[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 181 (Tuesday, September 20, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55116-55117]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-18651]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/
Environmental Impact Report for the Ballona Creek Ecosystem Restoration
Feasibility Study, Los Angeles County, CA
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The Los Angeles District intends to prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) to support a
cost-shared ecosystem restoration feasibility study with the Santa
Monica Bay Restoration Commission. The proposed project study areas has
been degraded by encroachment of non-native plants, placement of fill
from Marina Del Rey, interruption of the hydrologic regime, trash
accumulation, and varied attempts at bank protection along the creek
using rock and concrete. Direct benefits of the proposed project
include improved habitat and water quality, reductions in waste and
trash, and aesthetics. The watershed is an important resource for both
recreational uses and for fish, and wildlife and further degradation
could jeopardize remaining. The purpose of the feasibility study is to
evaluate alternatives for channel modification, habitat restoration
(coastal and freshwater wetlands and riparian), recreation, and related
purposes along the lower reach of the Ballona Creek.
DATES: A public scoping meeting will be held on September 29, 2005 at 6
p.m.
ADDRESSES: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District, CESPL-
PD, P.O. Box 532711, Los Angeles, CA 90053 and Santa Monica Bay
Restoration Commission, 320 West 4th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shannon Dellaquila, Project
Environmental Manager, at (213) 452-3850 or Malisa Martin, Project
Study Manager at (213) 452-3828.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Authorization
This study was prepared as an interim response to the following
authorities provided by Congress under Section 216 of the Flood Control
Act of 1970, which states:
The Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of
Engineers, is authorized to review the operation of projects the
construction of which has been completed and which were constructed
by the Corps of Engineers in the interest of navigation, flood
control, water supply, and related purposes, when found advisable
due the significantly changed physical or economic conditions, and
to report thereon to Congress with recommendations on the
advisability of modifying the structures or their operation, and for
improving the quality of the environment in the overall public
interest;
supplemented by House Resolution on Public Works and Transportation
dated September 28, 1994 which states:
The Secretary of the Army is requested to review the report of
the Chief of Engineers on Playa del Rey Inlet and Basin, Venice,
California, published as House Document 389, Eighty-third Congress,
Second Session, and other pertinent reports, to determine whether
modifications of the recommendations contained therein are advisable
at present time, in the interest of navigation, hurricane and storm
damage reduction, environmental restoration, and other purposes at
Marina del Rey Harbor, Los Angeles, California, with consideration
given to disposal of contaminated sediments from the entrance
channel required under the existing operation and maintenance
program at Marina del Rey.
2. Background
The Ballona Creek Ecosystem Restoration study area lies within Los
Angeles County, CA and includes portions of Marina del Rey, Culver
City, Playa del Rey, and the City of Los Angeles. The study area, a
component of the greater Ballona Creek Watershed, includes the lower
reach of Ballona Creek extending southwest from Cochran Avenue, in Los
Angeles, to Pacific Ocean in Marina del Rey. specific features of the
Ballona Creek watershed, including existing and historic wetland areas,
the Ballona Lagoon, Del Rey Lagoon, Venice Canal, Grand Canal, the
Oxford Drain and the Ballona Channel and tributaries, will be addressed
in this study.
The greater Ballona Creek system drains a watershed of
approximately 329 square kilometers (81,300 acres), and is the largest
tributary that drains into the Santa Monica Bay. Ballona Creek collects
runoff from several partially urbanized canyons on the south slopes of
the Santa Monica Mountains as well as from intensely urbanized areas of
West Los Angeles, Culver City, Beverly Hills, Hollywood, and parts of
Central Los Angeles. The urbanized areas account for 80 percent of the
watershed area, and the partially developed foothills and mountains
make up the remaining 20 percent. The watershed boundary includes the
Santa Monica Mountains on the north, the unincorporated area known as
Baldwin Hills, and the City of Inglewood on the south.
The Ballona Creek Ecosystem Restoration study footprint's southern
boundary is defined by the Westcheste Bluffs, which run southwest from
the San Diego (405) Freeway beyond Loyola Marymount University. The
western boundary extends from the Pacific Ocean. The eastern boundary
begins where Ballona Creek daylights at Cochran Avenue and Venice
Boulevard in a section of Los Angeles known as the Mid City.
