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Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Environmental Impact Report; Giacomini Wetlands Restoration Project, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, CA; Notice of Availability
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
[Federal Register: November 3, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 213)]
[Notices]
[Page 64734-64736]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr03no06-101]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Environmental Impact
Report; Giacomini Wetlands Restoration Project, Point Reyes National
Seashore, Marin County, CA; Notice of Availability
Summary: Pursuant to Sec. 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (Pub. L. 91-190, as amended), and the Council on
Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR part 1500-1508), the National
Park Service, Department of the Interior, has prepared a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement identifying and evaluating the no action
alternative and four action alternatives for restoration activities in
Giacomini Wetlands. When approved, the project planning will guide the
NPS in restorating lands at the headwaters of Tomales Bay, Marin
County, California. Because some of the proposed project area includes
state, county and private lands, the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement also includes information as required by the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for a Draft Environmental Impact
Report (DEIR). The California State Lands Commission is the CEQA lead
agency for this project. The potential impacts of a ``no action''
alternative and four ``action'' alternatives are assessed and, where
appropriate, mitigation measures are applied to reduce the intensity of
the potential effect or to avoid the potential effect. Three other
preliminary alternatives were considered but rejected because they did
not achieve the objectives of the restoration plan or were infeasible.
Planning Background
Point Reyes National Seashore is a unit of the National Park
Service (NPS) that is located in Marin County, California. It was
established by Congress on September 13, 1962, ``to save and preserve,
for the purpose of public recreation, benefit, and inspiration, a
portion of the diminishing seashore of the United States that remains
undeveloped'' (Pub. L. 87-657). A large portion of Tomales Bay
watershed lands were acquired by the NPS in the 1960s and 1970s for
establishment of two neighboring parks--Point Reyes National Seashore
(Seashore) and Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA). In 1980,
the boundary for GGNRA was expanded to include the Giacomini Ranch and
the eastern portion of Tomales Bay. The Giacomini Ranch falls within
the north district of the GGNRA, which is administered by the Seashore.
The Seashore is proposing to restore wetlands at a historic coastal
salt marsh site known as the Waldo Giacomini Ranch in Tomales Bay, an
embayment that borders the Seashore to the north. The property was
diked in 1946 and has been used by the Waldo Giacomini Family as a
dairy since then. The action is being considered now by the Seashore
because funds were recently received to purchase the property. At least
a portion of the funding for the purchase came from the California
Department of Transportation (Caltrans), which was under obligation to
the California Coastal (CCC) to mitigate for impacts resulting from the
Lone Tree road repair conducted in the early 1990s. The CCC eventually
allowed Caltrans to fulfill mitigation obligations by making funds
available to the NPS to purchase, restore, and manage an alternative
wetland site. These funds were spent in 2000 to purchase a portion of
the 563-acre historic coastal salt marsh. While the NPS is obligated
under its agreement with Caltrans and CCC to mitigate only a total of
3.6 acres, the NPS believes that the potential value of the historic
salt marsh is significant not only to the Seashore and its resource
conservation objectives, but to the Tomales Bay watershed ecosystem as
a whole. Tomales Bay was recently declared impaired for sediment,
nutrients, and fecal coliform by the San Francisco Regional Water
Quality Control Board under Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act.
Coastal wetlands act as both a food source and filtering system for
estuarine and marine systems, and the loss of these wetlands in many
parts of the bay has contributed to this designation. The diking of the
Giacomini Ranch, a deltaic land feature at the head of Tomales Bay,
resulted in the loss of a large percentage of the coastal tidal
wetlands, which restoration as proposed will return.
The project purpose and goals reflect a broad ecosystem-level
approach to restoration. The project purpose is to restore natural
hydrologic processes within a significant portion of the area, thereby
promoting restoration of ecological processes and functions. Three
goals were developed to support the overall purpose: (1) Restore
natural, self-sustaining tidal, fluvial (stream-flow), and groundwater
hydrologic processes in a significant portion of the area, thereby
enabling reestablishment of some of the ecological processes and
functions associated with wetland and riparian areas, such as water
quality improvement, floodwater storage, food chain support, and
wildlife habitat. (2) Pursue a watershed-based approach to restoration
in that restoration planning will emphasize opportunities to improve
ecological conditions within the entire Tomales Bay watershed, not just
in the Project Area itself. (3) To the extent possible, incorporate
opportunities for the public to experience and enjoy the restoration
process as long as opportunities do not conflict with the project's
purpose or with NPS, CSLC, or other agency legislation or policies.
