[Federal Register: September 23, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 184)]
[Notices]
[Page 57978-57979]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23se10-90]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R8-WSR-2010-N162; 80213-94210-0000; ABC Code: 7B]
Notice of Intent; Request for Comments on Adoption of the
National Park Service's Wetland and Creek Restoration Final
Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report, Big Lagoon,
Muir Beach, Marin County, CA
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), give notice
of our intent to adopt the National Park Service's (NPS) existing final
environmental impact statement/environmental impact report (EIS/EIR)
for the Wetland and Creek Restoration at Big Lagoon, Muir Beach,
California (project). We are considering approving a grant application
by the California State Coastal Conservancy (CSCC) to assist with
implementing restoration activities that have been identified and
reviewed under the NPS' existing final EIS/EIR for the project. Based
on our independent evaluation, adoption of the EIS/EIR would meet
Department of Interior (DOI) and Service National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) procedures and guidelines. In order to meet our NEPA
requirements for approval of CSCC's grant application, we are
recirculating the EIS/EIR for written public comment via this notice,
in accordance with Service adoption requirements.
DATES: We must receive any written comments on or before October 20,
2010.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Susan Detwiler, Chief, Wildlife
and Sport Fish Restoration Program, Region 8--Pacific Southwest, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, 2800 Cottage Way, Room W-1729, Sacramento,
CA 95825. The EIS/EIR and other documents mentioned below are available
at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/documentsList.cfm?projectID=12126.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Justin Cutler, Grants Management
Specialist, at the Sacramento address above; (916) 414-6457 (phone); e-
mail: justin_cutler@fws.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We are considering approving a grant
application by CSCC to assist with implementing restoration activities
that have been identified and reviewed under the NPS' existing final
EIS/EIR for the project. We are recirculating the EIS/EIR for written
public comment via this notice, in order to meet our National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 40 CFR 1506.6) requirements for
approval of CSCC's grant application. Based on our independent
evaluation, adoption of the EIS/EIR would meet Department of Interior
(DOI) and Service NEPA procedures and guidelines. We encourage
interested persons to review the EIS/EIR and submit written comments.
Availability of Documents
The EIS/EIR and other documents mentioned below are available at
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/documentsList.cfm?projectID=12126. To the
extent practicable, copies of the EIS/EIR and other relevant documents
will be made available for public review in alternative formats. Please
reach the point of contact mentioned above to request documents in
alternative formats.
Location
The 38-acre project site is located at the mouth of Redwood Creek,
in Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Marin County, California,
approximate Longitude: -122.57 and Latitude: 37.86. The project area
encompasses the Lower Redwood Creek riparian area and wetlands
extending from just downstream of Highway 1 to the beach.
Background
The NPS and the County of Marin (County) jointly prepared the
following three documents to meet their Federal and State requirements:
December 2007, Wetland and Creek Restoration at Big
Lagoon, Muir Beach, Marin County, Final Environmental Impact Statement/
Environmental Impact Report, (EIS/EIR).
March 2008, Amendment to the Final Environmental Impact
Statement/Environmental Impact Report Wetland and Creek Restoration at
Big Lagoon, Muir Beach (amendment).
November 2008, Wetland and Creek Restoration at Big
Lagoon, Muir Beach, Marin County Record of Decision, (ROD).
The CSCC then partnered with the NPS and the County to assist in
obtaining funding for restoration activities of the project. CSCC has
submitted a grant application to the Service requesting funds under the
National Coastal Wetland Conservation Grant Program for habitat
restoration activities. The specific purpose of CSCC's application is
to restore Lower Redwood Creek to a self-sustaining
[[Page 57979]]
functional ecosystem that will create habitat for populations of
special status species, reduce flooding, and provide a compatible
visitor experience. Other aspects of the project, such as public access
and bridge construction, will be funded through other sources.
The EIS/EIR describes and evaluates four potential alternatives for
improving and restoring the project area; No Action (Alternative 1),
Creek Restoration (Alternative 2), Creek Restoration and Small Lagoon
Restoration (Alternative 3), and Large Lagoon Restoration (Alternative
4), with Alternative 2 being the preferred alternative. Details of
these alternatives and their environmental effects are described in the
EIS/EIR.
The proposed Federal decision to approve and grant funds triggers
the need for compliance with the NEPA. After an independent review, we
find that the EIS/EIR and the ROD, adequately addresses appropriate
alternatives and their environmental effects relative to the activities
proposed to be funded by our grant. Based on an independent evaluation,
the EIS/EIR would meet Department of Interior (DOI) and Service NEPA
procedures and guidelines, and would be appropriate for adoption.
Public Review
We provide this notice under regulations implementing NEPA and
invite the public to review the final EIS/EIR during the 30-day public
comment period (see DATES). 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 comment to withhold your
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Conclusion
Based on the information summarized above, we intend to adopt the
NPS's final EIS/EIR to fully comply with the regulations for
implementing NEPA for the proposed Federal grant decision. After the
close of the comment period, we anticipate the preparation and issuance
of our Record of Decision to occur in the fall of 2010.
Dated: August 31, 2010.
Alexandra Pitts,
Regional Director, Region 8.
[FR Doc. 2010-23869 Filed 9-22-10; 8:45 am]
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