[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 117 (Friday, June 18, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32889-32890]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-15378]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
Placer County Water Agency American River Pump Station Project,
Placer County, California
AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement/
environmental impact report (EIS/EIR) and notice of scoping meeting.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of
1969, as amended, and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
of 1970, as amended, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and Placer
County Water Agency (PCWA) intend to prepare a joint EIS/EIR for
development of a year-round water supply diversion of up to 35,000
acre-feet annually (AFA) from PCWA's Middle Fork Project on the
American River (MFP) with water entitlements from the North Fork of the
American River. The proposed project, which is subject to review during
the EIS/EIR process, consists of constructing a diversion and intake
structure, pump station and associated facilities including: pipelines,
access roads, power lines, and safety features. The proposed location
of the diversion structure is approximately 150 feet upstream of the
Auburn Dam bypass tunnel.
Reclamation and PCWA are negotiating a contract that will define
the terms and conditions upon which ownership of the facilities would
be transferred to PCWA, including responsibilities for operation,
maintenance, and related activities for the project.
DATES: A public scoping meeting to help identify environmental concerns
to be addressed in the EIS/EIR will be held on July 8, 1999, at 7:00pm
at the Placer County Water Agency (see address below). Written comments
on the scope of the EIS/EIR should be sent to Reclamation at the
address below by July 30, 1999. Requests for special services at the
meeting must be received no later than July 2, 1999 (see special
services section for more details).
ADDRESSES: The scoping meeting will be held at Placer County Water
Agency, American River Room, 144 Ferguson Road, Auburn, California.
Please send written comments on the scope of the EIS/EIR to Mr. Rod
Hall, Environmental Specialist, Bureau of Reclamation, 7794 Folsom Dam
Road, Folsom, California 95630-1799, by July 30, 1999. Please include
your name and address so that Reclamation can contact you directly if
clarification is needed.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Rod Hall, telephone: (916) 989-
7279.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
PCWA provides municipal and agricultural water to cities and
landowners in western Placer County. PCWA holds appropriative rights to
divert 120,000 AFA from the MFP under water right permit numbers 13856
and 13858, as authorized by the State Water Resources Control Board. In
the late 1960's, PCWA built a 50 cubic feet per second (cfs) pump
station on the North Fork of the American River to convey its MFP water
supplies to the Auburn Ravine Tunnel for delivery to PCWA's service
area. However, before pump station operations began, PCWA's pump
station was removed by Reclamation, under a Land Purchase Contract as
supplemented (Contract). Under certain terms and conditions, the
Contract requires Reclamation to make water deliveries to PCWA.
Reclamation has met these water delivery obligations through
installation and removal of a seasonal pump station on an as-needed
basis since 1977. Also, during initial construction of Auburn Dam, the
river was diverted through a bypass tunnel away from the previous pump
station site.
PCWA also has a contractual entitlement of Yuba/Bear River water
supplies, under an agreement with Pacific Gas and Electric Company
(PG&E). PCWA uses MFP supplies from the American River to supplement
Yuba/Bear supplies and to provide backup supplies when PG&E's Yuba/Bear
system is not operating.
Beginning in 1990, PCWA has required access to its American River
supply every year to meet its system demands, and Reclamation has
responded with the seasonal re-installation and removal of the pump
station. In addition, PCWA's service area needs for water have exceeded
the 100,000 AFA supply of the PG&E Yuba/Bear system, and the demand is
projected to increase. By the early 2000's, PCWA will require access to
its American River supply beyond the seasonal (July through October)
operating period of the pumps. The seasonal pumps, however, have become
increasingly expensive to install and maintain, and are limited in use
to the summer and fall. High winter and spring riverflows sometimes
inundate the site of the seasonal pump station and pipeline, rendering
them unreliable for water diversions. Further, because of pumping
capacity limitations (50 cfs), timing of seasonal diversions, demand
patterns, and applicable permits and other requirements, the maximum
diversion capacity for the seasonal pumps is approximately 20,000 AFA.
As a result, Reclamation can no longer provide PCWA with a reliable
water supply to meet PCWA's system demands in accordance with the
Contract.
Alternatives Being Considered
In addition to the upstream diversion alternative described above,
the EIS/EIR will include evaluation of a ``no project'' alternative of
continuing the present seasonal pump station operation. Also evaluated
will be a flood-proofing alternative, which involves raising the
existing pump station to a higher elevation to reduce flooding risks
and
[[Page 32890]]
allow Reclamation to meet its obligations under the Contract. In
addition, an evaluation will be made of a mid-channel alternative of
setting a permanent diversion intake structure within the currently de-
watered portion of the river channel. The mid-channel alternative
includes restoration of the de-watered river channel and closure of the
bypass tunnel. The other alternatives do not include closure of the
bypass tunnel, but would not preclude its possible closure in the
future.
Environmental Issues
The EIS/EIR will address potential impacts to the environment that
may result from construction, operation and maintenance of the project.
PCWA and Reclamation have identified standard best management practices
as part of the project, thereby minimizing potential construction-
related impacts. These will also be discussed in the EIS/EIR.
In addition, the EIS/EIR will address potential impacts to the area
watercourses associated with PCWA's exercise of its American River
water entitlement. Historically, only a portion of PCWA's current
entitlements have been diverted from the American River. Hydrologic
impact analyses will consider the effects of PCWA's increasing its
entitlement diversion under varying hydrologic conditions and the
impacts of the diversions on the potentially affected hydrologic
system, including the North Fork of the American River, Folsom
Reservoir, lower American River, and other Central Valley Project (CVP)
system components.
Potential impacts to water supplies, fisheries and other aquatic
resources, wetland and riparian communities, special-status species,
recreational activities, and flood control will be assessed. Also
addressed will be growth inducement as a potential secondary impact
associated with PCWA's exercise of its existing entitlements within the
service area. The cumulative impacts of the proposed project and other
ongoing and anticipated future projects on the environment,
specifically upstream and downstream American River resources, will be
examined in the EIS/EIR.
No adverse impacts to Indian Trust Assets are anticipated with this
project. No disproportionately high or adverse human health or
environmental impacts to minority or low-income communities are
anticipated with this project.
Environmental Process
The lead agencies began evaluation of the environmental effects of
the proposed project with an Environmental Assessment/Initial Study
(EA/IS). They also held several public meetings for the EA/IS.
Evaluation of this and other proposals within the CVP raised concerns
of significant cumulative impacts on resources of the lower American
River and other portions of the hydrologic system. In response to these
concerns and potential significant impacts, the lead agencies decided
to prepare an EIS/EIR. A draft version of the EIS/EIR is expected to be
available for review and comment in the fall of 1999.
Special Services
If special services are required at the meeting, please contact Ms.
Gay Howe at (530) 823-4889. Please notify Ms. Howe as far in advance of
the meeting as possible, but no later than July 2, 1999, so that she
will have time to secure the needed services. If a request cannot be
honored, the requestor will be notified.
Dated: June 11, 1999.
Kirk C. Rodgers,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 99-15378 Filed 6-17-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-P
