[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 110 (Wednesday, June 8, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33361-33362]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-14210]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact
Statement for the Madera Irrigation District Water Supply Enhancement
Project located in Madera County, California
AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has prepared a Final
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Madera Irrigation District
Water Supply Enhancement Project (MID WSEP). Reclamation proposes to
approve the banking of up to 55,000 acre-feet per year of Central
Valley Project (CVP) water outside the MID service area and the
alteration of Reclamation-owned facilities. The total banking capacity
of the MID WSEP is 250,000 acre-feet.
Portions of the 24.2 Canal, Section 8 Canal, Main Number 1 Canal,
Cottonwood Creek, and Gravelly Ford Canal would be enlarged, extended,
or improved. The MID WSEP would be completed in two phases. Phase 1
would involve recharge-related facilities only. Phase 2 would involve
supplemental recharge facilities and facilities for recovery of banked
water. The Final EIS addresses both phases.
DATES: Reclamation will not make a decision on the proposed action
until at least 30 days after release of the Final EIS. After the 30-day
waiting period, Reclamation will complete a Record of Decision (ROD).
The ROD will state the action that will be implemented and will discuss
all factors leading to the decision.
ADDRESSES: A compact disc or a copy of the Final EIS may be requested
from Mr. Chuck Siek, Bureau of Reclamation, 1243 `N' Street, Fresno, CA
93721-1831, 559-487-5138, TDD 800-735-2929 or via e-mail at
[email protected]. The Final EIS is also available on the following Web
site: http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_projdetails.cfm?Project_ID=3128.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Chuck Siek, Bureau of Reclamation,
559-487-5138, TDD 800-735-2929, or via e-mail at [email protected]. See
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for locations where copies of the
Final EIS are available.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The MID WSEP is located in Madera County,
California. To increase water storage, enhance water supply reliability
and flexibility for current and future water demand, and reduce local
overdraft, MID proposes to implement the WSEP. MID would bank CVP water
and other imported water in the aquifer underlying Madera Ranch. In wet
years, water would be banked in the overdrafted aquifer for use in dry
years. To help alleviate the overdraft condition, 10 percent of the
water banked would remain in the aquifer.
A Notice of Availability announcing the release of the Draft EIS
was published in the Federal Register on July 27, 2009 (74 FR 37051).
The written comment period on the Draft EIS ended September 25, 2009.
The Final EIS contains responses to all comments received and reflects
comments and any additional information received during the review
period.
The Draft EIS considered the direct, indirect, and cumulative
effects on the physical, natural, and human environment that may result
from the construction and operation of a water bank on Madera Ranch.
The Draft EIS addressed potentially significant environmental
issues and recommends adequate and feasible mitigation measures to
reduce or eliminate significant environmental impacts. The Draft EIS
examined three banking alternatives as well as the no action
alternative. A public meeting was held on August 27, 2009, in Madera,
California.
The Final EIS includes a new alternative that was developed as a
result of comments received on the Draft EIS. This alternative (Reduced
Alternative B) represents a scaled-back version of Alternative B that
uses fewer swales to minimize effects to vernal pools and limits the
number of recharge basins to the number needed for the project to be
practicable.
Copies of the Final EIS are available for public review at the
following locations:
Bureau of Reclamation, Denver Office Library, Building 67,
Room 167, Denver Federal Center, 6th and Kipling, Denver, CO 80225.
Natural Resources Library, Department of the Interior,
1849 C Street NW, Main Interior Building, Washington, DC 20240-0001.
Bureau of Reclamation, Mid-Pacific Regional Office
Library, 2800 Cottage Way, W-1825, Sacramento, CA 95825-1898.
Bureau of Reclamation, South-Central California Area
Office, 1243 `N' Street, Fresno, CA 93721-1831.
Madera Library, 121 North G Street, Madera, CA 93637.
Chowchilla Library, 300 Kings Avenue, Chowchilla, CA
93610.
Madera Ranchos Library, 37167 Ave 12 Suite 4C, Madera, CA
93636.
Fresno County Public Library, 2420 Mariposa, Fresno, CA
93721.
Clovis Regional Library, 1155 Fifth Street, Clovis, CA
93612.
Public Disclosure
Before including your name, address, phone number, e-mail address,
or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should
be aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we
[[Page 33362]]
cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Dated: May 5, 2011.
David W. Gore,
Assistant Regional Director, Mid-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 2011-14210 Filed 6-7-11; 8:45 am]
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