[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 126 (Monday, July 1, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39315-39316]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-15659]
[[Page 39315]]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
[N12-1852-7904-600-00-0-0-2, 2030000]
Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement and Notice of Public Workshops and Hearings for the Shasta
Lake Water Resources Investigation, Shasta and Tehama Counties,
California
AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation has made available for public review
and comment the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the
Shasta Lake Water Resources Investigation (SLWRI). The purpose of the
proposed action is to improve operational flexibility of the
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta watershed system by modifying the existing
Shasta Dam and Reservoir to meet specified objectives. Primary
objectives are to increase the survival of anadromous fish populations
in the upper Sacramento River and increase water supply and water
supply reliability. Secondary planning objectives are to: conserve,
restore, and enhance ecosystem resources in the primary study area;
reduce flood damage along the Sacramento River; develop additional
hydropower generation capabilities; maintain and increase recreation
opportunities; and maintain or improve water quality conditions in the
Sacramento River downstream from Shasta Dam and in the Sacramento-San
Joaquin Delta.
DATES: Submit written comments on the DEIS on or before September 30,
2013.
Three public workshops and three public hearings will be held. See
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for workshop and hearing dates.
ADDRESSES: Please send written comments to Ms. Katrina Chow, Bureau of
Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825, or by email to
[email protected]">bor-mpr-[email protected]. Written comments also may be submitted during
the public hearings. Please see Supplementary Information section for
workshop and hearing addresses.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Katrina Chow, Reclamation Project
Manager, at the above address, at 916-978-5067, TDD 916-978-5608; via
fax at 916-978-5094; or by email to [email protected]">bor-mpr-[email protected]. Further
information on the SLWRI can be found on the SLWRI Web site, at
www.usbr.gov/mp/slwri.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Shasta Dam was completed in 1945 to serve
multiple purposes, including flood control; water supply for
agricultural, municipal and industrial, and environmental purposes; and
hydropower generation. In addition, extensive recreational
opportunities in and around Shasta Lake significantly contribute to the
regional economy.
Authorization for the investigation comes from Public Law (Pub. L.)
96-375, 1980, directing the Secretary of the Interior to engage in
feasibility studies related to enlarging Shasta Dam and Reservoir.
Related legislation includes Title 34 of Public Law 102-575 (the
Central Valley Project Improvement Act) and Public Law 108-361, the
CALFED Bay-Delta Authorization Act. In addition, enlargement of Shasta
Dam was identified in the CALFED Programmatic Environmental Impact
Report/Statement and Record of Decision.
In February 2012, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) released
a Draft Feasibility Report and Preliminary DEIS for the SLWRI to inform
the public, stakeholders, and decision makers about the results of the
SLWRI at that time. The Draft Feasibility Report describes the water
resources needs and opportunities, purpose of the proposed action,
planning objectives and constraints, the plan formulation and
evaluation process and criteria, and the potential effects, costs, and
benefits of five action alternatives and the No Action Alternative.
After release of the DEIS for public review and comment, the Final
Feasibility Report and EIS will be prepared and processed together to
support decision making for any related future recommendations,
approvals, or authorizations that may result. The following planning
objectives apply to the proposed action/project modification.
Planning Objectives
Primary Planning Objectives. (1) increase the survival of
anadromous fish populations in the Sacramento River, primarily upstream
from the Red Bluff Diversion Dam, and (2) increase water supply and
water supply reliability for agricultural, municipal and industrial,
and environmental purposes to help meet future water demands, with a
focus on enlarging Shasta Dam and Reservoir. Action alternatives were
formulated to address these primary planning objectives.
Secondary Planning Objectives. The following actions,
operations, or features are included to the extent possible and
consistent with the primary planning objectives: (1) Conserve, restore,
and enhance ecosystem resources in the Shasta Lake area and along the
upper Sacramento River, (2) reduce flood damage along the Sacramento
River, (3) develop additional hydropower generation capabilities at
Shasta Dam, (4) maintain and increase recreation opportunities at
Shasta Lake, and (5) maintain or improve water quality conditions in
the Sacramento River downstream from Shasta Dam and in the Sacramento-
San Joaquin Delta.
