[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 170 (Thursday, September 1, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54451-54452]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-22383]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Joint Supplemental Environmental 
Impact Statement and Environmental Impact Report for the Folsom Dam 
Modification Project, Approach Channel.

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The action being taken is the preparation of a joint 
supplemental environmental impact statement/environmental impact report 
(EIS/EIR) for the Folsom Dam Modification, Approach Channel Project. 
The EIS/EIR will be prepared in accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental 
Quality Act (CEQA). The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) will serve 
as lead agency for compliance with NEPA, and the State of California 
Central Valley Flood Protection Board (CVFPB) will serve as lead agency 
for compliance with CEQA. The Folsom Dam Modification Project, Approach 
Channel will evaluate alternatives, including a locally preferred plan, 
for providing dam safety and flood damage reduction at Folsom Dam 
located downstream from the confluence of the North and South Forks of 
the American River near the city of Folsom, California.

DATES: Written comments regarding the scope of the environmental 
analysis should be received by November 4, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Written comments concerning this study and requests to be 
included on the Folsom Dam Modification Project, Approach Channel 
mailing list should be submitted to Ms. Nancy Sandburg, U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers, Sacramento District, Attn: Planning Division (CESPK-PD-
RA), 1325 J Street, Sacramento, California 95814.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Nancy Sandburg via telephone at 
(916) 557-7134, e-mail: [email protected] or regular 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 dam safety and flood damage reduction associated with Phase 4 
of the action for the Folsom Dam Modification Project, Approach 
Channel. This project addresses design alternatives for an Approach 
Channel that is tiered from the 2007 Folsom Dam Safety and Flood Damage 
Reduction--Joint Federal Project EIS/EIR NEPA analyses to complete 
construction of a control structure and spillway at Folsom Dam on the 
American River system.
    2. Alternatives. The EIS/EIR will address construction alternatives 
that are intended to improve dam safety and provide 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 design measures to complete the new control 
structure and spillway: installation of a temporary cofferdam or cutoff 
walls, construction of a spur dike, blasting to remove bedrock 
material, dredging, terrestrial deposition of dredge material, and 
temporary modification of existing terrestrial sites for haul routes 
and staging areas.
    3. Scoping Process.
    a. A public scoping meeting will be held to present an overview of 
the Folsom Dam Modification Project, Approach Channel 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 in at the Folsom 
Community Center at 52 Natoma Street in Folsom, CA on October 20, 2011. 
Presentation will begin at 6 p.m.
    b. Potentially significant issues to be analyzed in depth in the 
EIS/EIR include project specific and cumulative

[[Page 54452]]

effects on air quality, water quality, recreation, fisheries, and 
transportation.
    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 is also 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 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 Spring 2012.

    Dated: April 25, 2011.
William J. Leady,
Colonel, U.S. Army, District Commander.
[FR Doc. 2011-22383 Filed 8-31-11; 8:45 am]
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