[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 79 (Monday, April 26, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21651-21652]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-9547]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Final Environmental Impact Statement; Prisoners Harbor Coastal
Wetland Restoration Plan, Channel Islands National Park, Santa Barbara
County, CA; Notice of Availability
SUMMARY: Pursuant to Sec. 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969, the National Park Service, Department of the
Interior, has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
assessing the potential impacts of restoring the coastal wetland and
lower riparian corridor at Prisoners Harbor on Santa Cruz Island,
Channel Island National Park. The Final EIS analyzes the effects of
implementing proposed actions that accomplish the following objectives:
(1) Recreate a more natural topography and hydrology by reconnecting
the Canada del Puerto stream with its floodplain and removing non-
native eucalyptus trees and other vegetation which have proliferated in
the lower drainage; (2) increase biological diversity and productivity
by removing fill and restoring the historic wetland; (3) provide an
enhanced visitor experience by installing additional interpretive
displays; and (4) protect significant cultural and historic resources.
Range of Alternatives: After identifying foreseeable environmental
issues with the proposed restoration activities, conducting a site
visit, and undertaking public scoping, the Park began developing
alternatives for the area of potential effect. The Park assessed
feasible extents of area of restored wetlands and considered several
project scenarios.
Alternative A (no action) and two action alternatives were
identified and analyzed.
Alternative B (\2/3\ Wetland Restoration with Partial Berm Removal)
(agency-preferred alternative) involves removing approximately 15,000
cubic yards of fill from the former wetland and restoring 3.1 acres of
wetland, removing all cattle corrals, removing a portion of the berm
and replanting the site with native plants, protecting the
archeological site, removing eucalyptus from the riparian corridor,
controlling other invasive plant species, and improving the visitor
experience. Under supervision of park cultural resource specialists and
after further consultation with the State Historic Preservation Office,
the scale house would be partially dismantled, lifted off its current
foundation, and reassembled and stabilized on a new foundation in its
pre-1960's location. To mitigate the loss of the existing cattle corral
complex and other associated features, the Park will build a corral
structure similar to the sheep corrals in photos dated c. 1900. The
corrals will be adjacent to the warehouse, extending toward the pier
and parallel to the row of eucalyptus trees at the base of the cliff,
and enclosing the relocated scale house. Design and materials will be
determined by NPS cultural resource specialists during the design phase
of the project.
Alternative C (\1/3\ Wetland Restoration with Partial Berm Removal)
involves removing fill to restore 2.1 acres of wetland, removing six of
eight cattle corrals, keeping the scale house in its present location,
removing a portion of the berm, protecting the archeological site,
removing eucalyptus from the riparian corridor, controlling other
invasive plant species, and improving the visitor experience.
In general, the wetland restoration activities would begin with
aggressively removing and disposing of known non-native invasive plants
such as kikuyu grass, fennel, and eucalyptus. Removal and disposal
techniques may include: Hand pulling or excavating by hand or
mechanically; chain sawing; applying least-toxic herbicides; and/or
burning or chipping plant residues. Next, old concrete foundations,
corrals, posts, troughs, and other old features would be dismantled
(and removed or reused where feasible). The Park then would remove
approximately 250 feet of the low berm that severed the hydraulic
connection between lower Canada del Puerto and its floodplain, excavate
sand and rock fill to restore a portion of the buried wetlands, and
replant the restored area with native wetland species. Work will be
initiated in the late spring and completed in late summer or early fall
when the wetland restoration area is in its driest condition, so that
late-fall rains will initiate plant germination and growth after work
is completed.
Riparian restoration in Canada del Puerto would take place in a
two-pronged, step-wise approach. In an area of approximately 20 acres
eucalyptus trees would be removed (1) from downstream to upstream, and
(2) from the hillside toward the stream bank. Woody native vegetation
including established oaks, island cherry, and coffee berry would
remain. The eucalyptus would be replaced with native species typical of
chaparral and island riparian woodland including oak, cottonwood,
willow, and maple.
The Park proposes to protect high-value archeological resources at
Prisoners Harbor from continuing (though lessened) exposure to stream
flow erosion in Canada del Puerto by placement of a small earth, log,
and cobble berm planted with native plants, thereby deflecting
potential flood waters away from the culturally important area. The
island gateway experience for visitors arriving at Prisoners Harbor
will be enhanced by constructing temporary wayside exhibits, a wetland
viewing bench, and/or interpretive signs.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS was
published in the Federal Register on June 11, 2008. The Draft EIS was
made available on May 15, 2009. Nine written comments from interested
individuals, agencies, and organizations including The Santa Cruz
Island Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, Santa Barbara Channel
Keepers, and the National Marine Sanctuary were received. Four
individuals attending a June 23, 2009, open house at the Park Visitor
Center provided oral commentary. Comment topics included visitor
experience, historical resources, marine resources, vegetation removal,
flood flows, and best management practices. All issues raised were duly
considered in preparing the Final EIS.
The Final EIS is now available for public review. Printed and CD
copies will be distributed, and are also available at park
headquarters. Printed copies will be made available at E.P. Foster
Library in Ventura and Central Library in Santa Barbara. A digital
version will be available online at the Park Web site http://www.nps.gov/chis or the NPS Park Planning Web site at http://parkplanning.nps.gov. Inquiries regarding the Final EIS should be
directed to: Superintendent, Channel Islands National Park, 1901
Spinnaker Drive, Ventura, CA 93001; or by telephone at (805) 658-5700.
Decision Process: A minimum 30-day no-action period begins with the
Environmental Protection Agency's announcement of the publication and
[[Page 21652]]
availability of the Final EIS, after which a Record of Decision may be
prepared. As a delegated EIS, the Regional Director, Pacific West
Region, is responsible for the final decision; subsequently the
Superintendent, Channel Islands National Park, would be responsible for
plan implementation and monitoring activities.
Dated: March 12, 2010.
Patricia L. Neubacher,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 2010-9547 Filed 4-23-10; 8:45 am]
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