[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 196 (Friday, October 9, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61188-61189]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-25855]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Integrated Feasibility Report & 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Yuba River, California, 
Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study

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 (Corps), 
intends to prepare an integrated Feasibility Report & Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Yuba River Ecosystem 
Restoration Feasibility Study. The Corps will serve as the lead agency 
for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act. The Yuba 
County Water Agency (YCWA) will serve as the non-federal sponsor. The 
feasibility study is evaluating opportunities for ecosystem restoration 
in the Yuba River watershed, located in portions of Sierra, Placer, 
Yuba, and Nevada counties.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted by November 9, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers,

[[Page 61189]]

Sacramento District, Attn: Michael Fong, CESPK-PD-RP, 1325 J Street, 
Sacramento, CA 95814-2922.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the feasibility study 
and the DEIS may be addressed to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 
Sacramento District, Attn: Michael Fong, CESPK-PD-RP, 1325 J Street, 
Sacramento, CA, 95814-2922 or submitted by email to 
[email protected]. Requests to be placed on the mailing 
list should also be sent to this address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    1. Study Purpose. The Corps, in cooperation with YCWA, is 
conducting a cost-shared feasibility study to identify and respond to 
problems and opportunities associated with ecosystem restoration in the 
Yuba River watershed. The authority to study the Sacramento River 
Basin, including the Yuba River watershed, for flood control and allied 
purposes, was granted in the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1962, Public Law 
87-874, Section 209. A reconnaissance study of ecosystem restoration 
opportunities in the Yuba River watershed was conducted in 2014 under 
the authorization of the Energy and Water Development Appropriations 
Act of 2014, Division D of Public Law 113-76, the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2014. The Civil Works study process provides a 
systematic and rational framework for developing and analyzing 
alternative plans. This feasibility study will be conducted under the 
SMART Planning framework, an efficient, risk-informed process.
    2. Study Area. The Yuba River Watershed is located in northern 
California on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. 
The watershed encompasses 1,340 square miles in portions of Sierra, 
Placer, Yuba, and Nevada counties. The Yuba River is a tributary of the 
Feather River which, in turn, flows into the Sacramento River near the 
town of Verona, California. The study area begins in the city of 
Marysville and extends upstream approximately 90 miles, past Sierra 
City, California, in Sierra County.
    The Yuba River flows through forest, foothill chaparral, and 
agricultural lands. Levees are absent from most of its course except 
for near the river's confluence with the Feather River. At that point, 
the Yuba River is bounded by setback levees for approximately six 
miles.
    The primary watercourses of the upper Yuba River watershed are the 
South, Middle, and North Yuba rivers. The Middle Yuba River flows into 
the North Yuba River and together they are referred to as the upper 
Yuba River. Current conditions in the Yuba River watershed are largely 
defined by the legacy of historic gold mining and presence of dams.
    3. Scoping Process. A series of public Scoping meetings will be 
held in October and November 2015 to present information and receive 
comments from the public. These meetings are intended to initiate the 
process to involve concerned individuals, non-governmental 
organizations, interested parties, and local, State, and Federal 
agencies. Public Scoping meetings will be held as follows:
    Meeting #1--Wednesday, October 28, 2015, 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. at 
John E. Moss Federal Building Stanford Room (650 Capitol Mall, 
Sacramento, CA 95814).
    Meeting #2--Thursday, October 29, 2015, 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. at 
Nevada County Library Community Room (980 Helling Way, Nevada City, CA 
95959).
    Meeting #3--Wednesday, November 4, 2015, 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. at 
Yuba County Government Center Marysville and Wheatland Conference Room 
(915 8th Street, Marysville, CA 95901).
    Significant issues to be analyzed in depth in the integrated 
Feasibility Report & DEIS include effects on hydraulics, wetlands and 
other waters of the U.S., vegetation and wildlife resources, special-
status species, aesthetics, cultural resources, recreation, land use, 
fisheries, water quality, air quality, noise, transportation, 
socioeconomics, and cumulative effects of related projects in the study 
area.
    The Corps will coordinate with State and Federal resource agencies 
in order to comply with all pertinent environmental laws, regulations, 
and policies. Moreover, the Corps will coordinate with effected Native 
American Tribes to address their concerns and to ensure compliance with 
all applicable Federal statutes, executive orders, and Corps policies.
    4. Availability. The integrated feasibility report & DEIS is 
scheduled to be available for public review and comment in December 
2016. A 45-day public review period will be provided for individuals 
and agencies to review and comment on the DEIS. All interested parties 
are encouraged to respond to this notice and provide a current address 
if they wish to be notified of the DEIS circulation.

    Dated: October 1, 2015.
Michael J. Farrell,
COL, U.S. Army, District Commander .
[FR Doc. 2015-25855 Filed 10-8-15; 8:45 am]
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