Meetings: Delta Advisory Council,

[Federal Register: April 9, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 68)]

[Notices]

[Page 17442-17443]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr09ap98-114]

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

Bay-Delta Advisory Council Meeting

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: The Bay-Delta Advisory Council (BDAC) will meet to discuss several issues including: watershed management strategy and proposals for phased and staged program implementation in Phase III. In addition, a panel of representatives from Northern California will present their comments to BDAC on the CALFED Program from the Northern California and upper watershed perspectives. BDAC members will also discuss Program financing principles and are invited to participate in a tour of local restoration efforts on Friday, May 15, 1998. This meeting is open to the public. Interested persons may oral statements to the BDAC or may file written statements for consideration.

DATES: The Bay-Delta Advisory Council meeting will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 14, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The Bay-Delta Advisory Council will meet at the Doubletree Hotel, 1830 Hilltop Drive, Redding, CA (530) 221-8700.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Selkirk, CALFED Bay-Delta Program, at (916) 657-2666. If reasonable accommodation is needed due to a disability, please contact that Equal Employment Opportunity Office at (916) 653-6952 or TDD (916) 653-6934 at least one week prior to meeting.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary (Bay-Delta system) is a critically important part of California's natural environment and economy. In recognition of the serious problems facing the region and the complex resource management decisions that must be made, the state of California and the Federal government are working together to stabilize, protect, restore, and enhance the Bay-Delta system. The State and Federal agencies with management and regulatory responsibilities in the Bay-Delta system are working together as CALFED to provide policy direction and oversight for the process.

One area of Bay-Delta management includes the establishment of a joint State-Federal process to develop long-term solutions to problems in the Bay-Delta system related to fish and wildlife, water supply reliability, natural disaster, and water quality. The intent is to develop a comprehensive and balanced plan which addresses all of the resource problems. This effort, the CALFED Bay-Delta Program (Program), is being carried out under the policy direction of CALFED. The Program is exploring and developing a long-term solution for a cooperative planning process that will determine the most appropriate strategy and actions necessary to improve water quality, restore health to the Bay- Delta ecosystem, provide for a variety or beneficial uses, and minimize Bay-Delta system vulnerability. A group of citizen advisors representing California's agricultural, environmental, urban, business, fishing, and other interests who have a stake in finding long-term solutions for the problems affecting the Bay-Delta system has been chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) as the Bay- Delta Advisory Council (BDAC) to advise CALFED on the program mission, problems to be addressed, and objectives for the Program. BDAC provides a forum to help ensure public participation, and will review reports and other material prepared by CALFED staff, BDAC has established a subcommittee called the

[[Page 17443]]

Ecosystem Roundtable to provide input on annual workplans to implement ecosystem restoration projects and programs.

Minutes of the meeting will be maintained by the Program, Suite 1155, 1416 Ninth Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, and will be available for public inspection during regular business hours, Monday through Friday within 30 days following the meeting.

Dated: April 2, 1998. Roger Patterson, Regional Director, Mid-Pacific Region.

[FR Doc. 98-9325Filed4-8-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-94-M