Comments Period: July 21, 2017 – September 12, 2017
SUBJECT: This public notice has been revised to reflect increased acreages of expected direct and indirect wetland impacts and to reflect the extended public comment period. Attachment 1 to this public notice, the Application Narrative (Synopsis of FEIS), has also been revised/updated.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, (Corps) is evaluating a permit application to construct the West Davis Corridor project, which would result in impacts to waters of the United States, including direct impacts to approximately 50.64 acres of waters of the United States, including 47.17 acres of wetlands, approximately 4,972 linear feet (1.44 acres) of named stream channels, and approximately 10,052 linear feet (2.03 acres) of other linear surface waters, adjacent to the Great Salt Lake. The project would also result in indirect impacts to approximately 78.60 acres of wetlands located within 300 feet of the proposed right-of-way. This notice is to inform interested parties of the proposed activity and to solicit comments.
AUTHORITY: This application is being evaluated under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act for the discharge of dredged or fill material in waters of the United States.
APPLICANT: Utah Department of Transportation, Region 1,
Attn: Mr. Randy Jefferies,
166 West Southwell Street,
Ogden, Utah 84404-4194
LOCATION: The approximately 925-acre project site is located in portions of West Point, Syracuse, Layton, Kaysville, Farmington, and Centerville. The approximately 19-mile-long alignment extends from Interstate 15/Glovers Lane in Farmington to 1800 North in West Point. The southern end of the project is located at approximately Latitude 40.941°, Longitude -111.891° and the northern end of the project is located at approximately Latitude 41.118°, Longitude -112.108°, Davis County, Utah, and can be seen on the Farmington, Kaysville, Clearfield, and Roy USGS Topographic Quadrangles.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The applicant is proposing to construct a four-lane divided highway with a 250-foot right-of-way width from I-15 in Farmington to Antelope Drive in Syracuse in Davis County and a two lane limited-access highway with a 146-foot right-of-way width from north of Antelope Drive to 1800 North in Davis County. Based on the available information, the overall project purpose is to accommodate the transportation needs of a rapidly growing population and employment projected for the northwest Davis County, Utah area by 1) improving regional mobility in the study area for automobile, transit, and freight trips; 2) substantially enhancing mobility during the AM and PM peak periods for the main travel directions (north-south) to help accommodate the 2040 projected travel; and 3) supporting the objectives of local land-use and transportation plans for communities west of I-15 in Weber and Davis Counties. The applicant believes there is a need to achieve these purposes to accommodate the transportation needs of a rapidly growing population and employment projected for the northwest Davis County, Utah area. The attached Application narrative and drawings provide additional project details.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Environmental Setting. The study area for assessing the need of the project consists of approximately 80,000 acres located west of I-15 in Davis and Weber Counties. The study area contains portions of 14 incorporated cities as well as unincorporated land, and is located west of the Wasatch Mountains and east of the Great Salt Lake. Topography in the area includes relatively subtle depressions, gently sloped terraces and plains, small rolling knolls, and the toe of a relatively large bluff. Land use within the project area is predominantly residential and agricultural, with smaller inclusions of natural and other developed areas. There are approximately 43.5 acres of palustrine emergent wetlands and playas and more than 15,000 linear feet of streams and other drainages within the project area. There are also approximately 57.29 acres of wetlands within 300 feet of the proposed right-of-way.
Alternatives. The applicant has provided information concerning project alternatives in its Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project, which can be viewed at http://www.udot.utah.gov/westdavis/. Additional information concerning project alternatives may be available from the applicant or their agent. Other alternatives may develop during the review process for this permit application. All reasonable project alternatives, in particular those which may be less damaging to the aquatic environment, will be considered.
Mitigation. The Corps requires that applicants consider and use all reasonable and practical measures to avoid and minimize impacts to aquatic resources. If the applicant is unable to avoid or minimize all impacts, the Corps may require compensatory mitigation. The applicant has proposed to purchase and perform mitigation on privately owned properties within and around the Nature Conservancy and Utah Reclamation and Mitigation Commission’s Great Salt Lake Shorelands Preserve boundary and properties on the eastern and northern border of Farmington Bay Wildlife Management Area. The applicant anticipates that it will acquire approximately 1,111 acres for mitigation of impacts to wetlands, wildlife, and the Great Salt Lake Shorelands Preserve. The applicant is developing a mitigation plan that would involve a combination of preservation, enhancement, rehabilitation, and/or establishment.
OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORIZATIONS: Water quality certification or a waiver, as required under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act, from the Utah Department of Environmental Quality is required for this project. The applicant has indicated they are applying for Section 401 certification concurrently with the subject application. Division of Water Quality, is required for this project. The applicant has indicated they have applied for certification. Projects are usually certified where the project may create diffuse sources (non-point sources) of wastes which will occur only during the actual construction activity and where best management practices would be employed to minimize pollution effects. Written comments on water quality certification should be submitted to Mr. Bill Damery, Utah Division of Water Quality, P.O. Box 144870, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-4870, or email wdamery@utah.gov on or before September 12, 2017.
HISTORIC PROPERTIES: Based on the available information (including applicant's report titled “Cultural Resources Inventory of the West Davis Corridor, Alternative B1 in Weber and Davis Counties, Utah”), potentially eligible cultural resources may be affected by the proposed project. The applicant, acting as Lead Federal Agency, has indicated that it has initiated consultation with the State Historic Preservation Officer under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, as appropriate. Documentation will be required from the applicant demonstrating compliance with the Act before any permit would be issued.
ENDANGERED SPECIES: The project would not affect any Federally-listed threatened or endangered species or their critical habitat that are protected by the Endangered Species Act.
ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT: The proposed project would not adversely affect Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) as defined in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
The above determinations are based on information provided by the applicant and our preliminary review.
EVALUATION FACTORS: The decision whether to issue a permit will be based on an evaluation of the probable impacts, including cumulative impacts, of the described activity on the public interest. That decision will reflect the national concern for both protection and utilization of important resources. The benefit, which reasonably may be expected to accrue from the described activity, must be balanced against its reasonably foreseeable detriments. All factors which may be relevant to the described activity will be considered, including the cumulative effects thereof; among those are conservation, economics, aesthetics, general environmental concerns, wetlands, historic properties, fish and wildlife values, flood hazards, floodplain values, land use, navigation, shoreline erosion and accretion, recreation, water supply and conservation, water quality, energy needs, safety, food and fiber production, mineral needs, consideration of property ownership and, in general, the needs and welfare of the people. The activity's impact on the public interest will include application of the Section 404(b)(1) guidelines promulgated by the Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency (40 CFR Part 230).
The Corps is soliciting comments from the public, Federal, State, and local agencies and officials, Indian tribes, and other interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the impacts of this proposed activity. Any comments received will be considered by the Corps to determine whether to issue, modify, condition, or deny a permit for this proposal. To make this decision, comments are used to assess impacts on endangered species, historic properties, water quality, general environmental effects, and other public interest factors listed above. Comments are used in the preparation of an Environmental Assessment and/or an Environmental Impact Statement pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act. Comments are also used to determine the need for a public hearing and to determine the overall public interest of the proposed activity.
SUBMITTING COMMENTS: Written comments, referencing Public Notice SPK-2007-01985-UO must be submitted to the office listed below on or before September 12, 2017.
Matt Wilson, Project Manager
US Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District
Bountiful Regulatory Office
533 West 2600 South, Suite 150
Bountiful, Utah 84010-7744
Email: Matthew.S.Wilson@usace.army.mil
The Corps is particularly interested in receiving comments related to the proposal's probable impacts on the affected aquatic environment and the secondary and cumulative effects. Anyone may request, in writing, that a public hearing be held to consider this application. Requests shall specifically state, with particularity, the reason(s) for holding a public hearing. If the Corps determines that the information received in response to this notice is inadequate for thorough evaluation, a public hearing may be warranted. If a public hearing is warranted, interested parties will be notified of the time, date, and location. Please note that all comment letters received are subject to release to the public through the Freedom of Information Act. If you have questions or need additional information please contact the applicant or the Corps project manager Matt Wilson, (801) 295-8380, ext. 11, Matthew.S.Wilson@usace.army.mil.
2 Attachments: August 8, 2017, Revised Application Narrative (Synopsis of FEIS) and Drawings