Comment Period: 06/23/2020 – 07/23/2020
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District (Corps) is evaluating a proposal by The South Sacramento Conservation Agency (Sponsor) to establish the Rooney 2 In-Lieu Fee (ILF) Project as part of the South Sacramento ILF Program. The Rooney 2 ILF Project would provide 10.7 vernal pool restoration/creation credits
This notice is to inform interested parties of the proposed activity and to solicit comments. A copy of the Sponsor’s May 2020, Mitigation Plan, Rooney 2 Preserve, Sacramento County, California is available online at the following location: https://ribits.ops.usace.army.mil/ords/f?p=107:378:4879709649233::NO::P378_PROGRAM_ID:2857.
AUTHORITY: The proposed ILF Project, and associated Mitigation Plan is being evaluated under 33 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 332.8 and in accordance with the South Sacramento ILF Program Enabling Instrument.
SPONSOR: South Sacramento Conservation Agency
Attn: Ms. Kim Hudson
827 7th Street, Room 225
Sacramento, California 95814
LOCATION: The proposed ILF project site is located on an approximately 106.9-acre property, east of the intersection of Grant Line Road and Sunrise Boulevard, Sections 4, 5, 8, and 9, Township 7 North, Range 7 East, Mount Diablo Baseline and Meridian, Latitude 38.42093° Longitude -121.225019° in eastern Sacramento County, California.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The proposed ILF Project includes the restoration and creation of 10.7 acres of vernal pools and the preservation of 0.07 acre of seasonal wetland, 1.45 acres of seasonal wetland swale, 0.18 acre of vernal pools, 0.01 acre/165 linear feet of intermittent roadside drainage ditch, and 0.03 acre/825 linear feet of ephemeral irrigation ditch. The Sponsor is requesting 10.7 vernal pool restoration/creation credits. The Sponsor has provided a monitoring and reporting plan for the proposed ILF project in accordance with the ILF Program Instrument.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The project would provide 10.7 of the 50 acres of compensatory mitigation (21%) the Sponsor is required to provide in the Urban Development Area as part of the South Sacramento Habitat Conservation Plan.
Environmental Setting. The project site is located on gently sloping hills ranging from 123 to 173 feet above mean sea level and sloping to the southeast. The project is bordered to the east by Sloughouse Road and surrounded undeveloped annual grasslands. There are currently approximately 0.07 acre of seasonal wetland, 1.45 acres of seasonal wetland swale, 0.18 acre of vernal pools, 0.01 acre/165 linear feet of intermittent roadside drainage ditch, and 0.03 acre/825 linear feet of ephemeral irrigation ditch on the ILF project site. The project area has historically been degraded by grading, altered hydrology as a result of summer irrigation, cattle grazing, and other agricultural uses. The project site is located within the Upper Cosumnes watershed (18040013) and the Lower Sacramento watershed (18020163). Additional information on current site conditions can be found in the Sponsor’s mitigation plan.
The preserve would be an expansion of the existing Rooney 1 Preserve directly to the west of the project site and would create a combined 249 acre preserve area.
A DA permit may be required for any restoration activities that would result in a regulated discharge of dredged and/or fill material into waters of the U.S. subject to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORIZATIONS: The Interagency Review Team responsible for the review and approval of the proposed ILF Program includes representatives from the Corps, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
HISTORIC PROPERTIES: 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 Corps will initiate consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, pursuant to Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act for the ILF project, if required.
ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT: The proposed ILF project will not adversely affect Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) as defined in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
EVALUATION FACTORS: 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 ILF Program. Any comments received will be considered by the Corps to assess impacts on endangered species, historic properties, water quality, general environmental effects, and other public interest factors. Comments are used in the evaluation of the proposed ILF Program per 33 CFR Part 332.8 and in the preparation of an Environmental Assessment pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act.
SUBMITTING COMMENTS: Written comments, referencing Public Notice SPK-2019-00438 must be submitted to the office listed below on or before July 23, 2020.
Laura Shively, Mitigation Bank Specialist
US Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District
1325 J Street, Room 1350
Sacramento, California 95814-2922
Email: Laura.B.Shively@usace.army.mil
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 Laura Shively, (916) 557-5258, Laura.B.Shively@usace.army.mil.
Attachments: 1 drawings
Attachment 1-Figure 5, Proposed Constructed Wetlands Map