[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 166 (Friday, August 26, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53423-53424]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-21878]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/
Environmental Impact Report for the Section 408 Permission for the 
Southport Sacramento River Early Implementation Project, West 
Sacramento, CA

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 of 1969, as 
amended, and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) intends to prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) under Section 14 
of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (as amended) (33 U.S.C. 408), and 
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344), for the proposed 
Southport Sacramento River Early Implementation Project (EIP), 
sponsored by the West Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (WSAFCA). 
Figures of the project area can be viewed at http://www.cityofwestsacramento.org/city/flood.
    WSAFCA is planning the Southport Sacramento River EIP to implement 
flood-risk reduction measures along the Sacramento River South Levee in 
the City of West Sacramento, Yolo County, CA. The project reach extends 
along the right bank of the Sacramento River south of the barge canal, 
downstream approximately 6.4 miles to the South Cross Levee, protecting 
the Southport community of West Sacramento. The 3.3-square mile study 
area encompasses the area of levee improvement along the river corridor 
and the potential soil borrow sites. In order to implement the project, 
the sponsor must acquire permission from USACE to alter the Federal 
project under Section 14 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (as 
amended) (33 U.S.C. 408 or, Section 408). USACE also has authority 
under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344) over 
activities involving the discharge of dredged or fill material to 
waters of the United States, which are known to be in the project area. 
The project would bring the levee up to standard with Federal and state 
flood protection criteria, as well as providing opportunities for 
ecosystem restoration and public recreation. USACE, acting as the 
federal lead agency under NEPA, and WSAFCA, acting as the state lead 
agency under the CEQA in coordination with the Central Valley Flood 
Protection Board, have determined that an EIS/EIR should be prepared to 
describe alternatives, potential environmental effects, and mitigation 
measures.

DATES: Public scoping meetings will be held on Thursday, September 15, 
2011 at 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at the West Sacramento Recreation 
Center, 2801 Jefferson Boulevard, West Sacramento, CA. Send written 
comments by September 26, 2011 (see ADDRESSES).

ADDRESSES: Written comments and suggestions concerning the scope and 
content of the environmental information may be submitted to Mr. John 
Suazo, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, Attn: 
Planning Division (CESPK-PD-R), 1325 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. 
Requests to be placed on the mailing list also should be sent to this 
address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed actions 
and environmental review process should be addressed to John Suazo at 
(916) 557-6719, e-mail: [email protected] (see ADDRESSES).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    1. Proposed Action. WSAFCA is proposing a project along the 
Sacramento River west levee under the California DWR's Early 
Implementation Program to expeditiously complete flood-risk reduction 
measures. Known as the Southport Sacramento River EIP, the project 
proposes implementation of flood-risk reduction measures

[[Page 53424]]

(measures) along a 6.4-mile long reach between the barge canal 
downstream to the South Cross Levee. Primary deficiencies of the levee 
include through-seepage, under-seepage, and embankment instability 
(e.g., overly steepened slopes). As part of the project, an EIS/EIR is 
being prepared. USACE has authority under Section 14 of the Rivers and 
Harbors Act of 1899 (as amended) (33 U.S.C. 408), over alterations to 
federal flood control project levees and any such alterations as 
proposed by WSAFCA are subject to approval by USACE. USACE also has 
authority under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344) 
over activities involving the discharge of dredged or fill material to 
waters of the United States, which are known to be in the project area. 
Under Section 10 of the Rives and Harbors Act, the District Engineer 
may permit activities which do not affect navigable waters. Due to 
these authorities, USACE is acting as the lead agency for the EIS 
pursuant to NEPA. WSAFCA will be acting as the lead agency for the EIR 
according to CEQA as the public agency that has the principal 
responsibility for carrying out and approving the project.
    2. Alternatives. The EIS/EIR will consider several alternatives for 
reducing flood damage. Each alternative analyzed during the 
investigation will consist of a combination of several measures to 
reduce the risk of flooding. These measures include, but are not 
limited to, installing slurry cutoff walls, constructing seepage or 
stability berms, relief wells, rock slope protection, slope flattening, 
and potential new levee alignments (setback or adjacent levees).
    3. Scoping Process.
    a. Public scoping meetings will be held on September 15, 2011, to 
present information to the public and to receive comments from the 
public on the project. These meetings are intended to initiate the 
process to involve concerned individuals, and local, State, and Federal 
agencies.
    b. Significant issues to be analyzed in depth in the environmental 
documents include effects on hydraulics, wetlands and other waters of 
the U.S., vegetation and wildlife resources, special-status species, 
aesthetics, cultural resources, recreation, land use, fisheries, 
agricultural resources, water quality, air quality, transportation, and 
socioeconomics; and cumulative effects of related projects in the study 
area.
    c. USACE is consulting 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 also is coordinating with 
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to comply with the Fish and Wildlife 
Coordination Act.
    d. A 45-day public review period will be provided for individuals 
and agencies to review and comment on the draft environmental document. 
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 for the Southport Sacramento 
River EIP is scheduled to be available for public review and comment in 
mid-2012.

    Dated: August 17, 2011.
William J. Leady,
COL, EN, Commanding.
[FR Doc. 2011-21878 Filed 8-25-11; 8:45 am]
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