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Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Sunridge Specific Plan Projects, in Rancho Cordova, Sacramento County, CA, ID SPK-2009-00511

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PDF Version (2 pp, 46K, About PDF)

[Federal Register: July 20, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 137)]
[Notices]
[Page 35166-35167]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20jy09-39]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers

Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the
Sunridge Specific Plan Projects, in Rancho Cordova, Sacramento County,
CA, ID SPK-2009-00511

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, (Corps)
will prepare a Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for six residential
development projects in the Sunridge Specific Plan area in Rancho
Cordova, Sacramento County, California. The EIS is being prepared for
the projects as part of ongoing litigation concerning Department of the
Army permits issued by the Corps between 2005 and 2007 for five of the
projects and a pending permit decision for the sixth. A stay in the
litigation is in place while the Corps reevaluates the impacts of these
projects through preparation of the EIS. Collectively the projects
would require the filling of approximately 29.7 acres of waters of the
United States, including wetlands.

ADDRESSES: Please send written comments to Michael Jewell, U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, 1325 J Street, Room 1480,
Sacramento, CA, 95814-2922.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action
and EIS can be answered by Michael Jewell, (916) 557-6605, e-mail:
michael.s.jewell@usace.army.mil.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Sunridge Specific Plan area is a master-
planned area consisting of nine residential and commercial developments
located in eastern Rancho Cordova, Sacramento County, California. The
Specific Plan, which was originally approved by the County of
Sacramento in 2002, is part of a larger planning effort in the City of
Rancho Cordova called the Sunrise-Douglas Community Plan. Three of the
nine projects in the Sunridge Specific Plan area have been built. The
proposed action is the construction of the remaining six projects in
the Specific Plan area. Collectively, these six projects are referred
to as the Sunridge Specific Plan Projects.
    Between 2005 and 2007, the Corps completed Environmental
Assessments, made Findings of No Significant Impact, and issued permits
for five of the six Sunridge Specific Plan Projects. The permitted
projects are Anatolia IV, Sunridge Village J, Grantline 208, Douglas
Road 98, and Douglas Road 103. A permit decision has not been rendered
for the sixth of the Sunridge Specific Plan Projects, Arista Del Sol.
    1. Anatolia IV (ID SPK-1994-00210): The permitted project is
located on a 25-acre site south of Douglas Road and adjacent to the
west side of Jaeger Road. Approximately 1.36 acres of waters of the
United States, including wetlands, are to be filled to construct 134
houses, several roads and other infrastructure. As compensation for the
loss of waters, the permittee would construct 1.36 acres of wetland
habitat. The permittee for this project is Sunridge, LLC.
    2. Sunridge Village J (ID SPK-2001-00230): The permitted project is
located on a 81.25-acre site in the southwest corner of the
intersection formed by Douglas Road and Jaeger Road. Approximately 2.99
acres of waters of the United States, including wetlands, are to be
filled to construct 369 houses, several roads and other infrastructure.
As compensation for the loss of waters, the permittee would construct
3.38 acres of wetland habitat. The permittee for this project is
Cresleigh Homes.
    3. Grantline 208 (ID SPK 1994-00365): The permitted project is
located on a 211-acre site in the southeast corner of the intersection
formed by Douglas Road and Grantline Road. Approximately 5.7 acres of
waters of the United States, including wetlands, are to be filled to
construct 855 houses, several roads and other infrastructure. As
compensation for the loss of waters, the permittee would construct 6.15
acres of wetland habitat. The permittee for this project is Grantline
Investors, LLC.
    4. Douglas Road 98 (ID SPK-2002-00568): The permitted project is
located on a 105-acre site south of Douglas Road and adjacent to the
west side of Grantline Road. Approximately 3.9 acres of waters of the
United States, including wetlands, are to be filled to construct 693
houses, several roads and other infrastructure. As compensation for the
loss of waters, the permittee would construct 3.9 acres of wetland
habitat. The permittee for this project is Woodside Homes.
    5. Douglas Road 103 (ID SPK-1997-00006): The permitted project is
located on a 106-acre site adjacent to the south side of Douglas Road
and west of Grantline Road. Approximately 2 acres of waters of the
United States, including wetlands, are to be filled to construct 301
houses, several roads and other infrastructure. As compensation for the
loss of waters, the permittee would construct 7.25 acres of wetland
habitat. The permittee for this project is Douglas Grantline 103
Investors, LLC.
    6. Arista Del Sol (ID SPK-2004-00458): The proposed project is
located on a 210-acre site south of Douglas Road and adjacent to the
west side of Grantline Road. Approximately 13.9 acres of waters of the
United States, including wetlands, would be filled to construct 906
houses, several roads and other infrastructure. As compensation for the
loss of waters, the permittee proposed to construct 13.9 acres of
wetland habitat. The permit applicant for this project is Pappas Investments.
    The EIS will include an evaluation of a reasonable range of
alternatives. Currently, the following alternatives are expected to be
analyzed in detail: (1) The no action alternative, (2) the proposed
action (the applicants preferred projects), and (3) a reduced
development footprint alternative. The no action alternative will be
limited development on uplands, while avoiding all waters of the United
States. A reduced development footprint alternative will involve less
development with fewer impacts to waters of the United States.
    The Corps' scoping process for the EIS includes a public
involvement program with several opportunities to provide oral and
written comments. In addition to public meetings and notifications in
the Federal Register, the Corps will issue public notices when the
draft and final EISs are available. Affected federal, state, and local
agencies, Native American tribes, and other interested

[[Page 35167]]

private organizations and parties are invited to participate.
    Potentially significant issues to be analyzed in the EIS include,
but are not limited to: Hydrology, water supply, water quality,
cultural resources, biological resources, traffic and transportation,
and air quality. The Corps is the lead agency for preparation of the
EIS under the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA). The Corps has requested the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) serve as
cooperating agencies on the EIS. The Corps will coordinate with other
agencies, such as the City of Rancho Cordova, in preparation of the EIS.
    Other environmental review and consultation requirements for the
proposed actions include water quality certification under Section 401
of the Clean Water Act from the California Regional Water Quality
Control Board. All six of the Sunridge Specific Plans projects have
received water quality certification. In addition, because the projects
may affect federally-listed endangered species, the Corps was required
to consult with the USFWS in accordance with Section 7 of the federal
Endangered Species Act. Biological Opinions were issued by the USFWS
for all six projects.
    Two public scoping meetings for the EIS will be held on July 30,
2009, with the first from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. and the second from 7 p.m.
to 8 p.m. The meetings will be held at the Rancho Cordova City Hall,
2729 Prospect Park Drive, American River Room--South, Rancho Cordova,
CA 95670. Interested parties can provide oral and written comments at
the meetings. Scoping comments should be submitted before August 31,
2009 but may be submitted at any time prior to publication of the Draft EIS.
    Interested parties may register for the Corps' public notice email
notification lists at: http://www.spk.usace.army.mil/organizations/
cespk-co/regulatory/pnlist.html. Exit Disclaimer

    Dated: July 9, 2009
James A. Porter,
Lt. Colonel, Corps of Engineers, Acting District Engineer.
[FR Doc. E9-17159 Filed 7-17-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P

 
 

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