[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 150 (Friday, August 3, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46518-46519]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-19021]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
Draft Resource Management Plan/General Plan Draft Environmental
Impact Statement/Revised Draft Environmental Impact Report for the San
Luis Reservoir State Recreation Area, Merced County, California
AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation, as the National Environmental
Policy Act Federal lead agency, and the California Department of Parks
and Recreation (CDPR), as the California Environmental Quality Act
State lead agency, have made available for public review and comment
the San Luis Reservoir State Recreation Area Resource Management Plan/
General Plan (RMP/GP) Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Revised
Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR). The Draft RMP/GP EIS/EIR
describes and presents the environmental effects of the No Action/No
Project Alternative and three Action Alternatives. A public meeting
will be held to receive comments from individuals and organizations on
the Draft RMP/GP EIS/EIR.
DATES: Submit written comments on the Draft RMP/GP EIS/EIR on or before
October 2, 2012.
A public meeting has been scheduled to receive oral or written
comments regarding environmental effects. The meeting will be held from
6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on August 23, 2012, in Gustine, California.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments on the Draft RMP/GP EIS/EIR to Mr.
Dave Woolley, Bureau of Reclamation, 1243 N Street, Fresno, CA 93721,
or by email to [email protected]. Written comments also may be
submitted during the public meeting.
The public meeting will be held at the San Luis Reservoir State
Recreation Area Headquarters, 31426 Gonzaga Road, Gustine, CA 95322.
Copies of the Draft RMP/GP EIS/EIR may be requested from Mr. Dave
Woolley, by writing to: Bureau of Reclamation, 1243 N Street, Fresno,
CA 93721; by calling 559-487-5049 (TDD 559-487-5933); or by emailing
[email protected]. The Draft EIS/EIR is also accessible from the
following Web site: http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_projdetails.cfm?Project_ID=548. See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
section below for locations where copies of the Draft RMP/GP EIS/EIR
are available for public review.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Dave Woolley, Bureau of
Reclamation, at 559-487-5049 (TTY 1-800-735-2929) or [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Draft RMP/GP EIS/EIR analyzes the
direct, indirect, and cumulative effects to the physical, biological,
and socioeconomic environment that may result from various resource
management alternatives contained in the subject document.
The purposes of the RMP/GP EIS/EIR include: (1) Identifying the
current and most appropriate future uses of land and water resources
within the RMP/GP Area; (2) identifying the long-term resource programs
and implementation guidelines to manage and develop recreation,
natural, and cultural resources; and (3) developing strategies and
approaches to protect and preserve the natural, recreational,
aesthetic, and cultural resources.
The RMP/GP was initially released with a Draft EIR in 2005 for
compliance with California Environmental Quality Act. The RMP/GP is
being reissued with a joint Draft EIS/Revised Draft EIR for the
purposes of both National Environmental Policy Act and California
Environmental Quality Act compliance.
The RMP/GP area consists of over 27,000 acres owned by the Bureau
of Reclamation (Reclamation) and includes the water surfaces of San
Luis Reservoir, O'Neill Forebay, Los Banos Creek Reservoir, and
adjacent recreation lands
[[Page 46519]]
within the vicinity of Los Banos, California. The general project
location is south of State Route 152 between U.S. 101 and Interstate 5,
approximately two hours southeast from San Francisco.
The RMP/GP area is owned by Reclamation and was built as part of
the water storage and delivery system of reservoirs, aqueducts, power
plants, and pumping stations operated under the California State Water
Project and Central Valley Project. Construction began on San Luis
Reservoir in 1963 and was completed in 1967 with planned joint-use by
the State Water Project and the Central Valley Project. The California
Department of Parks and Recreation was given the responsibility to
plan, design, construct, maintain, and operate the recreation areas
surrounding the reservoirs.
The new plan will: (1) Enhance natural resources and recreational
opportunities without interrupting reservoir operations; (2) provide
recreational opportunities to meet the demands of a growing population
with diverse interests; (3) ensure diversity of recreational
opportunities and quality of the recreational experience; (4) protect
natural, cultural, and recreational sources while providing resource
education opportunities and stewardship; and (5) provide updated
management direction for establishing a new management agreement with
the State of California.
The Draft EIS/Revised Draft EIR outlines the formulation and
evaluation of alternatives designed to address these issues through a
representation of the varied interests at the Plan Area. The No Action/
No Project Alternative (Alternative 1) would result in the continuation
of current management practices. Action Alternative 2 (Limited New
Access and Development) emphasizes resource protection and limited new
development. Action Alternative 3 (Moderate New Access and Development)
balances natural and cultural resource protection and recreation
opportunities. Action Alternative 4 (Maximum New Access and
Development) provides the most overall recreation facility development.
The Draft RMP/GP EIS/EIR has been developed within the authorities
provided by Congress through the Reclamation Recreation Management Act
of 1992 (Pub. L. 102-575, Title 28, 16 U.S.C. 460L) and other
applicable agency and Department of the Interior policies.
Copies of the Draft RMP/GP EIS/EIR are available for public review
at the following locations:
Bureau of Reclamation, Mid-Pacific Region, Regional
Library, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825.
Bureau of Reclamation, South-Central California Area
Office, 1243 N Street, Fresno, CA 93721.
Four Rivers Sector Office, 31426 Gonzaga Road, Gustine, CA
95322
Los Banos Library, 1312 South 7th Street, Los Banos, CA
93635.
California Department of Parks and Recreation, Northern
Service Center, One Capitol Mall, Suite 500, Sacramento, CA 95814.
Bureau of Reclamation, Denver Office Library, Building 67,
Room 167, Denver Federal Center, 6th and Kipling, Denver, CO 80225.
Natural Resources Library, U.S. Department of the
Interior, 1849 C Street NW., Main Interior Building, Washington, DC
20240-0001.
Public Meeting
A brief presentation, including a project overview, will open the
public meeting. This will be followed by an open house during which
individual concerns and questions will be addressed through interaction
with the project team.
If special assistance is required at the public meeting, please
contact Mr. Dave Woolley at 559-487-5049, (TTY 1-800-735-2929), or by
emailing [email protected]. Please notify Mr. Woolley as far in advance
as possible to enable Reclamation staff enough time to secure the
needed services. If a request cannot be honored, the requestor will be
notified.
Public Disclosure
Before including your address, phone number, email 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 cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
Dated: May 17, 2012.
Pablo R. Arroyave,
Deputy Regional Director, Mid-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 2012-19021 Filed 8-2-12; 8:45 am]
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