[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 77 (Friday, April 20, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23670-23671]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-9579]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental
Impact Report for the Encinitas and Solana Beach Shoreline Protection
Project, San Diego 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 feasibility study with the Cities of Encinitas and Solana
Beach, CA, for shoreline protection along the coastline of these two
cities. The purpose of the feasibility study is to evaluate
alternatives for reducing shoreline erosion. The EIS/EIR will analyze
potential impacts of the recommended plan and a range of alternatives
for shoreline protection. Alternatives will include both structural and
non-structural measures.
ADDRESSES: You may also submit your concerns in writing to the city or
the Los Angeles District at the address below. Comments, suggestions,
and requests to be placed on the mailing list for announcements should
be sent to Larry Smith, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles
District, P.O. Box 532711, Los Angeles, CA 90053-2325, or email to
[email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact Mr.
Larry Smith, Project Environmental
[[Page 23671]]
Coordinator, (213) 452-3846, or Ms. Susie Ming, Project Manager, (213)
452-3789.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Authorization: House Public Works
Transportation Committee Resolution dated May 13, 1993. The Army Corps
of Engineers intends to prepare an EIS/EIR to assess the environmental
effects associated with proposed erosion mitigating measures in the
study area.
Study Area: The study area is located along the Pacific Ocean
coastline in the Cities of Encinitas and Solana Beach, San Diego
County, CA. Encinitas is approximately 10 miles south of Oceanside
Harbor, and 17 miles north of Point La Jolla. The City of Encinitas'
shoreline, about 6 miles long, is bounded by Batiquitos Lagoon to the
north and on the south by San Elijo Lagoon. The City of Solana Beach is
bounded by San Elijo Lagoon to the north and on the south by the City
of Del Mar. The City's shoreline is about 2 miles long for a total of
about 8 miles of study area shoreline. A major portion of the shoreline
segment consists of narrow sand and cobble beaches fronting nearshore
bluffs. A small stretch of beach west of the San Elijo Lagoon is backed
by Highway 101 (Pacific Coast Highway) and is the only segment of the
beach not backed by coastal bluffs.
Problems and Needs: A number of public concerns have been
identified including:
1. Bluff erosion threatens property, including state and city owned
lands, roads, railroads and infrastructure, as well as private
residences atop the bluffs.
2. Public safety due to episodic bluff failure.
3. Closure of Old Highway 101 at Cardiff during storm events.
4. Bluff toe erosion and curtailed recreation activity resulting
from eroded beach conditions.
Proposed Action and Alternatives: The Los Angeles District will
investigate and evaluate all reasonable alternatives to address the
problems and needs identified above. In addition to the NO ACTION
alternative, both structural (breakwaters, artificial reefs, groins,
revetments, notch fills, and seawalls) and non-structural (best
management practices, and beach nourishment) measures will be
investigated.
Previous Actions: The Los Angeles District originally published a
Notice of Intent for this project in the Federal Register on September
20, 2001. A Notice of Availability of the Draft EIS/EIR was published
in the Federal Register on December 2, 2005. The project was modified
following receipt of comments on the original Draft EIS/EIR. The
modified project is the subject of this Notice of Intent.
Scoping: The scoping process is ongoing and has involved
preliminary coordination with Federal, State, and local agencies. Two
public scoping meetings are scheduled. The first on May 2, 2012, from 1
to 3 p.m. at City Hall, Poinsettia Room, 505 South Vulcan Avenue,
Encinitas, CA. The second on May 2, 2012, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the
Solana Beach City Hall, City Council Chamber, 635 South Highway 101,
Solana Beach, CA. The public will have an opportunity to express
opinions and raise any issues relating to the scope of the Feasibility
Study and the EIS/EIR. 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 enter into
the public record. The scoping meetings will also serve as scoping
meetings for the purposes of compliance with the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Availability of the Draft EIS/EIR: The Draft EIS/EIR is scheduled
to be published and circulated in November 2012, and a public hearing
to receive comments on the Draft EIS/EIR will be held after it is
published.
Dated: April 9, 2012.
Steven B. Sigloch, Jr.,
Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, Acting Commander and Acting District
Engineer.
[FR Doc. 2012-9579 Filed 4-19-12; 8:45 am]
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