Notice2025-00337
Bayside Community Resiliency: The Living Levee Project; Intent To Prepare Environmental Impact Statement
Primary source
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Published
January 10, 2025
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentFish and Wildlife Service
Abstract
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) and the City of Imperial Beach propose to act in partnership to prepare a joint draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to evaluate the impacts on the environment related to the repurposing of a 1.2-mile segment of the Bayshore Bikeway corridor and adjacent pathways into a multi-benefit coastal resilience corridor. This corridor runs through the southwestern portion of the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge and the adjacent Bayside neighborhood of the City of Imperial Beach. The purpose of the coastal resilience corridor is to improve flood protection for the adjacent community, which is vulnerable to coastal flooding, by converting the existing circulation corridor into a nature-based coastal flood resilience system; provide safe land-based public access along San Diego Bay; and strengthen ecosystem resilience by providing transitional habitat areas along the San Diego Bay's edge. The unique identification number for this project is 2025-0003688-NEPA- 001. The Service is providing this notice to open a public scoping period in accordance with the requirements of NEPA and its implementing regulations. We invite comment from the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 6 (Friday, January 10, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 6 (Friday, January 10, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2015-2017]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-00337]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R8-NWRS-2024-N057; FXRS12610800000-256-FF08R04000]
Bayside Community Resiliency: The Living Levee Project; Intent To
Prepare Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) and the City of
Imperial Beach propose to act in partnership to prepare a joint draft
Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report in
compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to evaluate the impacts on
the environment related to the repurposing of a 1.2-mile segment of the
Bayshore Bikeway corridor and adjacent pathways into a multi-benefit
coastal resilience corridor. This corridor runs through the
southwestern portion of the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge and
the adjacent Bayside neighborhood of the City of Imperial Beach. The
purpose of the coastal resilience corridor is to improve flood
protection for the adjacent community, which is vulnerable to coastal
flooding, by converting the existing circulation corridor into a
nature-based coastal flood resilience system; provide safe land-based
public access along San Diego Bay; and strengthen ecosystem resilience
by providing transitional habitat areas along the San Diego Bay's edge.
The unique identification number for this project is 2025-0003688-NEPA-
001. The Service is providing this notice to open a public scoping
period in accordance with the requirements of NEPA and its implementing
regulations. We invite comment from the public and local, State,
Tribal, and Federal agencies.
DATES: To ensure consideration in our reviews, we are requesting
submission of new information no later than February 24, 2025.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments and materials by one of the
following methods:
<bullet> U.S. mail: San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Attn:
Bayside Community Resiliency Project, 1080 Gunpowder Point Drive, Chula
Vista, CA 91910.
<bullet> Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fd9b8ac58d919c939e9290909893898ebd9b8a8ed39a928b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b6d0c18ec6dad7d8d5d9dbdbd3d8c2c5f6d0c1c598d1d9c0">[email protected]</span></a>. Please use the subject
header ``Bayside Community Resiliency Project.''
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sally Brown, Refuge Manager, Tijuana
Slough and San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuges, via email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b8cbd9d4d4c1e7dacad7cfd6f8decfcb96dfd7ce"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0774666b6b7e5865756870694761707429606871">[email protected]</span></a> or via phone at (619) 964-1980. Individuals in the
United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a
speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access
telecommunications relay services. Individuals outside the United
States should use the relay services offered within their country to
make international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service)
and the City of Imperial Beach propose to act in partnership to prepare
a joint draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact
Report (EIS/EIR) in compliance with the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to
evaluate the impacts on the environment related to repurposing of a
1.2-mile segment of the Bayshore Bikeway corridor and adjacent pathways
into a multi-benefit coastal resilience corridor. The Service is the
NEPA lead agency, and Imperial Beach is the CEQA lead agency. Both
agencies are working in cooperation with the Federal Emergency
Management Agency; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and Department of
Defense, U.S. Navy as cooperating agencies, and propose to act in
partnership to prepare the joint draft EIS/EIR.
The corridor runs through the southwestern portion of the San Diego
Bay National Wildlife Refuge, the adjacent Bayside neighborhood of the
City of Imperial Beach, and the Bayside Elementary School playing
field. The purpose of the coastal resilience corridor is to (a) improve
flood protection for the adjacent community, which is vulnerable to
coastal flooding, by converting the existing circulation corridor into
a nature-based coastal
[[Page 2016]]
flood resilience system; (b) provide safe land-based public access
along San Diego Bay; and (c) strengthen ecosystem resilience by
providing transitional habitat areas along the San Diego Bay's edge.
We are requesting comments concerning the scope of the analysis and
identification of relevant information and studies. The approximately
14-acre Bayside Community Resiliency: The Living Levee Project site
traverses jurisdictional areas managed by, leased to, or with an
easement or encroachment permit within the City of Imperial Beach; City
of Coronado; City of San Diego; San Diego Unified Port District;
Service's San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge; Department of
Defense, U.S. Navy; South Bay Unified School District; and San Diego
Metropolitan Transit System properties in San Diego County, California.
Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action
The purpose of the Bayside Community Resiliency: The Living Levee
Project is to:
<bullet> Mitigate current flooding hazards and future sea level
rise hazards to the disadvantaged Bayside Community.
<bullet> Protect critical infrastructure, as well as preserve and
enhance coastal resources, including salt marsh habitat within the San
Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
<bullet> Provide safe coastal access, such as the multi-use path
and pedestrian/cyclist bridge that will be integrated into the nature-
based living levee.
The need for the Bayside Community Resiliency: The Living Levee
Project is as follows:
<bullet> The Bayside neighborhood and Bayside Elementary School are
vulnerable to existing flooding and future sea level rise, and there is
a need for enhanced flood protection.
<bullet> The primary coastal hazards within the Bayside Community
Resiliency Project area consist of coastal and stormwater flooding.
This currently occurs in the City of Imperial Beach during extreme
conditions (i.e., precipitation events or high tides). Sea level rise
will increase the frequency and severity of these hazards. Tidal water
from San Diego Bay currently backflows into the stormwater system and
has been observed flooding storm drain inlets in Bayside Elementary, as
well as within the streets of the Bayside neighborhood. Sea level rise
threatens to make these stormwater flooding issues more pronounced in
the Bayside neighborhood as the storm drain capacity lessens.
<bullet> The City of Imperial Beach section of the Bayside
Community Resiliency Project is becoming less safe for all users, and
there is a need for improved coastal access. The City of Imperial Beach
section of the Bayshore Bikeway has a high volume of daily users, and
lack of access points results in hazards for pedestrians and cyclists.
<bullet> Pond 10 and Pond 10A are former solar salt ponds located
in the southwest corner of the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
Vulnerable to sea level rise, the topography of the existing marsh
fringe in Pond 10A provides limited habitat transition area and
significantly constrains marsh migration with projected sea level rise.
Therefore, the limited transition area could decrease vegetation
diversity and persistence. With projected sea level rise, much of the
tidal flats would convert to open water. Therefore, there is a need for
strengthened ecosystem resilience by adding transitional habitat areas
along the San Diego Bay's edge.
Preliminary Proposed Action and Alternatives
Four alternatives, Proposed Action Alternative (Alternative 1),
Ring Levee Alternative (Alternative 2), Reduced Action Alternative
(Alternative 3), and the No Action Alternative (Alternative 4), will be
evaluated in the draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental
Impact Report, as discussed below.
Proposed Action Alternative (Alternative 1)
Within the jurisdiction of the cities of Imperial Beach, San Diego,
and Coronado, as well as the Service's San Diego Bay National Wildlife
Refuge, the Proposed Action Alternative (Alternative 1) would remove
the existing culvert between Pond 10 and Pond 10A to avoid further
erosion of Refuge lands along the State Route 75 (Silver Strand
Highway) and replace it with fill; excavate a portion of the Bayshore
Bikeway and Ponds 10 and Pond 10A to create a tidal channel and span
the new tidal opening with a 200-foot-long bicycle and pedestrian
bridge; elevate portions of the Bayshore Bikeway east and west of the
bridge; and construct a living earthen levee along the Flamingo Trail
and from 7th Street to Boulevard Avenue. A tidal channel would be
constructed under the bridge to restore tidal connection and alleviate
existing erosion. An additional living earthen levee would be
constructed along Flamingo Trail and between 7th Street and 10th
Street. A Class 1 bikeway and separate multi-use trail would be
constructed atop the living levees. Upland habitat would be converted
to mid-to-high marsh (i.e., wetland) habitat to increase and enhance
wetland habitat within the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
Public access nodes (parklets) would be created at the northern
terminus of 7th Street and 8th Street. Drainage improvements would
occur along 7th Street, including installation of a single pump station
for stormwater between Delaware Street and Boulevard Avenue. Storm
drains would be reconfigured between 9th Street, 10th Street, Palm
Avenue, and Bayside Elementary School to increase flood conveyance
capacity. A multi-purpose detention basin and park would be constructed
on the existing Bayside Elementary School recreational field, with a
tidal gate installed at the stormwater outlet.
Ring Levee Alternative (Alternative 2)
This alternative is the same as the Proposed Action (Alternative
1), except that the entire dike between Pond 10 and Pond 10A would be
demolished. A living levee would be constructed from the northern
terminus of the Flamingo Trail, clockwise to where the existing
Bayshore Bikeway intersects with State Route 75. Alternative 2 would
result in a larger development footprint, greater excavation, and
greater soil placement than Alternative 1.
