[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 10 (Friday, January 14, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-1093]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: January 14, 1994]
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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]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M
