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Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Future 404 Permit Actions for the Newhall Ranch Specific Plan and Associated Facilities along Portions of the Santa Clara River and its Side Drainages, Los Angeles County, CA

Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.

 [Federal Register: January 26, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 17)]
[Notices]
[Page 4232-4234]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26ja00-51]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)
for Future 404 Permit Actions for the Newhall Ranch Specific Plan and
Associated Facilities along Portions of the Santa Clara River and its
Side Drainages, Los Angeles County, CA

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) as implemented by the regulations of the
Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), 40 CFR 1500-1508, the Corps of
Engineers announces its intent to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (DEIS)

[[Page 4233]]

to address proposed future 404 permit activities associated with the
phased development of the Newhall Ranch Specific Plan, and associated
Water Reclamination Plant, along a portion of the Santa Clara River,
Los Angeles County, California. To eliminate duplication of paperwork,
the Corps of Engineers intends on preparing a joint DEIS and Draft
Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) pursuant to the California
Environmental Quality Act prepared by the California Department of Fish
and Game per 40 CFR 1506.2 and 1506.4.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Bruce Henderson, U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, Attention: Regulatory Branch, 2151 Alessandro Drive,
Suite 255, Ventura, California 93001, phone: (805) 641-1128, e-mail:
bhenderson@spl.usace.army.mil

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Backgound

    The Newhall Ranch Project is located in nothern Los Angeles County
and encompasses approximately 12,000 acres. The Santa Clara River and
State Route 126 traverse the northern portion of the Specific Plan
area. The river extends approximately 5.5 miles east to west across the
site. In March 1999, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
approved the Specific Plan which establishes the general plan and
zoning designations necessary to develop the site with residential,
commercial, and mixed uses over the next 20 to 30 years. The Newhall
Ranch Specific Plan also includes a Water Reclamation Plant at the
western edge of the project area. Individual projects, such as
residential, commercial, and industrial developments, roadways, and
other public facilities would be developed over time in accordance with
the development boundaries and guidelines in the approved Specific
Plan. Many of these developments would require work in and near the
Santa Clara River and its side drainages (``waters of the United
States'').
    The Newhall Ranch Company would develop most of the above
facilities. However, other entities could construct some of these
facilities using the approvals or set of approvals issued to The
Newhall Ranch Company. The proposed 404 permit would also include
routine maintenance activities to be carried out by Los Angeles County
Department of Public Works using the 404 permit issued to The Newhall
Ranch Company. Any party utilizing a 404 permit issued to The Newhall
Company would be bound by the same conditions in the 404 permit.

2. Proposed Action

    The project proponent and landowner, The Newhall Ranch Company, has
requested a long-term 404 permit from the Corps of Engineers. The
project to be addressed in the EIS consists of those facilities
associated with the Newhall Ranch Specific Plan that would require a
404 permit including the following:
     Bank protection comprised of buried soil cement or buried
riprap with native vegetation planted in the overlying soil in areas
proposed for land development, and grouted riprap and gunite placed
near bridge abutments;
     Two new bridges constructed across the Santa Clara River
at Potrero Valley Road and Long Canyon Road;
     Modifications of several side drainages (i.e. San Martinez
Grande, Chiquito, Potrero, Long, and Middle canyons) for drainage and
flood control purposes (larger drainages noted above are proposed to be
modified and reconstructed as open soft-bottom channels with grade
control structures; buried storm drains are proposed for smaller
drainages with peak flows of less than 2,000 cfs);
     Two wastewater lines placed across the river at Potrero
Canyon and upstream of Long Canyon Road;
     Potentially other utility line crossings for water, oil,
and gas lines;
     Numerous storm drain outlets, most of which are
anticipated to empty into water quality control facilities prior to
discharging to the river;
     Several bridges or drainage facilities associated with the
Magic Mountain Parkway and Valencia Boulevard extensions;
     Bank protection associated with the Water Reclamation
Plant;
     Various trails and observation platforms for recreational,
educational, and wildlife viewing purposes; and
     Routine maintenance of the above flood control facilities
by removal of sediment or vegetation to preserve hydraulic design
capacity and protect property.

3. Scope of Analysis

    The DEIS will be a project-level document which addresses a number
of interrelated actions over a specific geographic area that (1) would
occur as logical parts in the chain of contemplated actions, and (2)
would be implemented under the same authorizing statutory or regulatory
authorities. The information in the EIS will be sufficient for the
Corps to make a decision on the issuance of a long-term 404 permit for
the Newhall Ranch Specific Plan.
    The document will be a joint Federal and state document. The
California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) will prepare an
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) in accordance with the California
Environmental Quality Act for the same project. The Corps and CDFG will
work cooperatively to prepare a joint DEIS/DEIR document, and to
coordinate the public noticing and hearing processes under Federal and
state laws.
    The impact analysis will follow the directives in 33 CFR 325 which
requires that it be limited to the impacts of the specific activities
requiring a 404 permit and only those portions of the project outside
of ``waters of the United States'' over which the Corps has sufficient
control and responsibility to warrant Federal review. The Corps will
extend the geographic scope of the environmental analysis beyond the
boundaries of ``waters of the United States'' in certain areas to
address indirect and cumulative impacts of the regulated activities,
and to address connected actions pursuant to NEPA guidelines (40 CFR
1508(a)(1)). In these upland areas, the Corps will evaluate impacts to
the environment and identify feasible and reasonable mitigation
measures and the appropriate state or local agencies with authority to
implement these measures if they are outside the authority of the
Corps. In evaluating impacts to areas and resources outside the Corps'
jurisdiction, the Corps will consider the information and conclusions
from the Final Program EIR for the Specific Plan prepared by Los
Angeles County Department of Regional Planning. However, the Corps will
exercise its independent expertise and judgement in addressing indirect
and cumulative impacts to upland areas due to issuance of the proposed
404 permit.

