[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 131 (Friday, July 8, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44656-44657]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-15891]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

[RR02013000, 16XR0680G3, RX178511101000000]


Notice of Availability for the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement/Environmental Impact Report for the Mendota Pool Bypass and 
Reach 2B Improvements Project

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation and the California State Lands 
Commission have prepared the Mendota Pool Bypass and Reach 2B 
Improvements Project Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental 
Impact Report (EIS/EIR). The Mendota Pool Bypass and Reach 2B 
Improvements Project is a component of Phase 1 of the San Joaquin River 
Restoration Program which seeks to restore flows to the San Joaquin 
River from Friant Dam to the confluence of the Merced River, and 
restore a self-sustaining Chinook salmon fishery in the river while 
reducing or avoiding adverse water supply impacts associated with 
restoration flows. The Project includes the construction, operation, 
and maintenance of the Mendota Pool Bypass and improvements in the San 
Joaquin River channel in Reach 2B to contribute to achieving the San 
Joaquin River Restoration Program's Restoration Goal.

DATES: The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) will not issue a final 
decision on the proposed action until at least 30 days after the date 
that the Environmental Protection Agency releases the Final EIS/EIR. 
After the EIS/EIR has been available for 30 days, Reclamation will 
complete a Record of Decision. The Record of Decision will state the 
action that Reclamation will implement and will discuss all factors 
considered in the decision.

ADDRESSES: Send written correspondence or requests for copies or a 
compact disc of the Final EIS/EIR to Ms. Becky Victorine, Bureau of 
Reclamation, San Joaquin River Restoration Program, 2800 Cottage Way, 
Room W-1727, Sacramento, California

[[Page 44657]]

95825, via email to [email protected], or by calling (916) 978-4624.
    The Final EIS/EIR may be viewed on Reclamation's Web site at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_projdetails.cfm?Project_ID=4032. See the 
Supplementary Information section for locations where copies of the 
Final EIS are available for public review.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Katrina Harrison, Program 
Engineer, Bureau of Reclamation, via email at [email protected], or at 
(916) 978-5465; or Chris Huitt, California State Lands Commission, via 
email at [email protected], or at (916) 574-2080.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The San Joaquin River Restoration Program 
(SJRRP) was established in late 2006 to implement the Stipulation of 
Settlement (Settlement) in Natural Resources Defense Council, et al. v. 
Kirk Rodgers, et al. The Mendota Pool Bypass and Reach 2B Improvements 
Project (Project) consists of establishing a floodplain width which 
would be capable of conveying at least 4,500 cubic feet per second 
(cfs), a method to bypass restoration flows around Mendota Pool, and a 
method to deliver water to Mendota Pool. The Project footprint extends 
from approximately 0.3 mile above the Chowchilla Bypass Bifurcation 
Structure to approximately one mile below the Mendota Dam in the area 
of Fresno and Madera counties, near the town of Mendota, California. 
This Final EIS/EIR has been prepared in coordination with the parties 
to the Settlement and the SJRRP Implementing Agencies, including the 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, 
State of California Department of Water Resources, and State of 
California Department of Fish and Wildlife. National Marine Fisheries 
Service, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers have been cooperating agencies in preparation of the Final 
EIS/EIR.
    The EIS/EIR analyzes five alternatives. Under the No-Action 
Alternative, the Project would not be implemented. Although future 
conditions would not include the components described below in the 
Action Alternatives, other components of the SJRRP would be implemented 
following completion and receipt of appropriate environmental reviews 
and approvals, as necessary. Likely future conditions include 
implementation of the other components of the SJRRP selected 
alternative, as described in the 2012 Record of Decision and analyzed 
in the SJRRP Program EIS/EIR, including Restoration Flows similar to 
those that started January 2014, and other reasonably foreseeable 
actions expected to occur in the Project area.
    Four Action Alternatives are analyzed in the EIS/EIR: Alternative A 
(Compact Bypass with Narrow Floodplain and South Canal), Alternative B 
(Compact Bypass with Consensus-Based Floodplain and Bifurcation 
Structure), Alternative C (Fresno Slough Dam with Narrow Floodplain and 
Short Canal), and Alternative D (Fresno Slough Dam with Wide Floodplain 
and North Canal). All four Action Alternatives are designed to provide 
conveyance of at least 4,500 cfs in Reach 2B and through the Mendota 
Pool Bypass, and diversion and screening of up to 2,500 cfs from Reach 
2B into Mendota Pool. Constructed elements common to the Action 
Alternatives include the provision of fish habitat and passage, seepage 
control measures, removal of existing levees and structures, and levee 
and structure construction and modification, among other activities.
    Alternative B (Compact Bypass with Consensus-Based Floodplain and 
Bifurcation Structure) [PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE], would construct the 
Compact Bypass Channel between Reach 2B and Reach 3 to bypass the 
Mendota Pool. Restoration Flows would enter Reach 2B at the Chowchilla 
Bifurcation Structure, flow through Reach 2B, then downstream to Reach 
3 via the Compact Bypass Channel. The existing Chowchilla Bifurcation 
Structure would continue to divert San Joaquin River flows into the 
Chowchilla Bypass during flood operations, and a fish passage facility 
and control structure modifications would be included at the San 
Joaquin River control structure at the Chowchilla Bypass. A bifurcation 
structure would be built at the head of the Compact Bypass Channel to 
control diversions into Mendota Pool. Fish passage facilities would be 
built at the Compact Bypass bifurcation structure to provide passage 
around the structure and prevent fish being entrained in the diversion. 
The San Mateo Avenue crossing would be removed.
    A Notice of Availability for the Draft EIS/EIR was published in the 
Federal Register on June 9, 2015 (80 FR 32604). The comment period for 
the Draft EIS/EIR ended on August 10, 2015. Public meetings on the 
Draft EIS/EIR were held on Wednesday, July 8, 2015, from 6 to 9 p.m., 
in Fresno, CA; Thursday, July 9, 2015, from 6 to 9 p.m., in Los Banos, 
CA; and Friday, July 10, 2015, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, in Sacramento, 
CA. The Final EIS/EIR contains responses to all comments received and 
reflects comments and any additional information received during the 
review period.
    Copies of the Final EIS/EIR are available for public review at the 
following locations:
    1. Bureau of Reclamation, Mid-Pacific Region, Regional Library, 
2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825.
    2. 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 communication, you should 
be aware that your entire communication--including your personal 
identifying information--may be made publicly available at any time. 
While you can ask us in your communication to withhold your personal 
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we 
will be able to do so.

    Dated: April 13, 2016.
Pablo R. Arroyave,
Deputy Regional Director, Mid-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 2016-15891 Filed 7-7-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4332-90-P