82 FR 49601 - Notice of Availability of a Draft Integrated General Reevaluation Report and Environmental Assessment and Draft Finding of No Significant Impact for the Proposed Lower Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Project, Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, CA
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 206 (October 26, 2017)
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 206 (October 26, 2017)
| Page Range | 49601-49601 | |
| FR Document | 2017-23276 |
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 206 (Thursday, October 26, 2017)] [Notices] [Page 49601] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2017-23276] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers Notice of Availability of a Draft Integrated General Reevaluation Report and Environmental Assessment and Draft Finding of No Significant Impact for the Proposed Lower Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Project, Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, CA AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD. ACTION: Notice of availability. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), San Francisco District, announces the availability for review and comment of the draft integrated General Reevaluation Report and Environmental Assessment (GRR/EA) and the draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the proposed Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Project, Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, CA., USACE Procedures for Implementing [the National Environmental Policy Act] NEPA, notice of the availability of this draft GRR/EA and draft FONSI for review and comment is being provided to agencies, organizations, and the interested public. DATES: Comments on the draft GRR/EA and draft FONSI may be submitted starting October 31, 2017, through November 30, 2017. If comments are provided by mail, they must be received at the address below no later than November 30, 2017. ADDRESSES: The draft GRR/EA can be viewed online starting October 31, 2017, at: http://www.spn.usace.army.mil/Missions/Projects-and-Programs/Projects-by-Category/Projects-for-Flood-Risk-Management/Pajaro-River-Watsonville/. Comments may be submitted on the draft GRR/EA using any of the following methods:Mail: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District, ATTN: CESPN-ET-PB-Pajaro River, 1455 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-1398. Email: CESPN-ET-PB@usace.army.mil. Comment letters should include the commenter's physical mailing address and include ``Pajaro River'' in the subject line. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Christopher Eng, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District, 1455 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-1398. Telephone: (415) 503-6868. Email: CESPN-ET-PB@usace.army.mil. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. Proposed Action. USACE and the non-Federal study partners, Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, propose to reduce flood risk to the City of Watsonville and the town of Pajaro by implementing a combination of structural measures along the lower Pajaro River, Salsipuedes Creek, and Corralitos Creek. These measures include: Improving existing levees; constructing new levees, including setback levees; and constructing new floodwalls. The draft GRR/EA presents the draft findings of the General Reevaluation Study and identifies and describes the benefits, costs, and environmental effects of alternatives plans to reduce flood risk to the city of Watsonville, town of Pajaro, and surrounding area. Based on the evaluation, USACE has identified a Federal interest in at least one alternative plan, the Tentatively Selected Plan (TSP), to reduce the risk of flooding while minimizing adverse environmental effects. The TSP is the National Economic Development Plan (NED). The environmental review conducted as part of this study has initially concluded that, with mitigation, the proposed alternatives would not result in any significant environmental effects. This review and its findings are documented in the draft GRR/ EA. 2. Alternatives. Ten project alternatives, including the no action alternative, have been evaluated in detail in the draft GRR/EA in accordance with NEPA (33 CFR part 230 (USACE NEPA Regulations) and 33 CFR part 325, Appendix B (NEPA Implementation Procedures for USACE Regulatory Projects). 3. Changes Since Publication of the Notice of Intent (NOI). An NOI was published in the Federal Register on June 8, 2001, (66 FR 30894) to advise the interested public and agencies that USACE planned to prepare a combined EIS/EIR for the Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Study. Since publication of the NOI, USACE and Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties have worked with stakeholders to identify and incorporate measures to avoid, minimize, and compensate for adverse environmental effects. As a result, the environmental review conducted as part of this study has initially concluded that, with mitigation, the proposed alternatives would not result in any significant environmental effects. Therefore, an EA has been prepared instead of an EIS. Also, USACE now requires water resources planning and NEPA documents to be integrated into a single document, in this case, an integrated GRR/EA. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) document for the study is being prepared separately by Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties as the CEQA lead agencies. c. USACE is consulting with the State Historic Preservation Officer and with Native American Tribes to comply with the National Historic Preservation Act, and with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service to comply with the Endangered Species Act. USACE is also coordinating with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to comply with the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act. 4. Availability of the Draft EA. The draft GRR/EA and draft FONSI are available for public review and comment 30 days beginning October 31, 2017 and ending November 30, 2017. 5. A public meeting to discuss the status of the study, present the draft results of the GRR/EA, and receive questions and comments will be held on November 8, 2017, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Watsonville Civic Plaza Community Room, 275 Main Street, 4th Floor, Watsonville, California 95076-5133. Dated: October 18, 2017. Travis J. Rayfield, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, District Commander. [FR Doc. 2017-23276 Filed 10-25-17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3720-58-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 206 / Thursday, October 26, 2017 / Notices 49601
of an EA in accordance with Corps • Mail: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, EIS/EIR for the Pajaro River Flood Risk
regulations at 33 CFR part 230, San Francisco District, ATTN: CESPN– Management Study. Since publication
Appendix C(2). ET–PB-Pajaro River, 1455 Market Street, of the NOI, USACE and Monterey and
We are advising the public that a draft San Francisco, CA 94103–1398. Santa Cruz Counties have worked with
integrated FR/EA for the Feasibility • Email: CESPN-ET-PB@ stakeholders to identify and incorporate
Study has been prepared and is usace.army.mil. measures to avoid, minimize, and
available for public review and • Comment letters should include the compensate for adverse environmental
comment. The FR/EA considers the commenter’s physical mailing address effects. As a result, the environmental
effects of, and alternatives to, the TSP. and include ‘‘Pajaro River’’ in the review conducted as part of this study
subject line.
