Corps releases Environmental Assessment for Temporary Debris Handling Facility

Published Dec. 13, 2018

SACRAMENTO, California – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District, in coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, today released its environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact for use of the Barber Industrial Site in Chico, California, as a debris handling facility to stage, sort, process and transfer non-hazardous debris generated from the 2018 Camp Wildfire. 

The finding of no significant impact, also known as a FONSI, concludes that the proposed Barber Temporary Debris Handling Facility (TDHF) would not result in adverse effects to the environment.  Factors considered for the FONSI were direct, indirect and cumulative impacts on soil quality; water quality; air quality; noise; traffic; biological resources, including special status species; and cultural and historic resources. 

The project proposes to utilize the Barber Industrial Site as a TDHF to stage and reduce non-hazardous fire-related debris (e.g., concrete, masonry, vehicles and other metal materials) from the Town of Paradise and the surrounding communities.  Reduced debris, such as crushed concrete and shredded metal material, would be transferred to rail cars for transfer to recycling or disposal areas.  The Barber TDHF would be limited to handling 3 – 4 million cubic yards of non-hazardous debris.  The State of California will be responsible for removing debris from the impacted area and transporting it to the Barber Industrial Site.  Best management practices and mitigation measures will be implemented throughout the operation of the site. 

USACE is soliciting public comment on the proposed facility through December 20, 2018 via email at Barber.TDHF@usace.army.mil.

The finding of no significant impact and environmental assessment can be found online at https://www.spk.usace.army.mil/CAwildfire/.

Information about the State of California’s private property debris removal program is available by visiting CaliforniaWildfireRecovery.org 


Contact
Rick Brown or Nancy Allen
916-557-5100
spk-pao@usace.army.mil

Release no. 18-036