Intent To Prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the Application of the Coastal Barrier Resources Act to the Pacific Coast

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Intent To Prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement

for the Application of the Coastal Barrier Resources Act to the Pacific

Coast

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Fish and Wildlife

Service (FWS) intends to gather information to prepare a programmatic

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the application of the Coastal

Barrier Resources Act (CBRA) on the Pacific coast. The National

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Regulations (40 CFR 1501.7) require

publication of a notice to inform other agencies and the public on the

scope of issues to be addressed and identified in the EIS. All previous

public comments received by the FWS during the review of the 1993 Draft

Coastal Barriers Study, conducted according to Section 6 of the Coastal

Barrier Improvement Act of 1990, will be considered part of the

information gathering process for this EIS.

Changes to individual mapped coastal barrier unit boundaries that

would depict new development or structural changes are not within the

scope of this programmatic EIS. All major issues raised during the

public review of the 1993 Draft Coastal Barriers Study and maps

regarding technical criteria used in mapping the units have been

considered and will be addressed in the EIS. Any future changes to

individual units in the current inventory will require the

recommendation of the Governors or Congressional representatives of the

affected States.

Please submit recommendations or comments on the scope of issues to

be addressed in this EIS by 45 days after the publication of this

notice.

DATES: Written comments should be received by March 27, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to: CBRA EIS Team Leader, U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service, 911 NE. 11th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97232-

4181.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paula Levin, U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service, 911 NE. 11th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 9732-4181, (503) 231-

2068. Table ``A'' provides a summary of technical changes on the 1993

Draft Coastal Barrier Maps of California, Oregon, and Washington. No

unit boundary changes were made in Hawaii, however, the EIS will

address the applicability of the technical criteria to the coastal

barriers in Hawaii, the Pacific Islands and the other affected States.

The 1994 draft Coastal Barrier maps can be viewed at the central

locations listed in this notice. The maps are being provided for

informational purposes at the locations listed and only to county

planning offices in those counties where unit boundaries were changed.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Coastal barriers are unique landforms that

provide protection for diverse aquatic habitats and are the mainland's

first line of defense against the impacts of coastal storms and

erosion.

Congress recognized the vulnerability of coastal barriers to

development by passing the Coastal Barriers Resource Act in 1982

(CBRA). CBRA (Pub L. 97-348) established the Coastal Barriers Resources

System (System) that prohibits all new Federal expenditures and

financial assistance within the units of that System unless

specifically excepted by the Act. Congress took this action because

Federal expenditures and financial assistance have the effect of

encouraging development of coastal barriers. By restricting these

Federal expenditures, Congress intended to minimize the loss of human

life, wasteful expenditure of Federal revenues, and damage to fish,

wildlife, and other natural resources associated with coastal barriers

along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts.

In 1990, Congress passed the Coastal Barrier Improvement Act

(CBIA). The CBIA (Pub. L. 101-591) tripled the size of the System by

adding coastal barriers of the Great Lakes and additional areas along

the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts. The System currently includes

560 units, comprising almost 1.3 million acres and about 1,200

shoreline miles.

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One hundred and ninety-five (195) units encompassing 104,814 acres

and 307 miles of shoreline on the Pacific coast are proposed for

inclusion in the System. Of this acreage, approximately 28,400 acres

consist of fastland (non-wetland area above the mean high tide line)

and 76,414 acres consist of wetlands and other associated aquatic

habitats.

The proposal to add 195 units to the System is the result of the

CBIA's requiring the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to prepare a

study that examines the need for protecting undeveloped coastal

barriers along the Pacific coast of the United States, through

inclusion in the System. This area includes the States of California,

Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern

Marianas, and all Pacific Ocean territories and possessions of the

United States. In addition, the Secretary was directed to prepare maps

identifying the boundaries of undeveloped coastal barriers within this

area. The Secretary delegated the authority to develop the Study and

accompanying maps of undeveloped coastal barriers of the Pacific coast

to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).

Notices of availability of FWS-developed Draft Coastal Barrier Maps

were published in the Federal Register on April 23, 1992 (57 FR 14846),

for Oregon, May 29, 1992 (57 FR 22821), for Washington, July 7, 1992

(57 FR 29883) for California, and August 14, 1992 (57 FR 36668), for

Hawaii. Following the 90-day public comment period, FWS revised the

draft maps to correct any technical errors noted during the comment

period. The revised draft maps, and all comments received, were

forwarded to appropriate State Governors for review and comment.

