[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 220 (Friday, November 14, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68217-68218]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-27138]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Notice of Availability for a Finding of No Significant Impact and 
Environmental Assessment for Potential Slant Test Well Project in the 
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

AGENCY: Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS), Office of 
National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS), National Ocean Service (NOS), 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of 
Commerce (DOC).

ACTION: Notice of availability for final environmental assessment and 
finding of no significant impact.

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SUMMARY: Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS), which is part 
of the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS), National Ocean 
Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 
has finalized an Environmental Assessment (EA) which analyzed the 
potential impacts of a slant test well project proposed by California 
American Water, a privately-owned water and wastewater company, and 
prepared a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) to the 
environmental resources within MBNMS and adjacent shoreline areas. The 
proposed project described in the EA has been evaluated for consistency 
with the National Marine Sanctuaries Act (16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.), 
sanctuary goals and objectives, and ONMS and MBNMS permitting 
regulations. The environmental impacts of the permitted action are 
described in the EA, pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and related implementing regulations. The 
final EA and FONSI are available for download on the MBNMS Web site at: 
http://montereybay.noaa.gov/new/welcome.html#calam.

ADDRESSES: You may review these documents, identifying #NOAA-NOS-2014-
0078, at www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bridget Hoover, Water Quality 
Protection Program Director, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, 99 
Pacific Street, Building 455a, Monterey, CA 93940. Phone: (831) 647-
4217.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: California American Water proposes 
development and temporary operation of a slant test well to obtain 
information regarding the geologic, hydrogeologic, and water quality 
characteristics of the underlying aquifers. MBNMS proposes to authorize 
two state agency permits or other approvals that would allow 
development of California American Water's proposed slant test well 
project. The data obtained during the 24-month testing and monitoring 
phase would be used to facilitate the planning and final design of a 
proposed subsurface slant well intake system and desalination plant to 
serve as the primary future water supply source of the Monterey 
Peninsula. The slant test well would be drilled in the coastal foredune 
area of an existing CEMEX sand mining facility in the central coast of 
California, and would extend diagonally under the floor of the Pacific 
Ocean into the submerged lands of MBNMS. The slant test well would pump 
up to 2,500 gallons per minute from the underlying aquifers for a 24-
month operational testing and monitoring period. The pumped water, 
consisting of untreated, tidally-influenced groundwater, would be 
discharged into MBNMS via an existing ocean outfall pipeline extending 
approximately 2 miles offshore. The project includes the development of 
up to four clusters of monitoring wells to evaluate the hydrogeologic 
response to pumping activities. Upon completion of the testing and 
monitoring activities, the slant test well and all appurtenant 
facilities would be decommissioned, excavated, and removed, and the 
site restored to its original condition.
    The project requires authorization of a state permit from MBNMS for 
the

[[Page 68218]]

proposed discharge into MBNMS waters and proposed drilling activities 
in the submerged lands of MBNMS. The proposed project described in the 
EA has been evaluated for consistency with the National Marine 
Sanctuaries Act (16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.), sanctuary goals and 
objectives, and ONMS and MBNMS permitting regulations. The 
environmental impacts of the permitted action are described in the EA, 
pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
seq.) and related implementing regulations. Under the National 
Environmental Policy Act, a draft EA was completed by MBNMS and public 
comments were received for a period of 30 days between June 25, 2014 
and July 25, 2014. Following public comment, the EA was finalized and a 
FONSI was prepared in October 2014. The public comments received can be 
found in the Appendix of the EA. The final EA and FONSI are available 
for download on the MBNMS Web site at: http://montereybay.noaa.gov/new/welcome.html#calam.

    Dated: November 7, 2014.
Daniel J. Basta,
Director, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.
[FR Doc. 2014-27138 Filed 11-13-14; 8:45 am]
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