Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report for the Tijuana Estuary Tidal Restoration Program II Phase I, 51124-51126 [2022-17235]
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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 160 / Friday, August 19, 2022 / Notices
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[FR Doc. 2022–17904 Filed 8–18–22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210–67–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[Docket No. FWS–R8–NWRS–2022–N003;
FXRS12610800000–223–FF08RSDC00]
Draft Environmental Impact Statement/
Environmental Impact Report for the
Tijuana Estuary Tidal Restoration
Program II Phase I
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability, request
for comments.
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
AGENCY:
We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of a joint draft
environmental impact statement/
SUMMARY:
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18:26 Aug 18, 2022
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environmental impact report (DEIS/EIR)
for the Tijuana Estuary Tidal
Restoration Program II Phase I (TETRP
II Phase I). The Service, in partnership
with the California Department of Parks
and Recreation, is proposing coastal
wetland restoration within the Tijuana
River National Estuarine Research
Reserve on portions of both the Tijuana
Slough National Wildlife Refuge and
Border Field State Park, in San Diego
County, California. The U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers is participating in
the National Environmental Policy Act
process as a cooperating agency. This
notice advises the public that the DEIS/
EIR, which describes the coastal
wetland restoration alternatives
identified for TETRP II Phase I, is
available for public review and
comment.
DATES:
Submitting Comments: We will accept
comments received or postmarked on or
before October 3, 2022.
Virtual Public Meetings: The Service
will hold two virtual public meetings
during the public comment period to
describe the alternatives and answer
questions regarding the proposal and
the review process. Details regarding the
meeting dates and times, as well as a
link to participate in the public
meetings, are provided at https://
trnerr.org/about/public-notices (scroll
down to ‘‘TETRP II Phase I ’’).
ADDRESSES:
Document Availability: You may view
or download the DEIS/EIR at:
• Internet: https://trnerr.org/about/
public-notices/.
• In Person: Subject to restrictions
imposed in response to COVID–19, you
may view the available documents at
the following locations (call for office
hours before traveling to one of these
locations).
Æ Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center, 301
Caspian Way, Imperial Beach, CA 91932
(closed Mondays and Tuesdays);
telephone 619–575–3613.
Æ California Department of Parks and
Recreation, San Diego Coast District
Office, 4477 Pacific Highway, San
Diego, CA 92110; telephone 619–688–
3260.
Æ California Department of Parks and
Recreation, Southern Service Center,
NTC at Liberty Station, Barracks 26,
2797 Truxtun Road, San Diego, CA
92106; telephone 619–221–7060.
Æ Imperial Beach Branch Library, 810
Imperial Beach Blvd., Imperial Beach,
CA 91932; telephone 619–424–6981.
Æ San Ysidro Branch Library, 4235
Beyer Blvd., San Diego, CA 92173;
telephone 619–424–0475.
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Submitting Comments: You may
submit written comments by one of the
following methods:
• U.S. Mail: Brian Collins, USFWS,
San Diego NWR Complex, 1080
Gunpowder Point Drive, Chula Vista,
CA 91910.
• Email: fw8plancomments@fws.gov;
please include ‘‘TETRP DEIS/EIR’’ in
the email subject line.
• In-Person Drop-off: You may drop
off comments at the Tijuana Estuary
Visitor Center (see Document
Availability, above), Wednesday
through Sunday between 10 a.m. and 5
p.m.
We request that you submit comments
by only the methods described above.
For additional information about
submitting comments, see Public
Availability of Comments under
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
Virtual Public Meetings: The dates
and times for the virtual meetings, along
with a link and access instructions, are
posted at https://trnerr.org/about/
public-notices/.
