News Release Archive

Folsom Dam Safety and Flood Damage Reduction Draft EIS/EIR Released for Public Review and Comment

Media Contact: Jeffrey S. McCracken, 916-978-5100, 11/30/2006 21:46

For Release: November 30, 2006

Media Contacts: Department of Water Resources Mr. Don Strickland, 916-653-9515 donalds@water.ca.gov

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jim Taylor, 916-557-5101 jim.h.taylor@usace.army.mil

Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency Stein Buer, 916-874-7606 buers@saccounty.net

Available for public review and comment is the Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) of the Folsom Dam Safety and Flood Damage Reduction (DS/FDR) action. The Folsom DS/FDR Draft EIS/EIR was developed pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) by the Bureau of Reclamation, the lead Federal agency; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), a cooperating Federal agency; the Reclamation Board, the lead State agency; and the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA), the local sponsor.

Under the Dam Safety Program, Reclamation identified the need for expedited action to reduce hydrologic, static and seismic risks at Folsom Dam and related structures (the Folsom Facility). The Corps, in partnership with Reclamation Board and SAFCA, identified the need to reduce the risk of flooding in the Sacramento area. The Folsom DS/FDR Draft EIS/EIR describes five action alternatives that include numerous features addressing previously identified and ongoing dam safety, flood damage reduction, and security issues by modifying the Folsom Facility. The no-action alternative is also included in these analyses. The action alternatives include features that would address Reclamation's dam safety objectives and the Corps'flood damage reduction objectives jointly (Joint Federal Project, or JFP), as well as features or increments that would exclusively address dam safety, security, or flood damage reduction objectives. The JFP features are expected to be constructed jointly by Reclamation and the Corps. The increments or features that exclusively address dam safety or flood damage reduction would be constructed by the respective agencies.

The Corps intends to adopt the Final EIS/EIR to satisfy the requirements of NEPA for the flood damage reduction features of the proposed action that would be accomplished under the Corps' Folsom Dam Modifications and Folsom Dam Raise Projects. The Corps has prepared a draft Post Authorization Change (PAC) Report which documents recommended changes to these two authorized projects. The draft PAC Report is available for public review in conjunction with the public review of this Draft EIS/EIR.

For a CD or bound copy of the Folsom DS/FDR Draft EIS/EIR, please contact Ms. Rosemary Stefani, Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825, or at 916-978-5309, or rstefani@mp.usbr.gov. The Draft EIS/EIR may be viewed online at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_project_details.php?Project_ID=1808. If you encounter problems accessing documents online, please contact Ms. Lynnette Wirth at 916-978-5102 or lwirth@mp.usbr.gov.

The Folsom DS/FDR Draft EIS/EIR may be viewed at Reclamation's Mid-Pacific Regional Office Library, 2800 Cottage Way, W-1825, Sacramento; the El Dorado County Library, 345 Fair Lane, Placerville; the Folsom Public Library, 300 Persifer Street, Folsom; the Roseville Public Library, 225 Taylor Street, Roseville; or the Sacramento Central Library, 828 I Street, Sacramento.

Comments on the Draft EIS/EIR should be submitted by Monday, January 22, 2007, to Mr. Shawn Oliver, Bureau of Reclamation, 7794 Folsom Dam Road, Folsom CA 95630, or soliver@mp.usbr.gov; and Mrs. Becky Victorine, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, 1325 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, or Rebecca.A.Victorine@usace.army.mil.

As part of the NEPA process, public hearings will provide interested parties with an opportunity to comment verbally on the Folsom DS/FDR Draft EIS/EIR. Two hearings will allow the public to ask questions, review informational displays, and provide written and/or oral comments. The hearings are scheduled on January 9, 2007, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Sacramento Library Galleria, 828 I Street, Sacramento, and on January 10, 2007, from 7 to 9 p.m., at the Folsom Community Center, 52 Natoma Street, Folsom. The hearings may be extended by an hour each if necessary.

For additional information on the Folsom DS/FDR Draft EIS/EIR, please contact Mr. Shawn Oliver, Reclamation, at 916-989-7256, TDD 916-978-5608, or soliver@mp.usbr.gov; or Ms. Annalena Bronson, Department of Water Resources, Division of Flood Management, 3310 El Camino Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95821, at 916-574-0359, or annalena@water.ca.gov; or Mr. Peter Buck, Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency, 1007 7th St, 7th Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814, at 916-874-7606, or buckp@saccounty.net. To request copies of the Corps' PAC Report, or for further information on the flood damage reduction features of the Folsom DS/FDR Draft EIS/EIR alternatives, please contact Mrs. Becky Victorine at 916-557-5162.

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Folsom Dam Safety and Flood Damage Reduction Draft EIS/EIR Released for Public Review and Comment