73332 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 237 / Wednesday, December 10, 2014 / Notices 

DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R8–FAC–2014–N224] 

Notice of Intent To Conduct Public 

Scoping and Prepare an Environmental 

Impact Statement/Environmental 

Impact Report Regarding the Delta 

Research Station—Estuarine Research 

Station and Fish Technology Center 

Project 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of intent. 

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 

1969, as amended, and the California 

Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and 

State CEQA Guidelines, the U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the 

California Department of Water 

Resources (DWR) intend to prepare a 

joint Environmental Impact Statement/

Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) 

to evaluate impacts regarding 

construction and operation of the Delta 

Research Station (DRS) in the San 

Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin 

Delta Estuary (Bay-Delta), California. 

The planned DRS would consist of two 

facilities, a proposed Estuarine Research 

Station (ERS) and Fish Technology 

Center (FTC). The USFWS will be the 

lead Federal agency responsible for 

coordinating the environmental analysis 

for the proposed action under NEPA. 

DWR will be the lead State agency 

responsible for coordinating the 

environmental analysis under CEQA. 

With this notice, USFWS and DWR are 

announcing the beginning of the 

scoping process to solicit public 

comments and identify issues. 

DATES: This notice initiates the public 

scoping processes for the EIS/EIR. 

Comments on issues must be submitted 

in writing and postmarked January 9, 

2015. Two scoping meetings will be 

held during the scoping period, one in 

Rio Vista and one in Stockton. The dates 

and locations of these scoping meetings 

will be announced at least 15 days in 

advance through the project Web site at 

www.deltaresearchstation.com. 

ADDRESSES: Comments and requests for 

information related to the preparation of 

the EIS/EIR should be sent to USFWS, 

Attn: Barbara Beggs, 650 Capitol Mall 

Suite 8–300, Sacramento, CA 95691; 

and/or emailed to barbara_beggs@

fws.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Barbara Beggs, USFWS, at 916–930– 

5637. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Overview of the DRS 

USFWS and DWR are currently 

planning development of the DRS, a 

science and research center in the BayDelta, which would consolidate a 

number of existing and new activities 

into the proposed ERS and FTC and 

bring together Federal and State agency 

staff working on similar Bay-Delta 

issues. 

Project Purpose 

The purpose of the DRS is to enhance 

interagency coordination and 

collaboration by developing a shared 

research facility. The DRS would 

advance the interests of researchers, 

local communities, and others that are 

dependent on the Bay-Delta. The DRS is 

needed because current Federal and 

State agency staff working on similar 

Bay-Delta issues are spread out in 

different locations, located in areas 

remote from the Bay-Delta, or have 

limited resources, inhibiting efficient 

research and monitoring efforts and 

collaboration. 

The specific objectives of each 

component of the DRS are as follows: 

• ERS— 

Æ Establish a research station in a 

central location within the Bay-Delta to 

facilitate ease of conducting monitoring 

and research; and 

Æ Co-locate the research station with 

a facility capable of studying fish in 

captivity (i.e., the FTC); and 

Æ Provide facilities to conduct 

monitoring and research on the BayDelta’s aquatic resources. 

• FTC— 

Æ Develop captive propagation 

technologies for the Bay-Delta’s rare fish 

species; 

Æ Test and refine the captive 

propagation techniques; 

Æ Locate the facility where suitable 

water quality and quantity are available, 

and ability to discharge waste water 

given its various functions and 

operations is available; and 

Æ Co-locate the FTC with a facility 

conducting conservation research on 

Bay-Delta rare fish species (i.e., the 

ERS). 

Proposed Action and Alternatives 

At this time, USFWS and DWR are 

proposing development of the ERS and 

FTC, as these facilities would be colocated with one another and 

potentially built at the same time. 

