[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 137 (Monday, July 20, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35166-35167]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-17159]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Sunridge Specific Plan Projects, in Rancho Cordova, Sacramento County, 
CA, ID SPK-2009-00511

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 a Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for six residential 
development projects in the Sunridge Specific Plan area in Rancho 
Cordova, Sacramento County, California. The EIS is being prepared for 
the projects as part of ongoing litigation concerning Department of the 
Army permits issued by the Corps between 2005 and 2007 for five of the 
projects and a pending permit decision for the sixth. A stay in the 
litigation is in place while the Corps reevaluates the impacts of these 
projects through preparation of the EIS. Collectively the projects 
would require the filling of approximately 29.7 acres of waters of the 
United States, including wetlands.

ADDRESSES: Please send written comments to Michael Jewell, 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 can be answered by Michael Jewell, (916) 557-6605, e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Sunridge Specific Plan area is a master-
planned area consisting of nine residential and commercial developments 
located in eastern Rancho Cordova, Sacramento County, California. The 
Specific Plan, which was originally approved by the County of 
Sacramento in 2002, is part of a larger planning effort in the City of 
Rancho Cordova called the Sunrise-Douglas Community Plan. Three of the 
nine projects in the Sunridge Specific Plan area have been built. The 
proposed action is the construction of the remaining six projects in 
the Specific Plan area. Collectively, these six projects are referred 
to as the Sunridge Specific Plan Projects.
    Between 2005 and 2007, the Corps completed Environmental 
Assessments, made Findings of No Significant Impact, and issued permits 
for five of the six Sunridge Specific Plan Projects. The permitted 
projects are Anatolia IV, Sunridge Village J, Grantline 208, Douglas 
Road 98, and Douglas Road 103. A permit decision has not been rendered 
for the sixth of the Sunridge Specific Plan Projects, Arista Del Sol.
    1. Anatolia IV (ID SPK-1994-00210): The permitted project is 
located on a 25-acre site south of Douglas Road and adjacent to the 
west side of Jaeger Road. Approximately 1.36 acres of waters of the 
United States, including wetlands, are to be filled to construct 134 
houses, several roads and other infrastructure. As compensation for the 
loss of waters, the permittee would construct 1.36 acres of wetland 
habitat. The permittee for this project is Sunridge, LLC.
    2. Sunridge Village J (ID SPK-2001-00230): The permitted project is 
located on a 81.25-acre site in the southwest corner of the 
intersection formed by Douglas Road and Jaeger Road. Approximately 2.99 
acres of waters of the United States, including wetlands, are to be 
filled to construct 369 houses, several roads and other infrastructure. 
As compensation for the loss of waters, the permittee would construct 
3.38 acres of wetland habitat. The permittee for this project is 
Cresleigh Homes.
    3. Grantline 208 (ID SPK 1994-00365): The permitted project is 
located on a 211-acre site in the southeast corner of the intersection 
formed by Douglas Road and Grantline Road. Approximately 5.7 acres of 
waters of the United States, including wetlands, are to be filled to 
construct 855 houses, several roads and other infrastructure. As 
compensation for the loss of waters, the permittee would construct 6.15 
acres of wetland habitat. The permittee for this project is Grantline 
Investors, LLC.
    4. Douglas Road 98 (ID SPK-2002-00568): The permitted project is 
located on a 105-acre site south of Douglas Road and adjacent to the 
west side of Grantline Road. Approximately 3.9 acres of waters of the 
United States, including wetlands, are to be filled to construct 693 
houses, several roads and other infrastructure. As compensation for the 
loss of waters, the permittee would construct 3.9 acres of wetland 
habitat. The permittee for this project is Woodside Homes.
    5. Douglas Road 103 (ID SPK-1997-00006): The permitted project is 
located on a 106-acre site adjacent to the south side of Douglas Road 
and west of Grantline Road. Approximately 2 acres of waters of the 
United States, including wetlands, are to be filled to construct 301 
houses, several roads and other infrastructure. As compensation for the 
loss of waters, the permittee would construct 7.25 acres of wetland 
habitat. The permittee for this project is Douglas Grantline 103 
Investors, LLC.
    6. Arista Del Sol (ID SPK-2004-00458): The proposed project is 
located on a 210-acre site south of Douglas Road and adjacent to the 
west side of Grantline Road. Approximately 13.9 acres of waters of the 
United States, including wetlands, would be filled to construct 906 
houses, several roads and other infrastructure. As compensation for the 
loss of waters, the permittee proposed to construct 13.9 acres of 
wetland habitat. The permit applicant for this project is Pappas 
Investments.
    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, (2) the proposed 
action (the applicants preferred projects), and (3) a reduced 
development footprint alternative. The no action alternative will be 
limited development on uplands, while avoiding all waters of the United 
States. A reduced development footprint alternative will involve less 
development with fewer impacts to waters of the United States.
    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

[[Page 35167]]

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). The Corps has requested the U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) serve as 
cooperating agencies on the EIS. The Corps will coordinate with other 
agencies, such as the City of Rancho Cordova, in preparation of the 
EIS.
    Other environmental review and consultation requirements for the 
proposed actions include water quality certification under Section 401 
of the Clean Water Act from the California Regional Water Quality 
Control Board. All six of the Sunridge Specific Plans projects have 
received water quality certification. In addition, because the projects 
may affect federally-listed endangered species, the Corps was required 
to consult with the USFWS in accordance with Section 7 of the federal 
Endangered Species Act. Biological Opinions were issued by the USFWS 
for all six projects.
    Two public scoping meetings for the EIS will be held on July 30, 
2009, with the first from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. and the second from 7 p.m. 
to 8 p.m. The meetings 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. Scoping comments should be submitted before August 31, 
2009 but may be submitted at any time prior to publication of the Draft 
EIS.
    Interested parties may register for the Corps' public notice email 
notification lists at: http://www.spk.usace.army.mil/organizations/cespk-co/regulatory/pnlist.html.

    Dated: July 9, 2009
James A. Porter,
Lt. Colonel, Corps of Engineers, Acting District Engineer.
[FR Doc. E9-17159 Filed 7-17-09; 8:45 am]
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