Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed SunCreek Project, in Sacramento County, CA, 39675 [06-6193]

Agencies

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

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 134 (Thursday, July 13, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 39675]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-6193]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Proposed SunCreek Project, in Sacramento County, CA

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 (Corps), Sacramento District, 
will prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Corps 
authorization actions on the proposed SunCreek Specific Plan project, 
which as proposed would result in the permanent loss of approximately 
18.25 acres of waters of the United States, including vernal pools and 
other wetlands. The overall project purpose is to construct large scale 
mixed-use development in Sacramento County.

DATES: A public scoping meeting will be held on July 26, 2006 from 6:30 
p.m. to 8 p.m. The projected date for public release of the DEIS is 
Summer 2007.

ADDRESSES: The public scoping meeting will be held at Rancho Cordova 
City Hall, 2729 Prospect Park Drive, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670. Written 
comments may be mailed to Mr. William Ness at 1325 J Street, Room 1480, 
Sacramento CA 95814-2922. All comments must be received by August 26, 
2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and DEIS can be answered by Mr. William Ness, telephone (916) 557-5268, 
or e-mail at william.w.ness@usace.army.mil. Please refer to 
identification number 200500888.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The applicants have applied for a Department 
of the Army permit under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act to 
construct a mixed-use development project. The proposed project would 
be developed on approximately 1,253 acres south of Douglas Road, north 
of Jackson Highway (State Route 16), west of Grant Line Road, and east 
of Sunrise Boulevard. The proposed project consists of approximately 
5,600 residential homes, 20 acres of retail/commercial offices, 6 
parks, 4 schools, and wetland preserve and other open space areas. The 
proposed project site is generally undeveloped and has a history of 
occasional use for dry land farming and grazing on spring grasses.
    A total of 36.915 acres of waters of the United States have been 
identified on the project site, including 17.505 acres of vernal pools, 
9.156 acres of non-vernal pool wetland, 2.056 acres of ponds, and 8.198 
acres of drainage/stream channels. The applicants have applied to fill 
approximately 18.252 acres of these waters to construct the project. A 
216.5-acre wetland preserve would be created in the central potion of 
the project, generally following the Laguna Creek drainage. The 
preserve would contain 18.663 acres of waters of the United States.
    The proposed project may affect federally-listed threatened or 
endangered species or their critical habitat, including vernal pool 
fairy shrimp, vernal pool tadpole shrimp, Sacramento orcutt grass, and 
slender orcutt grass. Once a biological assessment is completed the 
Corps will initiate Section 7 consultation with the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service. The Corps will also consult with the State Historic 
Preservation Office under Section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act for properties listed or potentially eligible for 
listing on the National Register of Historic Places, as appropriate.
    A number of on-site and off-site project alternatives, including 
the no-action alternative, will be evaluated in the DEIS in accordance 
with NEPA and the Section 404(b)(1) guidelines.
    Potentially significant issues to be analyzed in depth in the DEIS 
include loss of waters of the United States (including wetlands), 
cultural resources, biological resources, air quality, hydrology and 
water quality, noise, traffic, aesthetics, utilities and service 
systems, and socio-economic effects.
    The Environmental Impact Statement will be prepared as a joint 
document with the City of Rancho Cordova. The City is the local agency 
responsible for preparing an Environmental Impact Report in compliance 
with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
    The above determinations are based on information provided by the 
applicant and the Corp's Preliminary review. The Corps is soliciting 
verbal and written comments from the public, Federal, State, local 
agencies and officials, Indian tribes, and other interested parties in 
order to consider and evaluate the impacts of this proposed activity. 
The Corps' public involvement program includes several opportunities to 
provide oral and written comments. Affected Federal, State, and local 
agencies, Indian tribes, and other interested private organizations and 
the general public are invited to participate.

    Dated: June 29, 2006.
Ronald N. Light,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 06-6193 Filed 7-12-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-EH-M