[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 190 (Friday, October 1, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60804-60805]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-24609]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Nimbus Hatchery Fish Passage Project, Lower American River, 
California

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) and notice of public 
meetings.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and 
the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Bureau of 
Reclamation, the lead Federal agency, and the California Department of 
Fish and Game (CDFG), acting as the lead State agency, have made 
available for public review and comment a Draft EIS/EIR for the Nimbus 
Hatchery Fish Passage Project (Project). The purpose of the Project is 
to create and maintain a reliable system for collecting adult fish at 
the Nimbus Fish Hatchery (Hatchery). Reclamation maintains the Hatchery 
to meet mitigation obligations for spawning areas blocked by 
construction of Nimbus Dam. CDFG operates the Hatchery under a contract 
with Reclamation and is responsible for the management of the fishery 
resources within the adjacent lower American River. The Hatchery was 
constructed in 1955 under the American River Basin Development Act 
(October 14, 1949, 63 Stat. 852) along with Nimbus and Folsom Dams. The 
Draft EIS/EIR describes and presents the environmental effects of three 
action alternatives and the No-Action Alternative. Written comments 
will be accepted from agencies, organizations and individuals on the 
Draft EIS/EIR.

DATES: Submit written comments on the Draft EIS/EIR by November 30, 
2010.
    Public meetings will be held to receive comments on the Draft EIS/
EIR and provide further clarification regarding the Project on 
Thursday, November 4, 2010 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. and from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments on the Draft EIS/EIR to Mr. David 
Robinson, Central California Area Office, Bureau of Reclamation, 7794 
Folsom Dam Road, Folsom, CA 95630-1799; or e-mail at 
[email protected].
    Public meetings will be held at the California State University 
Sacramento Aquatic Center, 1901 Hazel Avenue, Gold River, CA 95670.
    Copies of the Draft EIS/EIR may be requested from Ms. Janet 
Sierzputowski at 916-978-5112, TTY 916-978-5608, or e-mail at 
[email protected]. The Draft EIS/EIR is also accessible from the 
following Web sites: http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_projdetails.cfm?Project_ID=5216 or http://www.usbr.gov/mp/ccao/hatchery/index.html.
    See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for locations where 
copies of the Draft EIS/EIR are available for public review.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. David Robinson at the CCAO general 
telephone number 916-988-1707, TTY 916-989-7285, or e-mail at 
[email protected].

[[Page 60805]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Draft EIS/EIR documents the direct, 
indirect and cumulative effects to the physical, biological, and 
socioeconomic environment that may result from construction of the 
Project.
    The purpose of the Project is to create and maintain a reliable 
system for collecting adult fish to assist Reclamation in meeting 
mitigation obligations for spawning areas blocked by the construction 
of Nimbus Dam. Other objectives are to (1) minimize annual operations 
and maintenance costs, (2) eliminate the need to reduce river flows for 
weir superstructure repairs, maintenance, and annual installation, 
which in turn increases operational flexibility, and (3) improve public 
and worker safety.
    The Draft EIS/EIR evaluates three action alternatives and the No-
Action alternative. Alternative 1 consists of the construction of a new 
fish passageway from the Hatchery to an area near the south end of the 
Nimbus Dam stilling basin, removal of the existing fish diversion weir, 
and potential modification of fishing regulations. The removal of the 
existing weir would allow the fish to access the stilling basin area. 
Because of the potential for fishing to significantly impact fishery 
resources, two regulatory options, Alternatives 1A and 1C, are being 
considered. CDFG is evaluating potential changes in fishing regulations 
to help protect spawning salmon and steelhead and to maintain fish 
passage to the hatchery. Reclamation is evaluating potential changes in 
public access to the stilling basin that best meet project purposes.
    Alternative 2 involves replacing the existing fish diversion weir 
with a new weir immediately upstream of its current location. The 
existing permanent and seasonal fishing closures would remain in 
effect, unchanged. However, a new weir would be much more effective in 
preventing fish from entering the river and stilling basin upstream 
from the Hatchery.
    The No-Action Alternative would be the continuation of the existing 
regulatory conditions. The existing weir would not be replaced. The 
existing permanent and seasonal fishing closures would remain in 
effect, unchanged.
    Copies of the Draft EIS/EIR are available for public review at the 
following locations:
     Bureau of Reclamation, Mid-Pacific Region, Regional 
Library, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825.
     Central California Area Office, Bureau of Reclamation, 
7794 Folsom Dam Road, Folsom, CA 95630.
     Nimbus Fish Hatchery, 2001 Nimbus Road, Gold River, CA 
95670.

Special Assistance for Public Meetings

    If special assistance is required to participate in the public 
meetings, please contact Ms. Janet Sierzputowski at 916-978-5112, TTY 
916-978-5608, or e-mail [email protected]. Please notify Ms. 
Sierzputowski as far in advance as possible to enable Reclamation to 
secure the needed services. If a request cannot be honored, the 
requestor will be notified.

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: March 11, 2010.
Pablo R. Arroyave,
Deputy Regional Director, Mid-Pacific Region.

    Editorial Note: This document was received in the Office of the 
Federal Register on September 27, 2010.

[FR Doc. 2010-24609 Filed 9-30-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-P