Collectively, these facilities are referred 

as the proposed action. Currently, three 

potential alternatives plus the no action/ 

no project alternative are being 

considered for the proposed ERS and 

FTC. The first two potential alternatives 

involve locating the facilities at the Rio 

Vista Army Base in the City of Rio Vista, 

with each alternative representing a 

different site configuration within the 

base. The third alternative is to locate 

the facilities in the City of Stockton, 

California. All alternatives would be 

evaluated at an equal level of detail in 

the EIS/EIR. Below is a description of 

the two proposed facilities. 

Proposed Facilities 

The ERS would be a center for 

research and study of the Bay-Delta 

ecosystem. The ERS would provide 

improved and additional facilities for 

science and research activities and 

would consolidate over 160 State and 

Federal employees from the Interagency 

Ecological Program (IEP). The IEP is a 

multi-agency cooperative effort to 

provide ecological information to 

support management of the Bay-Delta. 

The IEP monitors, researches, models, 

and synthesizes critical information in 

the Bay-Delta to support water 

management and planning and 

protection of fish and aquatic 

ecosystems. ERS facilities would 

include office and workspace, wet and 

dry laboratory facilities, warehouse and 

boat storage space, a marina, and a 

vehicle and boat repair shop. Laboratory 

facilities would include optical 

equipment (e.g., microscopes), fume 

hoods, computer stations, and water 

tanks of various sizes for processing of 

field samples and experimental studies 

of fish and ecology. The ERS would also 

include a dry electrical lab to house 

electronic sensing, monitoring, and 

telecommunications equipment used to 

monitor tagged fish and the estuarine 

environment. The ERS would be 

managed by DWR. 

The FTC would be a center for 

propagation, research, conservation, and 

study of rare Bay-Delta fishes. The FTC 

is also intended to house and maintain 

a refugial population of rare fish species 

(i.e., captively raised fish). The FTC 

would include research and study 

facilities, an office and administration 

building, a shop and vehicle storage 

building, a water treatment facility for 

surface water, and an effluent treatment 

facility. The FTC would include 

separate aquaculture and research 

components for individual study 

species and a laboratory space to 

support water quality, genetic, and fish 

health analysis. The FTC would be 

managed by USFWS and would be sited 

immediately adjacent to the ERS. 

Statutory Authority 

NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) requires 

that Federal agencies conduct an 

environmental analysis of their 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 237 / Wednesday, December 10, 2014 / Notices 73333 

proposed actions to determine if the 

actions may significantly affect the 

human environment. Under NEPA and 

its implementing regulations (40 CFR 

1500 et seq.), a reasonable range of 

alternatives to the proposed action is 

developed and considered in the EIS/

EIR. In addition, the EIS/EIR will 

identify potentially significant direct, 

indirect, and cumulative effects, and 

possible mitigation for those significant 

effects on environmental issues that 

could occur with implementation of the 

proposed action. 

Identification of Environmental Issues 

The EIS/EIR will evaluate potential 

environmental impacts from the ERS 

and FTC. This notice is intended to 

inform agencies and the public of the 

potential environmental impacts of the 

facilities, and to solicit comments and 

suggestions for consideration in the 

preparation of the EIS/EIR. To help the 

public frame its comments, the 

following is a list of several potential 

environmental issues that USFWS and 

DWR have identified for analysis: 

1. Aesthetics 

2. Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas 

Emissions 

3. Biological Resources—Terrestrial 

4. Biological Resources—Fisheries 

5. Cultural Resources 

6. Geology and Soils 

7. Hazards and Hazardous Materials 

8. Hydrology and Water Quality 

9. Land Use and Planning 

10. Noise 

11. Population and Housing 

12. Public Services, Utilities, and 

Energy 

13. Socioeconomics and Environmental 

Justice 

14. Traffic and Transportation 

Request for Comments 

Environmental review of the EIS/EIR 

will be conducted in accordance with 

the requirements of NEPA (42 U.S.C. 

