[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 107 (Friday, June 3, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35790-35792]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-13100]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R8-R-2016-N076]; [FXRS282108E8PD0-167-F2013227943]
South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project, Phase 2; Don Edwards
National Wildlife Refuge; Final Environmental Impact Statement/
Environmental Impact Report
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; final environmental impact statement
and environmental impact report.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the
California State Coastal Conservancy, announce that the Final
Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (FEIS/EIR)
for Phase 2 of the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project (SBSP) at
the Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) in Alameda, Santa
Clara, and San Mateo Counties, California, is now available. The FEIS/
EIR, which we prepared and now announce in accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), describes the alternatives
analyzed for Phase 2 of the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project,
including the preferred alternative.
ADDRESSES: Document Availability: You may obtain copies of the document
in the following places:
Internet: http://www.southbayrestoration.org/planning/phase2/.
Libraries:
San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex
Headquarters, 1 Marshlands Rd., Fremont, CA 94555.
Alviso Branch Library, 5050 N. First St., San Jose, CA 95002.
Biblioteca Latino America, 921 S. First St., San Jose, CA
95110.
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California State University Library, 25800 Carlos Bee Blvd.,
Hayward, CA 94542.
Fremont Main Library, 2400 Stevenson Blvd., Fremont, CA 94538.
Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma St., Menlo Park, CA 94025.
Mountain View Library, 585 Franklin St., Mountain View, CA
94041.
Rinconada Library, 1213 Newell Rd., Palo Alto, CA 94303.
King Library, 150 E. San Fernando St., San Jose, CA 95112.
Redwood City Main Library, 1044 Middlefield Rd., Redwood City,
CA 94063.
San Mateo County East Palo Alto Library, 2415 University Ave.,
East Palo Alto, CA 94303.
Santa Clara County Milpitas Library, 160 N. Main St.,
Milpitas, CA 95035.
Santa Clara Public Library, 2635 Homestead Rd., Santa Clara,
CA 95051.
Sunnyvale Public Library, 665 W. Olive Ave., Sunnyvale, CA
94086.
Natural Resources Library, U.S. Department of the Interior,
1849 C Street NW., Washington, DC 20240-0001.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chris Barr, Deputy Project Leader,
USFWS, 510-792-0222 (phone).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
In December 2007, the USFWS and the California Department of Fish
and Wildlife (CDFW) published a Final EIS/EIR for the SBSP Restoration
Project at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge
(Refuge) and the CDFW Eden Landing Ecological Reserve (December 19,
2007; 72 FR 71937). The overall south bay salt pond restoration area
includes 15,100 acres, which the USFWS and the CDFW acquired from
Cargill, Inc., in 2003. The lands acquired from Cargill are divided
into three pond complexes: The Ravenswood Pond Complex, in San Mateo
County, managed by the USFWS; the Alviso Pond complex, also managed by
the USFWS, which is mostly in Santa Clara County, with five ponds in
Alameda County; and the Eden Landing Pond Complex, in Alameda County,
which is owned and managed by the CDFW. The SBSP Restoration Project
presented in the Final EIS/EIR was both programmatic, covering a 50-
year period, and project-level, addressing the specific components and
implementation of Phase 1.
In January 2008, we signed a Record of Decision selecting the Tidal
Emphasis Alternative (Alternative C) for implementation. This
alternative will result in 90 percent of the USFWS's ponds on the
Refuge being restored to tidal wetlands and 10 percent converted to
managed ponds. Under Phase 1 of Alternative C, we restored ponds E8A,
E8X, E9, E12, and E13 at the Eden Landing complex; A6, A8, A16, and A17
at the Alviso complex; and SF2 at the Ravenswood complex. We also added
several trails, interpretive features, and other recreational access
points. Construction was completed on the USFWS ponds in 2013.
We now propose restoration or enhancement of over 2,000 acres of
former salt ponds in the second phase of the SBSP Restoration Project.