Tributaries of Ballona Creek include Centinela Creek, Sepulveda Canyon
Channel, Benedict Canyon Channel, and numerous storm drains.
The Ballona Creek watershed ecosystem has been altered by intense
land development, encroachment of non-native plants, trash
accumulation, and varied attempts at bank protection along the creek
using rock and concrete. Although an important function of the Ballona
Creek is as a flood control channel, the lower watershed is still an
important resource for both recreational uses and for fish and wildlife
habitat. Further impairment could jeopardize remaining habitat. This
study will evaluate opportunities for habitat restoration (including
wetland and riparian habitat), improvements to water quality, trash
mitigation, and recreation and related purposes along the lower reach
of the Ballona creek.
3. Problems and Needs
At least ninety (90) percent of historic coastal wetlands in
California have been lost due to filing, dredging, flood control and
intensive development. Within the Lower Ballona Creek Watershed,
remaining fragmented wetland areas have been degraded due to diminished
hydraulic function, poor water quality and introduction of exotic
plants and animals. While functioning wetland systems and riparian
habitat remain, they are stressed.
Channelization of the Ballona Creek and filling of
historic wetland and riparian areas have contributed to degradation and
loss of habitat due to impeded tidal exchange and circulation.
Contaminated stormwater runoff and trash loading has
degraded Ballona Creek water quality.
Habitat alteration and loss has decreased biodiversity and
overall ecological health, threatening the survival of native
endangered species such as the California least tern (Sterna antillarum
brown), snowy plover (Charadrius alexandrinus), and the Belding's
Savannah Sparrow (Sandwichensis beldingi).
The current design of the Flood Control channel has
resulted in a lack
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of recreational opportunities and is considered aesthetically
challenged.
At present there is no integrated approach and partnership
amongst stakeholders to resolve lower Ballona Creek in-stream and
wetland degradation issues, which has led to uncoordinated and
sometimes redundant and unsuccessful improvement measures.
4. Proposed Action and Alternative
The Los Angeles District will investigate and evaluate all
reasonable alternatives to address the problems and need stated above.
In addition to a without project (No Action) Alternative, both
structural and non-structural environmental measures will be
investigated. An assessment of the feasibility of removing impervious
surfaces from the Ballona Channel will also be evaluated. Proposed
restoration measures include: re-grading and removal of fill, remove
invasive and non-native plant species, reintroduction of a water source
and installation of native plants to restore previously filled coastal
wetlands. Other measures to be evaluated include features to improve or
restore tidal regime in Oxford Basin, the Grand and Venice canals, and
Ballona and Del Rey Lagoons; the potential for in stream wetland
development in Centinela, Sepulveda and Ballona Creek; sediment loading
in the upper watershed; and related recreation and educational
opportunities.
5. Scoping Process
The scoping process is on-going, and has involved preliminary
coordination with Federal, State, and local agencies and the general
public. A public scoping meeting is scheduled for Thursday September
29th from 6-8 p.m. at the Rotunda Room of the Veteran's Memorial
Building, 4117 Overland Avenue, Culver City, CA. This information is
being published in the local news media, and a notice is being mailed
to all parties on the study mailing list to ensure that public will
have an opportunity to express opinions and raise any issues relating
to the scope of the Feasibility Study and the Environmental Impact
Study/Environmental Impact Report. The public as well as Federal,
state, and local agencies are encouraged to participate by submitting
data, information, and comments identifying relevant environmental and
socioeconomic issues to be addressed in the study. Useful information
includes other environmental studies, published and unpublished data,
alternatives that could be addressed in the analysis, and, potential
mitigation measures associated with the proposed action. All comments
will be considered in the project development. Concerns may be
submitted in writing to the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission, or
to the Los Angeles District (see ADDRESSES). Comments, suggestions, and
request to be placed on the mailing list for announcements should be
sent to MaLisa Martin (see ADDRESSES) or by e-mail to MaLisa.M.Martin@
sp101.usace.army.mil.
Availability of the Draft EIS/EIR
The Draft EIS/EIR is scheduled to be published and circulated in
December 2007, and a public hearing to receive comments on the Draft
EIS/EIR will be held after it is published.
Dated: September 13, 2005.
Alex C. Dornstauder,
Colonel, U.S. Army, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 05-18651 Filed 9-19-05; 8:45 am]
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