[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 67 (Friday, April 5, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15227-15228]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-8423]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Intent To Prepare a Joint Draft Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) and Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for Pine Flat Dam Fish and
Wildlife Habitat Restoration Investigation, California
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), lead agency under
the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Kings River Conservation
District (KRCD), lead agency under the California Environmental Quality
Act, intend to prepare a joint document to evaluate the environmental
effects of the proposed habitat restoration in the vicinity of Pine
Flat Dam.
The study purpose is environmental restoration. The investigation
will analyze several measures evaluated in the reconnaissance phase
study, and will identify a feasible fish and wildlife restoration plan.
Measures to be evaluated include construction of a multi-level intake
structure at Pine Flat Dam, water transfers, and riparian restoration
downstream of Pine Flat Dam.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
An issues-scoping meeting for the investigation is scheduled for April
24, 1996, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control
District, 5469 East Olive Avenue, Fresno, CA 93727. Please address any
questions regarding the EIS/EIR to Ms. Patricia Roberson, Planning
Division, Environmental Resources Branch, Corps of Engineers, 1325 J
Street, Sacramento, CA 95814-2922. She can also be reached by telephone
at (916) 557-6705.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Project Location
(a) The study area, the Kings River basin, is located in the
southeasterly portion of the San Joaquin Valley (see figure 1). The
Kings River basin is bounded on the north by the San Joaquin River
basin and on the south by the Kaweah River basin. The Kings River
originates high in the Sierra Nevada and flows in a southwesterly
direction as it leaves the foothills and enters the San Joaquin Valley.
Below Pine Flat Dam, the Kings River flows divide into numerous
channels which converge into a single channel before bifurcating into
Kings River North and Kings River South. Kings River North flows into
the San Joaquin River and Kings River South flows into the Tulare Lake.
(b) Pine Flat Dam, completed by the Corps in 1954 and situated
about 25 miles east of the City of Fresno, impounds Kings River flows
for flood control, water conservation, recreation, and hydroelectric
power generation. Pine Flat Lake has a capacity of about one million
acre-feet at gross pool. Downstream of Pine Flat Dam, the Corps
constructed levees, channel improvements, and weirs to control flood
flows.
2. Proposed Action and Alternatives
(a) The Corps and KRCD, the non-Federal sponsor, are conducting a
feasibility investigation to identify and evaluate alternative measures
to restore fish and wildlife habitat in the vicinity of Pine Flat Dam.
(b) The feasibility report and EIS/EIR will include the
alternatives analyzed in the 1994 reconnaissance report and carried
forward for analysis in the feasibility phase. These alternatives
include the no-action alternative and the following restoration
measures: (1) A multi-level intake structure designed to fit over the
existing penstock intakes and allow water to be withdrawn from higher
reservoir elevations; (2) riparian restoration at a site near the
Friant-Kern Canal siphon on the Kings River; and (3) a water transfer
plan that would exchange Central Valley Project water and Pine Flat
water to augment instream flows below Pine Flat Dam in late summer and
fall.
3. Environmental Consequences
(a) The lead agencies have identified potential environmental
effects of the proposed action in the following areas:
aquatic, wetland, and riparian habitats
fish and wildlife populations
esthetics, recreation opportunity and use
air quality
water quality
cultural resources
threatened and endangered species
4. Scoping Process
a. ``Scoping'' is a process to identify the actions, alternatives,
and effects to be evaluated in an environmental document. The public is
invited to assist the lead agencies in scoping this EIS/EIR. The
process provides an opportunity for the public to identify significant
resources within the study area that may be affected by the project. To
facilitate this involvement, a public scoping meeting will be held in
Fresno on April 24, 1996 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Fresno
Metropolitan Flood Control District, 5469 East Olive Avenue, Fresno, CA
93727. A summary of the meeting will be made. Individuals,
organizations, and agencies are also encouraged to submit written
scoping comments by May 10, 1996.
b. After the draft EIS/EIR is prepared, it will be circulated to
all interested parties for review and comment. Public meetings will be
held to receive verbal and written comments. All comments will be
considered and responded to in the final EIS/EIR.
5. Availability
The draft EIS/EIR is scheduled to be distributed for public review
and comment in 1998. All persons interested in receiving the draft
document should contact Ms. Trina Farris at 557-6777.
Gregory D. Showalter,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
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