[Federal Register: December 23, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 246)]
[Notices]
[Page 76262-76264]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23de05-41]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement for the Prado Basin Master Plan, San Bernardino and Riverside
Counties, CA
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) addresses potential
environmental impacts associated with the proposed Prado Basin Master
Plan, and identifies recommended measures to reduce such impacts. The
Prado Basin Master Plan proposes a range of recreation uses and
features for identified planning areas with the Basin. Specific site
plans and layouts for these proposed uses would be prepared when future
specific development plans are proposed. The impact discussion, in
turn, is purposely general in nature, and recommended measures to
reduce impacts allow for flexibility. The potential impacts as stated
and the commitment to minimize impacts are intended to provide a
framework for future proposals. They also provide some guidelines for
impacts that will require mitigation; short of making untimely,
detailed, recommendations. This approach allows future recreation
development sponsors the appropriate
[[Page 76263]]
flexibility to design and formulate specific mitigation, including the
parties responsible for implementation and verification, when details
of specific Master Plan development proposals are presented. The U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers has cooperated with counterparts in Orange, San
Bernardino and Riverside Counties in Developing this Master Plan.
Two alternatives are proposed for consideration for the Prado
Basin: Adopting the proposed Prado Basin Master Plan, and the No
Project alternative. The proposed plan would serve as a guide for
orderly and coordinated use, development and management of the land in
the Prado Basin. The discussion of affected environment and potential
environmental impacts in this Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) are
based on evaluation of land use designations proposed in the Basin
Master Plan. Specific development proposals within the general land use
Planning Areas would require appropriate National Environmental Policy
act (NEPA) clearance to specifically address the potential
environmental effects of those proposals.
The No Project Alternative would eliminate the implementation of
the recreation land use contemplated in the proposed Basin Master Plan,
and in the continuation of current land use activities on the site.
This alternative would result in the Corps being unable to meet its
project objectives such as providing for the expressed public interests
for recreation.
DATES: Comments concerning this Draft EIS should be submitted by
January 23, 2005.
ADDRESSES: District Engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles
District, ATTN: CESPL-PD-RQ, P.O. Box 532711, Los Angeles, CA 90053-
2325.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Nedenia Kennedy, Chief,
Environmental Policy Group, telephone (213) 452-3856, Mr. Alex Watt,
Chief, Environmental Resources Branch, telephone (213) 452-3840.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. Authorization. This Master Plan was
prepared as a guide for the orderly and coordinated use, development
and management of all resources in the existing and proposed Prado
Flood Control Basin. Under guidance at ER 1130-2-550, ``Preparation of
Project Master Plans,'' dated November 15, 1996, ``master plans are to
be developed and kept current for all Civil Works projects and other
fee-owned lands for which the Corps has administrative responsibility
for management.'' The master plan is to be an ``essential element in
fostering an efficient and cost-effective project natural resources
management program,'' and by providing direction for project
development and use is ``a vital tool for the responsible stewardship
of project resources for the benefit of present and future generations
* * * [that] * * * promotes the protection, conservation and
enhancement of natural, cultural and man-made resources.'' The previous
Master Plan for the Prado Flood Control Basin was prepared in February
1976, and no longer adequately implements Corps policies and goals
summarized above. The 1976 Master Plan, moreover, did not contemplate
notable changes in the physical environment, and notably the
substantial increase in the amount of biologically valuable reparian
plant communities, the increase in species and populations of
threatened and endangered species in the Basin; combined with the
dramatic increase in visitation and variety of public outdoor
recreation opportunities, plus the changing profile of adjacent land
use types and development intensity.
2. Background. Construction of Prado Dam was authorized by the
Flood Control Act of 1936, as amended (Pub. L. 74-738), as part of a
general plan for the construction of flood control facilities in the
Santa Ana River Basin in Southern California. Construction of the Dam
was completed in May 1941. The Flood Control Act of 1944, as amended,
(Pub. L. 78-534), authorized the United States Army Corps of Engineers
(Corps) to construct, maintain and operate public park and recreation
facilities at water resources development projects. The law also
permitted the Corps to authorize local interests to construct, maintain
and operate recreation facilities.