Reviewing U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) comments on
the DEIS/EIR: See EPA’s Role in the EIS
Process under SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Brian Collins, Refuge Manager, at brian_
collins@fws.gov or 760–431–9440,
extension 273. Individuals in the United
States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of
hearing, or have a speech disability may
dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to
access telecommunications relay
services. Individuals outside the United
States should use the relay services
offered within their country to make
international calls to the point-ofcontact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service),
announce the availability of a joint draft
environmental impact statement/
environmental impact report (DEIS/EIR)
for the Tijuana Estuary Tidal
Restoration Program II Phase I (TETRP
II Phase I). The Service, in partnership
with the California Department of Parks
and Recreation (CDPR), is proposing
coastal wetland restoration within the
Tijuana River National Estuarine
Research Reserve on portions of both
the Tijuana Slough National Wildlife
Refuge (TSNWR) and Border Field State
Park, in San Diego County, California.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is
participating in the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
process as a cooperating agency. This
notice advises the public that the DEIS/
EIR, which describes the coastal
wetland restoration alternatives
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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 160 / Friday, August 19, 2022 / Notices
identified for TETRP II Phase I, is
available for public review and
comment.
The Service and CDPR have jointly
prepared the DEIS/EIR to evaluate the
impacts of implementing TETRP II
Phase I on the human environment,
consistent with the purpose and goals of
NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and
pursuant to the Council on
Environmental Quality’s implementing
NEPA regulations at 40 CFR parts 1500–
1508. The DEIS/EIR will also be used by
CDPR to satisfy the requirements of the
California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA), as provided in Public
Resources Code 21000 et seq and the
CEQA Guidelines (Title 14, Division 6,
Chapter 3 of the California Code of
Regulations). A notice of intent to
prepare a DEIS/EIR for TETRP II Phase
I was published in the Federal Register
on May 27, 2021 (86 FR 28638). We
have considered the comments we
received during the scoping process,
and have addressed them as applicable
in the DEIS/EIR.
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
Project Location
The project site, which encompasses
approximately 90 acres (ac), is located
within the southern arm of the Tijuana
Estuary, just to the east of the Pacific
Ocean, in southwestern San Diego
County, California. The site includes
portions of both the TSNWR and Border
Field State Park. The project site is
located entirely within the Tijuana
River National Estuarine Research
Reserve.
Background
Tijuana Estuary is located at the
southwest corner of the United States in
San Diego County, California, where the
Tijuana River drains an approximately
1,700-square-mile watershed, a large
portion of which is located within
Mexico. Despite recent changes to the
upstream watershed, including an
increase in the flow of contaminated
freshwater inputs and sedimentation,
the Tijuana Estuary remains the largest,
most intact coastal wetland in the
region, supporting habitat for resident
and migratory wildlife and native
plants, including many sensitive,
threatened, and endangered species.
It is estimated that in the 1800s,
Tijuana Estuary included over 2,500 ac
of estuarine wetlands. Since then, the
estuary has experienced an
approximately 50 percent decrease in
subtidal and mudflat habitat and a 42
percent decrease in salt marsh. In
addition, extensive loss of tidal prism
(i.e., the volume of water coming and
going with the tides) has occurred. This
degradation in the southern arm of
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Tijuana Estuary served as the primary
motivation for the initiation of Tijuana
Estuary Tidal Restoration Program
(TETRP), an extensive restoration
proposal developed in the early 1990s.
The TETRP proposal included a
multi-phased 495-ac restoration project
in the estuary’s southern arm, along
with a proposed Model Marsh and
Oneonta Tidal Linkage project (both of
which have been implemented). The
final EIR/EIS for the original TETRP
proposal was completed in 1991. Based
on updated research and analysis, the
TETRP restoration proposals were
refined in 2008 as part of the Tijuana
Estuary Friendship Marsh Restoration
Feasibility and Design Study. TETRP II
Phase I is the first phase of this 2008
multi-phased restoration project.
National Environmental Policy Act
In compliance with NEPA (42 U.S.C.
4321 et seq.), the Service has prepared
this DEIS/EIR that describes the project
setting and restoration planning history
for the Tijuana Estuary and analyzes the
environmental consequences of each
alternative, including the effects of
those alternatives when combined with
reasonably foreseeable future actions
and environmental trends, to determine
if significant impacts to the human
environment would occur. Three
alternatives are analyzed in detail in the
DEIS/EIR: two action alternatives and a
no action/no project alternative. All
alternatives are analyzed in the DEIS/
EIR at an equal level of detail. The
primary differences between the two
action alternatives are the total acres of
restored intertidal mudflat habitat
versus restored intertidal salt marsh
habitat, the total volume of excavated
material generated, and the number of
tidal channels constructed to facilitate
tidal flows into the restored wetlands
from the South Beach Slough.
