[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 231 (Monday, December 2, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66001-66002]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-26018]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
[RR02142100, XXXR5537F3, RX.198722001000000]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and
Public Scoping Meeting for the Friant-Kern Canal Middle Reach Capacity
Correction Project, Tulare and Kern Counties, California
AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) intends to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the Friant-Kern Canal Middle
Reach Capacity Correction 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
January 2, 2020.
A scoping meeting will be held on December 18, 2019, 5:30 p.m. to
7:30 p.m., Porterville CA at the U.S. Forest Service Sequoia National
Forest Headquarters, 1839 S. Newcomb Street, Porterville CA 93257.
ADDRESSES: Provide written scoping comments, requests to be added to
the mailing list, or requests for sign language interpretation for the
hearing impaired or other special assistance needs to Ms. Rain Emerson,
Environmental Compliance Branch Chief, Bureau of Reclamation, South-
Central California Area Office, 1243 N Street, Fresno CA 93721;
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Rain Emerson, Bureau of
Reclamation, South-Central California Area Office, 1243 N Street,
Fresno CA 93721; telephone (559) 262-0335; facsimile (559) 262-0371;
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.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_project_details.php?Project_ID=41341.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Reclamation is issuing this notice pursuant
to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA),
[[Page 66002]]
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
A 33-mile-long section (milepost 88 to milepost 121) of the Friant-
Kern Canal located within Tulare and Kern Counties referred to as the
Middle Reach has lost 50 percent of its original design capacity due to
regional land subsidence. This has resulted in water delivery impacts
to Friant Division long-term contractors and reduces the ability of the
Friant-Kern Canal to convey flood waters during wet years.
Reclamation, in partnership with the Friant Water Authority (FWA),
proposes to restore the capacity of this 33-mile-long section. The
proposed action includes two alternatives to address subsidence
impacts: (1) A Canal Enlargement (CE) Alternative, and (2) a Canal
Enlargement and Realignment (CER) Alternative. Under the CE
Alternative, the entire 33-mile long section of the Middle Reach would
be enlarged by widening and raising the canal banks. Under the CER
Alternative, approximately 10 miles of the existing canal would be
widened and raised and approximately 23 miles of the canal corridor
would be realigned to newly constructed canal segments. Reclamation is
proposing to provide cost-share funding for the project pursuant to the
San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act (Pub. L. 111-11 Sec.
10201) and the Water Infrastructure Improvement for the Nation Act
(Pub. L. 114-322 Sec. 4007).
Reclamation is not presently aware of Indian Trust Assets or
environmental justice issues associated with the proposed action but
requests any information relative to this issue be submitted during the
scoping period.
Reclamation intends to complete an EIS for this project pursuant to
NEPA to ensure consideration of potential environmental effects from
implementing the proposed action. As such, Reclamation will also
consider a reasonable range of alternatives that could meet the purpose
for the project. Reclamation and FWA are requesting public and agency
input to assist in identifying significant issues or alternatives to be
addressed in the EIS.
To determine the scope of issues relevant to environmental
concerns, Reclamation and the FWA prepared an environmental assessment
and initial study, which is available at https://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_project_details.php?Project_ID=41341. Effects to certain resources
were determined to be potentially significant, and effects to other
resources were found to be absent or relatively minor. Reclamation will
focus the EIS on analyzing the effects to resources where a potentially
significant effect exists. The resources to be discussed are:
Agricultural Resources, Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural
Resources including Tribal Cultural Resources, Geology and Soils,
Greenhouse Gasses and Climate Change, Hazards and Hazardous Materials
including Wildfire, Hydrology and Water Quality, Land Use, Noise,
Environmental Justice, Socioeconomics, Transportation, and Utilities
and Service Systems. Agencies and the public are encouraged to review
the environmental assessment and initial study, and provide input
regarding potentially significant issues to be addressed, or to
identify potential alternatives that would meet the purpose of the
project.
Special Assistance for Public Scoping and Open House Meetings
If special assistance is required to participate in the public
scoping meeting, please contact Ms. Rain Emerson, Bureau of
Reclamation, South-Central California Area Office, 1243 N Street,
Fresno CA 93721; telephone (559) 262-0335; facsimile (559) 262-0371;
email [email protected]. Persons who use a telecommunications device
for the deaf may call the 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. All meeting facilities are physically accessible to
people with disabilities.
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.
Ernest A. Conant,
Regional Director, Bureau of Reclamation, California-Great Basin--
Interior Region 10.
[FR Doc. 2019-26018 Filed 11-29-19; 8:45 am]
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