82 FR 39454 - Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement and Draft Feasibility Report for Sites Reservoir Project, Sites, California

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 159 (August 18, 2017)

The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), as the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Federal lead agency, and the Sites Project Authority, as the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) State lead agency, have made available for public review and comment the Sites Reservoir Project Draft Environmental Impact Report/ Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIR/EIS) and Draft Feasibility Report (Draft FR). The Draft EIR/EIS and Draft FR describe the environmental effects and evaluate the feasibility of the No-Action Alternative and four action alternatives. Two public meetings will be held to receive comments from individuals and organizations on the Draft EIR/EIS and Draft FR.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 159 (Friday, August 18, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39454-39455]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-17487]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

[RR02030000, 17XR0687NA, RX185279066000000]


Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement 
and Draft Feasibility Report for Sites Reservoir Project, Sites, 
California

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability and notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), as the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Federal lead agency, and the Sites 
Project Authority, as the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) 
State lead agency, have made available for public review and comment 
the Sites Reservoir Project Draft Environmental Impact Report/
Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIR/EIS) and Draft Feasibility 
Report (Draft FR). The Draft EIR/EIS and Draft FR describe the 
environmental effects and evaluate the feasibility of the No-Action 
Alternative and four action alternatives. Two public meetings will be 
held to receive comments from individuals and organizations on the 
Draft EIR/EIS and Draft FR.

DATES: Submit written comments on the Draft EIR/EIS on or before 
November 13, 2017.
    Two public meetings have been scheduled to receive oral or written 
comments regarding environmental effects:
     Tuesday, September 26, 2017, 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m., Maxwell, 
CA
     Thursday, September 28, 2017, 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m., 
Sacramento, CA
    A 1-hour open house to view project information and interact with 
the project team will precede each public meeting.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments on the Draft EIR/EIS or Draft FR to 
DEIR/EIS Comments, Sites Project Authority, P.O. Box 517, Maxwell, CA 
95955, or email to [email protected].
    The public meetings will be held at the following locations:

 Maxwell--Sites Project Authority, 122 Old Highway 99 West, 
Maxwell, CA 95955
 Sacramento--Convention Center, 1400 J Street, Room 306, 
Sacramento, CA 95814

    Electronic CD copies of the Draft EIR/EIS may be requested from 
Sites Project Authority, at (530) 410-8250, or [email protected]. The Draft EIR/EIS is also accessible from 
the following Web site: https://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_projdetails.cfm?project_ID=29024.
    Copies of the Draft EIR/EIS are available for public review at the 
following locations:

1. Bureau of Reclamation, Mid-Pacific Region, Regional Library, 2800 
Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825
2. Sacramento Public Library, 828 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
3. Sites Authority, 122 Old Highway 99 West, Maxwell, CA 95955

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please contact Mr. Michael Dietl, 
Bureau of Reclamation, at (916) 978-

[[Page 39455]]

5070, or via email at [email protected]; or Mr. Rob Thomson, Sites 
Project Authority, at (530) 438-2309, or via email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Draft EIR/EIS describes the Sites 
Reservoir Project, potential alternatives to the Sites Reservoir 
Project, environmental setting, potential direct, indirect, and 
cumulative impacts that could result from implementation of each of the 
alternatives, and mitigation measures for potentially significant 
impacts, as applicable. Four alternative methods of constructing and 
operating the Sites Reservoir Project are evaluated in the Draft FR to 
meet all or the majority of the purpose, and need, and goals, and 
objectives of the Sites Reservoir Project. Other alternatives evaluated 
over the past several decades (some of which were the subject of prior 
CEQA and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analyses and decision 
making) are summarized and discussed in Chapter 2 Alternatives Analysis 
of the Draft EIR/EIS.
    The proposed Sites Reservoir Project facilities would primarily be 
located in Glenn and Colusa counties, approximately 10 miles west of 
the town of Maxwell, California. Proposed minor modifications to an 
existing diversion facility would also need to occur at the existing 
Red Bluff Pumping Plant in Tehama County, California. The Sites 
Reservoir Project would consist of a new offstream surface storage 
reservoir (Sites Reservoir) with two main dams, up to nine saddle dams, 
and up to three recreation areas. The Sites Reservoir would be filled 
via two existing Sacramento River diversions/canals (included in all 
alternatives) and a proposed new inlet/outlet structure and pipeline 
(included in the majority of alternatives). The pipeline would allow 
for diversion of excess Sacramento River flows for most alternatives, 
and discharge of water under all alternatives. Water conveyance between 
the reservoir and the canals and pipeline would be facilitated by two 
new regulating reservoirs. Pumping/generating plants would also be 
included as part of most alternatives. A new overhead power line would 
connect the pumping/generating plants and their associated electrical 
switchyards to an existing overhead power line in the Sites Reservoir 
Project area. New roads and a bridge across the proposed Sites 
Reservoir would be constructed to provide access to the proposed Sites 
Reservoir Project facilities and over the proposed reservoir, and some 
existing roads would be relocated or improved. The Sites Reservoir 
Project would require modifications to the T-C Canal and the Holthouse 
Reservoir. A more complete description of the Sites Reservoir Project 
can be found in Chapter 3 Description of the Sites Reservoir Project 
Alternatives in the Draft EIR/EIS.
    The Sites Reservoir Project is the subject of a Notice of 
Preparation (NOP) issued on November 5, 2001, to prepare an EIR under 
CEQA, and a Notice of Intent (NOI) published on November 9, 2001 (66 FR 
56708), to prepare an EIS under NEPA. The Sites Reservoir Project was 
formerly known as the North-of-Delta Offstream Storage project led by 
the California Department of Water Resources (DWR). The Sites Project 
Authority has assumed the role of the CEQA lead agency in lieu of DWR 
and will be responsible for constructing, operating, and maintaining 
the Sites Reservoir Project. Because of this change in lead agency, the 
Sites Project Authority issued a Supplemental NOP on February 2, 2017, 
for the Draft EIR for the Project.
    Reclamation's involvement in the Sites Reservoir Project includes 
the following actions: (1) The development of a Federal feasibility 
report, and related EIS under NEPA, to support potential funding by the 
Federal Government, pursuant to the Calfed Bay-Delta Authorization Act 
(Pub. L. 108-361); (2) the potential approval of the use of the Tehama-
Colusa Canal for water diversion and conveyance of water to Sites 
Reservoir; and (3) the coordinated operations of Central Valley Project 
(CVP) facilities and the Sites Reservoir Project. In addition, 
Reclamation's involvement in the Sites Reservoir Project also could 
include: (1) Potential Federal funding of the Project pursuant to the 
Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (Pub. L. 114-322); 
(2) participation in the power lines to and from the Sites Reservoir; 
(3) involvement in and jurisdiction over the potential electrical power 
generation from the Sites Reservoir Project; and (4) potential new 
legislative authority to acquire shares of the water managed by the 
Sites Project Authority for federal conservation activities.
    If special assistance is required at the public meetings, please 
contact Mr. Michael Dietl at (916) 978-5070; or via email at 
[email protected]. Please notify Mr. Dietl as far in advance as possible 
to enable Reclamation to secure the needed services. If a request 
cannot be honored, the requestor will be notified. A telephone device 
for the hearing impaired (TTY) is available at (800) 877-8339.
    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

    Dated: August 14, 2017.
Grayford F. Payne,
 Deputy Commissioner--Policy, Administration and Budget.
[FR Doc. 2017-17487 Filed 8-17-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4332-90-P