[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 25 (Thursday, February 6, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7173-7174]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-02530]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Army Corps of Engineers
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Joint Draft
Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report for the 2007
Folsom Dam Safety/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.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District (USACE)
intends to prepare a Supplemental Joint Draft Environmental Impact
Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) for the 2007 Folsom Dam
Safety/Flood Damage Reduction EIS/EIR (hereafter referred to as the
Project). 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 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 4 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 (1-8) by 3.5 feet, (3) temperature control shutter automation and
reconfiguration, and 4) downstream ecosystem restoration of Bushy Lake
and Woodlake.
The Supplemental Draft Joint SEIS/SEIR will address two components
of the authorized project, specifically the emergency spillway gate
modifications and the 3.5 foot raise. These flood damage reduction
components of the Project enhance the utilization of the existing
surcharge flood storage space (temporary water storage space utilized
during rare flood events), as well as increase the surcharge flood
storage capacity of the reservoir.
DATES: Written comments regarding the scope of the environmental
analysis should be received by March 9th, 2014.
[[Page 7174]]
ADDRESSES: Written comments and suggestions concerning this project and
requests to be included on the project mailing list may be submitted to
Tyler Stalker, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, Attn:
Public Affairs Office (CESPK-PAO), 1325 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95814.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tyler Stalker via telephone at (916)
557-5107, email at Tyler.M.Stalker@usace.army.mil, or mail at (see
ADDRESSES). Study information will also be posted periodically on the
Internet at: http://www.spk.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/FolsomDamRaise.aspx
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Proposed Action. The Corps is preparing a Supplemental Draft
EIS/EIR to analyze Project alternatives to improve flood risk
management, specifically by increasing the height of the right and left
wings of the main dam, MIAD, and associated dikes by 3.5 feet and
refining the three emergency spillway gates to withstand probable
maximum flood conditions. The Project would improve flood risk
management while also addressing certain dam safety issues associated
with passing the probable maximum flood.
2. Alternatives.
Emergency Spillway Gate Modifications Alternatives
No Action: Under the No Action Alternative, the Federal
government would not implement the emergency spillway gate
modifications and improved flood risk management benefits would not
occur.
Replacement of Emergency Tainter Gates: Complete
replacement of the existing three emergency gates with newly
fabricated, taller tainter gates and associated pier modifications.
Vertical Top Seal Bulkheads with Existing Emergency
Tainter Gates: Make use of existing strengthened gates (due to
Reclamation's structural improvements) and incorporate a top seal
bulkhead feature that allows the emergency spillway bays to hold back a
higher flood pool.
Horizontal Top Seal Bulkheads with Existing Emergency
Tainter Gates: Adds a top seal feature similar to the ``Vertical Top
Seal Concept,'' but with a different configuration and includes
removable steel bulkhead elements with the most significant segment
mounted horizontally.
Refined Emergency Gate Replacement: Complete replacement
of the existing three emergency gates, with newly fabricated, larger
tainter gates; the gate geometry for this concept would not require
extensive pier modifications such as those required for the original
replacement concept.
Dam Raise Alternatives
No Action: Under the No Action Alternative, the Federal
government would not implement the 3.5 foot raise and improved flood
risk management benefits would not occur.
Earthen Raise: Raise the dams and dikes 3.5 feet through
placement of fill derived from the auxiliary spillway excavation and/or
from other borrow sources.
Concrete Floodwall: Construct a 3.5-foot high reinforced
concrete floodwall that would be placed near the waterside edge of the
existing embankment crests.
Combination Earthen Raise and Concrete Floodwall: Dams and
dikes would be raised 3.5 feet by either an earthen raise or a concrete
floodwall, depending on location and feasibility of either option.
Various Additional 3.5 Foot Raise Options: As the 3.5 foot
dam raise is further studied, various other options may be analyzed for
technical feasibility.
3. Scoping Process.
a. Two public scoping meetings will be held to present an overview
of the Dam Raise and the EIS/EIR process, and to afford all interested
parties with an opportunity to provide comments regarding the scope of
analysis and potential alternatives. The first public scoping meeting
will be held at the Folsom Community Center, 52 Natoma Street, Folsom,
CA on February 19th, 2014, from 5:00--7:00 p.m. The second public
scoping meeting will be held at the Sacramento Library Galleria, 828 I
Street, Sacramento, CA on February 24th, 2014, from 5:00-7:00 p.m.
b. Potentially significant issues to be analyzed in depth in the
Supplemental Draft EIS/EIR will include: Hydrology, water quality, air
quality, special status species, fisheries and aquatic resources,
terrestrial vegetation and wildlife, soils, recreation, transportation,
noise, visual resources, utilities, 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 consult with the State Historic
Preservation Officer 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
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 EIS/EIR circulation.
4. Availability. The Draft EIS/EIR is scheduled to be available for
public review and comment in Spring 2015.
Dated: January 24, 2014.
Michael Farrell,
Colonel, U.S. Army, Commander and District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 2014-02530 Filed 2-5-14; 8:45 am]
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