[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 77 (Tuesday, April 22, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22530-22531]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-09085]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
[14XR5173F7, RX120560500000004, RR02142500]
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact
Statement/Environmental Impact Report and Notice of Scoping Meeting for
the Proposed North Valley Regional Recycled Water Program
AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department of the Interior, through the Bureau of
Reclamation, and the Del Puerto Water District, propose to prepare a
draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/
EIR) for the North Valley Regional Recycled Water Program. The North
Valley Regional Recycled Water Program would provide recycled water
from the Cities of Turlock and Modesto via the Central Valley Project's
Delta-Mendota Canal to the Del Puerto Water District for irrigation
purposes, and could further provide annual Incremental Level 4 water to
south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta Central Valley Project
Improvement Act designated wildlife refuges for wetlands.
DATES: Submit written comments on the scope of the draft EIS/EIR by May
28, 2014.
A public scoping meeting will be held on May 13, 2014, 3:00-7:00
p.m., in Modesto, California.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on the scope of the draft EIS/EIR should be
sent to Mr. Benjamin Lawrence, Bureau of Reclamation, 1243 N Street,
SCC-412, Fresno, California 93721, or via email to [email protected].
The public scoping meeting will be held at the Modesto City Hall,
1010 10th Street, Modesto, CA 95354.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Benjamin Lawrence, Natural
Resources Specialist, Bureau of Reclamation at the above address, via
email at [email protected], or at 559-487-5039. Information about the
project is also available on the project Web site: http://www.nvr-recycledwater.org/.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Del Puerto Water District (DPWD) and the
Cities of Turlock and Modesto (Cities) (Partner Agencies) propose to
implement a regional solution to address water supply shortages within
DPWD's service area on the west side of the San Joaquin River in San
Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced Counties, south of the Sacramento-San
Joaquin River Delta (Delta). Specifically, the project proposes to
deliver 59,000 acre feet per year of recycled water produced by the
Cities via the Delta-Mendota Canal. Recycled water would be conveyed
from Modesto and Turlock through pipelines from their wastewater
treatment facilities, crossing the San Joaquin River, and ending at the
Delta-Mendota Canal. The recycled water would then be conveyed directly
to DPWD customers or to San Luis Reservoir for storage during low water
demand periods. In addition to uses within DPWD's service area, this
project also proposes to provide water to Central Valley Project
Improvement Act (CVPIA)-designated Refuges located south of the Delta
to meet their need for water supply. This draft EIS/EIR assesses the
environmental effects of the North Valley Regional Recycled Water
Program (or Proposed Action).
The objective of the Proposed Action is to maximize use of a
sustainable, alternative water supply for the region that addresses
reductions in water supplies from the Central Valley Project (CVP) and
offsets pressure on groundwater use. Specifically, the objectives of
the project are as follows:
Establish an alternative, reliable, long-term water supply
of 59,000 acre feet per year of recycled water for DPWD;
Maximize the beneficial use of recycled water to DPWD
customers and south of Delta CVPIA wildlife refuges;
Maximize Project Partners' control of operations and
delivery of water;
Maximize use of existing facilities for treatment/delivery
of recycled water;
Acquire a long-term reliable Incremental Level 4 water
supply, as defined in CVPIA Section 3406(d)(2), for south of Delta
CVPIA wildlife refuges;
Avoid or minimize, through incorporation of design
constraints and management practices, impacts to environmental
resources such as surface water, groundwater levels, land subsidence,
groundwater quality and biological resources including sensitive
species;
Deliver agricultural water to DPWD at a cost that supports
regional economic sustainability.
Purpose and Need
One of the authorized purposes of CVP is to provide water for
irrigation and domestic use within California's Central Valley. In
recent years, south of the Delta CVP contractors and CVPIA wildlife
refuges have experienced a reduction in CVP water allocations from
historical amounts due to drought conditions and Delta pumping
restrictions. As a CVP contractor, DPWD has a need to establish
alternative, reliable long-term agricultural water supplies to offset
this reduction in supply. Also CVPIA Section 3406(d)(2) directs the
Bureau of Reclamation to acquire and provide Incremental Level 4 water
to all CVPIA designated wildlife refuges in the Central Valley. The
purpose of making the Cities' recycled water available to DPWD is to
provide an additional source of water south of the Delta, which can be
used to meet both agricultural and Refuge wildlife needs.
Environmental Issues and Resources To Be Examined
The draft EIS/EIR will include analysis and disclosure of the
effects on the quality of the human and physical environment that may
occur as a result of implementation of the project. Issues to be
addressed may include, but are not limited to, impacts on biological
resources, hydrology, water quality, historic and archaeological
resources, air quality, noise, traffic, safety, hazardous materials and
waste, visual resources, socioeconomics, and environmental justice.
Special Assistance for Public Meetings
If special assistance is required to participate in the scoping
meeting, please contact Mr. Benjamin Lawrence at 559-487-5039, or via
email at [email protected]. A telephone device for the hearing
impaired (TTY) is available at 800-735-2929.
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.
[[Page 22531]]
Dated: March 11, 2014.
Anastasia T. Leigh,
Regional Environmental Officer, Mid-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 2014-09085 Filed 4-21-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-P