81 FR 63204 - Notice of Cancellation To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the San Carlos Irrigation Project, Arizona
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 178 (September 14, 2016)
Bureau of Reclamation
Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 178 (September 14, 2016)
| Page Range | 63204-63204 | |
| FR Document | 2016-22053 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 178 (Wednesday, September 14, 2016)] [Notices] [Page 63204] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-22053] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Reclamation [RR03250000; XXXR4079V1; RA.R3441003.0960000] Notice of Cancellation To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the San Carlos Irrigation Project, Arizona AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) is terminating preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the San Carlos Irrigation Project. The proposed project scope has been modified, and Reclamation has determined that an Environmental Assessment (EA) rather than an EIS is the appropriate level of environmental documentation for the proposed action. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Sean Heath at (623) 773-6250, or email at [email protected]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed project includes rehabilitation and modernization of San Carlos Irrigation Project Joint Works and District Works irrigation canals. Primary components of the rehabilitation are the lining of all or most of the main canals with concrete to reduce seepage and evaporation losses from the system, the modification of the canal prism (cross-sections and profiles) to increase system efficiency, the inclusion of a water storage facility, and modernized measurement and control amenities to improve delivery service. To protect and preserve the new lined conveyance system, separate storm water drainage facilities would be dedicated to cross drainage storm water management. A Notice of Intent to prepare the EIS for the San Carlos Irrigation Project was published in the Federal Register on August 31, 2010 (75 FR 53332). The proposed action was originally scoped as an EIS. Publication of the Federal Register notice was followed with a scoping letter to potentially interested individuals, organizations, tribes, and agencies, and posting of the notice on Reclamation's Phoenix Area Office Web site. In addition, a news release was submitted to 12 news media outlets. Two public scoping meetings were held to solicit public comment. Reclamation received nine comment letters regarding the proposed action, none of which identified potentially significant effects to the human environment. The Notice of Intent described a proposal to rehabilitate and line up to 40 miles of major canals, such as the Florence-Casa Grande, Casa Grande, and North Side canals, along with construction of new check structures and cross-drainage features. During preparation of the EIS, a new alternative was subsequently developed that would reduce potential environmental impacts of the project. The new alternative would accommodate the delivery of irrigation flows during construction, thereby reducing potential adverse impacts to sensitive riparian habitat and bird species on the Gila River. Furthermore, the geographic scope of the rehabilitation was reduced from 40 miles to 25 miles. Reclamation has not identified other environmental effects of the proposed action that are potentially significant and would warrant us to consider preparation of an EIS over an EA. Based on the reduction in scope, and the limited response to solicitation of comments, Reclamation has determined that an EA is the appropriate level of environmental analysis for the proposed action. Dated: September 8, 2016. Marc Maynard, Acting Regional Director, Lower Colorado Region. [FR Doc. 2016-22053 Filed 9-13-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4332-90-P
![63204 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 178 / Wednesday, September 14, 2016 / Notices
statutory authority responsibility to summarize each comment in our request facilities would be dedicated to cross
protect the park areas it administers and to OMB to approve this IC. Before drainage storm water management.
to manage the public use thereof (54 including your address, phone number, A Notice of Intent to prepare the EIS
U.S.C. 100101, 100751, 3210102). NPS email address, or other personal for the San Carlos Irrigation Project was
regulations codified in 36 CFR parts 1 identifying information in your published in the Federal Register on
through 7, 12 and 13 are designated to comment, you should be aware that
August 31, 2010 (75 FR 53332). The
implement statutory mandates that your entire comment, including your
proposed action was originally scoped
provide for resource protection and personal identifying information, may
pubic enjoyment. NPS Forms 10–404, be made publicly available at any time. as an EIS. Publication of the Federal
‘‘Backcountry/Wilderness Use Permit While you can ask us in your comment Register notice was followed with a
Application’’ and 10–404A, to withhold your personal identifying scoping letter to potentially interested
‘‘Backcountry/Wilderness Use Permit information from public review, we individuals, organizations, tribes, and
Hangtag’’ are the primary forms used to cannot guarantee that we will be able to agencies, and posting of the notice on
provide access into NPS backcountry do so. Reclamation’s Phoenix Area Office Web
areas including those areas that require site. In addition, a news release was
Dated: September 8, 2016.
a reservation to enter where use limits submitted to 12 news media outlets.
