[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