[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 121 (Monday, June 24, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37846-37847]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-15051]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

[A20-0805-4999-400-00-0-0-2, 2100000]


Resource Management Plan/General Plan and Environmental Impact 
Statement/Environmental Impact Report for the San Luis Reservoir State 
Recreation Area, Merced County, California

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation and the California Department of 
Parks and Recreation (CDPR) have prepared a Final Environmental Impact 
Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) for the San Luis 
Reservoir State Recreation Area Resource Management Plan/General Plan 
(RMP/GP). The Final EIS/EIR describes and presents the environmental 
effects of the No Action/No Project Alternative and three Action 
Alternatives for implementing the RMP/GP.
    A Notice of Availability of the Draft EIS/EIR was published in the 
Federal Register on August 3, 2012 (77 FR 46518). The comment period on 
the Draft EIS/EIR ended on October 2, 2012. The Final EIS/EIR contains 
responses to all comments received and reflects comments and any 
additional information received during the review period.

DATES: Reclamation will not make a decision on the proposed action 
until at least 30 days after release of the Final EIS/EIR. After the 
30-day waiting period, Reclamation will complete a Record of Decision 
(ROD). The ROD will state the action that will be implemented and will 
discuss all factors leading to the decision.
    The California State Parks and Recreation Commission Hearing on the 
Final EIS/EIR will be held in August 2013. A Notice of Determination 
will be filed after the Commission Hearing. This action will trigger a 
30-day appeal period under CEQA.

ADDRESSES: Send requests for a compact disc copy of the Final EIS/EIR 
to Mr. Dave Woolley, Bureau of Reclamation, 1243 N Street, Fresno, CA 
93721, or by email to [email protected].
    The Final EIS/EIR is also accessible from the following Web site: 
http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_projdetails.cfm?Project_ID=548. See 
the Supplementary Information section below for locations where copies 
of the Final RMP/GP EIS/EIR are available for public review.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Dave Woolley, Bureau of 
Reclamation, at 559-487-5049 (TTY 1-800-735-2929) or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Final EIS/EIR analyzes the direct, 
indirect, and cumulative effects to the physical, biological, and 
socioeconomic environment that may result from various resource 
management alternatives contained in the subject document.
    The Final EIS/EIR: (1) Identifies the current and most appropriate 
future uses of land and water resources within the RMP/GP area; (2) 
identifies the long-term resource programs and implementation 
guidelines to manage and develop recreation, natural, and cultural 
resources; and (3) develops strategies and approaches to protect and 
preserve the natural, recreational, aesthetic, and cultural resources.
    The RMP/GP was initially released with a Draft EIR in 2005 for 
compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The 
RMP/GP was reissued with a joint Draft EIS/Revised Draft EIR for the 
purposes of both National Environmental Policy Act and CEQA compliance.
    The RMP/GP area consists of over 27,000 acres owned by the Bureau 
of Reclamation (Reclamation) and includes the water surfaces of San 
Luis Reservoir, O'Neill Forebay, Los Banos Creek Reservoir, and 
adjacent recreation lands within the vicinity of Los Banos, California. 
The general project location is south of State Route 152 between U.S. 
101 and Interstate 5, approximately two hours southeast from San 
Francisco.
    San Luis Reservoir and the other facilities mentioned above were 
constructed between 1963 and 1967 as part of the water storage and 
delivery system of reservoirs, aqueducts, power plants, and pumping 
stations operated within the California State Water Project and Central 
Valley Project. The California Department of Parks and Recreation was 
given the responsibility to plan, design, construct, maintain, and 
operate the recreation areas surrounding the reservoirs.
    The purpose of the RMP/GP is to: (1) Enhance natural resources and 
recreational opportunities consistent with reservoir operations; (2) 
provide recreational opportunities to meet the demands of a growing 
population with diverse interests; (3) ensure diversity of recreational 
opportunities and quality of the recreational experience; (4) protect 
natural, cultural, and recreational sources while providing resource 
education opportunities and stewardship; and (5) provide updated 
management direction for establishing a new management agreement with 
the State of California.
    The Final EIS/EIR contains a program-level analysis of the 
potential impacts associated with adoption of the RMP/GP. The Final 
EIS/EIR outlines the formulation and evaluation of alternatives 
designed to address these issues through a representation of the varied 
interests at the Plan Area and identifies Alternative 3 (Moderate New 
Access and Development) as the preferred alternative. The Final EIS/EIR 
includes goals, guidelines, and management actions to avoid and 
minimize potential impacts, as well as mitigation measures to reduce 
potential adverse effects. The RMP/GP has been developed within the 
authorities provided by Congress through the Reclamation Recreation 
Management Act of 1992 (Pub. L. 102-575, Title 28, 16 U.S.C. 460L) and 
other applicable agency and Department of the Interior policies.
    Copies of the Final 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.
     Bureau of Reclamation, South-Central California Area 
Office, 1243 N Street, Fresno, CA 93721.
     California Department of Parks and Recreation, Four Rivers 
Sector Office, 31426 Gonzaga Road, Gustine, CA 95322.

[[Page 37847]]

     Los Banos Library, 1312 South 7th Street, Los Banos, CA 
93635.
     California Department of Parks and Recreation, Northern 
Service Center, One Capitol Mall, Suite 410, Sacramento, CA 95814.
     Bureau of Reclamation, Denver Office Library, Building 67, 
Room 167, Denver Federal Center, 6th and Kipling, Denver, CO 80225.
     Natural Resources Library, U.S. Department of the 
Interior, 1849 C Street NW., Main Interior Building, Washington, DC 
20240-0001.

Public Disclosure

    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in any correspondence, you 
should be aware that your entire correspondence--including your 
personal identifying information--may be made publicly available at any 
time. While you can ask us in your correspondence to withhold your 
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so.

    Dated: April 29, 2013.
 Pablo R. Arroyave,
 Deputy Regional Director, Mid-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 2013-15051 Filed 6-21-13; 8:45 am]
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