Madonna L. Baucum,
are imposed in accordance with other Two public scoping meetings were held
Information Collection Clearance Officer,
NPS regulations. Such permitting to solicit public comment. Reclamation
National Park Service.
enhances the ability to the NPS to received nine comment letters regarding
[FR Doc. 2016–22010 Filed 9–13–16; 8:45 am]
educate users on potential hazards, the proposed action, none of which
BILLING CODE 4310–EH–P
search and rescue efforts, and resource identified potentially significant effects
protection. to the human environment.
II. Data DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR The Notice of Intent described a
OMB Control Number: 1024–0022. proposal to rehabilitate and line up to
Bureau of Reclamation 40 miles of major canals, such as the
Expiration Date: May 31, 2016.
Title: Backcountry/Wilderness Use Florence-Casa Grande, Casa Grande, and
Permit (36 CFR 1.5, 1.6, and 2.10). [RR03250000; XXXR4079V1; North Side canals, along with
Service Form Numbers: NPS Forms RA.R3441003.0960000] construction of new check structures
10–404, Backcountry/Wilderness Use and cross-drainage features. During
Notice of Cancellation To Prepare a
Permit’’ and 10–404A, ‘‘Backcountry/ preparation of the EIS, a new alternative
Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Wilderness Use Permit Hangtag’’. for the San Carlos Irrigation Project, was subsequently developed that would
Type of Request: Revision of a reduce potential environmental impacts
Arizona
currently approved collection of of the project. The new alternative
information. AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, would accommodate the delivery of
Description of Respondents: Interior. irrigation flows during construction,
Individuals wishing to use backcountry ACTION: Notice. thereby reducing potential adverse
and wilderness areas within national impacts to sensitive riparian habitat and
parks. SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation bird species on the Gila River.
Estimated Average Number of (Reclamation) is terminating preparation Furthermore, the geographic scope of
Responses: 285,000. of an Environmental Impact Statement the rehabilitation was reduced from 40
Frequency of Response: 1 per (EIS) for the San Carlos Irrigation
respondent. miles to 25 miles. Reclamation has not
Project. The proposed project scope has identified other environmental effects of
Estimated Average Time Burden per been modified, and Reclamation has
Respondent: 5 minutes. the proposed action that are potentially
determined that an Environmental
Estimated Total Annual Reporting significant and would warrant us to
Assessment (EA) rather than an EIS is
Burden: 23,750 hours. consider preparation of an EIS over an
the appropriate level of environmental
Respondent’s Obligation: Required to documentation for the proposed action. EA. Based on the reduction in scope,
obtain or retain a benefit. and the limited response to solicitation
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
of comments, Reclamation has
III. Comments Sean Heath at (623) 773–6250, or email
determined that an EA is the
We invite comments concerning this at sheath@usbr.gov.
appropriate level of environmental
information collection on: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The analysis for the proposed action.
• Whether or not the collection of proposed project includes rehabilitation
and modernization of San Carlos Dated: September 8, 2016.
information is necessary, including
whether or not the information will Irrigation Project Joint Works and Marc Maynard,
have practical utility; District Works irrigation canals. Primary Acting Regional Director, Lower Colorado
• The accuracy of our estimate of the components of the rehabilitation are the Region.
burden for this collection of lining of all or most of the main canals [FR Doc. 2016–22053 Filed 9–13–16; 8:45 am]
information; with concrete to reduce seepage and BILLING CODE 4332–90–P
• Ways to enhance the quality, utility, evaporation losses from the system, the
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
and clarity of the information to be modification of the canal prism (cross-
collected; and sections and profiles) to increase system
• Ways to minimize the burden of the efficiency, the inclusion of a water
collection of information on storage facility, and modernized
respondents. measurement and control amenities to
Comments that you submit in improve delivery service. To protect and
response to this notice are a matter of preserve the new lined conveyance
public record. We will include or system, separate storm water drainage
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Document Created: 2016-09-14 02:27:28
Document Modified: 2016-09-14 02:27:28
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice. | |
| Contact | Mr. Sean Heath at (623) 773-6250, or email at [email protected] | |
| FR Citation | 81 FR 63204 |
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