4. Alternatives

    Various alternatives will be addressed in the EIS that would avoid
or lessen any significant impacts associated with the proposed
facilities, and/or that would reduce impacts to the aquatic
environment, while still meeting the overall project purpose and need.
The applicant has identified the project purpose and need as providing
facilities for drainage, flood control, transportation, water and
wastewater treatment, and utilities, as well as maintenance activities
necessary to implement the approved Specific Plan. Alternatives to be
considered include modifications (e.g., size, location, etc.) to the
proposed facilities, or alternative designs for these facilities.
Alternatives will focus on alternative methods to

[[Page 4234]]

achieve the required flood control, river crossing, and drainage within
the context of the Specific Plan. Specific alternatives will be
developed after public scoping is completed, but will include the
following types of alternatives:
     Alternative bridge locations or designs including changes
in the precise alignments of the proposed bridges within specified
corridors across the river, and the use of alternative bridge pier and
embankment designs to reduce impacts to riparian resources.
     Alternative bank protection designs including use of
environmental (biotechnical) or non-traditional bank protection
methods, such as geotextiles.
     Complete avoidance of encroachment where bank protection
would not be placed within the banks and channel of the mainstem of the
Santa Clara River and flood control improvements would not be
implemented along side drainages.
     Reduced encroachment along the mainstem where the proposed
encroachment along the mainstem of the Santa Clara River for bank
protection would be reduced by relocating certain reaches of bank
protection to upland areas, outside the banks of the Santa Clara River.
     Reduced encroachment along side drainages where the
proposed number of side drainages converted to storm drains or uniform
flood control channels would be reduced.

5. Scoping Process

    Federal, State, and local agencies and other interested private
citizens and organizations are encouraged to send their written
comments to Mr. Bruce Henderson at the address provided above. This
scoping comment period will expire 30 days from the date of this
notice.
    Significant issues to be analyzed in depth in the DEIS include:
     Hydrology, flooding, and sedimentation--a description of
the potential impacts of bank protection and bridges; analysis of the
change in river and tributary hydrology and hydraulics, particularly
related to flood frequency and location, peak discharge, bank and
channel bed erosion, water velocity, scouring potential at bridges, and
alteration of sediment deposition patterns.
     Water quality--potential effects on quality of surface and
ground water due to construction activities in the watercourses and due
to urban stormwater runoff associated with adjacent upland development.
The effect of any discharges of treated wastewater from the proposed
Water Reclamation Plant on surface and ground water will also be
addressed.
     Wetlands and riparian vegetation--potential effect on the
nature and amount of wetland and riparian vegetation within the
watercourses, and potential changes in successional patterns in the
watercourses due to altered hydrology and sedimentation patterns.
     Threatened and endangered species--potential adverse
impacts on listed and other sensitive species including, but not
limited to, the unarmored three-spine stickleback, arroyo chub, Santa
Ana sucker, least Bell's vireo, southwestern willow flycatcher, and
arroyo toad due to habitat loss, changes in hydrology, and/or human
encroachment. A Section 7 endangered species consultation will be
conducted with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for potential impacts
to listed species. Impacts to designated critical habitat for the least
Bell's vireo will also be addressed in the consultation.
     Fish and wildlife--in general, potential changes in
populations of the native fauna due to reduction or alteration of the
wetland and adjacent upland habitats along the Santa Clara River and
its side drainages.
     Air quality--potential impact of emissions associated with
the construction of project facilities on local and regional air
quality, and conformity with the South Coast Air Quality Management
Plan.
     Cultural Resources--potential impacts on archeological,
ethnographic, paleontologic, and historic resources.
     Visual Resources--potential changes in the natural and
man-made visual settings due to new bridges, bank protection, and urban
development.
     Cumulative impacts--combined impacts of the proposed
project and other ongoing and future projects affecting the Santa Clara
River within both Los Angeles and Ventura counties, in relation to the
Newhall Ranch Specific Plan.
    Coordination will be undertaken with the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Game, California
Regional Water Quality Control Board, and the California Coastal
Commission.

6. Scoping Meetings

    A public scoping meeting to receive input on the scope of the EIS
will be conducted on February 9, 2000 at 7:00 p.m. at the Valencia High
School Auditorium, located at 27810 North Dickason Drive, Valencia,
California. Participation in the scoping meeting by Federal, state, and
local agencies, and other interested private citizens and organizations
is encouraged.

7. DEIS Schedule

    A Draft EIS is expected to be issued for public review in summer of
2000 and a Final EIS to be issued in late 2000.

Gregory D. Showalter
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 00-1825 Filed 1-25-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-KF-P

 
 

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