Because flood reduction remains the primary purpose of the Prado
Dam project, this document first considers these requirements, or
constraints. It also identifies environmentally sensitive areas, and
multiple resources management areas for continued and future use.
Careful planning is required to balance the sometimes competing needs
and desires of the public for high-density recreation uses with
environmental protection requirements and with the flood control
protection purpose of the Prado Basin. This Master Plan is intended,
therefore, to allow balanced use of the subject natural and recreation
resources.
Conceptual guidance is provided in this plan for recreation
development for Corps lands located primarily in upland portions of the
Prado Basin. Under guidelines such as the Corps Environmental Operating
Principles, this plan supports leaving the lower portions of the Basin
as a natural refuge as evaluated in the EIS. Specific development
proposals for recreation and environmental features under this plan,
however, will still require supplemental evaluation and documentation
under NEPA.
This DEIS, in turn, provides: (1) A description of alternatives,
including the No-Action alternative; (2) an analysis of existing and
future conditions in the area without the project; (3) and an analysis
of potential impacts associated with the two alternatives, including
the preferred alternative (proposed action).
3. Proposed Action. The proposed Prado Basin Master Plan is
considered a `` * * * continuing and dynamic document * * * '' that
presents broad concepts, not specific design proposals. The Basin
Master Plan identifies numerous ``Planning Areas'' in the Prado Basin
and gives a range of land use development alternatives based on input
from local agencies and potential development intensity. These Planning
Areas are described in detail, and specific recreational use proposals
are provided for most areas up to the 556-foot (169 meter) contour
elevation. For each recreation use alternative, a more detailed list of
potential site design components is described.
The purpose of this Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is to
evaluate the potential environmental impacts of the land uses proposed
in the Basin Master Plan, and to recommend methods to mitigate for
future, specific, development proposals. This environmental review is
conducted at a programmatic level to provide environmental clearance
for the Master Plan in accordance with the National Environmental
Policy Act. The Impact analysis considers the highest intensity of
development anticipated for each Planning Area. Further NEPA clearance
for specific proposals would be required in the form of an
Environmental Assessment (EA) for minor changes in use/intensity from
what was evaluated in the EIS or in the form of a site-specific EIS for
major changes in proposed use or development intensity.
4. Alternatives.
a. No Action: The No Project alternative would eliminate the
implementation of the recreation land uses in the Proposed Basin Master
Plan and in the continuation of current land use activities on the
site. This alternative would result in the Corps being unable to meet
its project
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objectives such as providing for the expressed public interest for
recreation. No Planning Areas would be designated as such.
b. Proposed Master Plan Alternative: The proposed Basin Master Plan
would serve as a guide for orderly and coordinated use, development and
management of land in the Prado Basin. Specific development proposals
within the general land use Planning Areas will require appropriate
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) clearance to specifically
address the potential environmental effects of those proposals.
5. Scoping Process. Participation of all interested Federal, State
and County resource agencies, as well as Native American peoples,
groups with environmental interests, and all interested individuals has
been and is encouraged. The public review period will conclude 45 days
after publication of this notice.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will consider public concerns on
the Draft EIS. A summary of the Public Hearing and written comment
letters and responses will be incorporated into the Final EIS as
appropriate.
6. Dates. The draft EIS will be released for public review on or
about December 9, 2005. The Environmental Protection Agency plans to
publish a Notice of Availability of the Draft EIS in the Federal
Register on or about December 9, 2005. The public review of the Draft
EIS ends on January 23, 2006. The final Public Hearing will be
scheduled in January, 2006 at the El Prado Golf Course, 6555 Pine
Avenue, Chino, California. The location, date, and time of the public
hearing will be announced in the local news media, and separate notice
will be sent to all parties on the project mailing list.
Dated: December 8, 2005.
Mark R. Blackburn,
Lieutenant Colonel, US Army, Acting District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 05-24399 Filed 12-22-05; 8:45am]
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