[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 176 (Thursday, September 11, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53598-53599]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-23173]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for 
Carpinteria Shoreline, a Feasibility Study in the City of Carpinteria, 
Santa Barbara County, CA

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will address 
environmental impacts from measures being investigated to include 
beachfill and shoreline stabilization structures to provide storm 
damage and shoreline protection along the Carpinteria Shoreline in the 
City of Carpinteria, Santa Barbara County, CA. The U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers and the City of Carpinteria, California, will cooperate in 
conducting this feasibility study. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is 
the lead Federal agency for this study.
    The Carpinteria Shoreline feasibility study will be conducted over 
the next several years following a planning process that will include 
public involvement during each of the study phases. The investigation 
will address the shoreline needs associated with erosion of shoreline, 
coastal storm flooding damages to public and private properties, and 
the preservation and enhancement of recreational opportunities. The 
Study may result in a report recommending that Congress authorize a 
project for implementation by the Corps of Engineers or that measures 
could be implemented by

[[Page 53599]]

another agency to address the problems and needs of the study area. 
While final alternatives have not been determined at this study 
initiation phase, the earlier Reconnaissance phase of the study and 
Section 905B Report identified several preliminary measures that could 
address the problems and needs within the study area. The 905B report 
concluded that there is the potential for significant storm damages 
from wave impacts to existing development and facilities along the 
1,500 feet reach stretching from Ash Avenue up to Linden Avenue in the 
City of Carpinteria. A range of conceptual alternatives were identified 
as having potential for having a Federal interest to address the 
problems and needs of the study area: (1) Beach Nourishment with 
periodic renourishment; (2) Artificial Reef Submerged Breakwater; and 
(3) Seawall. The feasibility study will investigate measures to address 
the problems and needs and an array of alternatives will be developed 
and be analyzed for inclusion in the Feasibility Report and EIS.

DATES: A public meeting will be held on 23 September 2003 at 6:30 p.m., 
at the City Council Chamber, 5775 Carpinteria Avenue, Carpinteria, CA 
93013, to discuss the feasibility Study and to obtain input to the 
scoping of the EIS. Comments concerning the Feasibility Study and 
Scoping for the EIS may be made at the public meeting or be mailed to 
the following address by October 27, 2003.

ADDRESSES: District Engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles 
District, ATTN: CESPL-PD-RP, P.O. Box 532711, Los Angeles, CA 90052-
2325.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Kirk C. Brus, Environmental 
Coordinator, telephone (213) 452-3876, or Mr. Alex Bantique, Study 
Manager, telephone (213)-452-3837. The cooperating entity, City of 
Carpinteria, requests inquiries to Mr. Matthew Roberts, telephone (805) 
684-5405, ext. 449 for any additional information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Authorization

    Section 208 of the Flood Control Act of 1965 (Pub. L. 89-298) 
authorized feasibility studies for Carpinteria Shoreline. The 89th 
Congress of the United States passed what became Public Law 298. 
Congressional Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill H.R. 21-
22 (1995) provided funds to initiate the reconnaissance study for 
Carpinteria Shoreline.

2. Background

    The Carpinteria Shoreline is part of the Carpinteria City Beach, 
bound by the Pacific Ocean to the west, lies within the City of 
Carpinteria, and is an integral part of the southern coastal area of 
California in Santa Barbara County. The sandy beach is typically 
narrow, and backed by public and private developments. The Carpinteria 
Salt Marsh is located north of the Carpinteria Shoreline on the ocean 
side of the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) 1, and is fed by the Franklin 
and Santa Monica Creeks. The coastal plain in the study area continues 
has limited groundwater resources, partly due to saltwater intrusion 
coming from the Pacific Ocean.
    The Feasibility Studies to be evaluated by this Draft EIS will 
analyze: (1) Beach Nourishment concepts for the Carpinteria Shoreline 
using sand including vegetated sand dunes, and periodic beach 
nourishment operation and maintenance (O&M) operations to prevent 
erosion and reduce coastal storm damages to the shoreline; (2) 
Artificial Reef Submerged Breakwater (ARSB) opportunities located in 
the ocean parallel to the Carpinteria Shoreline to avoid erosion, and 
decrease wave and coastal storm flooding damages to public and private 
properties; and (3) Reinforced Concrete Seawall designs as part of the 
Carpinteria Shoreline to lessen off shore wave impact and storm damages 
to public facilities and private residences; (4) Plans for maintaining 
and enhancing existing recreational facilities for the Carpinteria 
Shoreline to maintain public access and advert a decline in its 
recreational value. Prehistoric and historic cultural resources are not 
known to exist along this stretch of the Carpinteria Shoreline.

3. Proposed Action

    No plan of action has yet been identified.

4. Alternatives

    Alternatives will be developed as part of the planning process. 
These would likely include:
    a--No Action: No nourishment, improvement or reinforcement of 
shoreline.
    b--Proposed Alternative Plans: Conceptual feasible alternatives to 
prevent erosion and coastal storm damage within the Carpinteria 
Shoreline are the following: (1a) Beach Nourishment with two year 
renourishment period; (1b) Beach Nourishment with five year 
renourishment; (2a) Artificial Reef Submerged Breakwater (ARSB) with 
one segment; (2b) ARSB with three segments; and (3) Seawalls.

5. Scoping Process

    Participation of all interested Federal, State, and County resource 
agencies, as well as Native American peoples, groups with environmental 
interests, and all interested individuals is encouraged. Public 
involvement will be most beneficial and worthwhile in identifying 
pertinent environmental issues, offering useful information such as 
published or unpublished data, direct personal experience or knowledge 
which inform decision making, assistance in defining the scope of plans 
which ought to be considered, and recommending suitable mitigation 
measures warranted by such plans. Those wishing to contribute 
information, ideas, alternatives for actions, and so forth can furnish 
these contributions in writing to the points of contacts indicated 
above, or by attending public scoping opportunities. The scoping period 
will conclude 45 days after publication of this NOI.
    When plans have been devised and alternatives formulated to embody 
those plans, potential impacts will be evaluated in the DEIS. These 
assessments will emphasize at least thirteen categories of resources: 
land use, physical environment, hydrology, biological, esthetics, air 
quality, noise, transportation, socioeconomic, safety recreation, 
cultural resources, and hazardous material.

    Dated: September 4, 2003.
Richard G. Thompson,
Colonel, U.S. Army, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 03-23173 Filed 9-10-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-KF-M