[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 111 (Friday, June 11, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 31338]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-12075]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCAD06000.51010000.ER0000. LVRWB19B6340.19X5017AP.CACA56753]


Notice of Availability of the Whitewater River Groundwater 
Replenishment Facility Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement, 
Riverside County, CA

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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

SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management 
Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has 
prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the 
Whitewater River Groundwater Replenishment Facility Project (Project), 
and by this notice is announcing the opening of a 45-day public comment 
period.

DATES: To ensure that all comments will be considered, the BLM must 
receive written comments on the Draft EIS within 45 days following the 
date that the EPA publishes its Notice of Availability (NOA) in the 
Federal Register. The EPA usually publishes its NOAs every Friday. The 
BLM will announce future meetings and any other public involvement 
activities at least 15 days in advance through public notices, news 
releases, the project website, and/or mailings.

ADDRESSES: The public may submit comments related to the project during 
the public comment period by using any of the following methods:
     Project Website: https://go.usa.gov/x6xUc.
     Email: [email protected].
     Mail: Whitewater River Groundwater Replenishment Facility 
Project, Bureau of Land Management Palm Springs--South Coast Field 
Office, 1201 Bird Center Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262.
    Copies of the Draft EIS are available for viewing electronically on 
the project website.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Miriam Liberatore, BLM project 
manager, telephone: (541) 618-2412; email: [email protected]; address 
Bureau of Land Management, 3040 Biddle Road, Medford, OR 97504.
    Persons who use telecommunication devices for the deaf 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 Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) 
seeks a right-of-way (ROW) grant from the BLM for its existing 
groundwater replenishment facility in North Palm Springs that is 
partially located on public lands managed by the BLM. The existing 
facility consists of water control berms, intake structures, conveyance 
structures, and 19 infiltration ponds over approximately 690 acres of 
BLM-managed public lands. The facility also includes 1,480 acres of 
lands held by CVWD. No new construction and no change in operations are 
proposed. The change in volume represents CVWD's request that the BLM 
analyze environmental impacts for the full annual capacity of the 
facility, instead of the anticipated water allotments, as was done for 
the previous grant. The change in acreage represents CVWD's request to 
authorize the use of public lands for water control berms upstream of 
its intake structure.
    The BLM is the lead agency under NEPA and will make Federal 
decisions regarding the proposed plan amendment and the ROW for the 
Project. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is a Cooperating Agency and 
will issue a Biological Opinion for the project. The United States 
Bureau of Indian Affairs, Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, 
Desert Water Agency, and Metropolitan Water District of Southern 
California are Cooperating Agencies in this environmental review, but 
do not have direct permitting roles in the project.
    The Proposed Action (Alternative 1) would authorize the facility in 
its existing configuration and would review the environmental impacts 
of infiltrating up to 511,000 acre-feet per year, representing the 
maximum physical capacity of the facility. In addition to the Proposed 
Action, the Draft EIS considers a no action alternative and three 
action alternatives. Alternative 2 (Partial Implementation) would 
authorize only the area of public lands on which the water control 
structures upstream of the intake are located. Alternative 3 (Reduced 
Volume) would authorize the same facility as described under 
Alternative 1 but the environmental review would be based on an annual 
infiltration volume of 220,000 acre-feet per year. Alternative 4 (Land 
Disposal) would authorize the sale or exchange of the public lands 
within the project footprint and would authorize the facility operation 
on public lands for a period of 10 years, sufficient to implement the 
disposal. Alternative 5 (No Action) would not authorize those portions 
of the facility that are located on public lands. Those portions would 
be removed, and the public lands rehabilitated. Alternative 1 is the 
BLM preferred alternative.
    Public input on these alternatives or other issues is important and 
will be considered in the development of the Final EIS.
    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 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10, 43 CFR 1610.2)

Karen E. Mouritsen,
California State Director.
[FR Doc. 2021-12075 Filed 6-10-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P