[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 105 (Wednesday, June 3, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26728-26730]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-12725]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Draft Environmental Impact Statement; Prisoners Harbor Coastal 
Wetland Restoration Project, Channel Islands National Park; Notice of 
Availability

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (Pub. L. 81-190 as amended), the National Park 
Service, Department of Interior, has prepared a Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) for Prisoners Harbor Coastal Wetland 
Restoration. The Draft EIS evaluates alternative methods for ecological 
restoration and cultural resource protection. Appropriate mitigation 
measures are incorporated, and an ``environmentally preferred'' course 
of action is identified. The ``action'' alternatives are based upon 
information gained during public scoping, as well as park values, 
effective restoration strategies, National Park Service policy, and 
applicable laws.
    Background: Prisoners Harbor and Canada del Puerto creek are 
located on the north side of Santa Cruz Island, Santa Barbara County, 
California. The project's area of potential effect encompasses the 
lower \3/4\ mile of Canada del Puerto extending to the 19-acre 
triangular shaped Prisoners Harbor area. This area includes a beach, 
cobble bar, lower stream channel and the Park's largest coastal 
floodplain wetland highly-valued archeological resources, historic 
resources associated with the island's ranching history, and stands of 
invasive eucalyptus trees along the riparian corridor in Canada del 
Puerto. Historically the Prisoners Harbor area has been extensively 
modified by direct filling of the coastal floodplain wetland, placement 
of a berm on the west bank of the associated Canada del Puerto creek, 
and introduction of the invasive fennel, eucalyptus, and kikuyu grass. 
Combined, these extensive modifications resulted in the loss of 
approximately 50%, or 3 acres, of wetland, altered channel hydraulics 
essentially disconnecting the creek from its floodplain wetland, and 
inadvertently directed the erosive power of flood flows toward highly-
valued archeological resources and caused the loss of approximately 20 
acres of southern oak riparian woodland. The purpose of the project is 
to restore a functional ecosystem including wetland and riparian 
components, protect archeological resources and the historic scale 
house, control invasive species, and provide a compatible visitor 
experience. Under current conditions the coastal wetland habitat is 
degraded