Common features include restoration
of predominantly disturbed portions of
the southern arm of Tijuana Estuary to
tidal wetlands, tidal channel
enhancements, and new intertidal
channel connections to restored habitat
areas and the existing Model Marsh,
incorporation of wetland-to-upland
transitional habitat areas into the
restoration design, and river mouth
excavation, as needed, to ensure
continued tidal exchange within the
estuary. Additionally, both action
alternatives propose the beneficial reuse
of suitable excavated material for beach
nourishment, development and
maintenance of adjacent coastal barrier
dunes, and reclamation of the Nelson
Sloan Quarry. Excavated material not
suitable for these purposes would be
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51125
transported off site to the Otay Landfill
or another suitable disposal site.
Alternative 1—Alternative 1, which
includes 86.8 ac, was designed to
maximize deeper intertidal habitats,
such as mudflat, and to increase tidal
prism in the southern arm of the
estuary. A network of intertidal
channels would connect with existing
tidal channels and the mouth of the
Tijuana River. The primary tidal
connection would be the existing South
Beach Slough, which would be made
deeper. A smaller tidal connection
would be provided to the existing Old
River Slough, where the adjacent
vegetated marsh habitat would be
preserved. Excavation to restore wetland
habitats would generate approximately
585,000 cubic yards (cy) of sediment,
with approximately 5,000 cy to be used
to establish higher elevation transitional
areas within the restoration footprint.
Alternative 2 (Proposed Action)—
Alternative 2, identified in the DEIS/EIR
as the proposed action, includes a
restoration footprint of approximately
83.6 ac and proposes to restore
approximately 82.5 ac of wetland
habitats from primarily disturbed
upland habitat, while preserving 1.1 ac
of transitional and upland habitat
within the northern portion of the
project site. The restored habitats would
generally be located in and around the
Model Marsh. A system of tidal
channels would be established, with
connections to existing tidal channels at
three points, including two along South
Beach Slough and one at Old River
Slough. South Beach Slough would be
deepened to increase tidal flows into the
proposed restoration area, and transition
zone habitat would be restored along the
southern portion of the restoration area
and intermittently around the perimeter
of Model Marsh. Excavation would
generate approximately 521,000 cy of
material, with approximately 7,000 cy to
be used on site to establish higher
elevation transitional areas. As
described above, the remainder of the
excavated material, depending upon its
suitability, would be beneficially reused
for beach nourishment, transported off
site for beneficial reuse at other project
sites, and/or disposed of in a landfill.
No Action Alternative—Under the No
Action Alternative, restoration of the
estuary would not be implemented. No
removal of soil or vegetation would
occur to restore or establish habitat
within the project site. New or widened
channel connections would not be
implemented. Periodic removal of sand
from the estuary’s river mouth could
continue to occur under separate
approvals, but activities would be
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51126
Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 160 / Friday, August 19, 2022 / Notices
restricted to the river mouth and would
not extend into the estuary.
EPA’s Role in the EIS Process
The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is charged with reviewing
all Federal agencies’ EISs and
commenting on the adequacy and
acceptability of the environmental
impacts of proposed actions. Therefore,
in addition to our publication of this
notice, the EPA is publishing a notice in
the Federal Register announcing the
DEIS, as required under section 309 of
the Clean Air Act (CAA; 42 U.S.C. 7401
et seq.). The publication date of EPA’s
notice of availability is the start of the
public comment period for the DEIS/
EIR. Under the CAA, EPA also must
subsequently announce the final EIS via
the Federal Register. EPA also serves as
the repository (EIS database) for EISs
prepared by Federal agencies. The EIS
database provides information about
EISs prepared by Federal agencies, as
well as EPA’s comments concerning the
EISs. You may search for EPA
comments on EISs, along with EISs
themselves, at https://cdxapps.epa.gov/
cdx-enepa-II/public/action/eis/search.
Public Comments
You may submit your written
comments and materials by one of the
methods presented in ADDRESSES.
No opportunity will be provided for
verbal comments during the virtual
public meetings described under DATES.
