[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 171 (Friday, September 2, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60669-60671]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-20921]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Tahoe National Forest; Placer County, California; Sugar Pine 
Project Water Right Permit 15375 Extension and Radial Gates 
Installation

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: Foresthill Public Utility District (Foresthill) has submitted 
an application to the Tahoe National Forest (TNF) to amend their 
existing Special Use Permit (Permit) for Sugar Pine Dam and Reservoir 
(Sugar Pine Project) to increase water storage capacity of the 
reservoir and improve the stability of Foresthill's water supply by 
installing radial steel gates in the spillway of the dam. Installation 
of the radial gates would increase water storage capacity by 3,950 
acre-feet (AF) up from 6,922 AF currently to 10,872 AF after 
installation; the maximum surface elevation of the reservoir would rise 
20 vertical feet and inundate approximately 44 additional acres of NFS 
lands. The surface area of the reservoir would increase from 160 acres 
to approximately 204 acres if the project is implemented. Important NFS 
resources would be impacted by the project; popular reservoir 
recreation facilities would be inundated along with habitat for plants 
and wildlife, including habitat for Forest Service Sensitive Species.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by October 3, 2016 for purposes of standing pursuant to Forest Service 
predecisional administrative review regulations at 36 CFR part 218; 
however, public input will be continue to be accepted and considered by 
the Forest Service throughout the course of the environmental analysis. 
The draft environmental impact statement is expected in winter 2016 and 
the final environmental impact statement is expected by fall of 2017.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Eli Ilano, Tahoe National Forest 
Supervisor, c/o NEPA Contractor, 2525 Warren Drive, Rocklin, CA 95677. 
Comments may also be sent via email to 
[email protected]. Two public

[[Page 60670]]

scoping meetings will be held during the scoping comment period:

September 19, 2016 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Foresthill Veterans Memorial 
Hall, 24601 Harrison Street, Foresthill, CA 95631

And

September 20, 2016 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at ECORP Consulting, 2529 Warren 
Drive, Rocklin, CA 95677


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Additional information concerning the 
proposed project can be obtained from the TNF projects Web page at 
http://www.fs.usda.gov/projects/tahoe/landmanagement/projects, or by 
contacting Tim Cardoza, Forest Land Use Program Manager, by phone (530) 
478-6210 or email [email protected].
    Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for Action

    Applications for use and occupancy of NFS lands are required to be 
consistent with the Forest Plan. The TNF's purpose in responding to 
Foresthill's Permit amendment application is to achieve Forest Plan 
desired conditions for issuance of permits, or permit amendments, when 
such uses maximize public benefits and impacts to NFS resources are 
mitigated. The Forest Plan recognizes the importance of Sugar Pine 
Reservoir as a municipal water supply and describes the potential for 
installation of radial gates in the existing spillway of the dam. The 
Forest Plan emphasizes recreation management for the Sugar Pine 
Reservoir basin in conjunction with other uses.
    The TNF needs to respond to Foresthill's application in order to 
comply with Title V of the Federal Land Policy Management Act and 
related Forest Service land use regulations. Amendment of the Permit to 
authorize installation of the radial gates would be consistent with 
provisions of the Sugar Pine Dam and Reservoir Conveyance Act which 
require that changes in use or operation of reservoir facilities comply 
with all applicable laws and regulations at the time of the changes. 
Foresthill proposes to increase the water storage capacity of Sugar 
Pine Reservoir to ensure the availability of the reliable long term 
water supply for existing development and planned future land uses 
within the existing water right place of use for State Water Resources 
Control Board Permit Number 15375 and the Foresthill Divide Community 
Plan. The additional water storage provided by the proposed project is 
also intended to enhance water supply reliability needed to protect 
Foresthill from a prolonged drought; climate change concerns and state 
initiatives to increase water storage in California are also factors 
which support the need for action on Foresthill's requested permit 
amendment.
    Prior to full implementation of the Foresthill Divide Community 
Plan, or build-out, Foresthill may continue to carry out short-term 
transfers of stored reservoir water to reduce shortages in downstream 
communities, to provide ecological benefits or for other beneficial 
uses consistent with the California Water Code and State Water 
Resources Control Board's water transfer program. Foresthill used 
revenue generated from a 2015 water transfer to help fund replacement 
of an aging storage tank used to provide potable water for the 
Foresthill community and to maintain water system pressure necessary to 
comply with state requirements for firefighting; revenue generated by 
Foresthill from future water transfers may be used to fund similar 
water system infrastructure projects.

Proposed Action

    The proposed action is to amend Foresthill's existing Permit to 
authorize an increase the size and water storage capacity of the 
reservoir. The proposed action has four components: (1) Installation of 
radial gates in the spillway of the existing dam, (2) changes in 
reservoir operations, (3) timber harvest and hazard tree abatement 
involving one to two million board feet (mmbf) of timber on lands 
affected by the project and (4) implementation of project design 
features and mitigation measures to avoid, minimize or compensate for 
projected impacts to NFS recreation and habitat resources; including 
replacement of recreation facilities affected by inundation of 
additional NFS lands.

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

    The Tahoe National Forest is the lead federal agency for the 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) pursuant to requirements of the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Foresthill Public Utility 
District is a cooperating agency and the lead state agency for the 
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) pursuant to requirements of the 
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The Tahoe National Forest 
and Foresthill Public Utility District will be preparing a joint 
environmental document (EIS/EIR) to meet NEPA and CEQA requirements.

Responsible Official

    The Responsible Official is the Forest Supervisor of the Tahoe 
National Forest.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The decision to be made is whether to approve the Permit amendment 
as described above, to modify the project to meet the purpose and need 
while addressing issues raised in public scoping, or to take no action 
at this time.

Permits or Licenses Required

    Amendment of Foresthill's Special Use Permit for Sugar Pine Dam and 
Reservoir.

Scoping Process

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. Two public 
scoping meetings will be held during the scoping comment period:

September 19, 2016 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Foresthill Veterans Memorial 
Hall, 24601 Harrison Street, Foresthill, CA 95631

And

September 20, 2016 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at ECORP Consulting, 2529 Warren 
Drive, Rocklin, CA 95677

    It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times 
and in such manner that they are useful to the agency's preparation of 
the environmental impact statement. Therefore, comments should be 
provided prior to the close of the comment period and should clearly 
articulate the reviewer's concerns and contentions. The most useful 
comments to inform development of the environmetnal impact statement 
are those that identify issues in the context of a cause and effect 
relationship associated with the proposed action or alternatives to the 
proposed action.
    This project will be subject to 36 CFR 218 Project-level 
Predecisional Administrative Review Process (Parts A and B). 
Individuals and entities who have submitted timely, specific written 
comments regarding a proposed project or activity during public comment 
periods, including this 30-day public scoping period, may file an 
objection (36 CFR 218.5(a)). Written comments received, including the 
names and addresses of those who comment, will be considered part of 
the public record on this proposal and will be available for public 
inspection (36 CFR 218.25(b)(2)). For purposes of meeting

[[Page 60671]]

the 36 CFR 218.5 eligibility requirements, the public scoping period 
will end 30 days from the date this legal notice is published. Comments 
submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered.

    Dated: August 24, 2016.
Eli Ilano,
Forest Supervisor, Tahoe National Forest.
[FR Doc. 2016-20921 Filed 9-1-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3411-15-P