The FWS developed the required Draft Study and revised draft maps

of areas under consideration for inclusion in the Coastal Barrier

Resources System in 1993. The FWS made the Draft Study and maps

available for a 60-day public review and comment period on December 17,

1993 (58 FR 66016). Appropriate State Governors were afforded an

additional 30 days for review and comment. On February 23, 1994, the

FWS extended the public comment period until March 25, 1994, and for

State Governors until April 25, 1994. Between January 5, 1994, and

January 18, 1994, 15 public meetings were held in Oregon, Washington,

California, and Hawaii regarding the draft study and accompanying maps.

Press releases were issued in all affected areas. Mailings of the draft

maps and Study were provided to individuals and central locations on

FWS mailing lists, supplemented by mailings lists provided by State

Coastal Zone Management program managers. Announcements of availability

and central locations for review of the maps and Study were also widely

distributed.

Coastal barrier units that occur on Tribal lands were included on

the 1991 draft maps but deleted from the 1993 draft maps at the request

of the Tribal sovereign nations. Neither the CBRA nor the CBIA provides

guidance regarding the inclusion of Tribal lands in the System.

Recognizing the sovereignty of the Native American nations, the

Department of the Interior (Department) solicited recommendations from

each affected Tribe. These Tribal recommendations will be submitted to

Congress with the Department's final EIS recommendations.

A Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) will be available for

public for review and comment when complete. A summary of alternatives

currently proposed for evaluation in the EIS include:

1. No action Alternative: current circumstances projected into the

future.

2. Implement the Act with stipulations:

(a) Apply Section 4(d) CBIA provision to:

(1) Federal lands undergoing disposal following inclusion of the

Pacific coastal barriers in the System, providing, the disposal has not

yet been completed.

(2) ``otherwise protected areas (and private inholdings)'' not in

Federal or State ownership if changes in their status may result in

their development.

(b) Engage in appropriate Government to Government coordination

before considering incorporation of Tribal lands including

reservations, allotment lands, and usual and accustomed treaty areas in

the System.

Other alternatives may be explored if responses to scoping and

further analysis show the necessity.

Locations of Maps

All States

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services, 911 N.E. 11th

Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97232-4181; Phone: (503) 231-2068

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services, 4401 N. Fairfax

Drive, Room 400, Arlington, Virginia 22203; Phone: (703) 358-2201

Hawaii

Pacific Islands Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 300 Ala Moana

Boulevard, Room 6307, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813; Phone: (808) 541-2749

Hawaii Office of State Planning, State Coastal Zone Management, 1177

Alakea Street, 2nd Floor, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813; Phone: (808) 587-2880

Kauai National Wildlife Refuge Complex, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,

Kilauea, Kauai, Hawaii 96754; Phone: (808) 828-1413

Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service, 154 Waianuenue Avenue, Room 219, Hilo, Hawaii 96720; Phone:

(808) 969-9909

Maui County Planning Office, Parks and Recreation, 1580-C Kaahumanu

Avenue, Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii 96793; Phone: (808) 243-7931

Kahului Public Library, 20 School Street, Kahului, Hawaii 96793; Phone:

(808) 877-5048

Mitchell Paole Center, 90 Inoa Street, Kaunakakai, Molokai 96748;

Phone: (808) 553-3204

California

Carlsbad Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2730 Loker

Avenue West, Carlsbad, California 92008; Phone: (619) 431-9440

Ventura Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2140 Eastman

Avenue, Suite 100, Ventura, California 93003; Phone: (805) 644-1766

Sacramento Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2800 Cottage

Way, Room E-1803, Sacramento, California 95825; Phone: (916) 979-2116

San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service, 1 Marshlands Road, Fremont, California 94536; Phone: (510)

792-0222

Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,

1020 Ranch Road, Loleta, California 95551; Phone: (707) 733-5406

California Coastal Commission, 45 Fremont, Suite 2000, San Francisco,

California 94105-2219; Phone: (415) 904-5280

California Coastal Commission Legislative Office, 921 11th Street, Room

1200, Sacramento, California 95814; Phone: (916) 445-6067

State of California, The Resources Agency, 1416 9th Street, Suite 1311,

Sacramento, California 95814; Phone: (916) 654-2506

Oregon

Portland Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2600 S.E. 98th

Avenue, Suite 100, Portland, Oregon 97266; Phone: (503) 231-6179

Oregon Coastal Refuges, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2030 Marine

Science [[Page 7580]] Drive, Newport, Oregon 97365-5296; Phone: (503)

867-4550

Oregon Coastal/Ocean Management Program, Dept. of Land and Conservation

Development, 1175 Court Street NE, Salem, Oregon 97310-0590; Phone:

(503) 373-0092

Bandon Public Library, P.O. Box 128, Bandon, Oregon 97411 (located in

the Bandon City Hall on Highway 101); Phone: (503) 347-3221

Tillamook Public Library, 210 Ivy Avenue, Tillamook, Oregon 97141;

