[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 63 (Wednesday, April 1, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18219-18220]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-06811]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Army Corps of Engineers


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Supplemental Joint 
Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report for the 2007 
Folsom Dam Safety and Flood Damage Reduction Environmental Impact 
Statement/Environmental Impact Report

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District (USACE) 
intends to prepare a Draft Supplemental Joint Environmental Impact 
Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) for the 2007 Folsom Dam 
Safety and Flood Damage Reduction EIS/EIR (2007 EIS/EIR) and the 2017 
Folsom Dam Raise Project Final Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement/Environmental Impact Report (2017 SEIS/EIR). USACE will serve 
as lead National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) agency and the Central 
Valley Flood Protection Board (CVFPB) will serve as lead agency for 
compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The 
Folsom Dam Safety and Flood Damage Reduction Project (hereafter 
referred to as the Project) was originally authorized in the 2004 
Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act (EWDAA) and was later 
reauthorized in the 2007 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). The 
Project is authorized for four components:
    (1) Emergency spillway gate modifications.
    (2) Raising the right and left wings of the main dam, Mormon Island 
Auxiliary Dam (MIAD), and the reservoir Dikes 1 through 8 by 3.5 feet.
    (3) Temperature control shutter automation and reconfiguration.
    (4) Downstream ecosystem restoration of Bushy Lake and Woodlake.
    This Draft Supplemental Joint EIS/EIR will address components of 
the authorized Project not previously addressed in the 2017 Folsom Dam 
Raise Project Final SEIS/EIR. Specifically, these components include 
construction of a new Dike 3, use of onsite borrow and multiple 
disposal locations including MIAD West and South and potential off-site 
locations, use of a rock crushing plant at MIAD East, use of on-site 
concrete batch plants for the Right Wing Dam and Left Wing Dam, and a 
detailed comprehensive plan for mitigation and restoration upon 
completion of construction. The flood risk management components of the 
Project will enhance the utilization of the existing surcharge flood 
storage space (temporary water storage space utilized during low-
frequency flood events), and will increase the surcharge flood storage 
capacity of the reservoir.

DATES: Written comments regarding the scope of the environmental 
analysis should be received by May 8, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and suggestions concerning this Project and 
requests to be included on the Project mailing list may be submitted to 
Bert Skillen, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, Attn: 
Environmental Analysis Section (CESPK-PDR-A), 1325 J Street, 
Sacramento, CA 95814.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bert Skillen via telephone at (916) 
557-7330, email at [email protected], or mail at (see 
ADDRESSES). Study information will also be posted periodically on the 
internet at: https://www.spk.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Folsom-Dam-Raise/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    1. Proposed Action. The Corps is preparing a Draft Supplemental 
Joint EIS/EIR to analyze a single Project alternative with multiple 
measures to improve flood risk management along the American River. The 
no-action alternative would be to follow the actions outlined in the 
2017 Folsom Dam Raise Final SEIS/EIR. The measures of the single 
alternative proposed include constructing a new Dike 3 approximately 80 
feet closer to the lake than the existing Dike 3, onsite borrow and 
disposal at MIAD West and South, a rock crushing plant at MIAD East, 
concrete batch plants for the Right Wing Dam and Left Wing Dam, and a 
comprehensive plan for mitigation and restoration upon completion of 
construction. The Project would improve flood risk management while 
also addressing certain dam safety issues associated with passing the 
probable maximum flood.
    2. Measures. The following measures may be considered as part of 
the alternatives analysis:
    Dike 3 Raise: Constructing a new Dike 3 approximately 80 feet 
closer to Folsom Lake would lower risk. This measure also maintains 
flood protection by leaving the existing Dike 3 in place while the new 
Dike 3 is constructed.
    Borrow and Disposal: Some of the material for raising Dikes 1 
through 6 and MIAD would come from onsite sources at MIAD West and 
South and other possible locations. Disposal materials from 
construction would be deposited onsite at MIAD West and South and other 
possible locations once borrow is complete. The remainder of the borrow 
materials would come from, and any additional disposal would be hauled 
to, commercial sites up to 30 miles away.
    Rock Crushing Plant at MIAD East: Placing a rock crushing plant at 
MIAD East to utilize the existing riprap stockpile will allow for the 
crushed material to be used for various portions of the 3.5 foot raise 
of Dikes 1 through 6, the Left and Right Wing Dams, and MIAD.
    Onsite Concrete Batch Plants for the Right and Left Wing Dam 
Raises: Producing concrete onsite will reduced costs and other impacts 
for hauling the large quantities of concrete. This will also aid 
constructability given the limited on-site access for equipment and 
materials.
    Plan for Mitigation and Restoration: Including a comprehensive plan 
for mitigation and restoration of sites affected by the Folsom Dam 
Raise in this SEIS/EIR will alleviate the need for an additional SEIS/
EIR in the future. Although some information concerning mitigation and 
restoration was included in the 2017 Folsom Dam Raise Final SEIS/EIR, 
that document cited the need for additional planning once the design of 
the Folsom Dam Raise was closer to completion.
    3. Scoping Process.
    a. A public scoping meeting will be held in the form of a 
teleconference and/or webinar to present an overview of the Folsom Dam 
Raise, the proposed alternative, and the EIS/EIR process, and to afford 
all interested parties an opportunity to comment on the scope of 
analysis and potential alternatives. The public scoping webinar will be 
held in April, 2020. Exact date, time, registration details, additional 
information, and any schedule changes will be announced online at: 
https://www.spk.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Folsom-Dam-Raise/.
    b. Potentially significant issues to be analyzed in depth in the 
Draft Supplemental Joint EIS/EIR will include: impacts to water 
quality, air quality, climate change, special status species, 
terrestrial vegetation and wildlife, recreation, traffic and

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circulation, noise, aesthetic and visual resources, and cultural 
resources. The document will also evaluate cumulative effects.
    c. USACE will consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to 
comply with the Endangered Species Act and the Fish and Wildlife 
Coordination Act. USACE will also consult with the State Historic 
Preservation Officer and Native American Tribes to comply with the 
National Historic Preservation Act.
    d. A 45-day public review period will be provided for individuals, 
interested parties, and agencies to review and comment on the Draft 
Supplemental Joint 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 Supplemental Joint EIS/EIR circulation.
    4. Availability. The Draft Supplemental Joint EIS/EIR is scheduled 
to be available for public review and comment in summer 2020.

Kimberly M. Colloton,
Brigadier General, U.S. Army, Commanding .
[FR Doc. 2020-06811 Filed 3-31-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P