[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 197 (Tuesday, October 13, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54681-54682]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-27373]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement/
Environmental Impact Report (DEIS/EIR) for the Lower Mission Creek, 
Santa Barbara, CA

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Mission Creek drainage area is located in and adjoining 
the city of Santa Barbara, California, about 100 miles northwest of the 
City of Los Angeles. The drainage area, comprising about 11.5-square 
miles, is a narrow coastal area and extends from the Santa Ynez 
Mountains on the north to the Pacific Ocean on the south. Mission Creek 
rises at about 4,000 feet elevation and flows about eight miles through 
the City of Santa Barbara to empty into the Pacific Ocean. The primary 
study area for the proposed project extends from Canon Perdido, 
downstream to the Pacific Ocean. The length of the project construction 
area is about 1.2 miles.

ADDRESSES: Commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles 
District, Environmental Design Section, CECSPL-PD-RL, P.O. Box 532711, 
Los Angeles, CA 90053-2325.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ms. Joy Jaiswal, Technical Manager, phone (213) 452-3871, or Mr. Edward 
Demesa, Study Manager, phone (213) 452-3796. The City of Santa Barbara 
Point of Contact is Ms. Janice Hubbell, AICP, Project Planner, phone 
(805) 564-5470.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

1. Authorization

    The Lower Mission Creek, Flood Control Project is authorized under 
Section 209 of the Flood Control Act of 1962 (Public Law 87-874, 87th 
Congress, 2nd session), approved October 23, 1962. The U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers (USACOE), in cooperation with the County Flood Control 
District and the City of Santa Barbara, will be conducting a 
feasibility study for solutions to the flooding problem along Lower 
Mission Creek. The study will identify, describe, and evaluate 
alternative plans and fully develop the recommended plan to be 
submitted to Congress for project authorization.

2. Background

    The USACOE has been involved in this project since 1964. Lower 
Mission Creek, especially downstream from Carrillo Street, poses a 
serious flood threat to the City. In this area, a mix of residential, 
commercial, and public properties are subject to major damages during 
floods. The USACOE and the City of Santa Barbara are planning to 
prepare a Draft EIS/EIR to address and evaluate impacts to the 
environmental resources due to the improvement/construction along Lower 
Mission Creek. In addition, alternative solutions and recommendations 
to the flood and associated problems will be included with 
consideration to economic, environmental and social needs of the area. 
In the past, public workshops have been conducted to identify the 
public's concerns regarding the proposed project construction. Public 
concerns were about aesthetics of the creek, impacts to the biological 
resources and recreation. The tidewater goby (Eucyclogobius newberryi), 
Federally listed as threatened, has been identified in the lower-most 
portion of Mission Creek. Steelhead (Oncorhyncus mykiss, Federally 
endangered) of undetermined genetic origin also use the downstream 
reach of Lower Mission Creek as a channel for migration. although 
sporadic in their ascent of Mission Creek from the ocean, their 
irregular presence in this watershed has recently been verified.

3. Proposed Action

    Construction of a flood control channel at Lower Mission Creek, 
Santa Barbara, California.

4. Alternatives

    a. No Action: No improvement of the Creek.
    b. Proposed Alternative Plans: The proposed plan would provide up 
to 3400 cfs (20-year flood protection) and consists of creek 
improvements from Canon Perdido Street to the Pacific Ocean. The 
improvements would include stabilized banks at a 2:1 (V:H) slope above 
U.S. Highway 101, while below U.S. Highway 101, vertical walls would be 
the dominant bank treatment with a sloped bank applied whenever 
practicable. A variety of sloped bank stabilization methods will be 
considered, which includes stabilization of sideslopes using gabions, 
engineered earth, and/or stepped concrete walls. In order to increase 
the conveyance capacity of the creek, the alternatives would 
incorporate a new covered channel cutting off the ``oxbow'' area from 
just above U.S. Highway 101 and rejoining the creek near the Chapala 
Street bridge. The improved channel would generally follow the existing 
channel alignment except at the ``oxbow'' bypass. The ``oxbow'' would 
be left in place functioning as a low flow channel. The majority of the 
12 bridges within the project reach except for Bath Street bridge and 
State Street bridge would require some modification or reconstruction.

5. Scoping Process

    a. Potential impacts associated with the proposed action will be 
evaluated. Resource categories that will be analyzed are: land use, 
physical environment, geology, biology, air quality, water quality, 
groundwater, recreational usage, aesthetics (visual quality), noise, 
cultural resources, transportation/circulation, hazardous waste, 
socioeconomic (including) housing and safety.
    b. Participation of affected Federal, State, and local resource 
agencies, Native American groups and concerned interest groups/
individuals is encouraged in the scoping process. A Public Scoping 
Meeting will be held October 29, 1998. Time and location of the Public 
Scoping Meeting also will be announced by means of a letter, public 
announcements, and news releases. Public participation will be 
especially important in the environmental analysis by providing 
assistance in defining the scope of analysis in the EIS/EIR; 
identifying significant environmental issues and impact analysis in the 
EIS/EIR; and providing useful information such as published and 
unpublished data, personal knowledge of relevant issues, and 
recommending mitigation measures associated with the proposed action. 
Those wishing to provide information or data relevant to the 
environmental or social impacts that should be included or considered 
in the environmental analysis can furnish this information by writing 
to the points of contact indicated above or by attending applicable 
public scoping meetings. A mailing list will also be established so 
that pertinent data may be distributed to interested agencies, interest 
groups and individuals.

Public Scoping Meeting

    The scoping meeting is scheduled for October 29, 1998, at 7:00 PM, 
City Council Chambers, City Hall, De La Guerra Plaza, Santa Barbara, 
California.


[[Page 54682]]


    Dated: October 2, 1998.
John P. Carroll,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 98-27373 Filed 10-9-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-KF-M