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
Reasonable Accommodations
Persons needing reasonable
accommodations to participate in the
virtual public meetings should contact
the Service as soon as possible, using
one of the methods listed under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. To allow
sufficient time to process requests,
please make contact no later than one
week before the scheduled public
meetings.
Information regarding this proposed
action is available in alternative formats
upon request.
Public Availability of Comments
You may submit your comments by
one of the methods listed in ADDRESSES.
Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other
personal identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware that
your entire comment—including your
personal identifying information—may
be made publicly available at any time.
While you can ask us in your comment
to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
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Next Steps and Decision To Be Made
After public comment, we will
evaluate any comments received and
prepare written responses, which will
be included with the final EIS. The
Service expects to announce the
availability of the final EIS in the
Federal Register in early 2023. After
consideration of the analysis and
information provided in the final EIS, as
well as the comments received
throughout the review process, the
Regional Director will select the
alternative that best achieves the
purpose and need for the intended
action. The decision, which will be
documented in the record of decision,
will also consider the consistency of the
action with agency policies, regulations,
and applicable laws, and the
contribution it will make towards
achieving the purposes for which the
TSNWR was established. At least 30
days after the final EIS is available, we
expect the record of decision will be
completed, in accordance with
applicable timeframes established in 40
CFR 1506.11.
Authority
We provide this notice in accordance
with the requirements of NEPA and its
implementing regulations (40 CFR
1503.1 and 1506.6).
Jill Russi,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific Southwest
Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2022–17235 Filed 8–18–22; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS–R1–ES–2022–N041;
FXES11130100000–223–FF01E00000]
Endangered Species; Receipt of
Recovery Permit Applications
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of receipt of permit
applications; request for comments.
AGENCY:
We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, have received
applications for permits to conduct
activities intended to enhance the
propagation and survival of endangered
species under the Endangered Species
Act. We invite the public and local,
State, Tribal, and Federal agencies to
comment on these applications. Before
issuing the requested permits, we will
take into consideration any information
that we receive during the public
comment period.
SUMMARY:
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We must receive your written
comments on or before September 19,
2022.
ADDRESSES: Document availability and
comment submission: Submit a request
for a copy of the application and related
documents and submit any comments
by one of the following methods. All
requests and comments should specify
the applicant name and application
number (e.g., Dana Ross,
ESPER0001705):
• Email: permitsR1ES@fws.gov.
• U.S. Mail: Marilet Zablan, Regional
Program Manager, Restoration and
Endangered Species Classification,
Ecological Services, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Pacific Regional
Office, 911 NE 11th Avenue, Portland,
OR 97232–4181.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Colleen Henson, Regional Recovery
Permit Coordinator, Ecological Services,
(503) 231–6131 (phone); permitsR1ES@
fws.gov (email). Individuals in the
United States who are deaf, deafblind,
hard of hearing, or have a speech
disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or
TeleBraille) to access
telecommunications relay services.
Individuals outside the United States
should use the relay services offered
within their country to make
international calls to the point-ofcontact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite
the public to comment on applications
for permits under section 10(a)(1)(A) of
the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as
amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
The requested permits would allow the
applicants to conduct activities
intended to promote recovery of species
that are listed as endangered under the
ESA.
DATES:
Background
With some exceptions, the ESA
prohibits activities that constitute take
of listed species unless a Federal permit
is issued that allows such activity. The
ESA’s definition of ‘‘take’’ includes such
activities as pursuing, harassing,
trapping, capturing, or collecting, in
addition to hunting, shooting, harming,
wounding, or killing.
A recovery permit issued by us under
section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA
authorizes the permittee to conduct
activities with endangered or threatened
species for scientific purposes that
promote recovery or for enhancement of
propagation or survival of the species.
