[Federal Register: July 12, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 133)]
[Notices]
[Page 39355]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12jy06-95]
[[Page 39355]]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
Delta-Mendota Canal/California Aqueduct Intertie, Alameda County,
California
AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement
(EIS) and notice of public scoping meetings.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the
Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) intends to prepare an EIS for the
Delta-Mendota Canal/California Aqueduct Intertie (Intertie). A primary
purpose of the Intertie is to allow for operation and maintenance
activities on the Tracy pumping plant and fish facility, the Delta-
Mendota Canal, and the O'Neill pumping plant and intake canal. A Draft
EIS is expected to be available in May 2007.
The Intertie consists of constructing and operating a pumping plant
and pipeline connection between the Delta Mendota Canal (DMC) and the
California Aqueduct. The Intertie would be used in a number of ways to
achieve multiple benefits, including meeting current water supply
demands, allowing for the maintenance and repair of the Central Valley
Project (CVP) Delta export and conveyance facilities, and providing
operational flexibility to respond to emergencies related to both the
CVP and State Water Project (SWP).
Reclamation decided to withdraw the recently published Finding of
No Significant Impact and Environmental Assessment (EA) for the
Intertie and to initiate an EIS based on public challenge to the EA
content and conclusions.
DATES: A series of public scoping meetings will be held to solicit
public input on the alternatives, concerns, and issues to be addressed
in the EIS. The meeting dates are as follows:
Tuesday, August 1, 2006, 10 a.m. to 12 Noon, Sacramento,
CA.
Thursday, August 3, 2006, 6 to 8 p.m., Stockton, CA.
Written comments on the scope of the EIS should be mailed to
Reclamation at the address below by September 4, 2006.
ADDRESSES: The public scoping meeting locations are:
Sacramento--Federal Building, 2800 Cottage Way, Cafeteria
Rooms C-1001 and C-1002, Sacramento, CA 95825.
Stockton--Cesar Chavez Central Library, 605 North El
Dorado Street, Steward-Hazelton Room, Stockton, CA 95202.
Written comments on the scope of the EIS should be sent to: Ms.
Sammie Cervantes, Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, MP-730,
Sacramento, CA 95825.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Sharon McHale, Reclamation Project
Manager, at the above address, at 916-978-5086, TDD 916-978-5608, or
via fax at 916-978-5094 or e-mail at smchale@mp.usbr.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The project area is in an unincorporated
area of the San Joaquin Valley in Alameda County, west of the city of
Tracy. The site is in a rural area zoned for general agriculture and is
under federal and state ownership. The Intertie would be located at
milepost 7.2 of the DMC, connecting with milepost 9.1 of the California
Aqueduct, where they are approximately 500 feet apart.
The Intertie would include a 450 cubic feet per second (cfs)
pumping plant at the DMC that would allow up to 400 cfs to be pumped
from the DMC to the California Aqueduct through an underground
pipeline. Because the aqueduct is located approximately 50 feet higher
in elevation than the DMC, up to 900 cfs could be conveyed from the
aqueduct to the DMC using gravity flow.
The Intertie would be owned by the Federal government and operated
by the San Luis and Delta Mendota Water Authority (Authority). An
agreement among Reclamation, the California Department of Water
Resources, and the Authority would identify the responsibilities and
procedures for operating the Intertie. A permanent easement would be
obtained by Reclamation where the Intertie alignment crosses state
property.
If special assistance is required at the scoping meetings, please
contact Ms. Sammie Cervantes at 916-978-5189, TDD 916-978-5608, or via
e-mail at scervantes@mp.usbr.gov. Please notify Ms. Cervantes as far in
advance of the meetings as possible to enable Reclamation to secure the
needed services. If a request cannot be honored, the requestor will be
notified. A telephone device for the hearing impaired (TDD) is
available at 916-978-5608.
Written comments, including names and home addresses of
respondents, will be made available for public review. Individual
respondents may request that their home address be withheld from public
disclosure, which will be honored to the extent allowable by law. There
may be circumstances in which respondent's identity may also be
withheld from public disclosure, as allowable by law. If you wish to
have your name and/or address withheld, you must state this prominently
at the beginning of your comment. All submissions from organizations or
businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as
representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, will be
made available for public disclosure in their entirety.
Dated: May 10, 2006.
Frank Michny,
Regional Environmental Officer, Mid-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 06-6161 Filed 7-11-06; 8:45am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-M