[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 101 (Thursday, May 27, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28638-28640]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-11251]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R8-NWRS-2021-N011; FXRS12610800000-212-FF08RSDC00]
Tijuana Estuary Tidal Restoration Program II, Phase I (TETRP II
Phase I)
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Tijuana Slough National
Wildlife Refuge, along with the California Department of Parks and
Recreation's Border Field State Park, propose to act in partnership to
prepare a joint draft environmental impact statement/environmental
impact report to evaluate the impacts on the human environment related
to restoring coastal wetlands within the Tijuana River National
Estuarine Research Reserve at the southwestern corner of San Diego
County, California. We are providing this notice to open a public
scoping period and announce our intent to
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conduct public scoping meetings in accordance with the requirements of
the National Environmental Policy Act, and its implementing
regulations.
DATES: To ensure consideration in our reviews, we are requesting
submission of new information no later than July 12, 2021.
The draft environmental impact statement/environmental impact
report is scheduled for release in October 2021. The final
environmental impact statement is scheduled for completion by March
2022, with the record of decision expected to be issued in April 2022.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments and materials by one of the
following methods:
U.S. Mail: Brian Collins, USFWS, San Diego NWR Complex,
1080 Gunpowder Point Drive, Chula Vista, CA 91910.
Email: fw8plancomments@fws.gov; please include ``TETRP
NOI'' in the email subject line.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian Collins, Refuge Manager, at
brian_collins@fws.gov or 760-431-9440 extension 273. Individuals who
use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal
Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern
Time, Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's
(Service) Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge and the California
Department of Parks and Recreation's Border Field State Park propose to
prepare a draft environmental impact statement/environmental impact
report to evaluate the effects of restoring 80 to 85 acres (ac) of
coastal wetlands within the Tijuana Estuary, north of Monument Road and
south of the existing tidal inlet, in southwestern San Diego County. We
are requesting comments concerning the scope of the analysis and
identification of relevant information and studies.
Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action
The purpose of the Tijuana Estuary Tidal Restoration Program II,
Phase I (TETRP II Phase I) project is to restore native coastal
habitats and functions to a portion of the southern arm of the Tijuana
Estuary consistent with the recommendations presented in the Tijuana
Estuary--Friendship Marsh Restoration Feasibility Study prepared in
2008. The need for the proposed action is to reverse ongoing
degradation of coastal resources essential to the long-term survival of
listed species, migratory birds, fish, and other aquatic resources,
while also increasing the estuary's tidal prism to improve water
quality and maintain continuous tidal exchange through the tidal inlet.
Preliminary Proposed Action and Alternatives
Two action alternatives and the no action alternative will be
evaluated in the draft environmental impact statement/environmental
impact report. Both action alternatives would reconfigure a portion of
the southern arm of the Tijuana Estuary to establish coastal wetlands
supported by an extensive system of tidal channels intended to increase
the estuary's tidal prism and enhance estuarine function within the
system. The project site would be excavated to establish elevations
with appropriate inundation frequencies to support specific coastal
wetland habitat types. Suitable excavated material would be
beneficially used to establish and/or reconfigure transitional areas
located along the southern edge of the restoration area and/or the
barrier dunes to the west, increasing resiliency to sea-level rise.
Additionally, some of the excavated material may be suitable for
nearshore disposal.
Alternative 1 (Maximum Tidal Prism) is currently identified as the
proposed action. This alternative, which would restore approximately 85
ac of coastal habitat, would maximize deeper intertidal habitats, by
expanding tidal channels and intertidal mudflat.
Alternative 2 (Reduced Impact Alternative), which would restore
approximately 80 ac of coastal habitat, has been designed to preserve
existing native plant communities, including high salt marsh and
transition zone throughout the project site. The primary tidal
connection to Alternative 2 is the existing South Beach Slough, which
would be deepened to increase tidal flows into the proposed restoration
site.
The primary differences between the two action alternatives include
the amount of intertidal mudflat restored versus salt marsh habitat;
the total acreage of restored versus preserved habitats; and the number
of connections to existing tidal channels.
