Preliminary Draft Environmental Assessment
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Environmental Assessment for the Revised INRMP Draft May 2012 1 2 3 4 5 6 Preliminary Draft Environmental Assessment 7 For Naval Base Coronado, Naval Auxiliary Landing Field 8 San Clemente Island 9 Revised Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan 10 Los Angeles County, California 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 July 2012 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Abstract i 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 This Page Intentionally Blank 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 Environmental Assessment for the Revised INRMP Preliminary Draft July 2012 1 Preliminary Draft Environmental Assessment 2 For the Revised Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan 3 4 Naval Base Coronado 5 Naval Auxiliary Landing Field 6 San Clemente Island 7 Los Angeles County, California 8 9 Abstract 10 This Environmental Assessment (EA) has been prepared by the U.S. Department of the Navy 11 (Navy) to determine if an Environmental Impact Statement or Finding of No Significant Impact 12 (FONSI) should be prepared for the management strategies proposed in the Final Revised 13 Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) for Naval Auxiliary Landing Field 14 San Clemente Island (SCI), California. The purpose of the Revised INRMP is to meet statutory 15 requirements under the Sikes Act Improvement Act (Sikes Act [as amended]), Public Law 105- 16 85, Div. B Title XXIX, 18 November 1997, 111 Stat 2017-2019, 2020-2022, as well as the 17 requirements of various U.S. Department of Defense and Navy Instructions. The Revised 18 INRMP is designed to provide for the continuation of military activities while preserving, 19 protecting, and enhancing the natural resources and biodiversity of SCI. This Draft EA evaluates 20 the environmental consequences of the Action Alternative and a No Action Alternative. The 21 Action Alternative will implement the Revised INRMP for SCI. The No Action Alternative 22 would continue implementation of the existing INRMP for SCI completed in 2002 and current 23 management strategies. Implementation of the Revised INRMP will not violate the Anti- 24 Deficiency Act, 31 U.S. Code § 341, et seq. 25 For further information, contact: 26 Rebecca Loomis 27 Environmental Planner 28 U.S. Department of the Navy 29 Naval Facilities and Engineering Command Southwest 30 2730 McKean Street Bldg. 291 31 San Diego, CA 92136 32 33 34 35 36 Abstract i Preliminary Draft July 2012 San Clemente Island, California 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 This Page Intentionally Blank 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 ii Abstract Environmental Assessment for the Revised INRMP Preliminary Draft July 2012 1 List of Acronyms and Abbreviations Acronym Phrase °C degree(s) Celsius °F degree(s) Fahrenheit µg/L microgram(s) per liter CFR Code of Federal Regulations CNPS California Native Plant Society CZMA Coastal Zone Management Act DoD U.S. Department of Defense EA Environmental Assessment ER-L Effects Range Low ER-M Effects Range Medium FONSI Finding of No Significant Impact INRMP Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan m meter(s) NALF Naval Auxiliary Landing Field Navy U.S. Department of Navy NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration SCB Southern California Bight SCI San Clemente Island SHOBA Shore Bombardment Area SWRCB State Water Resources Control Board U.S.C. U.S. Code USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 List of Acronyms and Abbreviations iii Preliminary Draft July 2012 San Clemente Island, California 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 This Page Intentionally Blank 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 iv List of Acronyms and Abbreviations Environmental Assessment for the Revised INRMP Preliminary Draft July 2012 1 Table of Contents 2 1.0 Purpose and Need ............................................................................................................. 1-1 3 1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 1-1 4 1.2 Project Location ..................................................................................................................... 1-1 5 1.3 Purpose and Need for the Project Action ............................................................................... 1-4 6 1.4 Decision to be Made ............................................................................................................... 1-4 7 1.5 Scope of Analysis ................................................................................................................... 1-5 8 1.6 Intergovernmental Coordination ............................................................................................ 1-9 9 1.7 Public/Agency Involvement ................................................................................................. 1-11 10 2.0 Description of Proposed Action and Alternatives .......................................................... 2-1 11 2.1 Reasonable Alternatives Screening Factors ........................................................................... 2-1 12 2.2 Description of Alternatives .................................................................................................... 2-1 13 2.2.1 Proposed Action – Adopt and Implement the Revised INRMP 14 (Preferred Alternative) .............................................................................................. 2-2 15 2.2.2 No Action Alternative – Retain 2002 INRMP and Current 16 Management Strategies ............................................................................................. 2-2 17 3.0 Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences ........................................... 3-1 18 3.1 Biological Resources .............................................................................................................. 3-2 19 3.1.1 Affected Environment ............................................................................................... 3-2 20 3.1.2 Vegetation Communities ........................................................................................... 3-2 21 3.1.3 Marine Habitats ......................................................................................................... 3-2 22 3.1.3.1 Sandy Beaches .......................................................................................... 3-2 23 3.1.3.2 Rocky Intertidal and Surfgrass Habitat ..................................................... 3-6 24 3.1.3.2.1 Splash Zone ........................................................................... 3-6 25 3.1.3.2.2 Upper Intertidal ..................................................................... 3-6 26 3.1.3.2.3 Middle Intertidal .................................................................... 3-6 27 3.1.3.2.4 Lower Intertidal ..................................................................... 3-6 28 3.1.3.3 Subtidal Habitats ....................................................................................... 3-7 29 3.1.3.3.1 Soft Bottom ........................................................................... 3-7 30 3.1.3.3.2 Eelgrass ................................................................................. 3-7 31 3.1.3.3.3 Rocky Habitat and Kelp Forests ............................................ 3-8 32 3.1.3.4 Deep Water Habitats ............................................................................... 3-10 33 3.1.3.4.1 Rocky Habitat ...................................................................... 3-10 34 3.1.3.4.2 Soft Bottom ......................................................................... 3-10 35 3.1.3.5 Offshore Rocks and Islets ....................................................................... 3-11 36 3.1.4 Species Assemblages ............................................................................................... 3-13 37 3.1.4.1 Plants ....................................................................................................... 3-13 38 3.1.4.2 Cryptogams ............................................................................................. 3-13 39 3.1.4.3 Macroalgae .............................................................................................. 3-13 40 3.1.4.3.1 Giant Kelp ........................................................................... 3-13 Table of Contents v Preliminary Draft July 2012 San Clemente Island, California 1 3.1.4.3.2 Bull Kelp ............................................................................. 3-13 2 3.1.4.4 Terrestrial Invertebrates .......................................................................... 3-14 3 3.1.4.4.1 Insects .................................................................................. 3-14 4 3.1.4.4.2 Fairy Shrimp ........................................................................ 3-14 5 3.1.4.4.3 Land Snails .......................................................................... 3-15 6 3.1.4.5 Marine Invertebrates ............................................................................... 3-15 7 3.1.4.6 Fishes ...................................................................................................... 3-15 8 3.1.4.6.1 Essential Fish Habitat .......................................................... 3-16 9 3.1.4.7