[Federal Register: September 21, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 184)]
[Notices]
[Page 57174-57175]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21se00-51]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Report
for the San Francisco Central Bay Rock Removal Study, City and County
of San Francisco, California
AGENCY: Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the California State Lands
Commission (Commission) will conduct a feasibility study to investigate
the navigation hazard of submerged rock outcroppings in the San
Francisco Bay. Pursuant to the requirements of section 102(2)(c) of the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, Environmental Quality
regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and the California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA), the Corps and the Commission will prepare a joint
Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/R) as a
part study effort.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information about the
project and the alternatives, contact Mr. Gary Flickinger of the Plan
Formulation Section, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers San Francisco
District, 333 Market Street, 7th floor, CESPN-ET-PF, San Francisco, CA
94105-2197. Phone number 415-977-8548, Fax: 415-977-8695, Email:
gflickinger@spd.usace.army.mil. Written comments and questions
regarding the scoping process or preparation of the EIS/EIR may be
directed to Roger Fernwood, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco
District, 333 Market Street, 7th floor, CESPN-ET-PP, San Francisco, CA
94105-2197, phone number: 415-977-8544, Fax: 415-977-8695, Email:
rfernwood@spd.usace.army.mil. Mr. David Patterson is the Project
Manager, and can be contacted at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San
Francisco District, 333 Market Street, 8th floor, CESPN-PM, San
Francisco, CA 94105-2197, phone number 415-977-8229, Fax: 415-977-8431,
Email: dpatterson@spd.usace.army.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Authority. Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as implemented by the Council
on Environmental Quality regulations 40 CFR 1500-1508, Section 905(b)
of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 1986, and the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) the Corps and the
Commission hereby provide notice of intent to prepare a joint EIS/R for
the San Francisco Bay Rock Removal, San Francisco, California.
2. Comments/Scoping Meetings. An initial scoping meeting will be
held in the conference room at the San Francisco Bar Pilots
Association, Pier 9 West End, San Francisco, California 94126 at 2:00
pm and 7:00 pm on October 24, 2000. The public is invited to these
meetings.
3. Availability of EIS/R. The Draft EIS/R should be available for
public review in the winter of 2002. A final EIS/R
[[Page 57175]]
should be available for public review in summer of 2002.
4. Agencies Supporting Project. Corps and the Commission will be
the lead agencies in preparing the combined EIS/R. Cooperating agencies
include the National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S.
Geological Survey, California Department of Fish & Game, San Francisco
Bay Conservation and Development Commission, and San Francisco Regional
Water Quality Control Board.
5. Purpose and Need for Action. The Harbor Safety Committee (HSC)
of the San Francisco Bay Region has deemed these rock outcroppings to
be a hazard to deep draft vessels, especially tanker ships. The HSC is
comprised of representatives from government, industry, navigation,
recreation, economic, and environmental groups/agencies, as mandated by
the State of California Oil Spill Prevention and Response Act. The HSC
requested a Federal study of the navigation hazard.
6. Study Area Description. The study area is located in Central San
Francisco Bay, California and comprises natural topographical
formations known as Harding, Shag, Arch, Blossom, and (Unnamed) Rocks.
These five underwater topographic features in the Central San Francisco
Bay are composed of hard materials at depths ranging from -33 to -48
feet Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW) that are adjacent to, or close by, the
present designated navigation lanes. The study area is located within
U.S. Congressional Districts 6, 7, 8, and 9.
Harding Rock is located approximately 6,500 feet north-northwest of
Alcatraz island and rises to an elevation of -36.4 feet MLLW. Shag Rock
is approximately 1,000 feet southwest of Harding Rock and rises to an
elevation of -36.9 feet MLLW. Arch Rock, the largest of the rocks, is
approximately 1,600 feet south of Shag Rock and rises to an elevation
of -35.2 feet MLLW. Unnamed Rock is approximately 3,000 feet west of
Shag Rock and rises to an elevation of -49 feet MLLW. Blossom Rock is
located approximately 5,500 feet southeast of Alcatraz Island and 8,000
feet west of Treasure Island and rises to an elevation of -40.4 feet
MLLW.
7. Project Alternatives. Alternatives associated with the San
Francisco Central Bay Rock Removal Project are the No Action
Alternative and several action alternatives. The selected alternative
will be implemented.
8. Other Environmental Review and Consultation Requirements. The
focus of the DEIS/R will be on determining environmental impacts of
available alternatives to reduce the navigation hazard. The non-federal
sponsor will use the EIS/R to meet their responsibilities under the
CEQA. Other reviews in the EIS/R will be used for an information
source, including coordination under the Fish and Wildlife Coordination
Act, Endangered Species Act, and all other applicable laws and
regulations.
Gregory D. Showalter,
Army Federal Register, Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 00-24296 Filed 9-20-00; 8:45 am]
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