Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIS/R) for the Napa River, California, Salt Marsh Restoration Feasibility Study

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers

Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Draft

Environmental Impact Report (DEIS/R) for the Napa River, California,

Salt Marsh Restoration Feasibility Study

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The San Francisco District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

together with its local sponsor, the California State Coastal

Conservancy, and the California Department of Fish and Game, are

conducting a feasibility study for restoration of salt marshes in areas

currently occupied by constructed salt ponds west of the Napa River,

Napa and Solano Counties, California. A reconnaissance study has

determined that there is a Federal interest in an alternative that

would restore four of the seven ponds to tidal marsh while reducing

salinity in the remaining three ponds. This alternative would provide

substantial ecological benefits, and has the support of the local

sponsor and the California Department of Fish and Game.

The Corps of Engineers is the lead agency for this project under

the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and the California State

Coastal Conservancy is the lead agency under the California

Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The DEIS/R will enable the lead

agencies to comply with the requirements of NEPA and CEQA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Bill DeJager at (415) 977-8670, or

at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District, 333 Market

Street, 7th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105-2197.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Napa River, Salt Marsh Restoration

Feasibility Study is being conducted under authority of a resolution

adopted by the Committee on Public Works and Transportation of the U.S.

House of Representatives on September 28, 1994. A reconnaissance study

of potential marsh restoration alternatives along the lower Napa River

was completed in 1997. This study determined that there is a Federal

interest in a marsh restoration project in the study area. A detailed

(feasibility) study has subsequently been initiated with the California

State Coastal Conservancy to support further Federal participation in

the project. The California Department of Fish and Game, while not

formally a sponsor, owns the salt ponds under study and is

participating in the study.

One alternative was developed for the reconnaissance study, based

upon information available at that time. This alternative would

initially remove excess salts from all the ponds using controlled

flushing through new water control structures. After salt

concentrations in the four less-saline ponds reaches levels close to

that of San Pablo Bay, the water control structures would be removed

and establishment and growth of tidal marshes would be allowed to occur

naturally. The remaining three ponds would be retained as saline pond

habitat, but with less-saline conditions than at present. Other

alternatives could include pumping water through the pond complex to

dilute salts, or using treated sewage effluent to dilute the salts.

Due to uncertainties regarding the feasibility and environmental

impacts of these alternatives, the first phase of the feasibility study

will focus on gathering baseline data, developing restoration

objectives, and conducting modeling of existing conditions and

potential alternatives. The second phase of the study will develop and

analyze specific alternatives for meeting study objectives.

The Corps of Engineers is requesting public input during the

preparation of the DEIS/R for this project. All interested Federal,

State, and local agencies, Indian tribes, private organizations, and

individuals are invited to participate in the environmental scoping

process established by Federal regulations.

A scoping meeting will be held at the Napa County Board of

Supervisors offices, 1195 Third Street, Room 305, Napa, California on

July 21, 1998 at 7:30 P.M. The purpose of the meeting will be to

determine the environmental issues of concern to the public that should

be addressed by the DEIS/R. A public comment period for the proposal

will open on July 17, 1998 and will close on August 17, 1998. The

public will have an additional opportunity to comment on proposed

alternatives after the DEIS/R is released to the public at a later

date.

The DEIS/R will examine environmental issues of public concern

arising from the scoping process, and project impacts already known to

the Corps. These impacts will include, but are not limited to:

wildlife, waterfowl, fisheries, threatened and endangered species,

wetlands and mudflats, water quality, recreation, navigation and

dredging, aesthetics, law enforcement, construction impacts, and

concerns of nearby landowners.

The DEIS/R will disclose the project's compliance with all

applicable statutes, rules, and regulations. Included will be

coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) under the

Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act and the Endangered Species Act

(ESA), coordination with the FWS and the National Marine Fisheries

Service under the ESA, and consultation with the State of California

under the Coastal Zone Management Act, Clean Water Act, and Clean Air

Act.

The California State Coastal Commission is issuing a separate

notice regarding compliance with the requirements of CEQA. The

aforementioned DEIS scoping meeting will also serve as a scoping

meeting for the purposes of CEQA.

Peter T. Grass,

Lieutenant Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Engineer.

[FR Doc. 98-19022 Filed 7-15-98; 8:45 am]

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