Dated: October 12, 2017. has initially concluded that, with
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Terry J. Birkenstock, mitigation, the proposed alternatives
Christopher Eng, U.S. Army Corps of would not result in any significant
Deputy Chief, Regional Planning and
Engineers, San Francisco District, 1455
Environment Division North. environmental effects. Therefore, an EA
Market Street, San Francisco, CA
[FR Doc. 2017–23318 Filed 10–25–17; 8:45 am] has been prepared instead of an EIS.
94103–1398. Telephone: (415) 503–
BILLING CODE 3720–58–P Also, USACE now requires water
6868. Email: CESPN-ET-PB@
usace.army.mil. resources planning and NEPA
documents to be integrated into a single
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: document, in this case, an integrated
1. Proposed Action. USACE and the GRR/EA. The California Environmental
Department of the Army, Corps of non-Federal study partners, Monterey
Quality Act (CEQA) document for the
Engineers and Santa Cruz Counties, propose to
study is being prepared separately by
reduce flood risk to the City of
Notice of Availability of a Draft Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties as
Watsonville and the town of Pajaro by
Integrated General Reevaluation implementing a combination of the CEQA lead agencies.
Report and Environmental Assessment structural measures along the lower c. USACE is consulting with the State
and Draft Finding of No Significant Pajaro River, Salsipuedes Creek, and Historic Preservation Officer and with
Impact for the Proposed Lower Pajaro Corralitos Creek. These measures Native American Tribes to comply with
River Flood Risk Management Project, include: Improving existing levees; the National Historic Preservation Act,
Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, CA constructing new levees, including and with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. setback levees; and constructing new Service and National Marine Fisheries
Army Corps of Engineers, DoD. floodwalls. The draft GRR/EA presents Service to comply with the Endangered
the draft findings of the General Species Act. USACE is also coordinating
ACTION: Notice of availability. Reevaluation Study and identifies and with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of describes the benefits, costs, and to comply with the Fish and Wildlife
Engineers (USACE), San Francisco environmental effects of alternatives Coordination Act.
District, announces the availability for plans to reduce flood risk to the city of
Watsonville, town of Pajaro, and 4. Availability of the Draft EA. The
review and comment of the draft draft GRR/EA and draft FONSI are
integrated General Reevaluation Report surrounding area. Based on the
evaluation, USACE has identified a available for public review and
and Environmental Assessment (GRR/ comment 30 days beginning October 31,
EA) and the draft Finding of No Federal interest in at least one
alternative plan, the Tentatively 2017 and ending November 30, 2017.
Significant Impact (FONSI) for the
proposed Pajaro River Flood Risk Selected Plan (TSP), to reduce the risk 5. A public meeting to discuss the
Management Project, Monterey and of flooding while minimizing adverse status of the study, present the draft
Santa Cruz Counties, CA., USACE environmental effects. The TSP is the results of the GRR/EA, and receive
Procedures for Implementing [the National Economic Development Plan questions and comments will be held on
National Environmental Policy Act] (NED). The environmental review November 8, 2017, from 6:00 p.m. to
NEPA, notice of the availability of this conducted as part of this study has 8:00 p.m. at the Watsonville Civic Plaza
draft GRR/EA and draft FONSI for initially concluded that, with Community Room, 275 Main Street, 4th
review and comment is being provided mitigation, the proposed alternatives Floor, Watsonville, California 95076–
to agencies, organizations, and the would not result in any significant 5133.
interested public. environmental effects. This review and
its findings are documented in the draft Dated: October 18, 2017.
DATES: Comments on the draft GRR/EA GRR/EA. Travis J. Rayfield,
and draft FONSI may be submitted 2. Alternatives. Ten project Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, District
starting October 31, 2017, through alternatives, including the no action Commander.
November 30, 2017. If comments are alternative, have been evaluated in [FR Doc. 2017–23276 Filed 10–25–17; 8:45 am]
provided by mail, they must be received detail in the draft GRR/EA in
at the address below no later than BILLING CODE 3720–58–P
accordance with NEPA (33 CFR part 230
November 30, 2017. (USACE NEPA Regulations) and 33 CFR
ADDRESSES: The draft GRR/EA can be part 325, Appendix B (NEPA
viewed online starting October 31, 2017, Implementation Procedures for USACE
ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES
at: http://www.spn.usace.army.mil/ Regulatory Projects).
Missions/Projects-and-Programs/ 3. Changes Since Publication of the
Projects-by-Category/Projects-for-Flood- Notice of Intent (NOI). An NOI was
Risk-Management/Pajaro-River- published in the Federal Register on
Watsonville/. Comments may be June 8, 2001, (66 FR 30894) to advise
submitted on the draft GRR/EA using the interested public and agencies that
any of the following methods: USACE planned to prepare a combined
VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:29 Oct 25, 2017 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 9990 E:\FR\FM\26OCN1.SGM 26OCN1](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/82_FR_49807/page/1.svg)
Document Created: 2018-10-25 10:14:07
Document Modified: 2018-10-25 10:14:07
| 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 of availability. | |
| Dates | Comments on the draft GRR/EA and draft FONSI may be submitted starting October 31, 2017, through November 30, 2017. If comments are | |
| Contact | Mr. Christopher Eng, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District, 1455 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-1398. Telephone: (415) 503-6868. Email: CESPN-ET- [email protected] | |
| FR Citation | 82 FR 49601 |
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