[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 196 (Friday, October 9, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61188-61189]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-25855]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Integrated Feasibility Report &
Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Yuba River, California,
Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study
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 (Corps),
intends to prepare an integrated Feasibility Report & Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Yuba River Ecosystem
Restoration Feasibility Study. The Corps will serve as the lead agency
for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act. The Yuba
County Water Agency (YCWA) will serve as the non-federal sponsor. The
feasibility study is evaluating opportunities for ecosystem restoration
in the Yuba River watershed, located in portions of Sierra, Placer,
Yuba, and Nevada counties.
DATES: Written comments should be submitted by November 9, 2015.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers,
[[Page 61189]]
Sacramento District, Attn: Michael Fong, CESPK-PD-RP, 1325 J Street,
Sacramento, CA 95814-2922.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the feasibility study
and the DEIS may be addressed to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
Sacramento District, Attn: Michael Fong, CESPK-PD-RP, 1325 J Street,
Sacramento, CA, 95814-2922 or submitted by email to
[email protected]. Requests to be placed on the mailing
list should also be sent to this address.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Study Purpose. The Corps, in cooperation with YCWA, is
conducting a cost-shared feasibility study to identify and respond to
problems and opportunities associated with ecosystem restoration in the
Yuba River watershed. The authority to study the Sacramento River
Basin, including the Yuba River watershed, for flood control and allied
purposes, was granted in the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1962, Public Law
87-874, Section 209. A reconnaissance study of ecosystem restoration
opportunities in the Yuba River watershed was conducted in 2014 under
the authorization of the Energy and Water Development Appropriations
Act of 2014, Division D of Public Law 113-76, the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2014. The Civil Works study process provides a
systematic and rational framework for developing and analyzing
alternative plans. This feasibility study will be conducted under the
SMART Planning framework, an efficient, risk-informed process.
2. Study Area. The Yuba River Watershed is located in northern
California on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.
The watershed encompasses 1,340 square miles in portions of Sierra,
Placer, Yuba, and Nevada counties. The Yuba River is a tributary of the
Feather River which, in turn, flows into the Sacramento River near the
town of Verona, California. The study area begins in the city of
Marysville and extends upstream approximately 90 miles, past Sierra
City, California, in Sierra County.
The Yuba River flows through forest, foothill chaparral, and
agricultural lands. Levees are absent from most of its course except
for near the river's confluence with the Feather River. At that point,
the Yuba River is bounded by setback levees for approximately six
miles.
The primary watercourses of the upper Yuba River watershed are the
South, Middle, and North Yuba rivers. The Middle Yuba River flows into
the North Yuba River and together they are referred to as the upper
Yuba River. Current conditions in the Yuba River watershed are largely
defined by the legacy of historic gold mining and presence of dams.
3. Scoping Process. A series of public Scoping meetings will be
held in October and November 2015 to present information and receive
comments from the public. These meetings are intended to initiate the
process to involve concerned individuals, non-governmental
organizations, interested parties, and local, State, and Federal
agencies. Public Scoping meetings will be held as follows:
Meeting #1--Wednesday, October 28, 2015, 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. at
John E. Moss Federal Building Stanford Room (650 Capitol Mall,
Sacramento, CA 95814).
Meeting #2--Thursday, October 29, 2015, 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. at
Nevada County Library Community Room (980 Helling Way, Nevada City, CA
95959).
Meeting #3--Wednesday, November 4, 2015, 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. at
Yuba County Government Center Marysville and Wheatland Conference Room
(915 8th Street, Marysville, CA 95901).
Significant issues to be analyzed in depth in the integrated
Feasibility Report & DEIS include effects on hydraulics, wetlands and
other waters of the U.S., vegetation and wildlife resources, special-
status species, aesthetics, cultural resources, recreation, land use,
fisheries, water quality, air quality, noise, transportation,
socioeconomics, and cumulative effects of related projects in the study
area.
The Corps will coordinate with State and Federal resource agencies
in order to comply with all pertinent environmental laws, regulations,
and policies. Moreover, the Corps will coordinate with effected Native
American Tribes to address their concerns and to ensure compliance with
all applicable Federal statutes, executive orders, and Corps policies.
4. Availability. The integrated feasibility report & DEIS is
scheduled to be available for public review and comment in December
2016. A 45-day public review period will be provided for individuals
and agencies to review and comment on the DEIS. All interested parties
are encouraged to respond to this notice and provide a current address
if they wish to be notified of the DEIS circulation.
Dated: October 1, 2015.
Michael J. Farrell,
COL, U.S. Army, District Commander .
[FR Doc. 2015-25855 Filed 10-8-15; 8:45 am]
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