In the Phase 2 DEIS/EIR, we provided project-level analysis of proposed
restoration or enhancement of portions of the following three
geographically separate pond clusters: The Ravenswood Pond Complex (R3,
R4, R5, and S5), the Alviso Pond Complex--Mountain View Ponds (A1 and
A2W), the Alviso Pond Complex--A8 Ponds (A8 and A8S), and the Alviso
Pond Complex--Island Ponds (A19, A20, and A21). These pond clusters are
illustrated in Figures 1-5 on the SBSP Restoration Project Web site at
http://www.southbayrestoration.org/planning/phase2/.
Phase 2 of the SBSP Restoration Project is intended to restore and
enhance tidal wetlands and managed pond habitats in South San Francisco
Bay while providing for flood management and wildlife-oriented public
access and recreation. In this Phase 2 document, we would continue
habitat restoration activities in both USFWS pond complexes, while also
providing recreation and public access opportunities at two sets of
ponds and maintaining or improving current levels of flood protection
in the surrounding communities.
The Draft EIS/EIR was available for a 60-day public review and
comment period, which we announced via several methods, including
public notices in local newspapers and a notice in the Federal Register
(80 FR 44103; July 24, 2015). We held a public meeting to solicit
comments on the Draft EIS/EIR on August 4, 2015. We identified and
analyzed a range of alternatives by pond cluster alternatives in the
Draft EIS/EIR.
Alternatives
We considered a range of alternatives and their impacts in the
DEIS/EIR, including No Action Alternatives for each group of ponds. The
range of alternatives included varying approaches to restoring tidal
marshes (including number and location of breaches and other levee
modifications), habitat enhancements (islands, transition zones, and
channels), modifications to existing levees and berms to maintain or
improve flood protection, and recreation and public access components
(including trails, boardwalks, and viewing platforms) which correspond
to the project objectives.
The alternatives for each group of ponds, or pond cluster, are
described below. The No Action Alternatives are described together,
followed by the Action Alternatives that were considered for each pond
cluster.
Alviso--Island Ponds, Alviso--Mountain View Ponds, Alviso--A8 Ponds,
and Ravenswood Ponds--Alternatives A (No Action)
Under Alternatives Island A, Mountain View A, A8 A, and Ravenswood
A (the No Action Alternative at each of these pond clusters), no new
activities would be implemented as part of Phase 2. The pond clusters
would continue to be monitored and managed through the activities
described in the Adaptive Management Plan (AMP) and in accordance with
current USFWS practices.
Alviso--Island Ponds
Alternative Island B
Alternative Island B would breach Pond A19's northern levee and
remove or lower levees between Ponds A19 and A20 to increase
connectivity and improve the ecological function of both ponds.
Alternative Island C
Alternative Island C would include the components of Alternative
Island B with the addition of levee breaches on the north sides of
Ponds A20 and A21, lowering of portions of levees around Pond A20,
pilot channels in Pond A19, and widening the existing breaches on the
southern levee of Pond A19.
Alviso--Mountain View Ponds
Alternative Mountain View B
Under Alternative Mountain View B, Ponds A1 and A2W levees would be
breached at several points to introduce tidal flow in the ponds.
Portions of Pond A1's western levee would be built up to maintain
current levels of flood protection provided by the pond itself. Habitat
transition zones and habitat islands would be constructed in the ponds
to increase habitat complexity and quality for special-status species.
A new trail and viewing platform would be installed to improve
recreation and public access at these ponds.
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Alternative Mountain View C
Under Alternative Mountain View C, levees would be breached and
lowered to increase tidal flows in Pond A1, Pond A2W, and Charleston
Slough. The inclusion of Charleston Slough (by breaching and lowering
much of Pond A1's western levee) is the primary distinguishing feature
between Alternative Mountain View B and Alternative Mountain View C.
