Intent To Prepare a Draft Environment Impact Statement for the Proposed Coast Rock Products Mining and Reclamation Plan In and Along the Sisquoc and Santa Maria Rivers in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties, CA

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army

Corps of Engineers

Intent To Prepare a Draft Environment Impact Statement for the

Proposed Coast Rock Products Mining and Reclamation Plan In and Along

the Sisquoc and Santa Maria Rivers in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo

Counties, CA

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The proposed action is to mine construction-grade aggregate

deposits from a seventeen-mile stretch of the Santa Maria and Sisquoc

Rivers, both waters of the United States. The California Division of

Mines and Geology has determined that the most significant

concentration of construction-grade aggregate in the region occurs in

and just adjacent to the rivers. This deposit contains material that is

important to two counties for the construction, maintenance and

rehabilitation of public and private facilities. The proposed action is

intended to help satisfy the long-term demand for commercially-useable

aggregate material in the region.

Because the action will require a permit under section 404 of the

Clean Water Act (as amended) and adverse impacts to the aquatic

ecosystem may result, the Corps has determined that the proposed action

warrants an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) pursuant to the

National Environmental Policy Act.

A Joint Review Panel (JRP) consisting of the primary permitting

agencies for the project has been formed to coordinate multi-agency

review. The JRP includes representatives of the U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers, California Division of Mines and Geology, County of Santa

Barbara and San Luis Obispo will serve as co-lead agencies under the

California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The environmental document

will therefore be circulated as a joint Environmental Impact Statement/

Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR).

DATES: The scoping comment period will expire February 28, 1994.

ADDRESSES: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: Regulatory Branch, 2151

Alessandro Drive, suite 100, Ventura, California 93001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Mr. Michael Jewell, (805) 641-0301.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Proposed Action

Coast Rock Products, Inc. (Coast Rock), has applied to the Corps of

Engineers for a section 404 individual permit to remove sand and gravel

material from a seventeen-mile stretch of the Santa Maria and Sisquoc

Rivers over the course of the next 25 years. In 1989, the California

Division of Mines and Geology (CDMG) reported that currently permitted

sources of construction-grade aggregate (classified as MRZ-2 by CDMG)

are theoretically sufficient to supply only 65 percent of the projected

aggregate demand in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties (the

service area) over the next 50 years. CDMG further found that the

largest concentration of construction-grade material in the service

area extends along these rivers from a narrow canyon in the Sisquoc

Ranch to the ancient floodplain underlying the City of Santa Maria.

Because much of this material is no longer accessible due to surface

improvements or established land use, the most viable long-term sources

have been identified to occur within and adjacent to the rivers. Thus,

the overall purpose of the proposed action is to mine high-quality,

construction-grade aggregate (MRZ-2 classified) deposits from within

the service area for the long-term utilization of the resource (at

least the next 25 years) and reclaim mined lands in accordance with the

requirements of the California State Surface Mining and Reclamation Act

(SMARA).

In addition to mining sand and gravel, Coast Rock proposes several

secondary objectives to the overall project purpose. These include

providing flood protection, enhancing groundwater recharge, reclaiming

farm land lost to erosion and past mining, and establishing wildlife

habitat.

2. Alternatives

At least the following alternatives will be considered: (1) No

action; (2) applicant's preferred project; (3) off-site (outside the

100-year floodplain) mining; (4) mining in the river (within the 100-

year floodplain) but not within section 404 jurisdiction; (5) a

reduced-scale project; and (6) alternative landuse/reclamation

scenarios.

3. Scoping Process

a. Federal, State and local agencies and other interested private

citizens and organizations are encouraged to send their written

comments to Mr. Michael Jewell at the address provided. This scoping

comments period will expire 45 days from the date of this notice

appearing in the Federal Register.

b. Significant issues to be analyzed in depth in the draft

Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) include hydrology/hydraulics,

biological resources, water quality, cultural resources, air quality,

transportation, groundwater recharge, noise, aesthetics, and

socioeconomic.

c. Coordination will be undertaken with the U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California

Department of Fish and Game, State Historic Preservation Office, and

California Regional Water Quality Control Board.

d. As noted above, the project will also undergo review under the

California Environmental Quality Act. A draft EIS/EIR will be published

which will discuss both NEPA and CEQA issues.

4. Scoping Meeting

A scoping meeting will be held on Thursday, January 27, 1994 from

1:30 to 4:30 and then again from 6:30 to 8:00 to assess preliminary

issues relative to the Coast Rock Mining and Reclamation Plan. The

scoping meeting will be held at the County Government Center, Board of

Supervisors Hearing Room, 511 East Lakeside Parkway, City of Santa

Maria, County of Santa Barbara, California. Participation in the

scoping meeting by Federal, State and local agencies, and other

interested private citizens and organizations is encouraged.

5. DEIS Schedule

The current schedule estimates that the DEIS will be available for

public review and comment in May 1994.

Kenneth L. Denton,

Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.

[FR Doc. 94-1093 Filed 1-13-94; 8:45 am]

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