[Federal Register: March 27, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 58)]
[Notices]
[Page 13424-13425]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27mr09-37]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Army Corps of Engineers
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/
Environmental Impact Report for Natomas Levee Improvement Program Phase
4a Landside Improvements Project, Sacramento, CA
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The action being taken is preparation of an environmental
impact statement/environmental impact report (EIS/EIR) for the Natomas
Levee Improvement Program (NLIP) Phase 4a Landside Improvements Project
(Phase 4a Project). The Corps is considering a request to issue both
408 permission to the Central Valley Flood Protection Board and 404
permit to Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA) for work on the
NLIP. Under 33 U.S.C. 408, the Chief of Engineers may grant permission
to alter an existing Federal project if it is not injurious to the
public interest and does not impair the usefulness of the project.
Under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, the District Engineer permits
the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United
States if the discharge meets the requirements of the Environmental
Protection Agency's 404(b)(1) guidelines and is not contrary to the
public interest. The NLIP is located in Sacramento and Sutter Counties,
CA. The 408 permission is required for structural improvements to the
Sacramento River east levee and the Natomas Cross Canal south levee. A
404 permit is needed for dredge and discharge of fill materials into
waters of the United States resulting from levee improvements,
relocation of the Riverside Canal, and development of associated
habitat.
DATES: A public scoping meeting will be held on April 13, 2009 from
4:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. at South Natomas Community Center, Activity
Room (see ADDRESSES). Send written comments by April 27, 2009 to (see
ADDRESSES).
ADDRESSES: Public Scoping Meeting, South Natomas Community Center,
Activity Room, 2921 Truxel Road, Sacramento, CA. Send written comments
and suggestions concerning this study to Ms. Elizabeth Holland, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, Attn: Planning Division
(CESPK-PD-R), 1325 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95814-2922. Requests to be
placed on the mailing list should also be sent to this address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action
and EIS/EIR should be addressed to Ms. Elizabeth Holland at (916) 557-
6763, e-mail Elizabeth.g.holland@usace.army.mil or by mail (see
ADDRESSES).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Proposed Action. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is preparing
an EIS/EIR to analyze the impacts of the work proposed by SAFCA to
implement the NLIP Phase 4a Project. The overall purpose of the NLIP is
to bring the entire 42-mile Natomas Basin perimeter levee system into
compliance with applicable Federal and state standards for levees
protecting urban areas. The NLIP Phase 4a Project is a component of the
NLIP proposed by SAFCA to improve a portion of the Natomas Basin's
perimeter levee system in Sacramento and Sutter Counties, CA.
2. Alternatives. The EIS/EIR will address an array of flood damage
reduction alternatives. Alternatives analyzed during the investigation
will consist of a combination of one or more flood risk reduction
measures. These measures include strengthening the existing levee in
place, constructing seepage berms, constructing adjacent setback
levees, installing relief wells and cutoff walls, and relocating
irrigation ditches.
3. Scoping Process. a. A public scoping meeting will be held on
April 13, 2009 to present information to the public and to receive
comments from the public. This meeting will begin a process to involve
concerned individuals, and local, State, and Federal agencies with the
Phase 4a Project.
b. Significant issues to be analyzed in depth in the EIS/EIR
include effects on agricultural resources, land use, geology and soils,
hydrology and hydraulics, water quality, biological resources
(including fisheries, vegetation and wildlife resources, special-status
species, and wetlands and other waters of the U.S.), cultural
resources, paleontological resources, transportation and circulation,
air quality, noise, visual resources, utilities and service systems,
hazards and hazardous materials, socioeconomics and population and
housing, and environmental justice. The EIS/EIR will also evaluate the
cumulative effects of the proposed NLIP (including the past and
anticipated future NLIP project phases) and other related projects in
the study area.
c. The Corps is consulting with the State Historic Preservation
Officer to comply with the National Historic Preservation Act, the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service to
provide a Biological Opinion, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to
provide a Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act Report.
d. A 45-day public review period will be provided for individuals
and agencies to review and comment on the draft EIS/EIR. All interested
parties are encouraged to respond to this notice and provide a current
address if they
[[Page 13425]]
wish to be notified of the draft EIS/EIR circulation.
4. Availability. The draft EIS/EIR is scheduled to be available for
public review and comment in early summer 2009.
Dated: March 16, 2009.
Thomas Chapman,
COL, EN, Commanding.
[FR Doc. E9-6862 Filed 3-26-09; 8:45 am]
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