Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Environmental Impact Report; Giacomini Wetlands Restoration Project, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, CA; Notice of Availability, 64734-64736 [06-9001]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 213 (Friday, November 3, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64734-64736]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-9001]


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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 
(https://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]
BILLING CODE 4312-FW-M