[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 227 (Monday, November 25, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64914-64915]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-25465]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCAD06000.L51010000.ER0000 19XL5017AP LVRWB19B6340 (MO# 4500140674)]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Proposed Whitewater River Groundwater Replenishment Facility, 
Riverside County, CA

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Palm Springs-
South Coast Field Office, Palm Springs, California, intends to prepare 
an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Whitewater River 
Groundwater Replenishment Facility. The applicant, the Coachella Valley 
Water District, has requested a right-of-way (ROW) authorization to 
operate and maintain a groundwater replenishment facility on 
approximately 690 acres of public lands managed by the BLM. All the 
facilities are existing; no new construction is proposed. The project 
site is located within the California Desert Conservation Area. By this 
notice, the BLM is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to 
solicit public comments and identify issues.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the EIS. 
Comments on issues may be submitted in writing until December 26, 2019. 
The date(s) and location(s) of any scoping meetings will be announced 
at least 15 days in advance through local media, newspapers and the BLM 
website at: https://bit.ly/2kx76jY. In order to be included in the 
Draft EIS, all scoping comments must be submitted in writing and 
received prior to the close of the 30-day scoping period. Additional 
opportunities for public participation will be available upon 
publication of the Draft EIS.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to this EIS by any of the 
following methods:

 Website: https://bit.ly/2kx76jY
 Email: [email protected]
 Fax: 541-618-2400
 Mail: ATTN: Whitewater Replenishment Facility Project, Bureau 
of Land Management, Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office, 1201 Bird 
Center Drive, Palm Springs CA 92262

    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined during regular 
business hours at: Bureau of Land Management, Palm Springs-South Coast 
Field Office, 1201 Bird Center Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Miriam Liberatore, Project Manager, 
telephone 541-618-2412; address Bureau of Land Management, 3040 Biddle 
Road, Medford, OR 97504; email [email protected]. 
Contact Ms. Liberatore to have your name added to our mailing list. 
Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call 
the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact Ms. 
Liberatore during normal business hours. The FRS is available 24 hours 
a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question. You will receive 
a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The applicant, Coachella Valley Water 
District, has requested a ROW authorization to operate and maintain a 
groundwater replenishment facility with a maximum capacity of 511,000 
acre-feet per year, and associated operations

[[Page 64915]]

and maintenance areas. A portion of the facility is sited on 
approximately 690 acres of public lands managed by the BLM. All the 
facilities are existing; no new construction is proposed. The project 
site is located within the California Desert Conservation Area.
    This Notice informs the public that the BLM intends to prepare an 
EIS for the Project, and announces the beginning of the public scoping 
process for this effort. The purpose of the public scoping process is 
to determine the size and scope of analysis needed, additional issues 
to study, and mitigation measures that should be considered in the 
analysis of the proposed action.
    Preliminary issues for the project have been identified by the BLM, 
other Federal agencies, the State, local agencies, and other 
stakeholders. Issues include air quality, special status wildlife and 
vegetation species, hazards and hazardous materials, hydrology and 
water quality.
    Alternatives will include the proposed action, a no action 
alternative, and at least one more alternative designed to reduce 
environmental impacts.
    Written comments may be submitted to the BLM at a scoping meeting 
or via one of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES section earlier. 
Input must be received by the close of the 30-day public scoping 
period.
    The BLM will utilize and coordinate the NEPA scoping process to 
help fulfill the public involvement process under the National Historic 
Preservation Act (NHPA) (54 U.S.C. 306108 as provided in 36 CFR 
800.2(d)(3)). The information about historic and cultural resources 
within the area potentially affected by the proposed action will assist 
the BLM in identifying and evaluating impacts to such resources.
    The BLM will consult with Indian tribes on a government-to-
government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175 and other 
policies. Tribal concerns, including impacts on Indian trust assets and 
potential impacts to cultural resources, will be given due 
consideration. Federal, State, and local agencies, along with tribes 
and other stakeholders that may be interested in or affected by the 
proposed action that the BLM is evaluating, are invited to participate 
in the scoping process and, if eligible, may request or be requested by 
the BLM to participate in the development of the environmental analysis 
as a cooperating agency.
    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

    Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFR 1610.2.

Danielle Chi,
BLM California Deputy State Director, Natural Resources.
[FR Doc. 2019-25465 Filed 11-22-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-40-P