Under the No Action Alternative, restoration of the estuary would
not be implemented. No sediment or vegetation would be removed and no
establishment of habitat for the enhancement of biological and
hydrological functions within the project site would occur.
Summary of Expected Impacts
Based on our initial evaluation of the proposed action and
alternatives, the following impacts would be expected: Conversion of
existing upland habitat to coastal wetlands; replacement of high salt
marsh habitat with low salt marsh habitat; short-term disturbance to
listed and sensitive avian species; temporary increases in dust and
other air pollutants during construction; changes to the area's
existing fluvial hydrology; temporary impacts to water quality during
excavation; temporary and permanent changes to existing public access;
and temporary increases in construction traffic on the roadways within
the Tijuana River Valley.
Anticipated Permits and Authorizations
The following permits and other authorizations are anticipated to
be required:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Clean Water Act (CWA) section
404 Nationwide Permit 27 and others, if appropriate;
San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board CWA section
401 water quality certification;
California Coastal Commission consistency determination in
compliance with section 930.34 et seq. of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) federal consistency regulations for
actions on Refuge lands and a coastal development permit for actions on
Border Field State Park;
Refuge special use permit to the California Department of
Parks and Recreation for construction access and activities on Refuge
lands;
Consultation pursuant to section 7 of the Federal
Endangered Species Act with the Service and National Marine Fisheries
Service;
Consultation with Tribes and the State Historic
Preservation Officer pursuant to section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act;
Consultations with NOAA Fisheries for essential fish
habitat under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management
Act, and for marine mammals pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection
Act.
Schedule for the Decision-Making Process
Processing of the environmental impact statement from the public
scoping stage to the signing of the record of decision, is expected to
take approximately 1 year. Subsequent actions will involve the
processing of all required permits needed to implement restoration,
which is not expected to occur until additional funding is identified
for project implementation.
[[Page 28640]]
Public Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the 45-day scoping process, which
guides the development of the draft environmental impact statement/
environmental impact report. The scoping process is designed to elicit
comments from the public, public agencies, Tribal governments, and
other interested parties on the scope of the draft environmental impact
statement. All interested parties are encouraged to provide written
comments and to participate in upcoming public scoping meetings. The
details about upcoming public scoping meetings will be posted on the
Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge website at www.fws.gov/refuge/Tijuana_Slough/what_we_do/resource_management .html (click on ``TETRP
II Phase I''). Requests to be contacted about scheduled scoping
opportunities should be submitted via any of the contact methods
provided under ADDRESSES or FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, above.
Request for Identification of Potential Alternatives, Information, and
Analyses Relevant to the Proposed Action
The Service requests comments concerning the scope of the analysis
and identification of relevant information and studies. All interested
parties are invited to provide input related to the identification of
potential alternatives, information, and analyses relevant to the
Proposed Action in writing or during the public scoping meeting. All
written comments should be submitted via any of the methods provided
under ADDRESSES.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The Service is the lead agency for the environmental impact
statement, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will participate as a
cooperating agency. The California Department of Parks and Recreation
will serve as the lead State agency for those components of the project
that are under the jurisdiction of the State of California.
Decision Maker
The Decision Maker is the Service's Regional Director for the
Department of the Interior Region 8.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Regional Director, after considering the analysis and
information provided in the final environmental impact statement, as
well as the comments received throughout the review process, will
select the alternative that best achieves the purpose and need for the
intended action. The decision, which will be documented in the record
of decision, will also consider the consistency of the action with
agency policies, regulations, and applicable laws, and the contribution
the action will make towards achieving the purposes for which the
Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge was established, while also
contributing to the mission and goals of the National Wildlife Refuge
System.
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone number, email 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.
Authority
This document is published under the authority of the National
Environmental Policy Act regulations pertaining to the publication of a
notice of intent to issue an environmental impact statement (40 CFR
1501.9(d)).
Martha Maciel,
Acting Regional Director, Sacramento, California.
[FR Doc. 2021-11251 Filed 5-26-21; 8:45 am]
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