Final Environmental Impact Statement; Prisoners Harbor Coastal Wetland Restoration Plan, Channel Islands National Park, Santa Barbara County, CA; Notice of Availability, 21651-21652 [2010-9547]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 79 (Monday, April 26, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21651-21652]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-9547]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Final Environmental Impact Statement; Prisoners Harbor Coastal 
Wetland Restoration Plan, Channel Islands National Park, Santa Barbara 
County, CA; Notice of Availability

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Sec.  102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, the National Park Service, Department of the 
Interior, has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
assessing the potential impacts of restoring the coastal wetland and 
lower riparian corridor at Prisoners Harbor on Santa Cruz Island, 
Channel Island National Park. The Final EIS analyzes the effects of 
implementing proposed actions that accomplish the following objectives: 
(1) Recreate a more natural topography and hydrology by reconnecting 
the Canada del Puerto stream with its floodplain and removing non-
native eucalyptus trees and other vegetation which have proliferated in 
the lower drainage; (2) increase biological diversity and productivity 
by removing fill and restoring the historic wetland; (3) provide an 
enhanced visitor experience by installing additional interpretive 
displays; and (4) protect significant cultural and historic resources.
    Range of Alternatives: After identifying foreseeable environmental 
issues with the proposed restoration activities, conducting a site 
visit, and undertaking public scoping, the Park began developing 
alternatives for the area of potential effect. The Park assessed 
feasible extents of area of restored wetlands and considered several 
project scenarios.
    Alternative A (no action) and two action alternatives were 
identified and analyzed.
    Alternative B (\2/3\ Wetland Restoration with Partial Berm Removal) 
(agency-preferred alternative) involves removing approximately 15,000 
cubic yards of fill from the former wetland and restoring 3.1 acres of 
wetland, removing all cattle corrals, removing a portion of the berm 
and replanting the site with native plants, protecting the 
archeological site, removing eucalyptus from the riparian corridor, 
controlling other invasive plant species, and improving the visitor 
experience. Under supervision of park cultural resource specialists and 
after further consultation with the State Historic Preservation Office, 
the scale house would be partially dismantled, lifted off its current 
foundation, and reassembled and stabilized on a new foundation in its 
pre-1960's location. To mitigate the loss of the existing cattle corral 
complex and other associated features, the Park will build a corral 
structure similar to the sheep corrals in photos dated c. 1900. The 
corrals will be adjacent to the warehouse, extending toward the pier 
and parallel to the row of eucalyptus trees at the base of the cliff, 
and enclosing the relocated scale house. Design and materials will be 
determined by NPS cultural resource specialists during the design phase 
of the project.
    Alternative C (\1/3\ Wetland Restoration with Partial Berm Removal) 
involves removing fill to restore 2.1 acres of wetland, removing six of 
eight cattle corrals, keeping the scale house in its present location, 
removing a portion of the berm, protecting the archeological site, 
removing eucalyptus from the riparian corridor, controlling other 
invasive plant species, and improving the visitor experience.
    In general, the wetland restoration activities would begin with 
aggressively removing and disposing of known non-native invasive plants 
such as kikuyu grass, fennel, and eucalyptus. Removal and disposal 
techniques may include: Hand pulling or excavating by hand or 
mechanically; chain sawing; applying least-toxic herbicides; and/or 
burning or chipping plant residues. Next, old concrete foundations, 
corrals, posts, troughs, and other old features would be dismantled 
(and removed or reused where feasible). The Park then would remove 
approximately 250 feet of the low berm that severed the hydraulic 
connection between lower Canada del Puerto and its floodplain, excavate 
sand and rock fill to restore a portion of the buried wetlands, and 
replant the restored area with native wetland species. Work will be 
initiated in the late spring and completed in late summer or early fall 
when the wetland restoration area is in its driest condition, so that 
late-fall rains will initiate plant germination and growth after work 
is completed.
    Riparian restoration in Canada del Puerto would take place in a 
two-pronged, step-wise approach. In an area of approximately 20 acres 
eucalyptus trees would be removed (1) from downstream to upstream, and 
(2) from the hillside toward the stream bank. Woody native vegetation 
including established oaks, island cherry, and coffee berry would 
remain. The eucalyptus would be replaced with native species typical of 
chaparral and island riparian woodland including oak, cottonwood, 
willow, and maple.
    The Park proposes to protect high-value archeological resources at 
Prisoners Harbor from continuing (though lessened) exposure to stream 
flow erosion in Canada del Puerto by placement of a small earth, log, 
and cobble berm planted with native plants, thereby deflecting 
potential flood waters away from the culturally important area. The 
island gateway experience for visitors arriving at Prisoners Harbor 
will be enhanced by constructing temporary wayside exhibits, a wetland 
viewing bench, and/or interpretive signs.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS was 
published in the Federal Register on June 11, 2008. The Draft EIS was 
made available on May 15, 2009. Nine written comments from interested 
individuals, agencies, and organizations including The Santa Cruz 
Island Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, Santa Barbara Channel 
Keepers, and the National Marine Sanctuary were received. Four 
individuals attending a June 23, 2009, open house at the Park Visitor 
Center provided oral commentary. Comment topics included visitor 
experience, historical resources, marine resources, vegetation removal, 
flood flows, and best management practices. All issues raised were duly 
considered in preparing the Final EIS.
    The Final EIS is now available for public review. Printed and CD 
copies will be distributed, and are also available at park 
headquarters. Printed copies will be made available at E.P. Foster 
Library in Ventura and Central Library in Santa Barbara. A digital 
version will be available online at the Park Web site https://www.nps.gov/chis or the NPS Park Planning Web site at https://parkplanning.nps.gov. Inquiries regarding the Final EIS should be 
directed to: Superintendent, Channel Islands National Park, 1901 
Spinnaker Drive, Ventura, CA 93001; or by telephone at (805) 658-5700.
    Decision Process: A minimum 30-day no-action period begins with the 
Environmental Protection Agency's announcement of the publication and

[[Page 21652]]

availability of the Final EIS, after which a Record of Decision may be 
prepared. As a delegated EIS, the Regional Director, Pacific West 
Region, is responsible for the final decision; subsequently the 
Superintendent, Channel Islands National Park, would be responsible for 
plan implementation and monitoring activities.

    Dated: March 12, 2010.
Patricia L. Neubacher,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 2010-9547 Filed 4-23-10; 8:45 am]
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