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and relegated to 3 acres. A berm created without engineering 
specifications in the 1960's inadvertently directs the erosive power of 
flood flows toward highly-valued archeological resources, and during 
high flows flood water breaches the creek at a low water crossing and 
threatens the historic warehouse and other park infrastructure. There 
is no on-site visitor interpretation signage in the project area. 
Channel Islands National Park has determined that certain restoration 
activities at the project site will improve the condition of resources 
and the visitor experience.
    Range of Alternatives: This Draft EIS describes and analyzes one No 
Action Alternative and two Action Alternatives. The No Action 
Alternative (Alternative A) would continue current management 
practices. Alternatives B and C (action alternatives) contain a varying 
mix of four main components: (1) Ecological restoration, including 
removing fill and controlling invasive species; (2) restoring hydraulic 
function; (3) protecting sensitive archeological resources; and (4) 
improving the visitor experience. Each of the action alternatives 
incorporates the following elements: (1) Remove fill from the former 
wetland; (2) remove a section of berm along the west bank of Canada del 
Puerto creek; (3) remove cattle corrals; (4) relocate scale house to 
pre-1960's location; (5) construct a protective barrier around a 
highly-valued archeological site; (6) remove eucalyptus from the lower 
Canada del Puerto, (7) control other priority invasive species; and (7) 
improve the visitor experience of coastal wetlands, associated 
wildlife, and historic human uses.
    Alternative B (agency-preferred) would restore 3.1 acres of 
palustrine wetlands and deepwater habitat by removing approximately 
13,000 yds \3\ 20% fill material, removing all cattle corrals, 
relocating the scale house out of the 100-year floodplain to its pre-
1960s location adjacent to the warehouse, and removing 250 ft of berm 
thereby reconnecting the creek to its floodplain. Alternative B would 
protect highly valued archeological resources by constructing a 
protective barrier around a portion of the archeological site. Twenty 
acres of riparian woodland would be restored by removing 1700 
eucalyptus trees and controlling invasive fennel and kikuyu grass in 
the riparian corridor. Alternative B would improve the visitor 
experience through the installation of interpretive signage and 
placement of benches in wildlife viewing areas.
    Alternative C would restore 2.1 acres of palustrine wetlands and 
deepwater habitat by removing approximately 11,000 yds \3\ 20% fill 
material, retaining two cattle corrals adjacent to the access road, 
removing 250 ft of berm thereby reconnecting the creek to its 
floodplain, and also would restore 20 acres of riparian woodland by 
removing 1700 eucalyptus trees and controlling invasive fennel and 
kikuyu grass in the riparian corridor. The scale house would remain in 
its current location within the 100-year floodplain. Alternative C 
would protect highly valued archeological resources by constructing a 
protective barrier around a portion of the archeological site. Finally, 
this alternative would improve the visitor experience through the 
placement of interpretive signage.
    Scoping and Public Involvement: A site visit was held in April 2007 
to solicit preliminary issues and concerns regarding the project 
concept. The agenda for the meeting included introductions, site 
orientation with an informal walking tour of the site, followed by a 
round-robin discussion with opportunity to ask questions and express 
concerns. A Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS and conduct public 
scoping was published in the Federal Register on June 11, 2008. On June 
12, 2008, a press release announcing public scoping was distributed to 
the Ventura County Star and the Santa Barbara News-Press, as well as 73 
other media outlets, including newspapers, radio stations, and 
television stations. The press release explained the public scoping 
process, announced two public open houses, and provided the Web sites 
for Channel Islands National Park and NPS park planning. The NOI and 
press release were posted on the park Web site. Notices of the public 
scoping open houses were printed in the Ventura County Star and Santa 
Barbara News-Press on June 23, 2008. Approximately 240 public scoping 
announcements were distributed including details of date, time, and 
location of the public open houses. These outreach activities elicited 
pertinent information from interested individuals, agencies, and 
organizations, which aided the alternatives formulation and 
environmental impact analysis processes.
    Comments: Copies of the Draft EIS will be sent to affected Federal, 
Tribal, State and local government agencies, to interested parties, and 
those requesting copies. Paper and digital copies (compact disc) of the 
document will also be available at park headquarters and at local 
libraries. The complete document will be posted on the Channel Islands 
National Park Web site (http://www.nps.gov/chis/) and on the NPS 
Planning, Environment and Public Comment Web site (http://parkplanning.nps.gov/chis). All written comments must be postmarked or 
transmitted no later than 60 days from the publication date of EPA's 
notice of filing in the Federal Register--immediately upon confirmation 
of this date, this information will be posted on the project Web sites 
and announced via regional and local press media.
    Written comments may be submitted by letter sent to: Channel 
Islands National Park, Prisoners Harbor Coastal Wetland Restoration, 
1901 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura, CA 93001 (or may be transmitted 
electronically at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/chis). Two public 
meetings will be held approximately 30 days after publication of this 
notice in the Federal Register. Questions regarding status of project 
planning may be directed to Paula Power (805) 658-5784 (or via e-mail 
[email protected]). All comments are maintained in the 
administrative record and will be available for public review at 
Channel Islands National Park Headquarters. Before including your 
address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying 
information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire 
comment--including your personal identifying information--may be made 
publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comments 
to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, 
we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
    Decision Process: Following the analysis of all comments received 
concerning the Draft EIS, at this time it is anticipated that the Final 
EIS would be completed in the summer 2009. The availability of the 
final document will be similarly announced in the Federal Register, and 
also publicized via local and regional press media, direct mailings, 
and Web site postings. Not sooner than thirty days after the 
distribution of the Final EIS, a Record of Decision may be executed (at 
this time it is anticipated a recommended decision would be developed 
in fall 2009). As a delegated EIS the approving official responsible 
for the final decision is the Regional Director, Pacific West Region. 
Subsequently, the official responsible for implementing the approved 
wetland and restoration plan will be the Superintendent, Channel 
Islands National Park.


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    Dated: March 9, 2009.
Jonathan B. Jarvis,
Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. E9-12725 Filed 6-2-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-FY-M