Draft Environmental Impact Statement
The DEIS documents a reasonable range of alternatives and evaluates
the potential direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental effects of
alternative plans. Evaluation of six alternatives is documented in the
DEIS, including a No-Action Alternative and five action alternatives.
The DEIS displays the potential project-related impacts, including the
effects of project construction and operation on the following resource
areas: geology, air quality, hydrology, water quality, noise, hazards
and hazardous materials, important agricultural lands, fish, vegetation
and wildlife, cultural resources, Indian Trust Assets, socioeconomics,
land use, recreation, visual resources, traffic and circulation,
utilities, public services, power and energy, environmental justice,
and wild and scenic rivers.
Potential project-related impacts include the construction-related
effects of the dam enlargement, reservoir area relocations, and other
alternative features; water operations-related effects within the
reservoir area (e.g., including additional inundation areas); and
associated effects to operations of other Central Valley Project and
State Water Project facilities. Project operations may directly or
indirectly affect the resources of the Sacramento River, its
tributaries, the San Joaquin River, its tributaries, and the
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The DEIS also evaluates potential growth-
inducing impacts for the Central Valley Project and State Water Project
water service areas. Potential cumulative effects associated with
reasonably foreseeable actions are also evaluated for each resource
area.
Copies of the DEIS are available for public review at the following
locations:
Bureau of Reclamation, Regional Library, 2800 Cottage Way,
Sacramento, CA 95825
Bureau of Reclamation, Northern California Area Office,
16349 Shasta Dam Boulevard, Shasta Lake, CA 96019
Natural Resources Library, Department of the Interior,
1849 C Street
[[Page 39316]]
NW., Main Interior Building, Washington, DC 20240
Shasta County Main Library, 1855 Shasta Street, Redding,
CA 96001
Copies of the DEIS are also available on-line via the SLWRI Web
site, at: www.usbr.gov/mp/slwri.
Public Workshops and Hearings
Reclamation will hold three public workshops to provide an overview
of the project and allow public comment and discussion:
Tuesday, July 16, 2013, 6:00-8:00 p.m., Holiday Inn Hotel,
Palomino Room, 1900 Hilltop Drive, Redding, California 96002.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013, 1:00-3:00 p.m., Cal Expo Quality
Inn Hotel & Suites, 1413 Howe Avenue, Sacramento, California, 95825.
Thursday, July 18, 2013, 6:00-8:00 p.m., Merced County
Fairgrounds, Germino Building, 403 F Street, Los Banos, California,
93635.
Reclamation will also hold three public hearings to receive oral or
written comments on the DEIS:
Tuesday, September 10, 2013, 6:00-8:00 p.m., Holiday Inn
Hotel, Palomino Room, 1900 Hilltop Drive, Redding, California 96002.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013, 1:00-3:00 p.m., Cal Expo
Quality Inn Hotel & Suites, 1413 Howe Avenue, Sacramento, California,
95825.
Thursday, September 12, 2013, 6:00-8:00 p.m., Merced
County Fairgrounds, Germino Building, 403 F Street, Los Banos,
California, 93635.
Special Assistance for Public Workshops and Hearings
If special assistance is required to participate in the above
public workshops and hearings, please contact Ms. Katrina Chow at 916-
978-5067, or by email at [email protected]; or Mr. Louis Moore at 916-978-
5106, or by email at [email protected]. Please notify Ms. Chow or Mr.
Moore as far in advance as possible to enable Reclamation to secure the
needed services. If a request cannot be honored, the requestor will be
notified. A telephone device for the hearing impaired (TDD) is
available at 916-978-5608.
Public Disclosure
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made 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: May 30, 2013.
Pablo R. Arroyave,
Deputy Regional Director, Mid-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 2013-15659 Filed 6-28-13; 8:45 am]
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