[Federal Register: July 18, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 139)]
[Notices]               
[Page 41339-41340]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18jy08-65]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Army Corps of Engineers

 
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/
Environmental Impact Report for Natomas Levee Improvement Program Phase 
3 Landside Improvements Project, Sacramento, CA

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The action being taken is preparation of an environmental 
impact statement/environmental impact report (EIS/EIR) for the Natomas 
Levee Improvement Program (NLIP) Phase 3 Landside Improvements Project. 
The Corps is considering a request to issue both 408 permission to the 
Central Valley Flood Protection Board and 404 permit to Sacramento Area 
Flood Control Agency (SAFCA) for work on the NLIP. Under 33 U.S.C. 408, 
the Chief of Engineers may grant permission to alter an existing 
Federal project if it is not injurious to the public interest and does 
not impair the usefulness of the project. Under Section 404 of the 
Clean Water Act, the District Engineer permits the discharge of dredged 
or fill material into waters of the United States if the discharge 
meets the requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency's 404 
(b)(1) guidelines and is not contrary to the public interest. The NLIP 
is located in Sacramento and Sutter Counties, CA. The 408 permission 
and 404 permit are needed for construction along the landside of the 
Sacramento River east levee, the Natomas East Main Drain Canal, the 
Natomas Cross Canal, and the Pleasant Grove Creek Canal.

DATES: A public scoping meeting will be held on August 6, 2008 from 4 
p.m. until 7 p.m. at Sierra Health Facility (see ADDRESSES). Send 
written comments by August 18, 2008 to (see ADDRESSES).

ADDRESSES: Public Scoping Meeting, Sierra Health, 1321 Garden Highway, 
Bannon Island room, Sacramento, CA. Send written comments and 
suggestions concerning this study to Ms. Elizabeth Holland, U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, Attn: Planning Division 
(CESPK-PD-R), 1325 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95814-2922. Requests

[[Page 41340]]

to be placed on the mailing list should also be sent to this address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and EIS/EIR should be addressed to Ms. Elizabeth Holland at (916) 557-
6763, e-mail Elizabeth.g.holland@usace.army.mil or by mail (see 
ADDRESSES).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. Proposed Action. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is preparing 
an EIS/EIR to analyze the impacts of the work proposed by SAFCA to 
implement the NLIP Phase 3. The NLIP Phase 3 is proposed by SAFCA to 
reduce the risk of flooding to portions of the City and County of 
Sacramento and Sutter County, CA lying within the Natomas Basin.
    2. Alternatives. The EIS/EIR will address an array of flood risk 
management alternatives. Alternatives analyzed during the investigation 
will consist of a combination of one or more flood protection measures. 
These measures include raising the existing levee in place, 
constructing seepage berms, constructing adjacent setback levees, 
installing seepage wells and seepage cutoff walls, and relocating 
irrigation ditches.
    3. Scoping Process. a. A public scoping meeting will be held on 
August 6, 2008 to present information to the public and to receive 
comments from the public. This meeting will begin a process to involve 
concerned individuals, and local, State, and Federal agencies.
    b. Significant issues to be analyzed in depth in the EIS/EIR 
include effects on hydraulic, wetlands and other waters of the U.S., 
vegetation and wildlife resources, special-status species, cultural 
resources, land use, fisheries, water quality, air quality, 
transportation, and socioeconomics. The EIS/EIR will also evaluate the 
cumulative effects of the proposed NLIP and other related projects in 
the study area.
    c. The Corps is consulting with the State Historic Preservation 
Officer to comply with the National Historic Preservation Act, and with 
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to provide a Fish and Wildlife 
Coordination Act Report.
    d. A 45-day public review period will be provided for individuals 
and agencies to review and comment on the draft EIS/EIR. All interested 
parties are encouraged to respond to this notice and provide a current 
address if they wish to be notified of the draft EIS/EIR circulation.
    4. Availability. The draft EIS/EIR is scheduled to be available for 
public review and comment in late 2008.

    Dated: July 9, 2008
Thomas Chapman,
P.E., COL, EN, Commanding.
 [FR Doc. E8-16445 Filed 7-17-08; 8:45 am]

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