[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 199 (Friday, October 15, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63448-63449]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-25989]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Notice of Availability of Final Environmental Impact Statement
for the Sunridge Properties in the Sunridge Specific Plan Area, in
Rancho Cordova, Sacramento County, CA, ID SPK-2009-00511
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, (Corps)
is issuing a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) which analyzes
programmatically the direct, indirect and cumulative effects associated
with six residential development projects in
[[Page 63449]]
the Sunridge Specific Plan area in Rancho Cordova, Sacramento County,
CA.
The purpose of the EIS is to provide decision-makers and the public
with information pertaining to the Proposed Action and alternatives,
and disclose environmental impacts and identify mitigation measures to
reduce impacts. The Proposed Action is the construction of the six
projects (collectively, the ``Sunridge Properties'') which would
require the filling of approximately 29.7 acres of waters of the United
States, including wetlands. The EIS has been prepared as part of
ongoing litigation concerning Department of the Army (DA) permits
issued by the Corps between 2005 and 2007 for five of the projects and
a pending DA permit decision for the sixth. A stay in the litigation is
in place for the Corps to complete the EIS.
The EIS was prepared in accordance with the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the Corps' regulations for
NEPA implementation at 33 Code of Federal Regulations parts 230 and 325
Appendix B. The Corps is the lead Federal agency responsible for
complying with NEPA and information contained in the EIS serves as the
basis for decisions regarding issuance of a DA permit.
DATES: Comments on the Final EIS must be submitted to the Corps by
November 15, 2010.
ADDRESSES: Please send written comments to Michael Jewell, Chief of the
Regulatory Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District,
1325 J Street, Room 1480, Sacramento, CA 95814-2922. You may also e-
mail your comments to [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Jewell, (916) 557-6605, e-
mail: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Sunridge Specific Plan area is a master-
planned area consisting of nine residential and commercial developments
located in eastern Rancho Cordova, Sacramento County, CA. The Specific
Plan, which was originally approved by the County of Sacramento in
2002, is part of a larger planning effort in the City of Rancho Cordova
called the Sunrise-Douglas Community Plan. Three of the nine projects
in the Sunridge Specific Plan area have been built. The Proposed Action
is the construction of the remaining six projects in the Specific Plan
area. Collectively, these six projects are referred to as the Sunridge
Properties. The overall purpose of the action is to construct a large
residential development, including supporting infrastructure, in
southeastern Sacramento County, California.
Between 2005 and 2007, the Corps completed Environmental
Assessments, made Findings of No Significant Impact, and issued DA
permits for five of the six Sunridge Specific Plan projects. The
permitted projects are Anatolia IV, Sunridge Village J, Grantline 208,
Douglas Road 98, and Douglas Road 103. A DA permit decision has not
been rendered for the sixth project, Arista Del Sol.
The EIS includes an evaluation of a reasonable range of
alternatives, including several on-site and off-site alternatives.
Three alternatives were carried through for detailed analysis: (1) The
no action alternative, (2) the proposed action (the applicants'
preferred projects), and (3) a reduced footprint alternative. The no
action alternative is limited to development in uplands, avoiding all
waters of the United States. The reduced development footprint
alternative involves less development with fewer impacts to waters of
the United States.
A Draft EIS was issued on July 2, 2010. The Draft EIS was noticed
in the Federal Register on July 2, 2010 (Vol. 75, No. 127, page 38502)
and a public notice was issued by the Corps, both soliciting public
input. The Corps also held public meetings on July 27, 2010, regarding
the EIS. During the public review period, the Corps received eleven
letters with comments. The Final EIS includes responses to each of the
comments received.
Comments on the Final EIS must be submitted to the Corps by
November 15, 2010. The public and affected federal, state, and local
agencies, Native American tribes, and other organizations and parties
are invited to comment. Electronic copies of the Draft EIS may be found
on the Corps' Web site at http://www.spk.usace.army.mil/organizations/cespk-co/regulatory/EISs/EIS-index.html. A hard copy of the Final EIS
may also be requested by contacting Michael Jewell. In addition to this
notice, the Corps will issue a public notice advising interested
parties of the availability of the Final EIS. Interested parties may
register for Corps' public notices at: http://www.spk.usace.army.mil/organizations/cespk-co/regulatory/pnlist.html. All comments on the
Final EIS will be addressed in the Record of Decision.
Dated: October 5, 2010.
Michael S. Jewell,
Chief, Regulatory Division, Sacramento District, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers.
[FR Doc. 2010-25989 Filed 10-14-10; 8:45 am]
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