[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 219 (Tuesday, November 14, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 57229]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-27978]



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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Corps of Engineers

Intent to Prepare a Joint Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS)/Environmental Impact Report (EIR) with Sacramento County for the 
Proposed Aggregate Mining within the Morrison Creek Drainage Basin.
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, DOD.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The proposed aggregate mining of approximately 950 acres of 
land within the Morrison Creek Drainage Basin south of Highway 16, 
Sacramento County, California. The area evaluated by the EIR/EIS is 
bounded roughly by Jackson Road (Highway 16) to the north, Excelsior 
Road to the east, Elder Creek Road to the south and Hedge Avenue to the 
west. There are four mining areas within the 950 acre study area. They 
are known as Granite Vineyard, Aspen III South, Aspen IV South and 
Aspen V South. Granite Construction Company and Teichert Aggregates 
have applied to the Corps of Engineers for Department of the Army 
permits pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
    Granite proposes to impact 21.95 acres of waters of the United 
States subject to DOA jurisdiction on their  400 acre 
Granite Vineyard site. The applicant proposes to reroute Morrison Creek 
into a bypass channel that will be constructed at the present grade. 
Low flows will be directed to the pit floor where the applicant 
proposes to mitigate for project impacts to seasonal wetlands and creek 
channel. Teichert proposes to impact 1.78 acres of waters of the United 
States subject to DOA jurisdiction on their  180 acre Aspen 
IV South site and 4.91 acres of waters of the United States subject to 
DOA jurisdiction on their  180 acre Aspen IV South site and 
4.91 acres of waters of the United States subject to DOA jurisdiction 
on their  255 acre Aspen V South site. Teichert's Aspen III 
site is  110 acres and contains no waters of the United 
States subject to DOA jurisdiction.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions concerning the proposed action and Draft EIR/EIS should be 
directed to Larry Vinzant, Regulatory Branch, U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, 1325 J Street, Sacramento, California 95814-2922, telephone 
(916) 557-5263.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. Proposed Action: The proposed action would eliminate 
approximately 30 acres of wetlands and other waters if the permits were 
issued.
    2. Alternatives: The alternatives being considered at this time 
are:
    a. Aggregate mining on-site as proposed by the applicants;
    b. Downsizing mining operation on-site to reduce adverse impacts to 
waters of the United States;
    c. Alternate site location; and
    d. No action (no project alternative).
    3. Significant Issues: The significant issues which have been 
identified to date and which will be analyzed in the report are:
    a. The need for additional aggregate material in Sacramento;
    b. Impacts to wetlands;
    c. Impacts to threatened and endangered species;
    d. Impacts to wildlife;
    e. Impacts to the hydrology of the Morrison Creek drainage basin;
    f. Impacts to water quality;
    g. Impacts to traffic (alternative site location);
    h. Impacts to aesthetics; and
    i. Impacts to noise levels.
    4. Other Environmental Review and Consultation: Environmental 
review and consultation as required by Sections 401 and 404 of the 
Clean Water Act, as amended (33 U.S.C. 1341 and 1344); the Fish and 
Wildlife Coordination Act (16 U.S.C. 661 et seq.); the National 
Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.); 
the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.); Executive Order 11990, ``Protection of Wetlands,'' (24 May 
1977); and other applicable statutes or regulations will be conducted 
concurrently with the EIR/EIS review process.
    Another joint draft EIR/EIS is being prepared concurrently for the 
Morrison Creek drainage basin north of Highway 16. This report will 
focus on the following mining projects: Granite I, Aspen VI and Aspen V 
North. Both EIR/EIS documents will evaluate cumulative impacts to the 
entire Morrison Creek drainage basin.
    The Sacramento District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will 
issue a 30-day public notice, concurrently with this notice, to 
initiate the scoping process. The public notice will be sent to all 
known, interested parties, and will request that the reviewers provide 
comments on the topical scope, alternatives, and major issues to be 
covered in the Draft EIR/EIS. We intend to accomplish the scoping 
process in this manner; however, if it is perceived that this method is 
not adequate, the need for a public scoping meeting will be considered.
    5. Schedule. We estimate the Draft EIR/EIS will be made available 
to the public in summer of 1996.
Gregory D. Showalter,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 95-27978 Filed 11-13-95; 8:45 am]
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