Phone: (503) 842-4792

Seaside Public Library, 60 N. Roosevelt Boulevard, Seaside, Oregon

97138; Phone: (503) 738-6742

Hatfield Marine Science Center, Guin Library, 2030 Marine Science

Drive, Newport, Oregon 97365; Phone: (503) 867-0249

North Bend Public Library, 1800 Sherman Avenue, North Bend, Oregon

97459; Phone: (503) 756-0400

Washington

Olympia Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 3704 Griffin Lane

SE, Suite 102, Olympia, Washington 98501-2192; Phone: (206) 753-9440

Willapa National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, HC

01, Box 910, Ilwaco, Washington 98624-9797; Phone: (206) 484-3482

Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 100

Brown Farm Road, Olympia, Washington 98506; Phone: (206) 753-9467

Washington Coastal Refuges, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1638 Barr

Road South, Port Angeles, Washington 98382; Phone: (206) 457-8451

Washington Department of Ecology, Shorelands and Coastal Management

Program, 300 Desmond Drive, Olympia, Washington 98504; Phone: (206)

407-7250

Dated: January 31, 1995.

Thomas Dwyer,

Acting Regional Director.

Table A--1994 Pacific Coastal Barrier Unit Changes

[Old=1993; New=1994]

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State/county Unit No. (old/new) Unit name Action

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California:

Sonoma....................... N/A / CA-28 Bodega Bay............................ Added unit.

San Luis Obispo.............. CA-44/CA-47 Oso Flaco Lake........................ Extended southeast boundary to include associated aquatic

habitat. Added 24 acres of wetland.

Oregon:

Clatsop...................... OR-02/OR-02 Necanicum River....................... Expansion in northeast corner of unit to include

associated aquatic habitat. Added 25 acres of wetland.

Tillamook.................... OR-04/OR-04 Nehalem Spit and Bay.................. Expansion in northeast corner of unit to include

associated aquatic habitat. Added 19 acres of wetland.

Tillamook.................... OR-10/OR-10 Kiwanda Beach......................... Expansion of southeast corner to include associated

aquatic habitat. Added 114 acres of wetland.

Lincoln...................... OR-11/OR-11 Salmon River Estuary.................. Expansion to include associated aquatic habitat along

Salmon River. Added 562 acres of wetland.

Lane......................... OR-15/OR-15 Baker Beach........................... Expanded northern boundary to include barrier and

associated aquatic habitat. Added 0.5 miles of

shoreline, 39 acres of fastland, and 9 acres of wetland.

Coos......................... OR-19/OR-19 North Spit and Coos Bay/Oregon Dunes.. Excluded industrial waste ponds and relocated inland

boundary of entire unit to wetland/upland interface at

foredune. Removed 1,066 acres of fastland and 3,256

acres of wetland.

Curry........................ OR-25/OR-25 Euchre Creek.......................... Extended northern boundary. Added 0.1 miles of shoreline,

6 acres of fastland, and 6 acres of wetland.

Curry........................ OR-26/OR-26 Greggs Creek.......................... Extended southern boundary. Added 0.3 miles of shoreline,

16 acres of fastland, and 4 acres of wetland.

Washington:

Whatcom...................... WA-01/Deleted Semiahmoo Spit/Drayton Harbor......... Site visit and documentation provided by property owners

indicated site is developed and does not meet criteria.

Clallam...................... WA-57/WA-51 Kilakala Point........................ Extended southwest edge to include associated aquatic

habitat at Grays Marsh Creek. Added 25 acres of wetland.

Grays Harbor................. WA-70/WA-58 Conner Creek.......................... Added an exclusion for a structure and removed developed

portion (R.V. parking/campground area). Removed 3 acres

of fastland and 1 acre of wetland.

Grays Harbor................. WA-71/WA-59 Ocean Shores.......................... Removed a developed portion near Oyhut. Added 0.1 miles

of shoreline and removed 2 acres of fastland and 2 acres

of wetland.

Grays Harbor................. WA-72/WA-60 Ocean Shores South.................... Redelineated to make eastern edge more reflective of

actual barrier and extended into aquatic habitat to the

north. Removed 0.1 miles of shoreline and added 583

acres of wetland.

Grays Harbor................. WA-73/WA-61 Westport.............................. Added exclusion for parking lot and structure off of

Ocean Avenue and removed additional developed area which

extended into barrier unit. Removed 0.6 miles of

shoreline, 16 acres of fastland, and 5 acres of wetland.

Pacific...................... WA-79/WA-68 Long Beach/Seaview.................... Removed several developed areas which extended into

barrier unit. Removed 3 acres of fastland and 6 acres of

wetland.

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[[Page 7581]]

[FR Doc. 95-3080 Filed 2-7-95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-55-P