[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]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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
[[Page 18220]]
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