For these reasons, the Seashore proposes to restore natural
hydrologic and ecological processes on most or all of the 563-acre
property, and several courses of action for accomplishing this
restoration that encompass a full range of hydrologic options are being
considered. These include: removal of all levees and berms, partial
removal of levees and berms, lowering height of levees and berms, and
installation of tidegates or culverts. The alternatives developed may
be changed and/or refined based on public input and their ability to
meet NPS and public objectives.
Proposed Giacomini Wetlands Restoration Plan
Alternative C (Preferred Alternative)--Full Restoration of the
Giacomini Ranch East and West Pastures and Restoration of Olema Marsh,
with Moderate Public Access. This alternative involves complete removal
of levees in both the West and East Pasture, increasing tidal channel
creation, grading, and revegetation. In addition, the project boundary
for this alternative has been expanded to include Olema Marsh, which is
located south of the Giacomini Ranch and White House Pool and is owned
by Audubon Canyon Ranch (ACR) and the NPS. Olema Marsh and the
Giacomini Ranch once formed an integrated tidal wetland complex. In
Alternative C, there would be an adaptive restoration approach proposed
for Olema Marsh that would include a phased approach to shallow channel
excavation, vegetated berm removal, and potential replacement of Levee
Road and Bear Valley Road culverts in the future should initial
restoration efforts not achieve the desired degree of success. Public
access components of
[[Page 64735]]
Alternative C include the southern perimeter path and two spur trails
on the eastern perimeter of the Giacomini Ranch.
Alternative to Proposed Plan
Under the ``baseline'' No Action Alternative, levees, tidegates,
and culverts in the Giacomini Ranch will remain. An 11-acre area will
be restored on the northeast corner of the east pasture to satisfy
mitigation requirements for impacts caused by Cal Trans to aquatic
habitat from a road repair on State Route 1 in Marin County in exchange
for the NPS receiving monies to purchase and restore the Giacomini
Ranch. The remainder of the levees in the East Pasture and West Pasture
would remain, although there would be no levee maintenance. Under the
No Action Alternative only, there is potential for limited grazing,
with consultation conducted under a separate compliance process. Olema
Marsh would not be restored, and there would be no new public access
facilities.
Alternative A
Limited Restoration of the Giacomini Ranch East Pasture Only with
Expanded Public Access, Including Culverted Earthen Fill Trail on
Eastern Perimeter--Alternative A would involve selective breaching of
the East Pasture levee, while levees and tidegates in the West Pasture
would not be removed. A limited amount of tidal channel creation, creek
bank grading, and revegetation would also be performed in the East
Pasture. Most of the actions under this alternative focus on removal
agricultural infrastructure such as filling of ditches, ripping of
compacted roads, fence removal, and removal of pumps, pipelines, and
concrete spillways, as well as removal of ranch buildings. As part of
the public access, the southern perimeter trail would include a
prefabricated bridge across Lagunitas Creek, near the old summer dam
location across from White House Pool County Park. The bridge design
would place footings outside of the active channel, thereby reducing
effects on hydrologic processes. Future extension of the southern
perimeter trail, in collaboration with the County of Marin, would
connect White House Pool County Park with a path along Sir Francis
Drake that would either run alongside Sir Francis Drake Boulevard or
move off the road at the southern end of the unrestored West Pasture
onto a low-elevation boardwalk that would join back with Sir Francis
Drake Boulevard in Inverness Park. The other infrastructure constructed
would be a culverted berm through trail on the eastern perimeter of the
East Pasture.
