[Federal Register: December 3, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 232)]
[Notices]
[Page 71983-71984]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr03de02-110]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Big Lagoon Wetland and
Redwood Creek Restoration, Marin County, California; Notice of Intent
to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
SUMMARY: In accordance with Sec. 102 (2)(C) of the National
Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et. seq), the National Park
Service (NPS) is undertaking a comprehensive conservation planning and
environmental impact analysis process regarding the proposed
restoration/enhancement of the lower Redwood Creek watershed at Muir
Beach. The purpose of the project is to restore or enhance ecological
conditions and processes, reducing flooding of local infrastructure,
and providing public access to the beach and restored wetland and
creek. Key issues to be addressed will include habitat for fish and
wildlife, ecosystem conditions and processes, effects on special status
plant and animal species, hydrology, flood hazards, traffic, visitor
access, and visitor experience. Notice is hereby given that a public
scoping process has been initiated. The purpose of the public scoping
process is to elicit public comment regarding the full spectrum of
issues and concerns, a suitable range of alternatives, the nature and
extent of potential environmental impacts or ecological benefits, and
appropriate mitigation strategies that should be addressed in preparing
a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
Background: The Big Lagoon project site is located at the mouth of
the Redwood Creek watershed, which drains an 8.9-square-mile area on
the southwestern slopes of Mt. Tamalpais in coastal Martin County.
Approximately half of the restoration planning area is federally owned
and is situated within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area
(GGNRA); the remainder is owned by the San Francisco Zen Center. The
project site is a popular destination in the park, receiving
approximately 440,000 visitors annually. Historically this area
supported a freshwater and brackish lagoon with associated permanent
and seasonal wetlands, riparian forest, and beach dune communities. The
entire area of Muir Beach and the adjacent lowland pastures were part
of the Redwood Creek floodplain. The creek meandered across the valley
floor and, during floods, deposited sediment across the floodplain
area. Today, the creek has been confined and much of the floodplain
eliminated due to the combined effects of road and levee construction,
channeling projects, and placement of the NPS parking lot and picnic
area.
Restoration Goals: The GGNRA is preparing an EIS to address
possible extent of restoration and/or enhancement of natural resource
values. The goals of the proposal include the following:
[sbull] Restore a functional, self-sustaining ecosystem, including
wetland, aquatic, dune, upland, and riparian components.
[sbull] Develop a restoration design that: (a) Functions in the
context of the watershed and other pertinent regional boundaries, (b)
identifies and, to the extent possible, mitigates factors that reduce
the site's full restoration
[[Page 71984]]
potential. Understanding of historical and current conditions and
physical processes in the watershed is required to meet this objective.
[sbull] Consistent with restoring a functional ecosystem, create
habitat adequate to support sustainable populations of special status
species.
[sbull] Reduce flooding on Pacific Way and in the Muir Beach
community on a long-term basis, and work with Marin County to ensure
that vehicle access is provided to the Muir Beach community.
[sbull] Work with Comprehensive Transportation Management Plan
staff to identify transportation alternatives that are consistent with
ecosystem restoration.
[sbull] Provide for visitor experience, public access, and resource
interpretation that are compatible with ecosystem restoration and
historic preservation.
[sbull] Protect cultural resources and work with the Federated
Indians of Graton Rancheria to incorporate cultural values and
indigenous archaeological sites into the restoration design and site
stewardship.
[sbull] Provide opportunities for public education and community-
based restoration, including engaging local and broader communities in
site stewardship and restoration planning.
Public Process to Date: The National Park Service drafted a
preliminary Environmental Assessment (EA) for restoration measures
considered for this area in 1994; however the EA process was not ever
completed and no project was implemented. Since that time, the site has
changed and new information has been developed. Due to the changed
conditions, a new analysis of restoration options, mitigation issues,
etc will be undertaken. At this time, public scoping meetings for the
Big Lagoon wetlands and Redwood Creek restoration are scheduled as
follows: Oct. 22, 2002 at the regular meeting of the GGNRA Citizens'
Advisory Commission, Oct. 29, 2002 at the Muir Beach Community Center,
and Nov. 2, 2002 at Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley. Site walk-
thrus are be conducted on Nov. 9, 2002. Also, early technical scoping
reviews were held on-site throughout July and August 2002 with experts
of various disciplines (archaeology, biology, wetland and riparian
ecology, geomorphology, and visitor access) to assist the project team
in building a knowledge base on which study designs and preliminary
alternatives will be formulated. To support the public process and
foster ready access to information, GGNRA is developing a website for
the project that will be hosted on the GGNRA Web site (http://www.nps.gov/goga/admin/planning
). The Web site will be a key component
of the public involvement strategy and will allow the public to view
and retrieve planning documents, fact sheets, and meeting notices for
the project. Following scoping and with continued input from the public
and regulatory and resources agencies, a full range of preliminary
project alternatives will be developed and evaluated. GGNRA staff
anticipate a minimum of three alternatives, including the No-Action
Alternative. An ``environmentally preferred'' alternative will be
disclosed in the draft EIS.
Comments and Public Scoping: As noted above, three scoping meetings
are scheduled during Fall 2002. Confirmed details on all scoping
meetings will be announced through direct mailing, the project Web
site, and local and regional media. Interested individuals,
organizations and agencies are invited to attend these meetings to
comment orally and/or provide written comments or suggestions.
Interested persons may also refer to the GGNRA Web site for more
information on this project. A scoping document (including applicable
information from the 1994 EA) and site information will be available at
the above Web site, or can be obtained by writing or telephoning the
GGNRA staff person listed below. Comments, suggestions, or relevant
information (or requests to be added to the project mailing list)
should be sent to: Big Lagoon Wetland and Redwood Creek Restoration,
Golden Gate National Recreation Area (Attn: Jennifer Vick, Project
Manager), Building 201, Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA 94123 [Telephone
(415) 561-4942]. All written comments for the scoping phase of Big
Lagoon Wetland and Redwood Creek Restoration EIS must be postmarked not
later than 45 days following the publication of this notice in the
Federal Register.
All respondents are advised that individual names and addresses of
persons commenting on the project EIS may be included as part of the
public record. If individuals submitting comments request that their
name or[bs]and address be withheld from public
disclosure, it will be honored to the extent allowable by law. Such
requests must be stated prominently in the beginning of the comments.
There also may be circumstances wherein the NPS will withhold a
respondent's identity as allowable by law. As always: NPS will make
available to public inspection all submissions from organizations or
businesses and from persons identifying themselves as representatives
or officials of organizations and businesses; and, anonymous comments
may not be considered.
Decision Process: Availability of the draft EIS for review and
written comment will be announced in the Federal Register, as well as
through local and regional news media, the GGNRA Web site, and direct
mailing to the project mailing list. At this time, the draft EIS is
anticipated to be available for public review in early 2004. To ensure
further opportunity to comment on the draft EIS after it is
distributed, additional public meetings will be held (dates and
locations to be determined). Notice of the availability of the final
EIS will similarly be published in the Federal Register. As a delegated
EIS, the official responsible for the final decision is the Regional
Director, Pacific West Region; subsequently, the official responsible
for implementation is the Superintendent, Golden Gate National
Recreation Area.
Dated: October 9, 2002.
Jonathan B. Jarvis,
Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 02-30489 Filed 12-2-02; 8:45 am]
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