[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 242 (Tuesday, December 16, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76348-76349]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-29730]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Proposed Arboretum Project, in Rancho Cordova, Sacramento County, CA, 
Permit Application Number SPK-2007-00133

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, (Corps) 
will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for The Arboretum 
project, a mixed-use residential and commercial development in Rancho 
Cordova, Sacramento County, CA. Lewis Operating Corp. has applied for a 
Department of the Army permit to fill approximately 31.78 acres of 
waters of the United States, including wetlands, to construct the 
project.

ADDRESSES: Please send written comments to Angela De Paoli Conn, U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, 1325 J Street, Room 1480, 
Sacramento, CA 95814-2922.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and EIS should be addressed to Angela De Paoli Conn, (916) 557-6782, e-
mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Lewis Operating Corp. has applied for a 
Department of the Army permit under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act 
to construct a mixed-use development on a 1,349-acre parcel situated in 
the eastern portion of the City of Rancho Cordova in eastern Sacramento 
County, CA. The proposed action includes approximately 5,000 new 
residential units; nearly 80 acres of public and private use parks and 
related facilities; two 10-acre elementary school sites; one 75-acre 
joint use middle/high school site; and 465,000 square feet of targeted 
commercial development. The total development area would encompass 
approximately 900 acres of the project site. The remaining 449 acres, 
or nearly 33 percent, of the project site would be devoted to passive 
and multiple use open space, including the preservation and enhancement 
of the Laguna Creek stream corridor and its associated jurisdictional 
features.
    Approximately 117.03 acres of water of the United States have been 
identified on the proposed project site, including 22.18 acres of 
vernal pools, 6.79 acres of seasonal wetlands, 58.44 acres of lake, 
9.96 acres of ponds, 8.99 acres of channels, 9.48 acres wet swales, 
0.34 acre of drainage ditches, and 0.91 acre irrigation ditches. The 
applicant has applied for a permit to fill 31.78 acres of these waters. 
Wetlands proposed to be preserved and not directly impacted by the 
project are within the 449 acres of open space and wetland preserve and 
would contain approximately 85.25 acres of wetlands, approximately 73 
percent of wetlands on site.
    The EIS will include an evaluation of a reasonable range of 
alternatives. Currently, the following alternatives are expected to be 
analyzed in detail: (1) The no action alternative (no permit issued), 
(2) the applicant's preferred project (proposed action), and (3) a 
different location (off-site) alternative. The no action alternative 
assumes limited development would occur on the site with all waters of 
the United States avoided. The off-site alternative assumes the 
proposed project would be developed at a different but suitably sized 
site in the region. Currently the Corps is in the process of developing 
an analysis of alternatives sufficient to demonstrate compliance with 
Section 404(b)(1) of the Clean Water Act, therefore additional 
alternatives are likely to be analyzed.
    The Corps' scoping process for the EIS includes a public 
involvement program with several opportunities to provide oral and 
written comments. In addition to public meetings and notifications in 
the Federal Register, the Corps will issue public notices when the 
draft and final EISs are available. Affected federal, state, and local 
agencies, Native American tribes, and other interested private 
organizations and parties are invited to participate.
    Potentially significant issues to be analyzed in the EIS include, 
but are not limited to: Hydrology, water supply, water quality, 
cultural resources, biological resources, traffic and transportation, 
and air quality. The Corps is the lead agency for preparation of the 
EIS under the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA). Currently no other agencies have agreed to be cooperating 
agencies. The Corps will coordinate with other agencies, such as the 
City of Rancho Cordova.
    Other environmental review and consultation requirements for the 
proposed action include the need for the applicant to obtain water 
quality certification under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act from the 
California Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board. In 
addition, because the proposed project may affect federally listed 
species, the Corps will formally

[[Page 76349]]

consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in accordance with 
Section 7 of the federal Endangered Species Act. The Corps will also be 
consulting with the State Historic Preservation Officer under Section 
106 of the National Historic Preservation Act concerning properties 
listed, or potentially eligible for listing, on the National Register 
of Historic Places.
    A public scoping meeting for the EIS will be held on January 29, 
2009, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Rancho 
Cordova City Hall, 2729 Prospect Park Drive, American River Room--
South, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670. Interested parties can provide oral 
and written comments at the meetings. Interested parties may also 
submit written comments on this notice. Scoping comments should be 
submitted before March 15, 2009 but may be submitted at any time prior 
to publication of the Draft EIS.
    Interested parties may register for the Corps' public notice e-mail 
notification lists at: http://www.spk.usace.army.mil/organizations/cespk-co/regulatory/pnlist.html.

    Dated: December 5, 2008.
Thomas C. Chapman,
Colonel, U.S. Army, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. E8-29730 Filed 12-15-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P