Alternative B
Moderate Restoration of the Giacomini Ranch East Pasture and
Limited Restoration of the West Pasture with Expanded Public Access,
Including Boardwalk Trail on Eastern Perimeter. This alternative would
completely remove the East Pasture levees and create several breaches
in the West Pasture levee, as well as remove the tidegate on Fish
Hatchery Creek. There would be no activities undertaken with Olema
Marsh. Most of the new public access facilities would continue to be
limited to the eastern and southern perimeters of the East Pasture,
including construction of the pedestrian access bridge across Lagunitas
Creek near the old summer dam, and a planning area for continuation of
the southern perimeter trail to Inverness Park. The culverted-earthen
fill portion of the eastern perimeter through-trail in Alternative A is
replaced with a boardwalk in Alternative B. On the West Pasture north
levee, a viewing area would replace the existing informal trail.
Alternative D (Environmentally Preferred Alternative)
Extensive Restoration of the Giacomini Ranch East Pasture, Full
Restoration of the West Pasture, and Restoration of Olema Marsh with
Limited Public Access. This alternative is very similar to Alternative
C with no changes in the West Pasture. The very southern end of the
East Pasture would be excavated to bring elevations down to intertidal
elevations. Tomasini Creek would be fully realigned into one of its
historic channel alignments, and the Mesa Road culverts on Tomasini
Creek would be replaced to improve hydraulic connectivity, creek flow,
and passage of salmonid species. As with Alternative C, there would be
an adaptive restoration approach proposed for Olema Marsh that would
include a phased approach to shallow channel excavation, vegetated berm
removal, and potential replacement of Levee Road and Bear Valley Road
culverts in the future should initial restoration efforts not achieve
the desired degree of success. Public access components would include
an improved spur trail leading to the edge of the Dairy Mesa and an
improved spur trial on the southern perimeter following the existing
alignment of the informal social path, but no bridge. On the eastern
perimeter, a spur trail would be created on the historic railroad grade
that would extend the existing Tomales Bay Trail.
Actions Common to All Alternatives
There are a series of activities common to all alternatives. These
actions include discontinuation of agricultural land management on the
property. Removal of general agricultural infrastructure and buildings
would be conducted on upland areas. In addition, the Giacomins would
remove all personal property from the premises, including worker
housing trailers near Mesa Road. Water rights to Lagunitas Creek,
acquired as part of the transfer of ownership would be dedicated to in-
stream flow. Sediment transport and deposition from Fish Hatchery Creek
and the 1906 Drainage regularly affect private residences and property
adjacent to the project area. The Seashore proposes to continue to
perform maintenance of the downstream portion of these creeks on an
annual or periodic basis as needed to ensure that sediment deposition
does not elevate flood risk to adjacent properties. finally, the NPS
will be working with the USGS on a project to expand the tidewater goby
population within the southern portions of Tomales Bay.
Scoping Summary
On September 23, 2002, a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and to conduct public scoping was
published in the Federal Register, initiating the environmental impact
analysis process for the proposed wetlands restoration project. On
September 25, 2002, a copy of the NOI and scoping information was sent
to 45 adjacent landowners to the project site and 163 persons and
organizations on a public review request list maintained by the
Seashore. On October 4, 2002, the NOI was distributed to the Governor's
Office of Planning and Research State Clearinghouse for distribution to
interested state agencies (due to delays at the State Clearinghouse in
distributing the NOI, the EIS scoping period for state agencies was
extended to December 5, 2002). On october 2, 2002, a press release
announcing public scoping was distributed to the Point Reyes Light,
Marin Independent Journal, and Press Democrat, as well as 28 other
media outlets, including newspapers, radio stations, and television
stations. The press release was also posted on the Seashore's website.
A notice of the public scoping was printed in the Point Reyes Light
newspaper on October 3, 2002. The Seashore also mailed 1,380 notices
announcing the public Advisory Commission meeting on October 19, 2002,
would consider the Giacomini Wetlands Restoration project as an
[[Page 64736]]
agenda item. The 45-day public scoping period for the EIS closed
November 8, 2002.
