Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (DEIS/EIR) for the Westminster Watershed Study, Orange County, CA, 2193-2194 [06-317]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
• Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
• Engineers Corps
• Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 9 (Friday, January 13, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2193-2194]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-317]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement/
Environmental Impact Report (DEIS/EIR) for the Westminster Watershed 
Study, Orange County, CA

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the Westminster 
watershed ecosystem and look for multipurpose recommendations for how 
to more effectively manage its natural resources. There is a need for 
both flood control improvements as well as ecosystem habitat 
restoration. The study area is located in western Orange County, CA, 
approximately 25 miles southeast of the City of Los Angeles. The 
Westminster watershed lies on a flat coastal plain, is approximately 90 
square miles in area, and is almost entirely urbanized with residential 
and commercial development. There are two main channel systems that 
collect runoff from portions of urbanized areas in the cities of 
Anaheim, Stanton, Cypress, Orange, Santa Ana, Garden Grove, 
Westminster, Fountain Valley, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, and Huntington 
Beach.
    The East Garden Grove-Wintersburg Channel (EGGW), with its 
principal tributary, the Ocean View Channel (OV), drains into Bolsa 
Bay. Two retarding basins (Haster and West Street) exist at the 
upstream reach of the EGGW

[[Page 2194]]

channel. Bolsa Bay includes the Bolsa Chica Lowlands and Ecological 
Reserve, and is a major environmental resource in southern California. 
The Bay has been designated as an area of national significance, and is 
host to a wide assemblage of resident and migratory waterfowl and 
marine species including over 30 Federal and/or State listed sensitive 
species that utilize the wetlands during all or part of their annual 
cycle.
    The Bolsa Chica Flood Control Channel (BCFC), with its principal 
tributaries, the Anaheim-Barber City Channel and Westminster Channel, 
drains to Huntington Harbour. The BCFC Channel drains the western 
portion of the study area, with a significant portion of property 
adjacent to the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station of the U.S. Navy and 
1.5 miles runs through and adjacent to the Los Alamitos Armed Forces 
Training Base. Aside from the military facilities, this portion of the 
watershed is almost entirely urbanized. Agriculture is still practiced 
under leases granted by the Navy on portions of their property. The 
BCFC Channel outlets into Huntington Harbour, but unlike EGGW, does not 
outlet into Bolsa Bay. The sole ocean outlet for both Bolsa Bay and 
Huntington Harbour is to the north at Anaheim Bay and the Seal Beach 
National Wildlife Refuge. Tidal influence in the lowermost portion of 
the BCFC and East Garden Grove-Wintersburg Channels extended 
approximately 2 miles inland.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments to Ms. Lydia Lopez-Cruz at U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers, Los Angeles District, CESPL-PD-RN, c/o Lydia-Cruz, P.O. 
Box 532711, Los Angeles, CA 90053-2325.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Lydia Lopez-Cruz, Environmental 
Coordinator, at 213-452-3855 or e-mail at lydia.lopez-
cruz@usace.army.mil.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. Authorization. The proposed study is 
authorized in response to a House Resolution dated May 8, 1964, which 
reads as follows:

    ``Resolved by the Committee on Public Works of the House of 
Representatives, United States, that the Board of Engineers for 
Rivers and Harbors is hereby requested to review the reports on (a) 
San Gabriel River and Tributaries, published as House Document No. 
838, 76th Congress, 3d Session; (b) Santa Ana River and Tributaries, 
published as House Document No. 135, 81st Congress, 1st Session; and 
(c) the project authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1936 for the 
protection of the metropolitan area in Orange County, with a view to 
determining the advisability of modification of the authorized 
projects in the interest of flood control and related purposes.''

    2. Background. Before development, the watershed was largely 
comprised of grasses and trees, such as oaks, cottonwoods and sycamore. 
Early development was primarily agricultural with some residential. As 
of the early 1990s, 85 percent of the Westminster watershed was 
urbanized. Land use consists primarily of residential, commercial, 
military, light industrial, schools and parks, and transportation 
facilities. It is expected that in the next 50 years full development 
of the remaining agricultural and vacant land will occur. This future 
potential development is not expected to significantly affect the 
current flood conditions.
    3. Scoping Process. A scoping meeting is scheduled for January 25, 
2006, 6:30-8 p.m., at Garden Grove Civic Center, Community Meeting 
Center, Constitution Room, 11300 Stanford Ave., Garden Grove, CA 92840. 
Additional public meetings will be scheduled throughout the study. For 
specific dates, times and locations please contact Mary Anne 
Skorpanich, Orange County, at 714-834-5311 or e-mail at 
MaryAnne.Skorpanich @rdmd.ocgov.com. Potential impacts associated with 
the proposed action will be evaluated. Resource categories that will be 
analyzed are: physical environment, geology, biological resources, air 
quality, water quality, recreational usage, aesthetics, cultural 
resources, transportation, noise, hazardous waste, socioeconomics and 
safety.
    b. Participation of affected Federal, State and local resource 
agencies, Native American groups and concerned interest groups/
individuals is encouraged in the scoping process. Time and location of 
the Public Scoping meeting will also be announced by means of a letter, 
public announcements and news releases. Public participation will be 
especially important in defining the scope of analysis in the EIS/EIR, 
identifying significant environmental issues and impact analysis in the 
EIS/EIR and providing useful information such as published and 
unpublished data, personal knowledge of relevant issues and 
recommending mitigative measures associated with the proposed action.
    c. Those interested in providing information or data relevant to 
the environmental or social impacts that should be included or 
considered in the environmental analysis can furnish this information 
by writing to the points of contact indicated above or by attending the 
public scoping meeting. A mailing list will also be established so 
pertinent data may be distributed to interested parties.

    Dated: January 5, 2006.
Alex C. Dornstauder,
Colonel, U.S. Army, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 06-317 Filed 1-12-06; 8:45 am]
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