4321 et seq.), its implementing 

regulations (40 CFR parts 1500–1508), 

other applicable regulations, and the 

USFWS’ procedures for compliance 

with those regulations; and according to 

the requirements of CEQA (PRC Section 

21000 et seq.) and State CEQA 

Guidelines (California Code of 

Regulations Title 14 Section 15000 et 

seq.). This notice is being furnished in 

accordance with 40 CFR 1501.7 and 

1508.22 to obtain suggestions and 

information from interested agencies, 

organizations, Native American Tribes, 

and members of the public on the scope 

of issues and alternatives that will be 

addressed in the EIS/EIR. The primary 

purpose of the scoping process is to 

identify important issues raised by the 

public related to development of the 

proposed action. Written comments 

from interested parties are invited to 

ensure that the full range of issues 

related to the development of the 

proposed action is identified. Comments 

during this stage of the scoping process 

will only be accepted in written form. 

All comments received, including 

names and addresses, will become part 

of the official administrative record and 

may be made available to the public. 

Public Availability of Comments 

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. 

Next Steps 

After this scoping process, USFWS 

and DWR will review public comments 

and then prepare and make publicly 

available a draft EIS/EIR for comment. 

Alexandra Pitts, 

Deputy Regional Director, Pacific Southwest 

Region, Fish and Wildlife Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–28891 Filed 12–9–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation 

and Enforcement 

[S1D1S SS08011000 SX066A000 67F 

134S180110; S2D2S SS08011000 SX066A00 

33F 13xs501520] 

Notice of Proposed Information 

Collection; Request Comments for 

1029–0083 

AGENCY: Office of Surface Mining 

Reclamation and Enforcement, 

Department of the Interior. 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: In compliance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation 

and Enforcement (OSMRE) is 

announcing that the information 

collection request related to the 

certification of blasters in Federal 

program states and on Indian lands, and 

Form OSMRE–74, has been forwarded 

to the Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) for review and reauthorization. 

The information collection package was 

previously approved and assigned 

clearance number 1029–0083. This 

notice describes the nature of the 

information collection activity and the 

expected burdens and costs. 

DATES: OMB has up to 60 days to 

approve or disapprove the information 

collection but may respond after 30 

days. Therefore, public comments 

should be submitted to OMB by January 

9, 2015, in order to be assured of 

consideration. 

ADDRESSES: Submit comments to the 

Office of Information and Regulatory 

Affairs, Office of Management and 

Budget, Attention: Department of the 

Interior Desk Officer, by telefax at (202) 

395–5806 or via email to OIRA_

Submission@omb.eop.gov. Also, please 

send a copy of your comments to John 

Trelease, Office of Surface Mining 

Reclamation and Enforcement, 1951 

Constitution Ave. NW., Room 203–SIB, 

Washington, DC 20240, or electronically 

to jtrelease@osmre.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To 

receive a copy of the information 

collection request contact John Trelease 

at (202) 208–2783, or electronically at 

jtrelease@osmre.gov. You may also 

review this collection request by going 

to http://www.reginfo.gov (Information 

Collection Review, Currently Under 

Review, Agency is Department of the 

Interior, DOI–OSMRE). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office 

of Management and Budget (OMB) 

regulations at 5 CFR part 1320, which 

implement provisions of the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–13), 

require that interested members of the 

public and affected agencies have an 

opportunity to comment on information 

collection and recordkeeping activities 

[see 5 CFR 1320.8(d)]. OSMRE has 

submitted a request to OMB to renew its 

approval for the collection of 

information for 30 CFR part 955 and the 

Form OSMRE–74, Certification of 

Blasters in Federal program states and 

on Indian lands. OSMRE is requesting a 

3-year term of approval for these 

information collection activities. 

An agency may not conduct or 

sponsor, and a person is not required to 

respond to, a collection of information 

unless it displays a currently valid OMB 

control number. The OMB control 

number for this collection of 

information is listed in 30 CFR 955.10 

and on the Form OSMRE–74, which is 

1029–0083. 

As required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), a 

Federal Register notice soliciting 

comments on the collection of 

information was published on 

September 4, 2014 (79 FR 52749). No 

comments were received from that 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES