82 FR 51429 - Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement for North Bay Water Recycling Program Phase 2, California

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 213 (November 6, 2017)

The Sonoma County Water Agency, acting as administrator for the North Bay Water Reuse Authority and the lead State agency, and the Bureau of Reclamation, the lead Federal agency, will prepare a joint Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement for Phase 2 of the North Bay Water Recycling Program. The purpose of the Phase 2 Program is to build upon the existing regional wastewater reuse network developed under the Program's Phase 1 to provide additional opportunities for recycled water for agricultural, urban, and environmental uses as an alternative to discharging treated wastewater to San Pablo Bay.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 213 (Monday, November 6, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51429-51430]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-24085]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

[RR0230000, 17XR0680B1, RX.20671000.0000000]


Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement 
for North Bay Water Recycling Program Phase 2, California

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Sonoma County Water Agency, acting as administrator for 
the North Bay Water Reuse Authority and the lead State agency, and the 
Bureau of Reclamation, the lead Federal agency, will prepare a joint 
Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement for Phase 2 
of the North Bay Water Recycling Program. The purpose of the Phase 2 
Program is to build upon the existing regional wastewater reuse network 
developed under the Program's Phase 1 to provide additional 
opportunities for recycled water for agricultural, urban, and 
environmental uses as an alternative to discharging treated wastewater 
to San Pablo Bay.

DATES: Submit written comments on the scope of the Environmental Impact 
Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) on or before December 
6, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments on the scope of the EIR/EIS to Anne 
Crealock, Sonoma County Water Agency, 404 Aviation Boulevard, Santa 
Rosa, CA 95403, or email to [email protected]. Documents may be 
viewed at www.nbwra.org/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Anne Crealock, Sonoma County Water 
Agency, at (707) 547-1948, or via email at [email protected]; or 
Douglas Kleinsmith, Bureau of Reclamation, at (916) 978-5034, email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Recognizing the continuing need for an integrated and regional 
approach to water management, wastewater and potable water agencies in 
the North San Pablo Bay region of California have joined together to 
propose expansion of existing recycled water use in the region. The 
North Bay Water Reuse Authority (NBWRA), established under a Memorandum 
of Understanding (MOU) in August 2005, now comprises 11 wastewater and 
potable water utilities as members, and associate

[[Page 51430]]

member agencies--the Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District, the Novato 
Sanitary District, the Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District, the 
Napa Sanitation District, North Marin Water District, Napa County, 
Marin County, Marin Municipal Water District, the City of American 
Canyon, the City of Petaluma, and Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA). 
The SCWA is also currently acting as the administrative agency. Under 
the MOU, NBWRA continues to explore opportunities to coordinate 
``interagency efforts to expand the beneficial use of recycled water in 
the North Bay Region thereby promoting the conservation of limited 
surface water and groundwater resources.''
    NBWRA developed the regional North Bay Water Recycling Program for 
expanding cooperative water reuse within the North San Pablo Bay 
region. The SCWA, as the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) 
Lead Agency and the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), as the Lead 
Agency under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), completed a 
Draft EIR/EIS for Phase 1 of the North Bay Water Recycling Program 
Project (Phase 1 Project). SCWA certified the EIR in December 2009. 
Reclamation released a Final EIS in June 2010 and signed a Record of 
Decision in January 2011 for the Phase 1 Project. Reclamation provided 
funding assistance for Phase 1 under of Title XVI of Public Law 102-
575, which provides a mechanism for Federal participation and cost-
sharing in approved water reuse projects.
    The Phase 2 Program now proposed by NBWRA seeks to increase the 
beneficial use of recycled water in the North Bay Region beyond Phase 
1. Reclamation may also provide funding assistance under Title XVI of 
Public Law 102-575. The proposed Phase 2 Program would consist of 
distribution facilities, treatment capacity improvements, and storage 
(seasonal and operational) to make between 5,039 and 6,516 acre-feet 
per year of recycled water available for environmental, agricultural, 
and municipal reuse, consistent with the California Code of 
Regulations, Title 22, pertaining to the use of tertiary-treated 
recycled water.
    At this time, there are no known Indian trust assets or 
environmental justice issues associated with the Proposed Action.

Scoping Process

    NBWRA filed a Notice of Preparation (California State Clearinghouse 
no. 2017072051) on July 20, 2017, pursuant to the California 
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (P.R.C. section 21092, C.C.R. section 
15082) and held four public scoping meetings in August 2017. To avoid 
duplication with State and local procedures, we plan to use the scoping 
process initiated by NBWRA under CEQA. No additional public scoping 
meetings are planned at this time. However, Reclamation will fully 
consider all input received on this notice of intent. The CEQA Notice 
of Preparation is available at http://www.nbwra.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/NBWRA-Phase-2-NOP.pdf.

Public Disclosure

    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: October 31, 2017.
Federico Barajas,
Deputy Regional Director, Mid-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 2017-24085 Filed 11-3-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4332-90-P