[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 224 (Monday, November 22, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71145-71146]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-29330]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


San Joaquin River Restoration Program: Reach 4B, Eastside Bypass, 
and Mariposa Bypass Channel and Structural Improvements Project, Merced 
County, CA

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Revised notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement/Environmental Report (EIS/EIR) and Notice of Scoping Meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation and the California Department of 
Water Resources are revising our proposal to prepare a joint EIS/EIR on 
the effects of the proposed Reach 4B, Eastside Bypass, and Mariposa 
Bypass Channel and Structural Improvements Project under the San 
Joaquin River Restoration Program. The original notice of intent was 
published in the Federal Register on September 9, 2009 (74 FR 46453). 
This revised proposal would include measures for the conveyance of 
Interim and Restoration flows and incorporation of fish habitat through 
Reach 4B and/or the bypasses. When evaluating comments on this 
proposal, we will also consider comments that we received on the 
previous proposal.

DATES: Submit written comments on the scope of the EIS/EIR by December 
22, 2010. We will hold a scoping meeting on Monday, December 6, 2010, 
from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in Los Banos, California.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Ms. Michelle Banonis, Natural 
Resources Specialist, Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, MP-170, 
Sacramento, CA 95825 or via e-mail at [email protected]. We will 
hold a public scoping meeting at the Miller and Lux Building, 830 6th 
Street, Los Banos, California.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Margaret Gidding, Outreach 
Coordinator, 2800 Cottage Way, MP-170, Sacramento, CA 95825, or via e-
mail at [email protected], by telephone at 916-978-5461, TDD 916-978-
5608 or via fax at 916-978-5469. Additional information is available 
online at http://www.restoresjr.net.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Proposed Action includes improving 
conveyance capacity in the San Joaquin River from the Reach 4B 
headgates near Washington Road to the confluence of the Mariposa Bypass 
with the San Joaquin River (generally referred to as Reach 4B1). The 
improvements will incorporate modifications to Reach 4B and the 
Eastside and Mariposa bypass channels to allow for conveyance of 
Interim and Restoration flows. Improvements will also include the 
incorporation of fish habitat in Reach 4B and/or the bypasses and 
maintain the current flood operations and conveyance capacity of the 
system. Additionally, the Proposed Action may result in an opportunity 
for improvements to the existing flood system. These improvements are 
intended to support paragraph 11 Settlement actions related to Reach 
4B, the Eastside Bypass, and the Mariposa Bypass. The planning and 
environmental review for the Proposed Action is authorized under 
Section 3406(c)(1) of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act and 
the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement (SJRRS) Act. Construction 
of the Proposed Action is authorized under Section 10004 of the SJRRS 
Act. The Proposed Action would be implemented consistent with the 
Settlement and the SJRRS Act.

San Joaquin River Restoration Program

    In 1988, a coalition of environmental groups led by the Natural 
Resources Defense Council (NRDC) filed a lawsuit challenging the 
renewal of the long-term water service contracts between the United 
States and the Central Valley Project Friant Division Contractors. 
After more than 18 years of litigation known as NRDC, et al., v. Kirk 
Rodgers, et al., the NRDC, Friant Water Users Authority, and the 
Departments of the Interior and Commerce (Settling Parties) reached 
agreement on the terms and conditions of the San Joaquin River 
Stipulation of Settlement (Settlement) that was subsequently approved 
by the Court on October 23, 2006. The Settlement can be found online at 
http://www.restoresjr.net.
    The Settlement is based on two parallel Goals:
     The Restoration Goal--To restore and maintain fish 
populations in ``good condition'' in the main stem of the San Joaquin 
River below Friant Dam to the confluence of the Merced River, including 
naturally reproducing and self-sustaining populations of salmon and 
other fish; and
     The Water Management Goal--To reduce or avoid adverse 
water supply impacts to all of the Friant Division long-term 
Contractors that may result from the Interim Flows and Restoration 
Flows provided for in the Settlement.
    The Settling Parties acknowledge that accomplishing the Goals 
requires planning, implementation, and funding of certain activities, 
such as environmental review, design, and construction. With regard to 
the Restoration Goal, the Settlement calls for a combination of channel 
and structural improvements along the San Joaquin River below Friant 
Dam, releases of additional water from Friant Dam to the confluence of 
the Merced River, and the reintroduction of spring and/or fall-run 
Chinook salmon.
    The Settlement states that the Secretary of the Interior shall 
diligently pursue completion of the improvements listed in Paragraph 11 
in coordination with the Restoration Administrator and with other 
federal, state, and local agencies. Additionally, the Settling Parties 
agreed that implementation of the Settlement shall also require 
participation of the State of California. Therefore, concurrent with 
the execution of the Settlement, the Settling Parties entered into a 
Memorandum of Understanding with the State of California, by and 
through the California Resources Agency, DWR, the Department of Fish 
and Game (DFG), and the California Environmental Protection Agency, 
regarding the State's role in the implementation of the Settlement. The 
program established to implement the Settlement is the SJRRP, and the 
``Implementing Agencies'' responsible for the management of the SJRRP 
include Reclamation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the 
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), DWR, and DFG. The Federal 
Implementing Agencies (Reclamation, USFWS, and NMFS) are authorized to 
implement the Settlement under the SJRRS Act included in Public Law 
111-11.
    A Program Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact 
Report (PEIS/EIR) is currently being developed for implementation of 
the SJRRP. If applicable, the EIS/EIR for the Proposed Action will 
supplement, tier from, incorporate by reference, or adopt relevant NEPA 
analyses from the PEIS/EIR once a Record of Decision is signed.

Special Assistance for Public Meetings

    If special assistance is required to participate in the scoping 
meeting, please contact Ms. Margaret Gidding at 916-978-5461, by TDD 
916-978-5608, or via e-mail at [email protected]. Please contact Ms. 
Gidding at least ten working days prior to the meeting.

[[Page 71146]]

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 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: October 6, 2010.
Anastasia T. Leigh,
Acting Regional Environmental Officer, Mid-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 2010-29330 Filed 11-19-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-P