[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 162 (Thursday, August 20, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51419-51420]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-18226]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Army Corps of Engineers


Notice of Early Scoping for the San Francisco Waterfront Flood 
Resiliency Study National Environmental Policy Act Compliance

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Defense 
(DOD).

ACTION: Notice of Early Scoping.

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SUMMARY: The San Francisco District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
(USACE), intends to prepare a feasibility study integrated with an 
environmental assessment (EA) or environmental impact statement (EIS) 
to evaluate coastal storm and flood risk management alternatives along 
7.5 miles of the San Francisco Waterfront, from Aquatic Park to Herons 
Head Park, in the City of San Francisco, San Francisco County, 
California. The Port of San Francisco is the non-federal partner for 
the study. USACE will conduct early scoping to solicit public 
participation and input to inform the environmental analyses and to 
assist with determining the appropriate level of NEPA documentation 
required for the study.

DATES: USACE requests that written comments regarding the scope of the 
environmental analysis and alternatives that should be considered as 
part of the study and NEPA analysis should be received by October 21, 
2020.

ADDRESSES: Written scoping comments or requests to be added to the 
mailing list can be sent by email: [email protected], or by mail: 
Ms. Anne Baker, 450 Golden Gate Avenue, 4th Floor, San Francisco, 
California 94102.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Anne Baker via email or mail at 
(see ADDRESSES). Study information will also be posted periodically on 
the internet at: https://www.spn.usace.army.mil/Missions/Projects-and-Programs/Projects-A-Z/San-Francisco-Waterfront-Storm-Damage-Reduction/
    For inquiries from the media, please contact the USACE San 
Francisco District Public Affairs Officer, Mr. Brandon Beach by email: 
[email protected] or by telephone: (415) 503-6958.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The San Francisco District, U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers (USACE), intends to prepare a feasibility study integrated 
with an environmental assessment (EA) or environmental impact statement 
(EIS) to evaluate coastal storm and flood risk management alternatives 
along 7.5 miles of the San Francisco Waterfront, from Aquatic Park to 
Herons Head Park, in the City of San Francisco, San Francisco County, 
California. The Port of San Francisco is the non-federal partner for 
the study. USACE will conduct early scoping to solicit public 
participation and input to inform the environmental analyses and to 
assist with determining the appropriate level of NEPA documentation 
required for the study.
    USACE has not yet determined that an EIS will be necessary for the 
study, but will conduct the appropriate scoping and public outreach 
required for the preparation of an EIS, since it is the more stringent 
process. If at any time during the NEPA analysis USACE determines that 
there may be the potential for significant, unmitigable effects, then 
an EIS will be prepared. A formal Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an 
EIS would be filed in the Federal Register to initiate the EIS process. 
Should an EIS be necessary, written comments submitted during this 
early scoping period will be considered in development of the EIS. 
Written public comments in response to a Notice of Intent (NOI) to 
prepare an EIS would also be accepted and considered. USACE will 
substitute the public meetings associated with this Notice of Early 
Scoping for the scoping meetings that would normally occur after the 
publication of a NOI to prepare an EIS. Additional scoping meetings 
would therefore not be held, if an NOI to prepare an EIS is released. 
Written comments, including those on the scope of alternatives and 
impacts, will still be considered through any formal scoping period 
initiated by an NOI to prepare an EIS. The district would also seek to 
ensure that key resources agencies have had an informed opportunity to 
weigh in on subject proposals.
    Please note that the San Francisco Planning Department (Planning 
Department) is the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) lead 
agency for the study. The Planning Department is conducting CEQA review 
under a separate process, which is not part of this early scoping 
effort under NEPA.
    1. Study Authorization. The San Francisco Waterfront Flood 
Resiliency Study was originally authorized under Section 110 of the 
Rivers and Harbors Act of 1950, Public Law 515, 64 Stat. 163. The 
project was subsequently authorized under Section 142 of the Water 
Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 1976, Public Law 94-587, 90 Stat. 
2917, 2930, as amended by Section 705 of WRDA of 1986, Public Law 99-
662, 100 Stat. 4082, 4158. Authority for the NEPA early scoping process 
is provided by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations 
(Forty Most Asked Questions Concerning CEQ's National Environmental 
Policy Act Regulation, 46 FR 18026, 18030 (March 23, 1981) as amended 
1986, see Question 13).
    2. Study Location. The proposed study area being considered is 
approximately 7.5 miles, from Aquatic Park to Herons Head Park, in the 
City of San Francisco, San Francisco County, California. This area of 
the waterfront is highly urbanized, supporting commercial, residential, 
recreation, tourism, and open space land uses. The area contains a 
complex mix of piers, structures, and seawall--many of which are 
considered historic. A study area map can be found online at: https://www.spn.usace.army.mil/Missions/Projects-and-Programs/Projects-A-Z/San-Francisco-Waterfront-Storm-Damage-Reduction/.

