[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 174 (Thursday, September 8, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62106-62107]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-21578]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Joint Environmental Impact 
Statement/Environmental Impact Report for the Proposed Lower Elkhorn 
Basin Levee Setback Project, Yolo County, CA

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Sacramento District, 
as the lead agency under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 
and the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), as the lead 
agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), will 
prepare a joint Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact 
Report (EIS/EIR) for the Lower Elkhorn Setback Levee Project. DWR is 
the project proponent and may be referred to as the Applicant or 
Requester.
    The EIS/EIR will analyze DWR's proposed action to implement a flood 
risk management project in the Lower Elkhorn Basin in Yolo County, 
California. Because the proposed action would alter Federal levees, 
permission from USACE is required under Section 14 of the Rivers and 
Harbors Act (Section 408) (33 U.S.C. 408). The proposed action would 
also affect waters of the United States and require a permit from USACE 
under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344).

DATES: Submit written comments by October 7, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and suggestions concerning the scope and 
content of the environmental information may be submitted to Mr. Tyler 
Stalker, email at [email protected]; or surface mail at U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, Attn: Public Affairs Office 
(CESPK-PAO), 1325 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95814-2922. Requests to be 
placed on the electronic or surface mail notification lists should also 
be sent to this address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Tanis Toland at (916) 557-6717, or 
by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    1. Proposed Action. The proposed Lower Elkhorn Basin Levee Setback 
Project would include levee setbacks to widen portions of the Yolo and 
Sacramento Bypasses to increase conveyance capacity and reduce flood 
risk. The project would be part of a series of proposed flood risk

[[Page 62107]]

management improvements contemplated under DWR's Central Valley Flood 
Protection Plan and its related Sacramento Basin-Wide Feasibility 
Report. The project is located in Yolo County and is bounded by the 
Sacramento River on the east, the Tule Canal and Yolo Bypass on the 
west, the Sacramento Bypass on the south, and Interstate 5 on the 
north. The project would include the following elements: (1) Widening 
the Yolo Bypass by constructing a setback levee east of the Tule Canal 
in the Lower Elkhorn Basin, (2) widening the Sacramento Bypass by 
constructing a setback levee north of the existing levee, and (3) 
implementing improvements in the Lower Elkhorn Basin and Sacramento 
Bypass to mitigate project impacts. Widening of the Sacramento Bypass, 
per number (2) of the Proposed Action, is also a recommended feature of 
the American River Common Features GRR, for which a general 
reevaluation was completed in 2016, although it is not yet 
congressionally authorized. The proposed Lower Elkhorn Basin Levee 
Setback Project is not intended to duplicate this recommended feature, 
rather it offers DWR a potential alternative means to construct this 
key feature should the project not be authorized prior to USACE's 
decision on DWR's request under Section 408.
    2. Alternatives. A number of project alternatives, including the no 
action alternative and the Requester's/Applicant's preferred 
alternative will be evaluated in the EIS/EIR in accordance with NEPA 
(33 CFR part 230 (USACE NEPA Regulations) and 33 CFR part 325, Appendix 
B (NEPA Implementation Procedures for USACE Regulatory Projects).
    3. Scoping Process.
    a. A public scoping meeting will be held on Thursday, September 15, 
2016, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., West Sacramento Civic Center, 1110 
West Capitol Avenue, West Sacramento, CA 95691 to present information 
to the public and to receive comments from the public on the project 
and the scope of the environmental analysis. Affected Federal, State, 
regional, and local agencies; Native American Tribes; other interested 
private organizations; and the general public are invited to 
participate.
    b. The EIS/EIR will analyze the environmental effects of 
construction, operations, and maintenance of the project. Potentially 
significant issues to be analyzed in depth include loss of waters of 
the United States (including wetlands), cultural resources, biological 
resources, special status species, air quality, hydrology and water 
quality, land use, Prime and Unique Farmlands, noise, traffic, 
aesthetics, utilities and service systems, and socioeconomic effects.
    c. USACE will consult with the State Historic Preservation Officer 
and with Native American Tribes to comply with the National Historic 
Preservation Act, and with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and 
National Marine Fisheries Service to comply with the Endangered Species 
Act. USACE will also coordinate with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
to comply with the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act.
    d. A 45-day NEPA public review period will be provided for all 
interested parties, individuals, and agencies to review and comment on 
the draft EIS/EIR. All interested parties are encouraged to respond to 
this notice and provide a current address if they wish to be notified 
of the draft EIS/EIR circulation.
    4. Availability. The draft EIS/EIR is scheduled to be available for 
public review and comment in November 2017.

    Dated: August 28, 2016.
David G. Ray,
Colonel, U.S. Army, District Commander.
[FR Doc. 2016-21578 Filed 9-7-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3720-58-P