Comments Period: October 30 – November 30
SUBJECT: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, (Corps) is evaluating a permit application to expand the Hay Road Landfill (Landfill), which would result in impacts to approximately 5.05-acres of waters of the United States, including wetlands, within the project site. 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: Recology Hay Road, Attn: Ms. Christine Wolfe, 50 California Street, 24th Floor, San Francisco, California 94111
LOCATION: The approximately 640-acre project site is located at 6426 Hay Road, Latitude 38.310168°, Longitude -121.848851°, in the City of Vacaville, Solano County, California, and can be viewed on the Dozier USGS Topographic Quadrangle.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Based on the available information, the overall purpose of the project is to implement a landfill expansion project, in order to meet solid and organic waste processing demands in the Solano County region. The project will involve a lateral expansion of Landfill boundaries within a triangular-shaped area, located southwest of the current active Landfill, and would increase the depth and footprint of an existing soil borrow pit. The project will extend the life of the existing organics processing operation (Jepson Prairie Organics) by approximately four to nine years through expanding the existing facility’s solid waste disposal capacity by 2020. These changes require a revision to the Landfill’s Conditional Use Permit and Solid Waste Facility Permit.
The project also involves changes to Landfill operations, including an increase to the permitted daily tonnage received at the site, the commencement of processing construction and demolition (C&D) materials to increase recovery of recyclable materials, storage of baled recyclables, and an increase in the area of the Landfill where friable asbestos could be disposed. The applicant is proposing two Landfill expansion elements and four proposed changes to Landfill operations. The Landfill expansion elements include a lateral expansion, as well as an expansion of the existing soil borrow pit. Changes to Landfill operations will include: modification to Landfill peak and average tonnage limits; proposed construction and demolition sort line; storage of baled recyclables; and, changed locations for friable asbestos disposal. Based on the available information, the applicant believes there is a need to assist in meeting the disposal and composting needs of Solano County. The attached drawings provide additional project details.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Environmental Setting. There are approximately 5.65 acres of potentially jurisdictional waters, which include vernal pools, a vegetated ditch and a detention basin within the project area. The site is characterized by agricultural, non-native annual grassland, a treatment/retention pond, vernal pool grassland and freshwater emergent wetlands. The majority of the project area includes developed/ruderal habitats as part of the Landfill operations. In addition, vernal pool grassland is present in the expansion area. Capped landfill hills are covered in jute mats, annual grassland and ruderal vegetation. There are also several lacustrine features in the project area, including the soil borrow pit area, and water treatment/retention ponds.
Alternatives. The applicant has provided information concerning project alternatives. 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.
OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORIZATIONS: Water quality certification or a waiver, as required under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act from the California Regional Water Quality Control Board is required for this project. The applicant has not indicated they have applied for certification.
HISTORIC PROPERTIES: Based on the available information (including applicant's report titled Recology Hay Road Project, Solano County Cultural Resources Study), no cultural resources were identified within the project's area of potential effect. The Corps will initiate consultation with the State Historic Preservation Officer under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, as appropriate.
ENDANGERED SPECIES: The proposed activity may affect Federally-listed endangered or threatened species. The Corps will initiate consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, pursuant to Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, as appropriate.
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-1992-00584 must be submitted to the office listed below on or before November 30, 2018.
Chandra Jenkins, Project Manager
US Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District
1325 J Street, Room 1350
Sacramento, California 95814-2922
Email: Chandra.L.Jenkins@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 Chandra Jenkins, (916) 557-6652, Chandra.L.Jenkins@usace.army.mil.
Attachments: 2 drawings
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