[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 200 (Tuesday, October 16, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 63299]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-25307]


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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/Environmental Impact Report for the Folsom Dam Water Control 
Manual Update

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

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: 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 Folsom Dam Water Control Manual Update 
(Folsom WCM Update). USACE will serve as lead agency and the Bureau of 
Reclamation will be a cooperating agency for compliance with the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and the Central Valley Flood 
Protection Board (CVFPB) will serve as lead agency for compliance with 
the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The Folsom WCM Update 
is intended to improve the ability of Folsom Dam to utilize the new 
physical features to manage large flood events and meet dam safety 
requirements.

DATES: Written comments regarding the scope of the environmental 
analysis should be received by November 11, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and suggestions concerning this project and 
requests to be included on the project mailing list may be submitted to 
Tyler Stalker, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, Attn: 
Public Affairs Office (CESPK-PAO), 1325 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95814.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tyler Stalker via telephone at (916) 
557-5107, email at [email protected], or mail at (see 
ADDRESSES). Study information will also be posted periodically on the 
Internet at http://www.spk.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/JointFederalProject.aspx

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. Proposed Action. The Folsom WCM Update will identify, evaluate, 
and recommend changes to the flood management operation rules of Folsom 
Dam and Reservoir to reduce flood risk to the Sacramento area by 
utilizing the auxiliary spillway currently under construction and by 
incorporating an improved understanding of the American River watershed 
upstream of Folsom Dam. The findings of the evaluation will be used to 
help define the Dam's new flood operations plan, with the intention of 
meeting flood risk management objectives and dam safety requirements in 
a manner that conserves as much water as possible and maximizes all 
authorized Folsom Dam project uses to the extent practicable.
    2. Alternatives. The EIS/EIR will develop new operational rules to 
meet dam safety and flood risk management objectives that comply with 
Congressional direction to reduce Folsom Reservoir variable space 
allocation from the current operating range of 400,000-670,000 acre-
feet (ac-ft) to 400,000-600,000 ac-ft. In addition, the incorporation 
of improved forecasting capabilities and basin wetness parameters as 
part of flood management operations will be evaluated. A number of 
flood management operation alternatives are expected to be developed 
and the effect of those alternatives on Folsom Dam and Reservoir's 
other authorized purposes will be analyzed in the EIS/EIR.
    3. Scoping Process.
    a. Two public scoping meetings will be held to present an overview 
of the Folsom WCM Update 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 
meetings will be held at the following locations, dates, and times: 
Sacramento Library Galleria, 828 I Street, Sacramento, CA. October 
15th, 2012, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Folsom Community Center, 52 Natoma 
Street, Folsom, CA. October 22nd, 2012, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
    b. Potentially significant issues to be analyzed in depth in the 
EIS/EIR include project-specific, system-wide, and cumulative effects 
on authorized purposes of the Folsom Dam project and the environmental 
resources associated with those purposes. Effects analyzed will 
include: Water supply for irrigation, municipal, and industrial uses; 
fish and wildlife resources; power generation; water quality; 
recreation; special status species; soils and levee safety; and 
cultural resources.
    c. USACE will consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and 
National Marine Fisheries Service to comply with the Endangered Species 
Act, the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, and the requirements of 
the current Biological Opinions that affect the operations of Folsom 
Dam. USACE will consult with the State Historic Preservation Officer to 
comply with the National Historic Preservation Act. USACE will 
coordinate with the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs to establish 
consultation requirements with tribes having trust assets and tribal 
interests that could be affected by the WCM Update's outcome.
    d. A 45-day public review period will be provided for individuals, 
interested parties, 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 scheduled to be available for 
public review and comment in 2015.

Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-25307 Filed 10-15-12; 8:45 am]
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