[[Page 51420]]

    3. NEPA Purpose and Need. The purpose of the study is to determine 
strategies to manage the risk of impacts from future flooding in the 
project area, including public health and safety. Coastal storm risk 
management measures would seek to reduce effects to important building, 
utility, and transportation infrastructure and resources, as well as 
social and economic resources, including recreation facilities. During 
certain conditions such as storms, king tides, or El Ni[ntilde]o 
events, water from the San Francisco Bay periodically overtops sections 
of the seawall along the San Francisco Embarcadero waterfront, 
resulting in flooding of low-lying areas. Sea level rise is expected to 
increase risk of flooding in the future. Flooding could result in 
limited or no access to the Embarcadero, Ferry Building and terminals, 
and portions of downtown San Francisco. Potential flooding of these 
areas could adversely impact building infrastructure, including 
historic buildings; transportation and transportation infrastructure, 
including the BART, Muni, and the Embarcadero roadway; recreation and 
tourism; government resources; local businesses and economy; and public 
health and safety. Therefore, with the existing and increasing risk as 
sea levels continue to rise there is a need to manage the risk of 
flooding in the study area.
    4. Alternatives. Alternative formulation is in the early stages. 
USACE and the Port of San Francisco are developing preliminary 
alternatives that combine a broad suite of flood risk management 
structural, non-structural, and natural and nature-based measures in 
addition to a No Action Alternative. Structural measures include 
options such as construction of new levees and floodwalls, or 
improvements to the existing seawall to address coastal flooding along 
the waterfront. Nonstructural measures include options such as raising 
critical infrastructure, floodproofing structures, recommending land 
use or zoning restrictions, or enhancing flood warning systems. Natural 
and nature-based features include measures like horizontal levees, 
ecological seawalls or ``ecotones'' that reduce flood risk while 
improving the environment. USACE and the Port of San Francisco will 
coordinate with interested stakeholders to further describe and refine 
the alternatives and/or develop additional alternatives throughout the 
study process. As alternative formulation progresses, more information 
will be available on the project website: https://www.spn.usace.army.mil/Missions/Projects-and-Programs/Projects-A-Z/San-Francisco-Waterfront-Storm-Damage-Reduction/.
    5. Scoping Process.
    a. Two virtual public scoping meetings will be held to present an 
overview of the San Francisco Waterfront Flood Resiliency Study, the 
USACE alternative formulation process, and the NEPA process. 
Additionally, these meetings will afford all interested parties an 
opportunity to comment on the scope of analysis and potential 
alternatives. The first virtual scoping meeting will be held on 
September 16, 2020, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. The second virtual scoping 
meeting will be held on September 17, 2020, from 2:00-3:30 p.m. 
Information on accessing the virtual public meetings can be found at: 
https://www.spn.usace.army.mil/Missions/Projects-and-Programs/Projects-A-Z/San-Francisco-Waterfront-Storm-Damage-Reduction/.
    b. USACE will be soliciting public comments throughout the 60-day 
scoping period (See Dates and Addresses above).
    6. Availability. A minimum 30-day public review period will be 
provided for individuals, interested parties, and agencies to review 
and comment on the Draft NEPA document. All interested parties are 
encouraged to respond to this notice and provide a current address if 
they wish to be notified of the Draft NEPA Document's public 
circulation. The Draft NEPA Document is scheduled to be available for 
public review and comment in spring 2022.

PUBLIC DISCLOSURE STATEMENT:  USACE believes it is important to inform 
the public of the environmental review process. To assist the USACE in 
identifying and considering issues related to the study, comments made 
during formal scoping and later on the draft NEPA document should be as 
specific as possible. Reviewers should structure their participation in 
the environmental review of the proposal so that it alerts USACE to the 
reviewers' position and concerns. It is very important that those 
interested in this study participate by the close of the scoping period 
so that substantive comments and objections are made available to the 
USACE at a time when we can meaningfully consider them for alternative 
development and incorporate them into the study, as appropriate.

Paul E. Owen,
Brigadier General, U.S. Army, Commanding.
[FR Doc. 2020-18226 Filed 8-19-20; 8:45 am]
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