[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 85 (Friday, May 2, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25122-25123]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-10098]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Notice of Intent to Prepare a Draft Environment Impact Statement 
and Conduct a Public Scoping Meeting for the Proposed Thousand Palms 
Flood Control Project within the Thousand Palms Area of Coachella 
Valley, Riverside County, California (Corps file no. SPL-2014-00238-
RJV)

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

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to initiate a 45-day scoping 
process for preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(DEIS) for the Coachella Valley Water District's (CVWD) proposed 
Thousand Palms Flood Control Project.

DATES: Submit comments concerning this notice on or before June 23, 
2014. A public scoping meeting will be held on May 6, 2014 at 6:00 p.m. 
(PST).

ADDRESSES: The scoping meeting location is: Thousand Palms Community 
Center, 31-189 Roberts Road, Thousand Palms, CA 92276.
    Mail written comments concerning this notice to: U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, Los Angeles District, Regulatory Division, Carlsbad Field 
Office, ATTN: SPL-2014-00238-RJV, 5900 La Place Court, Suite 100, 
Carlsbad, CA 92008. Comment letters should include the commenter's 
physical mailing address, the project title and the Corps file number 
in the subject line.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard J. Van Sant III, U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District, Regulatory Division, Carlsbad 
Field Office, ATTN: SPL-2014-00238-RJV, 5900 La Place Court, Suite 100, 
Carlsbad, CA 92008, (760) 602-4837, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Corps is preparing an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) prior to any permit action. The 
Corps may ultimately make a determination to permit or deny the 
proposed project or a modified

[[Page 25123]]

version of the proposed project. The primary Federal concerns are the 
discharge of fill material into waters of the United States.

    Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1344.
    1. Project Description. CVWD is proposing to construct a flood 
control project that is linear in nature, consists of four reaches, and 
is generally located on the northern and eastern margins of the 
community of Thousand Palms. Components of the project include levees, 
channels, and energy dissipating structures. The levees and channels 
would be comprised of soil cement, and the upslope sides of each levee 
would be armored with soil cement. Reach 1 is comprised of a 2.4 mile 
long levee (with a height of approximately 11.5 feet on the upstream 
end and approximately 14 feet on the downstream end), an energy 
dissipater at the south-eastern terminus, and an access road at Via Las 
Palmas. Reach 2 is comprised of a 0.33 mile long levee (with a height 
of approximately 14 feet) and would be positioned in the mid-alluvial 
fan area just northeast of an existing electrical substation, to 
protect the substation and adjacent development. Reach 3 is comprised 
of a 1.23 mile long levee, an access road, and a 1.01 mile channel. The 
levee would have a height of approximately 14 feet at the upstream end, 
increasing to approximately 18 feet at the downstream end and would 
initiate approximately 2,000 feet southwest of the downstream end of 
Reach 2, roughly 1,000 feet south of Ramon Road. The channel would 
divert flows through the existing Classic Club Golf Course. Reach 4 is 
comprised of an approximately two-mile long channel that would divert 
stormwater flows from the southeast end of the Classic Club Golf Course 
and continue south then east, adjacent to the re-aligned Avenue 38, and 
would terminate at Washington Street in the community of Macomber 
Palms.
    2. Issues. Potentially significant impacts associated with the 
proposed project may include: Aesthetics/visual impacts, air quality 
emissions, biological resource impacts, noise, traffic and 
transportation, and cumulative impacts from past, present and 
reasonably foreseeable future projects.
    3. Alternatives. The Draft EIS will include a co-equal analysis of 
several alternatives. Project alternatives will be further developed 
during this scoping process. Additional alternatives that may be 
developed during scoping will also be considered in the Draft EIS.
    4. Scoping. The Corps and CVWD will jointly conduct a public 
scoping meeting to receive public comment regarding the appropriate 
scope and preparation of the Draft EIS. Participation by Federal, 
state, and local agencies and other interested organizations and 
persons is encouraged.
    5. The Draft EIS is expected to be available for public review and 
comment 6 to 12 months after the scoping meeting, and a public meeting 
may be held after its publication.

    Dated: April 17, 2014.
Therese O. Bradford,
Chief, South Coast Branch.
[FR Doc. 2014-10098 Filed 5-1-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P