Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Proposed Amoruso Ranch Project in Placer County, CA, Corps Permit Application Number SPK-2004-00888, 27421 [2016-10644]

Agencies

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

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 88 (Friday, May 6, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 27421]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-10644]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 
for the Proposed Amoruso Ranch Project in Placer County, CA, Corps 
Permit Application Number SPK-2004-00888

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: On March 17, 2014, Brookfield Sunset LLC (applicant) submitted 
a Department of the Army (DA) permit application for the discharge of 
dredged and/or fill material into waters of the United States (WOUS) 
associated with the construction of the proposed Amoruso Ranch project. 
On December 22, 2014, the U.S Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento 
District (Corps) determined that the proposed discharge of fill 
material into WOUS may result in significant impacts to the 
environment, and that the preparation of an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) is necessary. A revised DA permit application was 
submitted by the applicant on October 30, 2014.
    The applicant proposes to implement a large-scale, mixed-use, mixed 
density, master planned community. The proposed project consists of 
approximately 347 acres designated for residential use that would 
contain 2,827 dwelling units (in a mix of low, medium and high 
density), 51 acres for a village center and community commercial uses, 
12 acres for public/quasi-public space containing a fire station and 
school, 161 acres of parks and natural avoided areas of open space 
reserve and/or preserve, and 82 acres of associated infrastructure 
containing roads and other public transportation corridors. 
Approximately 17 acres of the adjacent Al Johnson Wildlife Area 
property would be used to construct a 325-foot long drainage ditch. No 
other off-site improvements are included in the proposed project. A 
segment of the future Placer Parkway would be constructed by others on 
49 acres of the site and is not part of this permit application.
    The proposed project site is approximately 674 acres and contains 
approximately 38.86 acres of WOUS, including: Vernal pools; seasonal 
wetlands; University Creek; and, grasslands. The proposed project would 
involve the discharge of fill material into approximately 18.64 acres 
of WOUS, including vernal pools, seasonal wetlands, and open water 
pond. The proposed project may also result in indirect impacts to WOUS, 
including wetlands.

DATES: The Corps will conduct a public scoping meeting on Thursday, May 
26, 2016, from 5:00-6:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public scoping meeting will be held in Rooms 1 & 2 of 
the Martha Riley Community Library, 1501 Pleasant Grove Boulevard, 
Roseville, CA, 95747.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Leah M. Fisher, (916) 557-6639, 
email: Leah.M.Fisher@usace.army.mil.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Interested parties are invited to submit 
written comments on or before July 5, 2016. Scoping comments should be 
submitted within the next 60 days, but may be submitted at any time 
prior to publication of the DEIS. To submit comments on this notice or 
for questions about proposed activities in WOUS and the DEIS please 
contact Ms. Leah M. Fisher at (916) 557-6639 or by email at 
Leah.M.Fisher@usace.army.mil, 1325 J Street, Room 1350, Sacramento, CA 
95814. Parties interested in being added to the Corps' electronic mail 
notification list for the proposed project can register at: https://www.spk.usace.army.mil/Media/RegulatoryPublicNotices.aspx. Please refer 
to Identification Number SPK-2004-00888 in any correspondence.
    The Amoruso Ranch project site is located in unincorporated western 
Placer County, south of West Sunset Boulevard, approximately 1.5 miles 
west of Fiddyment Road, east of Pettigrew Road, and north of Pleasant 
Grove Creek in Sections 10, 11, and 14, Township 11 North and Range 5 
east of the Pleasant Grove California 7.5-minute USGS quadrangle. The 
approximate center of the 674-acre site is Latitude 38.816667[deg], 
Longitude -121.384722[deg].
    A wetland delineation of the project site, which has been verified 
by the Corps, indicates there are approximately 38.86 acres of WOUS 
present within the proposed project area, including: 9.81 acres of 
vernal pools; 19.74 acres of seasonal wetland swales; 4.83 acres of 
seasonal wetlands; 1.82 acre of freshwater marsh; 1.92 acre of 
intermittent stream; 0.01 acre of ephemeral stream; and, 0.36 acre of 
open water pond. A wetland delineation of the off-site improvement area 
was conducted in June 2015. There are approximately 0.364 acre of WOUS 
present within the off-site improvement area, including: 0.34 acre of 
farmed wetland; 0.001 acre of vernal pool; and, 0.023 acre of seasonal 
stream.
    The EIS will include alternatives to the Proposed Action that will 
meet National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements for a 
reasonable range of alternatives, and will also meet the requirements 
of CWA section 404(b)(1) Guidelines. The alternatives to be evaluated 
within the EIS have not yet been developed, but will, at a minimum, 
include the No Action Alternative, the Proposed Action Alternative, and 
additional on-site and off-site alternatives.
    The Corps' public involvement program includes several 
opportunities to provide verbal and written comments on the proposed 
Amoruso Ranch Project through the EIS process. Affected federal, state, 
and local agencies, Native American tribes, and other interested 
private organizations and parties are invited to participate. 
Potentially significant issues to be analyzed in depth in the EIS 
include the loss of WOUS (including wetlands) and impacts related to: 
Cultural resources; biological resources; air quality; hydrology and 
water quality; noise; traffic; aesthetics; utilities and service 
systems; and, socioeconomic effects.
    The Corps will initiate formal consultation with the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service (USFWS) under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act 
for proposed impacts to listed species. The Corps will also consult 
with the State Historic Preservation Office under section 106 of the 
National Historic Preservation Act for proposed impacts to properties 
listed or potentially eligible for listing on the National Register of 
Historic Places, as appropriate.
    The Draft EIS is expected to be made available to the public by 
September 2017.

    Dated: April 26, 2016.
Jeffrey S. Palazzini,
Deputy District Commander.
[FR Doc. 2016-10644 Filed 5-5-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3720-58-P