[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 217 (Wednesday, November 9, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78794-78795]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-27063]


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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 December 19, 
2016. A public scoping meeting will be held on December 6, 2016 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, ATIN: 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: Michelle Lynch, 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) 602-4850, [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 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, culverts, and a sediment basin. The levees and channels would 
be comprised of compacted native soil with a layer of soil cement to 
protect the structures from erosion. Reach 1 is comprised of a 2.4 mile 
long levee with varying height from 5 to 14 feet, a minimum 12-foot 
access (patrol) road on the top of the levee, as well as an unpaved 
embankment access road on the downstream (west side) of the levee for 
operations and maintenance (O&M) purposes. Reach 2 is comprised of a 
0.33 mile long levee with a height of approximately 5 feet, a minimum 
12-foot access (patrol) road on the top of the levee, as well as an 
unpaved embankment access road on the downstream (west side) of the 
levee for O&M purposes 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 
height would vary from 5 to 14 feet 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 from Levee 3 
towards the existing stormwater conveyance system at the 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 with 
construction of a conveyance system to direct stormwater flows into 
existing stormwater conveyance facilities in the Del Webb/Sun City 
development.
    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

[[Page 78795]]

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: October 25, 2016.
David Castanon,
Chief, Regulatory Division.
[FR Doc. 2016-27063 Filed 11-8-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3720-58-P