[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 160 (Thursday, August 19, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45242-45243]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-21542]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of Army, Army Corps of Engineers
Notice of Intent to Prepare a Joint Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) and Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Proposed
Rock Creek-Keefer Slough Flood Control Project, Butte County, CA
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), 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, intends to prepare a draft and
final EIS/EIR evaluating the environmental effects of flood control and
environmental restoration for the Rock Creek-Keefer Slough watershed in
Butte County, California. The Corps is working with Butte County and
the Rock Creek Reclamation District to provide this protection.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action
and EIS/EIR can be answered by Steve Tuggle at (916) 557-6638 or by
mail at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Planning Division, ATTN: Steve
Tuggle, 1325 J Street, Sacramento, California 95814-2922.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Project Location
The project area is located in Butte County approximately 90 miles
north of Sacramento. The area of primary interest includes portions of
the town of Nord and agricultural lands affected by flooding from Rock
Creek and Keefer Slough. The streams of interest in this evaluation
include portions of Rock Creek, Keefer Slough, Mud Creek, Pine Creek,
Kusal Slough, and the Sacramento River. The project area is also
interconnected within the Big Chico Creek Ecological Unit of the Butte
Basin, a tributary of the Sacramento River. This project covers the
area of Rock Creek and Keefer Slough between Highway 32 and \1/2\ mile
above the confluence of Rock Creek with the Anderson Branch of Rock
Creek, all within Butte County.
[[Page 45243]]
2. Proposed Action and Alternatives
The Corps, in cooperation with the State of California (Department
of Water Resources) and the local sponsor (Butte County), is conducting
a feasibility investigation of the flood control and environmental
restoration measures identified during the reconnaissance phase and
described in the Rock Creek-Keefer Slough Initial Assessment dated
February 1999. This feasibility investigation proposes to develop and
evaluate alternative flood control and environmental restoration plans
that would alleviate flooding for the 100-year storm event and enhance
the existing environment along the Rock Creek-Keefer Slough system.
The feasibility report will address an array of alternatives and
resource problems. Alternatives analyzed during the feasibility
investigation will be a combination of one or more flood control and
ecosystem restoration measures identified during the reconnaissance
phase; additional measures maybe considered. These alternative measures
include (1) setback levees and stream channel improvements, (2)
environmental restoration measures, (3) bypass and diversion
structures, and (4) detention storage measures.
The goal of this project is to provide the greatest environmental
benefits possible in conjunction with the proposed flood control
project. Primary objectives include reducing flood risk and property
damages, preserving existing resources, improving water quality,
restoring wetlands, increasing riparian and riverine habitat, and
reducing cobble and sediment transport. Significant issues to be
analyzed in depth in the EIS/EIR include appropriate levels of the
flood damage reduction, adverse effects on vegetation and wildlife
resources, special-status species, esthetics, cultural resources,
recreation, and cumulative effects of related projects in the study
area.
3. Scoping Process
``Scoping'' is a process to identify the actions, alternative, and
effects to be evaluated in an environmental document. The project study
plan provides for public scoping meeting and comments.
The Corps has initiated a process of involving Federal, State, and
local agencies, and concerned individuals. After the draft EIS/EIR is
prepared, a 45-day public review period will be provided for
individuals and agencies to review and comment on the EIS/EIR. All
interested parties should respond to this notice and provide a current
address if they wish to be notified of the EIS/EIR circulation and
future scoping meeting dates. Public meetings will be held to receive
verbal and written comments. All comments will be considered and
responded to in the final EIS/EIR.
4. Public Meetings
A public scoping meeting will be held in January 2000. Individuals
are also encouraged to submit written scoping comments by December 31,
1999, to http://www.buttecounty.net/publicworks/ or by mail to U.S Army
Corps of Engineers, Planning Division, ATTN: Steve Tuggle, 1325 J
Street, Sacramento, California 95814-2922.
5. Availability
The EIS/EIR is scheduled to be available for public review and
comment in the summer of 2000.
Dated: August 9, 1999.
Michael J. Walsh,
COL, EN, Commanding.
[FR Doc. 99-21542 Filed 8-18-99; 8:45 am]
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