[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 73 (Monday, April 17, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 19282]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-9340]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
Environmental Impact Statement on the City of San Jose's South
Bay Water Recycling Program, San Jose, California
AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 as
amended, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) proposes to prepare an
environmental impact statement (EIS) on the City of San Jose's (City)
proposed construction of facilities to support the South Bay Water
Recycling Program (SBWRP). The EIS will be based on a 1992
environmental impact report (EIR) prepared by the City. The SBWRP would
divert treated freshwater effluent from South San Francisco Bay through
a water reclamation program. This project would include construction of
pump stations and recycled distribution pipelines.
DATES: Written comments on the scope of alternatives and impacts to be
considered should be sent to Reclamation by May 17, 1995. Reclamation
estimates that the EIS will be available for public review in late
spring of 1995.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on the project scope should be sent to Mona
Jefferies-Soniea, Bureau of Reclamation, Mid-Pacific Region, Division
of Resources Management Planning, 2800 Cottage Way, MP-720, Sacramento,
California 95825.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Jefferies-Soniea at the above
address; telephone (916) 979-2297.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The SBWRP, formerly known as the San Jose
Nonpotable Reclamation Project, was developed in response to an order
from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and San Francisco
Regional Water Quality Control Board in order to re-establish salinity
levels of the salt water marsh in the southern tip of San Francisco
Bay. In addition to protecting the South Bay habitat, the program also
develops nonpotable water supply for the Santa Clara Valley, which can
be used in place of potable water for appropriate purposes. Funding
will come from loans from the State Water Resources Control Board and
EPA, a grant from Reclamation, and local funding.
The SBWRP would be implemented in two phases: Phase I would consist
of installing facilities to supply up to 9,000 acre-feet/year of
nonpotable water for landscape irrigation, agriculture and industrial
uses. Phase II would consist of installing facilities to supply an
additional up to 27,000 acre-feet/year for either nonpotable or potable
use.
The City completed a final EIR for the SBWRP in November 1992. At
that time, Reclamation had not been involved and therefore no
compliance with NEPA was needed. Because federal funding is now being
used to support the SBWRP, compliance with NEPA is required at this
time. The EIS will be based on this final EIR. The EIR analyzed Phase I
in detail and analyzed Phase II programmatically. Supplemental local
and Federal environmental compliance will be done later this year to
analyze Phase II in detail.
An EIS scoping meeting is not planned because of scoping already
done by the City. The City sent out a notice of preparation of their
EIR to the public in 1992 and held a public scoping meeting on February
19, 1992.
The proposed action (Phase I) is to construct pump stations,
storage tanks, 48.5 miles of 6- to 54-inch diameter pipeline and
appurtenant facilities in the cities of San Jose, Santa Clara, and
Milpitas. There would also be minor modifications of the existing San
Jose/Santa Clara Water Pollution Control Plant to provide additional
chlorination.
Alternatives to the proposed action include:
Pipeline Alignment Alternative, to avoid construction of
pipelines near residences.
Flow Allocation Alternative, which would allocate most of
the reclaimed water for potable uses. The water would be used for
groundwater recharge, mainly using percolation basins.
Habitat Enhancement Alternative, to also supply water to
riparian restoration areas along creeks and rivers in the study area,
as well as for potable and other nonpotable purposes.
No Action.
Dated: April 7, 1995.
Roger K. Patterson,
Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 95-9340 Filed 4-14-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-P
