[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 214 (Monday, November 7, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-97421]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: November 7, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (DEIS) for the Construction of a Subregional Long-Term
Wastewater Project by the City of Santa Rosa in Sonoma County,
California
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will prepare a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Santa Rosa
Subregional Long-Term Wastewater Project (Project). The purpose of the
Project is to provide for effluent disposal from the Subregional
Sewerage System wastewater treatment facilities operated by the City of
Santa Rosa. The Project would implement a program to dispose of
tertiary treated wastewater from system members and customers through
the year 2010. The City of Santa Rosa has applied for a Department of
Army (DA) permit for authorization to discharge dredged and fill
material, and to work in navigable waters of the United States in
association with construction of the Project. The DA permit application
process, scoping process, and preparation of the Draft EIS will be
conducted by the Regulatory Branch of the San Francisco District.
ADDRESSES: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District,
Regulatory Branch, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, California 94105-
1905.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions about the proposed action and Draft EIS can be answered by
Wade Eakle at the Corps of Engineers (Telephone 415-744-3325, ext.
222).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Proposed Action
The Corps of Engineers has received an application for a Department
of the Army permit from the City of Santa Rosa to discharge dredged and
fill material, and to work in navigable waters of the United States in
association with construction of a Subregional Long-Term Wastewater
Project. Project implementation could include construction of
embankments to create a wastewater storage reservoir; construction of a
groundwater infiltration basin; construction of pipelines to distribute
reclaimed water; construction of irrigation drainage facilities; and
construction of berms of create or restore wetlands.
The Laguna Wastewater Treatment Plant operated by the City of Santa
Rosa provides tertiary treatment for approximately 16 million gallons
of wastewater per day (mgd) average dry weather flow (ADWF) from the
Subregional Sewerage System. This results in an average annual flow of
7,000 million gallons (mg). Wastewater flows are projected to increase
to approximately 22.5 mgd ADWF by the year 2010, including
consideration for lower flows due to water conservation. This results
in an average annual flow of 9,800 mg.
Disposal of treated wastewater from the Laguna plant is through
agricultural irrigation, created wetlands, urban irrigation, and
discharge to the Russian River through the Laguna de Santa Rosa.
Ordinarily, discharge to the Russian River is limited to a maximum of 1
percent of river flow (5 percent with the permission of the California
Regional Water Quality Control Board), and storage is provided to hold
treated wastewater so that maximum legal discharge is not exceeded.
However, due to a combination of conditions which may occur during the
October 1-May 14 discharge season, discharge to the Russian River may
exceed the legal maximum.
These conditions can occur during winters characterized by periodic
light rain but overall drier-than-normal conditions. As a result, the
current Subregional System is weather-dependent, leaving it without a
reliable, legally sanctioned wastewater disposal option. By 1999 the
City of Santa Rosa must put in place a disposal solution to meet future
capacity needs, no matter what weather conditions occur. The purpose of
the Santa Rosa Subregional Long-Term Wastewater Project is to provide
this solution.
The DA permit application will be processed by the Regulatory
Branch of the San Francisco District, Corps of Engineers, pursuant to
the provisions of Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (33
U.S.C. 403) and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344).
In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969,
as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) the Corps of Engineers has
determined that the proposed action may have a significant impact on
the quality of the human environment and therefore requires the
preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement. A combined EIS/EIR
(Environmental Impact Report) will be prepared with the Corps of
Engineers as the Federal lead agency and the City of Santa Rosa as the
lead agency for the EIR.
2. Alternatives
The Project alternatives under consideration are:
a. No Project/No Action
b. South County Reclamation
c. Community Separator/South County Reclamation
d. West County Reclamation
e. Geysers Recharge
f. 20% Maximum Russian River Discharge
g. Other project proposals that are identified as feasible during the
public scoping process
Components of the alternatives to be analyzed for the Project may
include: water conservation through compliance with state regulations
and an expanded subregional retrofit program; expanded agricultural
irrigation; flow augmentation of existing streams during periods of low
flow; increased storage capacity, including new reservoir sites or use
of below ground aquifers; expanded urban irrigation reuse; injection
and reuse of treated wastewater at the Sonoma Geysers; and increased
discharge to the Russian River (up to a maximum of 20 percent of river
flow) either directly, through rapid infiltration in the river plain,
or through the Laguna de Santa Rosa.
3. Scoping Process
Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act, as amended,
agency planning for Federal or Federally permitted projects must
include a ``scoping'' process. Scoping primarily involves determining
the scope of issues to be addressed, and identifying the significant
issues for in-depth analysis in the Draft EIS. The scoping process
includes public participation to integrate information regarding public
needs and concerns into the environmental document.
The Corps of Engineers and the City of Santa Rosa will hold public
scoping meetings on November 17, 1994 at 3 pm and 7 pm at the Steele
Lane Recreation Center, 415 Steele Lane, Santa Rosa, California 95403.
A formal presentation will precede the request for public comment.
Representatives from the Corps of Engineers, the City of Santa Rosa,
and Harland Bartholomew & Associates (the consultant preparing the EIS/
EIR) will be available at these meetings to receive comments from the
public regarding issues of concern that should be addressed in the
environmental document. Further public participation is planned, but
not currently scheduled.
Agencies and the public are also invited and encouraged to provide
written comments in addition to, or in lieu of, oral comments at the
scoping meetings. To be most helpful, the scoping comments should
clearly describe specific environmental issues or topics which the
commentator believes the document should address. Written comments
should be mailed no later than December 1, 1994 to the District
Engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District, 211
Main Street, San Francisco, California, 94105 ATTN: Wade Eakle.
a. Significant Issues
The following issues have been identified as potentially
significant and will be evaluated in the Draft EIS/EIR. However, the
scope of analysis is not limited to these issues.
(1) Geologic conditions
(2) Hydrology, water quality and supply
(3) Traffic and transportation
(4) Air quality
(5) Noise conditions
(6) Biological resources, including endangered species, and fish and
wildlife habitat
(7) Visual resources
(8) Cultural and historic resources
(9) Land use, including agricultural activity
(10) Public services and utilities
(11) Public health and safety hazards
(12) Recreational opportunities
(13) Socioeconomics
(14) Energy
b. Environmental requirements
Environmental review and other consultation requirements applicable
to the proposed action include:
(1) National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4371 et
seq., 40 CFR Parts 1500-1508, and all implementing regulations.
(2) Clean Water Act, as amended, 33 U.S.C. 1344.
(3) Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, 33 U.S.C. 403.
(4) Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, 16 U.S.C. 1536, 50
CFR 402.
(5) National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, 16
U.S.C. 470.
(6) Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, 16 U.S.C. 661-667.
(7) Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, 16 U.S.C. 1456.
(8) Final Rule for Regulatory Programs of the Corps of Engineers,
33 CFR Parts 320-330.
(9) Environmental Protection Agency's Guidelines for Specification
of Disposal Sites for Dredged or Fill Material, 40 CFR Part 230.
(10) California Environmental Quality Act of 1970, Public Resources
Code, Section 21000 et seq., and all subsequent implementing
regulations.
(11) Chapter 1600 of the Fish and Game Code.
4. Availability of EIS
The Draft EIS should be available for public review in October
1995.
Michael J. Walsh,
Lieutenant Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 94-97421 Filed 11-4-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-FS-M