Reduced Action Alternative (Alternative 3)
The alternative is similar to the Proposed Action (Alternative 1),
except the Reduced Action Alternative (Alternative 3) contains fewer of
the project design features. Alternative 3 would construct a living
earthen levee only along the Flamingo Trail and between 7th Street and
8th Street. The same as Alternative 1, Alternative 3 provides
stormwater improvements and constructs a multi-purpose detention basin
and park on the existing Bayside Elementary School recreational field,
with a tidal gate installed at the stormwater outlet. Alternative 3
would result in no tidal restoration of Pond 10A within the San Diego
Bay National Wildlife Refuge and would provide limited improvements to
safe public access for pathway users.
No Action Alternative (Alternative 4)
The No Action Alternative (Alternative 4) would have no changes to
existing conditions.
Summary of Expected Impacts
Based on the initial evaluation of the Proposed Action Alternative
(Alternative 1), the following impacts would be expected: short-term
[[Page 2017]]
disturbance to and changes in habitat conditions for listed and
sensitive species; short-term loss of wetlands from the discharge of
dredged or fill into waters of the United States and the expected long-
term increase in wetlands from sea level rise along the living
shoreline levee; construction-related effects, including temporary
increases in dust and other air pollutants from the use of fossil fuels
in construction machinery and vehicles, construction noise and
vibration, and temporary adverse water quality associated with grading
and earthwork occurring within existing wetlands and shallow water;
temporary changes to existing public access; and potential effects on
cultural resources. Operational and long-term benefits would include
improved resiliency to future sea level rise, increased capacity for
current and future stormwater flooding, a reduction in scour and
erosional effects, and enhanced wetland and upland habitat.
Anticipated Permits and Authorizations
The following permits and other authorizations are anticipated to
be required:
<bullet> U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Clean Water Act (CWA) section
404 permit, Rivers and Harbors Act section 10 permit, and others, if
appropriate;
<bullet> San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board CWA section
401 water quality certification;
<bullet> Federal Consistency Determination from the California
Coastal Commission;
<bullet> Department of Defense, U.S. Navy permit for construction
access and activities on Department of Defense land;
<bullet> Construction access and activity permits (e.g., grading)
from the City of San Diego, San Diego Unified Port District, and San
Diego Metropolitan Transit System;
<bullet> San Diego Unified Port District--Real Estate Agreement(s);
<bullet> Authorization from the San Diego Metropolitan Transit
System and South Bay Unified School District;
<bullet> Refuge special-use permit issued to the City of Imperial
Beach for construction access and activities on San Diego Bay National
Wildlife Refuge land;
<bullet> Consultation pursuant to section 7 of the Federal
Endangered Species Act with the Service and National Marine Fisheries
Service;
<bullet> Consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service
regarding essential fish habitat under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act, and consultation regarding marine
mammals pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act; and
<bullet> Consultation with Tribes and the State Historic
Preservation Officer pursuant to section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act.
Schedule for the Decision-Making Process
Processing of the Environmental Impact Statement, from the public
scoping stage to the signing of the Record of Decision, is expected to
take approximately 18 months. The draft Environmental Impact Statement/
Environmental Impact Report is scheduled for release in mid-2025. The
final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report is
scheduled for completion by late 2025, with the Record of Decision
expected to be issued in early 2026. Permitting is expected to be
completed at approximately the same time as the signing of the Record
of Decision.
Environmental Impact Statement Public Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the 45-day scoping process, which
guides the development of the draft Environmental Impact Statement. The
scoping process is designed to elicit comments from the public, public
agencies, Tribal governments, and other interested parties on the scope
of the draft Environmental Impact Statement. All interested parties are
encouraged to provide written comments on the scope of the draft
Environmental Impact Statement.
Request for Identification of Potential Alternatives, Information, and
Analyses Relevant to the Proposed Action
The Service requests comments concerning the scope of the analysis
and identification of relevant information and studies. All interested
parties are invited to provide input related to the identification of
potential alternatives, information, and analyses relevant to the
Proposed Action Alternative (Alternative 1) in writing. All written
comments should be submitted via any of the methods provided in the
ADDRESSES section.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The Service is the lead agency for the Environmental Impact
Statement, with the Federal Emergency Management Agency; U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers; and Department of Defense, U.S. Navy as cooperating
agencies.
Decision Maker
The Decision Maker is the Service's Regional Director for the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Southwest Region.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Regional Director, after considering the analysis and
information provided in the final Environmental Impact Statement, as
well as the comments received throughout the draft Environmental Impact
Statement review process, will determine if the proposed action
sufficiently achieves the purpose and need for the project. The
decision, which will be documented in the Record of Decision, will also
consider the consistency of the action with agency policies,
regulations, and applicable laws, as well as the contribution the
action will make towards achieving the purposes for which the San Diego
Bay National Wildlife Refuge was established, while also contributing
to the mission and goals of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
Authority
This document is published under the authority of NEPA regulations
pertaining to the publication of a notice of intent to issue an
Environmental Impact Statement (40 CFR 1501.9(d)).
Curtis McCasland,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific Southwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2025-00337 Filed 1-8-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P
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