3. Scoping Process.
    a. A public scoping meeting will be held to present an overview of 
the LWCGRR and the EIS/EIR process, and to afford all interested 
parties with an opportunity to provide comments regarding the scope of 
analysis and potential alternatives. The public scoping meeting will be 
held at the Contra Costa County Public Works Department at 255 Glacier 
Drive in Martinez, CA on February 22, 2010, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
    b. Potentially significant issues to be analyzed in depth in the 
EIS/EIR include project specific and cumulative effects on hydraulics, 
wetlands and other waters of the U.S., vegetation and wildlife 
resources, special-status species, esthetics, cultural resources, 
recreation, land use, fisheries, water quality, air quality, and 
transportation.
    c. USACE will consult with the State Historic Preservation Officer 
to comply with the National Historic Preservation Act and with the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service to 
comply with the Endangered Species Act. USACE is also coordinating with 
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to comply with the Fish and Wildlife 
Coordination Act. In addition, USACE or CCCFCWCD will need to obtain 
permits from the California Department of Fish and Game and the San 
Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board.
    d. A 45-day public review period will be provided for all 
interested parties 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 wish to be notified 
of the draft EIS/EIR circulation.
    4. Availability. The draft EIS/EIR is currently scheduled to be 
available for public review and comment in 2016.

    Dated: February 8, 2010.
Thomas Chapman,
COL, EN, Commanding.
[FR Doc. 2010-3493 Filed 2-22-10; 8:45 am]
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