These activities often include such
prohibited actions as capture and
collection. Our regulations
implementing section 10(a)(1)(A) for
E:\FR\FM\19AUN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 160 (Friday, August 19, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51124-51126]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-17235]
=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[Docket No. FWS-R8-NWRS-2022-N003; FXRS12610800000-223-FF08RSDC00]
Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report
for the Tijuana Estuary Tidal Restoration Program II Phase I
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability, request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of a joint draft environmental impact statement/
environmental impact report (DEIS/EIR) for the Tijuana Estuary Tidal
Restoration Program II Phase I (TETRP II Phase I). The Service, in
partnership with the California Department of Parks and Recreation, is
proposing coastal wetland restoration within the Tijuana River National
Estuarine Research Reserve on portions of both the Tijuana Slough
National Wildlife Refuge and Border Field State Park, in San Diego
County, California. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is participating
in the National Environmental Policy Act process as a cooperating
agency. This notice advises the public that the DEIS/EIR, which
describes the coastal wetland restoration alternatives identified for
TETRP II Phase I, is available for public review and comment.
DATES:
Submitting Comments: We will accept comments received or postmarked
on or before October 3, 2022.
Virtual Public Meetings: The Service will hold two virtual public
meetings during the public comment period to describe the alternatives
and answer questions regarding the proposal and the review process.
Details regarding the meeting dates and times, as well as a link to
participate in the public meetings, are provided at https://trnerr.org/about/public-notices (scroll down to ``TETRP II Phase I '').
ADDRESSES:
Document Availability: You may view or download the DEIS/EIR at:
Internet: https://trnerr.org/about/public-notices/.
In Person: Subject to restrictions imposed in response to
COVID-19, you may view the available documents at the following
locations (call for office hours before traveling to one of these
locations).
[cir] Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center, 301 Caspian Way, Imperial
Beach, CA 91932 (closed Mondays and Tuesdays); telephone 619-575-3613.
[cir] California Department of Parks and Recreation, San Diego
Coast District Office, 4477 Pacific Highway, San Diego, CA 92110;
telephone 619-688-3260.
[cir] California Department of Parks and Recreation, Southern
Service Center, NTC at Liberty Station, Barracks 26, 2797 Truxtun Road,
San Diego, CA 92106; telephone 619-221-7060.
[cir] Imperial Beach Branch Library, 810 Imperial Beach Blvd.,
Imperial Beach, CA 91932; telephone 619-424-6981.
[cir] San Ysidro Branch Library, 4235 Beyer Blvd., San Diego, CA
92173; telephone 619-424-0475.
Submitting Comments: You may submit written comments by one of the
following methods:
U.S. Mail: Brian Collins, USFWS, San Diego NWR Complex,
1080 Gunpowder Point Drive, Chula Vista, CA 91910.
Email: [email protected]; please include ``TETRP
DEIS/EIR'' in the email subject line.
In-Person Drop-off: You may drop off comments at the
Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center (see Document Availability, above),
Wednesday through Sunday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
We request that you submit comments by only the methods described
above. For additional information about submitting comments, see Public
Availability of Comments under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
Virtual Public Meetings: The dates and times for the virtual
meetings, along with a link and access instructions, are posted at
https://trnerr.org/about/public-notices/.
Reviewing U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) comments on
the DEIS/EIR: See EPA's Role in the EIS Process under SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian Collins, Refuge Manager, at
[email protected] or 760-431-9440, extension 273. Individuals in
the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a
speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access
telecommunications relay services. Individuals outside the United
States should use the relay services offered within their country to
make international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(Service), announce the availability of a joint draft environmental
impact statement/environmental impact report (DEIS/EIR) for the Tijuana
Estuary Tidal Restoration Program II Phase I (TETRP II Phase I). The
Service, in partnership with the California Department of Parks and
Recreation (CDPR), is proposing coastal wetland restoration within the
Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve on portions of both
the Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge (TSNWR) and Border Field
State Park, in San Diego County, California. The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers is participating in the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) process as a cooperating agency. This notice advises the public
that the DEIS/EIR, which describes the coastal wetland restoration
alternatives
[[Page 51125]]
identified for TETRP II Phase I, is available for public review and
comment.