Several additional new trails and viewing platforms would be installed
or replaced to improve recreation and public access at the pond
cluster. To continue providing water to the City of Mountain View's
Shoreline Park sailing lake, a new water intake would be constructed at
the proposed breach between Pond A1 and Charleston Slough.
Alviso--A8 Ponds
Alternative A8 B
Alternative A8 B proposes the construction of habitat transition
zones in Pond A8S's southwest corner, southeast corner, or both,
depending on the amount of material available.
Ravenswood Ponds
Alternative Ravenswood B
Alternative Ravenswood B would open Pond R4 to tidal flows, improve
levees to provide additional flood protection, create habitat
transition zone along the western edge of Pond R4, establish managed
ponds to improve habitat for diving and dabbling birds, increase pond
connectivity, and add a viewing platform to improve recreation and
public access.
Alternative Ravenswood C
Alternative Ravenswood C would be similar to Alternative Ravenswood
B, with the following exceptions: Ponds R5 and S5 would be converted to
a particular type of managed pond that is operated to maintain
intertidal mudflat elevation; water control structures would be
installed on Pond R3 to allow for improvement to the habitat for
western snowy plover; an additional habitat transition zone would be
constructed; and two public access and recreational trails and
additional viewing platforms would be constructed.
Alternative Ravenswood D
Alternative Ravenswood D would open Pond R4 to tidal flows, improve
levees to provide additional flood protection, create two habitat
transition zones in Pond R4, establish enhanced managed ponds in Ponds
R5 and S5, increase pond connectivity, enhance Pond R3 for western
snowy plover habitat, remove the levees within and between Ponds R5 and
S5, and improve recreation and public access. Alternative Ravenswood D
would also allow temporary stormwater detention into Ponds R5 and S5
via connections with the City of Redwood City's Bayfront Canal and
Atherton Channel Project. This would treat a residual salinity problem
in Ponds R5 and S5.
Following public review of the Draft EIS/EIR, USFWS and the
California State Coastal Conservancy, in coordination with the Project
Management Team and other project partners, identified the preferred
alternative, which is based on restoration enhancements at all four
pond clusters, as well as maintained or increased flood protection and
additional public access and recreation features at two of the Phase 2
pond clusters.
Preferred Alternative: The preferred alternative at each pond
cluster is as follows:
At the Island Ponds it is Alternative Island B, with one
restoration component of Alternative Island C included, which is to
widen only the westernmost of the two existing breaches on the south
side of Pond A19.
At the Mountain View Ponds it is essentially Alternative
Mountain View B, with the substitution of one habitat enhancement (do
not include Charleston Slough in tidal marsh restoration but do
construct a habitat transition zone across the entire southern extent
of Pond A1, but only across central portion of A2W) and the addition of
one public access component drawn from Mountain View C (add
recreational trail on eastern levee of Pond A2W to the northeast corner
of Pond A2W). There is also a modification of one of the flood
protection features presented in the two action alternatives (raise the
Coast Casey Forebay levee along southern border of Charleston Slough
and maintain necessary access to existing utilities adjacent to that
levee).
At the A8 Ponds it is Alternative A8 B, except that the
top elevation of the proposed transition zones has been increased to
provide greater erosion protection.
At the Ravenswood Ponds it is similar to Alternative
Ravenswood B, in its restoration goals and features for Ponds R3, R4,
R5, and S5, but it also includes an additional habitat transition zone
and a trail on the eastern edge of Ponds R5 and S5, all of which were
included in Alternatives Ravenswood C and D.
NEPA Compliance
We will make a decision no sooner than 30 days after the
publication of the final EIS/EIR. We anticipate issuing a Record of
Decision in the summer of 2016.
We provide this notice under regulations in the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) for implementing the National Environmental Policy
Act (40 CFR 1506.6).
Dated: May 20, 2016.
Ren Lohoefener,
Regional Director, Pacific Southwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2016-13100 Filed 6-2-16; 8:45 am]
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