[Federal Register: August 9, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 152)] [Notices] [Page 43207-43208] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr09au99-96] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Reclamation Fish and Wildlife Service Central Valley Project Improvement Act, Central Valley, CA AGENCIES: Bureau of Reclamation and Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Addition of Fish and Wildlife Service as co-lead agency for Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The role of the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has been changed from cooperating to co-lead agency, as defined under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) pursuant to the Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), in on-going efforts to prepare the Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) on implementation of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alan Candlish, Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, California 95825, (916) 978-5197; or James McKevitt, Fish and Wildlife Service, 3310 El Camino Avenue, Suite 130, Sacramento, California 95821-6340, (916) 979-2760. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 30, 1992, the President signed into law the Reclamation Projects Authorization and Adjustment Act of 1992 (Pub. L. 102-575) that included Title XXXIV, the CVPIA. The CVPIA amends the previous authorizations of the California Central Valley Project (CVP) to include fish and wildlife protection, restoration, and mitigation as project purposes having equal priority with irrigation and domestic uses and fish and wildlife enhancement as a project purpose equal to power generation. The CVPIA identifies a number of specific measures to meet these new purposes and directs the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to operate the CVP consistent with these purposes, to meet the Federal trust responsibilities to protect the fishery resources of affected federally recognized Indian tribes, and to meet all requirements of Federal and California law and to achieve a reasonable balance among competing demands for use of [[Page 43208]] CVP water. Section 3409 directs the Secretary to complete a PEIS to analyze the direct and indirect impacts and benefits of implementing the CVPIA. On February 25, 1993, the Secretary approved a memorandum signifying roles of the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and the Service in regards to implementing the CVPIA. The Service's role was defined as having ``* * *primary responsibility for decisions on biological resource issues; for studies on fish and wildlife, their populations and habitat requirements; for fishery restoration program direction; and for the planning, design, and decisions on the administration of fish and wildlife facilities.'' Because of this language and other specifications in the CVPIA, the Service began implementing, in an interim manner and jointly with Reclamation, provisions of the CVPIA which met the definition of its responsibility. It also began participating in efforts to complete the PEIS for implementing the CVPIA, supporting complete environmental analysis of long-term program implementation efforts for both Reclamation and the Service. Since 1993, the Service has participated in efforts leading to release of the Draft PEIS for the CVPIA in 1997. Efforts to date suggest the Service was more a de-facto co-lead agency than cooperating agency. Service efforts included such things as attending public and agency meetings, providing responses from the Department of the Interior perspective on fish and wildlife issues; participating in decisions regarding assumptions, model usage, and analysis in the PEIS; and participating in preparation of documentation. Additionally, possible programmatic-level actions that the Service might take to implement the CVPIA were discussed and evaluated during scoping processes associated with completion of the draft NEPA document. Dated: July 24, 1999. Michael J. Spear, Manager, California/Nevada Operations Office, Fish and Wildlife Service. Dated: July 30, 1999. Kirk C. Rodgers, Acting Regional Director, Mid-Pacific Region, Bureau of Reclamation. [FR Doc. 99-20385 Filed 8-6-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-94-P