The Service and CDPR have jointly prepared the DEIS/EIR to evaluate
the impacts of implementing TETRP II Phase I on the human environment,
consistent with the purpose and goals of NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.)
and pursuant to the Council on Environmental Quality's implementing
NEPA regulations at 40 CFR parts 1500-1508. The DEIS/EIR will also be
used by CDPR to satisfy the requirements of the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), as provided in Public Resources Code
21000 et seq and the CEQA Guidelines (Title 14, Division 6, Chapter 3
of the California Code of Regulations). A notice of intent to prepare a
DEIS/EIR for TETRP II Phase I was published in the Federal Register on
May 27, 2021 (86 FR 28638). We have considered the comments we received
during the scoping process, and have addressed them as applicable in
the DEIS/EIR.
Project Location
The project site, which encompasses approximately 90 acres (ac), is
located within the southern arm of the Tijuana Estuary, just to the
east of the Pacific Ocean, in southwestern San Diego County,
California. The site includes portions of both the TSNWR and Border
Field State Park. The project site is located entirely within the
Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve.
Background
Tijuana Estuary is located at the southwest corner of the United
States in San Diego County, California, where the Tijuana River drains
an approximately 1,700-square-mile watershed, a large portion of which
is located within Mexico. Despite recent changes to the upstream
watershed, including an increase in the flow of contaminated freshwater
inputs and sedimentation, the Tijuana Estuary remains the largest, most
intact coastal wetland in the region, supporting habitat for resident
and migratory wildlife and native plants, including many sensitive,
threatened, and endangered species.
It is estimated that in the 1800s, Tijuana Estuary included over
2,500 ac of estuarine wetlands. Since then, the estuary has experienced
an approximately 50 percent decrease in subtidal and mudflat habitat
and a 42 percent decrease in salt marsh. In addition, extensive loss of
tidal prism (i.e., the volume of water coming and going with the tides)
has occurred. This degradation in the southern arm of Tijuana Estuary
served as the primary motivation for the initiation of Tijuana Estuary
Tidal Restoration Program (TETRP), an extensive restoration proposal
developed in the early 1990s.
The TETRP proposal included a multi-phased 495-ac restoration
project in the estuary's southern arm, along with a proposed Model
Marsh and Oneonta Tidal Linkage project (both of which have been
implemented). The final EIR/EIS for the original TETRP proposal was
completed in 1991. Based on updated research and analysis, the TETRP
restoration proposals were refined in 2008 as part of the Tijuana
Estuary Friendship Marsh Restoration Feasibility and Design Study.
TETRP II Phase I is the first phase of this 2008 multi-phased
restoration project.
National Environmental Policy Act
In compliance with NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Service has
prepared this DEIS/EIR that describes the project setting and
restoration planning history for the Tijuana Estuary and analyzes the
environmental consequences of each alternative, including the effects
of those alternatives when combined with reasonably foreseeable future
actions and environmental trends, to determine if significant impacts
to the human environment would occur. Three alternatives are analyzed
in detail in the DEIS/EIR: two action alternatives and a no action/no
project alternative. All alternatives are analyzed in the DEIS/EIR at
an equal level of detail. The primary differences between the two
action alternatives are the total acres of restored intertidal mudflat
habitat versus restored intertidal salt marsh habitat, the total volume
of excavated material generated, and the number of tidal channels
constructed to facilitate tidal flows into the restored wetlands from
the South Beach Slough.
Common features include restoration of predominantly disturbed
portions of the southern arm of Tijuana Estuary to tidal wetlands,
tidal channel enhancements, and new intertidal channel connections to
restored habitat areas and the existing Model Marsh, incorporation of
wetland-to-upland transitional habitat areas into the restoration
design, and river mouth excavation, as needed, to ensure continued
tidal exchange within the estuary. Additionally, both action
alternatives propose the beneficial reuse of suitable excavated
material for beach nourishment, development and maintenance of adjacent
coastal barrier dunes, and reclamation of the Nelson Sloan Quarry.
Excavated material not suitable for these purposes would be transported
off site to the Otay Landfill or another suitable disposal site.
Alternative 1--Alternative 1, which includes 86.8 ac, was designed
to maximize deeper intertidal habitats, such as mudflat, and to
increase tidal prism in the southern arm of the estuary. A network of
intertidal channels would connect with existing tidal channels and the
mouth of the Tijuana River. The primary tidal connection would be the
existing South Beach Slough, which would be made deeper. A smaller
tidal connection would be provided to the existing Old River Slough,
where the adjacent vegetated marsh habitat would be preserved.