Public comments were heard at a public information meeting at the
Point Reyes Dance palace at the October 19, 2002, Advisory Commission
meeting at the Point Reyes Dance Palace where approximately 30 to 40
members of the public attended. The Point Reyes Light published an
account of the meeting on October 24, 2002. The public meeting featured
a short overview of the planned restoration process, the environmental
planning process, a brief history and summary of the project location,
and potential benefits and impacts of restoration. At the end of the
presentation, the meeting was opened for public comment, with nine
members of the public providing comments. The topics covered by the
public comments included issues around public access, land use
planning, hydrology, alternatives and project planning. In addition to
the public meeting, approximately 86 individuals or private
organizations mailed, faxed, or e-mailed comments regarding the
proposed project. commenting organizations include the Environmental
Action Committee of West Marin, Marin County Bicycle Coalition,
Access4bikes, Manzanal Homeowners Association, and Audubon Canyon
Ranch. the Seashore and CSLC also received comments from the CCC;
CalTrans; North Marin Water District (NMWD); Marin County Department of
Parks, Open Space, and Cultural Services; Marin County Department of
Public Works; and the State of California Department of Food and
Agriculture and the County Supervisor for the Fourth District, Steve
Kinsey. After scoping closed, a staff report was prepared summarizing
comments received during initial scoping.
Following agreement by the California State Lands Commission (CSLC)
to act as the lead CEQA agency, a Notice of Preparation for preparation
of a joint EIS/EIR was prepared by CSLC, the lead CEQA agency, and
distributed to the State Clearinghouse, which circulated the Notice of
Preparation between May 29 and June 30, 2003. The public scoping period
for the joint EIS/EIR closed on June 30, 2003.
Since the initial scoping phase concluded, the Seashore has held
two additional public workshops to update interested parties with
regard to conceptual project alternatives and public access
alternatives. The Seashore has summarized results of public feedback,
and incorporated this information into the final proposed project
alternatives. All written and oral comments are documented in the
project's administrative record.
Commenting on the Draft EIS/EIR
A public workshop on the proposed plan will be held during late
winter 2006/07 at the Point Reyes National Seashore Red Barn Classroom
(confirmed date and other workshop details will be advertised by direct
mailing as well as a notice placed in the local newspapers). All
interested individuals, organizations, and agencies will be encouraged
to provide new comments, suggestions, and additional information
(earlier scoping comments need not be resubmitted); all written
comments must be postmarked not later than 60 days following
publication in the Federal Register by EPA of their notice of filing of
the availability of the Draft EIS/EIR (as soon as this date can be
confirmed it will be announced on the park's Web site, and included in
the workshop mailing). Questions at this time regarding the Giacomini
Wetlands Restoration planning process or inquiries about the workshop
should be addressed to the Superintendent either by mail (see Addresses
below) or by telephone at (415) 464-5100.
Please note that our practice is to make comments, including names,
home addresses, home phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of
respondents, available for public review. Individual respondents may
request that we withhold their names and/or home addresses, etc., but
if you wish us to consider withholding this information you must state
this prominently at the beginning of your comments. In addition, you
must present a rationale for withholding this information. This
rationale must demonstrate that disclosure would constitute a clearly
unwarranted invasion of privacy. Unsupported assertions will not meet
this burden. In the absence of exceptional, documentable circumstances,
this information will be released. We will always make submissions from
organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying
themselves as representatives of or officials of organizations or
businesses, available for public inspection in their entirety.
Addresses: Copies of the Draft EIS/EIR may be obtained from the
Superintendent, Point Reyes National Seashore, Point Reyes, CA 94956,
Attn: Giacomini Wetlands Restoration, or by e-mail request to:
pore_planning@nps.gov (in the subject line, type: Giacomini Wetlands
Restoration). The document will be sent directly to those who have
requested it, and also posted on the Internet at the park's Web page
(http://www.nps.gov/pore/parkmgmt/planning); and both the printed
document and digital version on compact disk will be available at the
park headquarters and local libraries.
Decision
Following careful analysis of public and agency comment on the
Draft EIS/EIR, it is anticipated at this time that the final EIS/EIR
would be available in spring of 2007. As a delegated EIS, the official
responsible for the final decision is the Regional Director, Pacific
West Region, A Record of Decision would not be signed sooner than 30
days following release of the Final EIS/EIR; notice of the decision
will be posted in the Federal Register and announced in local and
regional newspapers. Following approval of the Giacomini Wetlands
Restoration Plan, the official responsible for undertaking the restoration
effort will be the Superintendent, Point Reyes National Seashore.
Dated: September 1, 2006.
Jonathan B. Jarvis,
Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 06-9001 Filed 11-2-06; 8:45 am]
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