[Federal Register: February 5, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 24)]
[Notices]
[Page 5515]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05fe04-49]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare a General Reevaluation Report/Supplemental
Environment Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report for the Merced
County Streams Project, Merced County, CA
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the
Sacramento District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is preparing
a draft General Reevaluation Report/Supplemental Environment Impact
Statement/Environmental Impact Report (GRR/SEIS/EIR) to evaluate the
opportunities to reduce flood damages and to restore riparian habitat
in the City of Merced in Merced County, California. The Merced County
Streams, California, project was authorized by Section 201 of the Flood
Control Act of 1970 (Pub. L. 91-611). The authorized plan includes the
construction of new reservoirs, enlargement of existing reservoirs, and
levee and channel modifications on three stream groups in the vicinity
of Merced. The non-Federal sponsor for this study is the California
Reclamation Board (Board). Co-sponsoring the project with the Board is
Merced County.
DATES: Submit comments regarding the study by March 13, 2004.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments and suggestions concerning this study
to Donald Lash, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District,
Attn: Planning Division (CESPK-PD-R), 1325 J Street, Sacramento, CA
95814.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donald Lash, E-mail at
Donald.w.lash@usace.army.mil telephone (916) 557-5172, or fax (916)
557-5138.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Public Involvement: The study will be coordinated between
Federal, State, and local governments; local stakeholders; special
interest groups; and any other interested individuals and organization.
The Corps held a public meeting to discuss the scope of the draft GRR/
SEIS/EIR in January 2004. The meeting place, date and time was
advertised in advance in local newspapers, and meeting announcement
letters were sent to interested parties. The purpose of this meeting is
to involve local stakeholders and the public early in the study
process. The meeting collected public input regarding the study scope,
historic and current problems, and potential opportunities. All public
comments were documented for future consideration and reference.
Written comments may also be submitted via mail (see DATES) and should
be directed to Donald Lash at the address listed above. The Corps
intents to issue the draft GRR/SEIS/EIR in the summer of 2007. The
Corps will announce availability of the draft document in the Federal
Register and other media, and will provide the public, organizations,
and agencies with an opportunity to submit comments, which will be
addressed in the final GRR/SEIS/EIR.
2. Project Information: The Merced County Streams Project is
located in the eastern portion of the San Joaquin Valley, between the
Merced and Chowchilla Rivers, in Merced and Mariposa Counties,
California. The study area lies east and north of the city of Merced,
with downstream channels along Fahrens and Black Rascal Creeks,
downstream to Santa Fe Drive. Existing flood control facilities consist
of flood retention dams on Burns, Bear, Castle, Owens, and Mariposa
Creeks, Black Rascal and Owens Diversion Canals, and channel
improvements on associated streams. These facilities protect 16,000
acres of land from flooding and reduce the peak flood flows into the
San Joaquin River.
3. Proposed Action: The project is undergoing a general
reevaluation study to (1) redefine the flood problems and risks in the
Merced County Streams project area by updating hydrology and flood
plains, physical, biological and socioeconomic conditions; (2)
reevaluate alternatives for reducing flood damages in the area; and (3)
reaffirm the Federal interest by recommending a plan that is
economically feasible. The results of this study will be presented in
the GRR/SEIS/EIR. The formulation and evaluation of alternatives,
benefits and costs, and implementation requirements will be presented
in the GRR/SEIS/EIR.
4. Alternatives. In addition to the No Action, other potential
alternatives to reduce flood damages include a combination of the
following components: Raise Bear Dam; install a series of detention
basins/seasonal wetland habitat near Fahren's Creek, Cottonwood Creek
and/or Black Rascal Creek; raise the existing levees along Black Rascal
and Fahren Creeks confluence and/or Bear Creek; build setback levees on
Black Rascal Creek; improve existing channels along Black Rascal and
Fahren's Creeks confluence and/or Bear Creek, and install a bypass
channel off of Bear creek to divert excess flows into wetlands south of
Merced.
Luz D. Ortiz,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 04-2498 Filed 2-4-04; 8:45 am]