Excavation to restore wetland habitats would generate approximately
585,000 cubic yards (cy) of sediment, with approximately 5,000 cy to be
used to establish higher elevation transitional areas within the
restoration footprint.
Alternative 2 (Proposed Action)--Alternative 2, identified in the
DEIS/EIR as the proposed action, includes a restoration footprint of
approximately 83.6 ac and proposes to restore approximately 82.5 ac of
wetland habitats from primarily disturbed upland habitat, while
preserving 1.1 ac of transitional and upland habitat within the
northern portion of the project site. The restored habitats would
generally be located in and around the Model Marsh. A system of tidal
channels would be established, with connections to existing tidal
channels at three points, including two along South Beach Slough and
one at Old River Slough. South Beach Slough would be deepened to
increase tidal flows into the proposed restoration area, and transition
zone habitat would be restored along the southern portion of the
restoration area and intermittently around the perimeter of Model
Marsh. Excavation would generate approximately 521,000 cy of material,
with approximately 7,000 cy to be used on site to establish higher
elevation transitional areas. As described above, the remainder of the
excavated material, depending upon its suitability, would be
beneficially reused for beach nourishment, transported off site for
beneficial reuse at other project sites, and/or disposed of in a
landfill.
No Action Alternative--Under the No Action Alternative, restoration
of the estuary would not be implemented. No removal of soil or
vegetation would occur to restore or establish habitat within the
project site. New or widened channel connections would not be
implemented. Periodic removal of sand from the estuary's river mouth
could continue to occur under separate approvals, but activities would
be
[[Page 51126]]
restricted to the river mouth and would not extend into the estuary.
EPA's Role in the EIS Process
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is charged with
reviewing all Federal agencies' EISs and commenting on the adequacy and
acceptability of the environmental impacts of proposed actions.
Therefore, in addition to our publication of this notice, the EPA is
publishing a notice in the Federal Register announcing the DEIS, as
required under section 309 of the Clean Air Act (CAA; 42 U.S.C. 7401 et
seq.). The publication date of EPA's notice of availability is the
start of the public comment period for the DEIS/EIR. Under the CAA, EPA
also must subsequently announce the final EIS via the Federal Register.
EPA also serves as the repository (EIS database) for EISs prepared by
Federal agencies. The EIS database provides information about EISs
prepared by Federal agencies, as well as EPA's comments concerning the
EISs. You may search for EPA comments on EISs, along with EISs
themselves, at https://cdxapps.epa.gov/cdx-enepa-II/public/action/eis/search.
Public Comments
You may submit your written comments and materials by one of the
methods presented in ADDRESSES.
No opportunity will be provided for verbal comments during the
virtual public meetings described under DATES.
Reasonable Accommodations
Persons needing reasonable accommodations to participate in the
virtual public meetings should contact the Service as soon as possible,
using one of the methods listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
To allow sufficient time to process requests, please make contact no
later than one week before the scheduled public meetings.
Information regarding this proposed action is available in
alternative formats upon request.
Public Availability of Comments
You may submit your comments by one of the methods listed in
ADDRESSES. Before including your address, phone number, email address,
or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should
be aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
Next Steps and Decision To Be Made
After public comment, we will evaluate any comments received and
prepare written responses, which will be included with the final EIS.
The Service expects to announce the availability of the final EIS in
the Federal Register in early 2023. After consideration of the analysis
and information provided in the final EIS, as well as the comments
received throughout the review process, the Regional Director will
select the alternative that best achieves the purpose and need for the
intended action. The decision, which will be documented in the record
of decision, will also consider the consistency of the action with
agency policies, regulations, and applicable laws, and the contribution
it will make towards achieving the purposes for which the TSNWR was
established. At least 30 days after the final EIS is available, we
expect the record of decision will be completed, in accordance with
applicable timeframes established in 40 CFR 1506.11.
Authority
We provide this notice in accordance with the requirements of NEPA
and its implementing regulations (40 CFR 1503.1 and 1506.6).
Jill Russi,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific Southwest Region, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-17235 Filed 8-18-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P
