[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 83 (Wednesday, April 29, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 23842]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-09042]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

[RR02030000, 20XR0680I1, RX.08637907.6000000]


Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Del Puerto Canyon Reservoir Project, Stanislaus County, California

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent; request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) intends to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Del Puerto Canyon 
Reservoir Project. Reclamation is requesting public and agency comment 
to identify significant issues or other alternatives to be addressed in 
the EIS.

DATES: Submit written comments on the scope of the EIS on or before May 
29, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Provide written scoping comments, requests to be added to 
the mailing list, or requests for other special assistance needs to Ms. 
Allison Jacobson, Project Manager, Bureau of Reclamation, Division of 
Planning, 2800 Cottage Way CGB-700, Sacramento, CA 95825.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Allison Jacobson, Bureau of 
Reclamation, Division of Planning, 2800 Cottage Way CGB-700, 
Sacramento, CA 95825; telephone (916) 978-5075; facsimile (916-978-
5094); email [email protected]. Persons who use a telecommunications 
device for the deaf may call the Federal Relay Service (FedRelay) at 1-
800-877-8339 TTY/ASCII to contact the above individual during normal 
business hours or to leave a message or question after hours. You will 
receive a reply during normal business hours. Information on this 
project may also be found at: https://www.delpuertocanyonreservoir.com.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Reclamation is issuing this notice pursuant 
to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), 42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.; the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) 
regulations for implementing NEPA, 43 CFR parts 1500 through 1508; and 
the Department of the Interior's NEPA regulations, 43 CFR part 46.

Background

    Del Puerto Water District (DPWD), in partnership with the San 
Joaquin River Exchange Contractors Water Authority (SJRECWA), proposes 
to construct a reservoir located on Del Puerto Creek in the foothills 
of the Coast Range Mountains west of Patterson, California and 
Interstate 5. The Del Puerto Canyon Reservoir Project (Project) is a 
State-led effort under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the 
Nation Act (WIIN Act) Public Law 114-322, Sec. 4007. The proposed 
reservoir would provide approximately 82,000 acre-feet (AF) of locally 
owned off-stream storage south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The 
purpose of the proposed Project is to develop additional South of Delta 
water storage to maximize the management and efficient use of existing 
water supplies in both DPWD and the SJRECWA service areas and to serve 
environmental purposes, including water supply for wildlife refuges 
designated under the Central Valley Project Improvement Act. Water 
would be conveyed from the Delta-Mendota Canal (DMC) to be stored in 
the proposed reservoir and later discharged back into the DMC. The 
proposed Project includes construction of a main dam, three saddle 
dams, a spillway, inlet/outlet works, conveyance facilities (including 
a diversion facility on the DMC, a pumping plant, underground pipeline 
and energy dissipation facilities at the DMC outfall, along with 
related appurtenant components), and electrical facilities (power 
supply line and electrical substation). The proposed Project also 
includes relocating existing and proposed utilities that run north-
south through the Project area and the relocation of Del Puerto Canyon 
Road, which runs east-west through the Project area.
    The Project sponsors developed an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) 
pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act for the Project 
and released that EIR for public review on December 12, 2019. The 
review period ended January 27, 2020. Effects to many of the resources 
discussed in the EIR were mitigated to less-than-significant levels, 
though there were significant and unavoidable effects remaining after 
mitigation. Reclamation's action would be to fund up to 25 percent of 
total project costs pursuant to the WIIN Act, proportional to the 
Federal benefits developed. Reclamation will use much of the analysis 
and evaluate the alternatives presented in the EIR. Additional 
information will be developed in the EIS with respect to several 
resources, including energy use, traffic and transportation, air 
quality, biological resources, cultural resources, and Central Valley 
Project operations. Agencies and the public are encouraged to review 
the EIR provided at https://www.delpuertocanyonreservoir.com, and 
provide input regarding potentially significant issues to be addressed, 
or to identify potential alternatives that would meet the purpose of 
the Project.

Public Disclosure

    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 may 
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.

Richard Welsh,
Principal Deputy Regional Director, Bureau of Reclamation, Interior 
Region 10--California-Great Basin.
[FR Doc. 2020-09042 Filed 4-28-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4332-90-P