HomeMy WebLinkAboutDelta PlanNOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF A DRAFT PROGRAM ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FOR ThIE DELTA PLAN
The Delta Stewardship Council, an independent state agency, is issuing this notice to advise the public that a Draft Program
Environmental Impact Report (DPEIR) for the Delta Plan has been prepared and is now available for public review and comment
for 60 days, from November 4, 2011 through (and including) January 3, 2012. This notice is provided pursuant to noticing
requirements found in the California Environmental Quality Act {CEQA) (Public Resources Code Sec. 21092), and the State CEQA
Guidelines (Guidelines Sec. 15087).
SUMMARY
In November 2009, the California Legislature enacted 58X7 1. It requires the Delta Stewardship Council to develop, adopt, and
implement by January 1, 2012 the Delta Plan, a legally enforceable, comprehensive, long-term management plan for the
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and the Suisun Marsh (Delta) that achieves the coequal goals (Water Code section 85300{a)).
"Coequal goals means the two goals of providing a more reliable water supply for California and protecting, restoring and
enhancing the Delta ecosystem. The coequal goals shall be achieved in a manner that protects and enhances the unique cultural,
recreational, natural resource and agricultural values of the Delta as an evolving place" {Water Code section 85054). Achieving
the coequal goals is a primary and fundamental purpose of the Delta Plan. A draft Delta Plan to meet the requirements of
56X7 ~. has been prepared and is the proposed project being evaluated in the DPEIR.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION ANb PROJECT AREA
The draft Delta Plan generally covers five topic areas and goals: increased water supply reliability, restoration of the Delta
ecosystem, improved water quality, reduced risks of flooding in the Delta, and protection and enhancement of the Delta as an
evolving place. Through the Delta Plan, however, the Council does not propose or contemplate constructing, owning, or
operating any facilities related to these five topic areas. Rather, the Delta Plan sets forth regulatory policies, and
recommendations, that seek to influence the actions, activities and projects of cities, counties, and State, federal, regional and
local agencies toward meeting the goals in the five topic areas. Examples of the types of actions/activities the Delta Plan seeks to
influence include, but are not limited to: new or expanded water storage reservoirs; wetlands and riparian restoration; invasive
species management; water flaw patterns in the Delta; water, wastewater, starmwater and agricultural runoff water treatment;
levee modification and construction; floodplain expansion; new/improved active and passive recreation opportunities in the
Delta.
The focus of the Delta Plan is on the Delta and Suisun Marsh, although the Delta Plan could have influence beyond the Delta. The
Delta area is generally located west of Sacramento and east of the San Francisco Bay area within the network of waterways
formed primarily by the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. Activities the Delta Plan could influence in the
Delta and Suisun Marsh could include, far example, levee improvements, wetlands restoration and recreation projects, among
others. Accomplishing the coequal goals across the five topic areas the Delta Plan covers, however, could involve physical actions
{should other agencies undertake them) in areas outside the Delta, including the Delta Watershed to the north of the Delta and
other areas that currently rely on water exported from the Delta. These areas include, for example, portions of the Sacramento
and San Joaquin Valleys and southern California. Activities the Delta Plan could influence in those areas could include, far
example, groundwater storage enhancements, new/expanded reservoirs and treatment plants, among others. See attached
map.
DOCUMENT AVAILABILITY
Copies of the Draft Delta Plan Program EIR are available online at the Delta Stewardship Council's Web site:
http://www.deltacouncil.ca.eov. You can obtain a CD-ROM copy of the DPEIR by sending an a-mail with the subject line "Request
for CD-ROM Copy of DPEIR" to eircomments@deltacouncil.ca.~ov, or by calling 416-445-0144. A copy of the DPEIR and any
documents incorporated by reference are also available for viewing at the Delta Stewardship Council offices located at 980 9th
Street, Suite 1500, Sacramento, CA 95814. Lastly, a copy of the DPEIR is available in the main branch of each County library in
counties that possibly could be affected by the Delta Plan; addresses for these libraries can be found at
http://www.deltacounciLca.eov.
PROVIDING COMMENTS ON TWE DPEIR; PUBLIC MEETINGS
Written comments on the Draft Delta Plan Program EIR should be provided to the Delta Stewardship Council on or before
January 3, 2012. Written comments on the Draft Delta Plan Program EIR should be sent to: "EIR Comments", Delta Stewardship
Council, 980 Ninth Street, Suite 1500, Sacramento, CA 95814.
Comments on the DPEIR may also be submitted electronically through the Delta Stewardship Council's ~9RSRAI~tS~IPERVISORS
http://www.deltacouncil.ca.gov, or via a-mail with the subject line "Draft EIR" to eircomments@deltacouncil.ca. av. Comments
may also be provided orally or in writing at public Council meetings on the following dates: ~ ~o~~
OROVILLE, CALIFORNIA
• Thursday, November 17, 2011
1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Council will take oral public comment}
Sheraton Grand Hote1,1230 J Street, Sacramento, CA
• Thursday, December 15, 2011
1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Council will take oral public comment}
California State Capitol, Room 447, Sacramento, CA
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Terry Macaulay, Interim Chief Deputy Executive Officer, Delta Stewardship Council, 98D
9th Street, Suite 1500, Sacramento, CA 95814 (telephone: 916-445-0144 or 916-445-5511).
ANTICIPATED SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF THE PROJECT: Through the Delta Plan, the Council does not propose
construction, operation or maintenance of any facilities. Rather, the Council seeks to influence other agencies to take certain
actions. The degree to which that influence results in physical changes to the environment is uncertain, and depends upon what
specific actions those other agencies propose. The DPE1R takes a conservative approach, however, in concluding that
activities/projects other agencies could implement that the Delta Plan could influence may have significant environmental
impacts to resources in the following areas: water resources, biological resources, flood management, land use and planning,
agriculture and forestry resources, visual resources, air quality, cultural resources, geology and soils, paleontological resources,
mineral resources, hazards and hazardous materials, noise, recreation, transportation, utilities, climate change and greenhouse
gas emissions.
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County Boundaries
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M E X I C O
NOTICE OF AVAILABIL[TY OF A DRAFT PROGRAM
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FOR THE DELTA PLAN
SCH #201 Oi 22028