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Lower American River Anadromous Fish Habitat Restoration Project

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Lower American River Anadromous Fish Habitat Restoration Project Environmental Assessment/Initial Study and Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration Lower American River Anadromous Fish Habitat Restoration Project U.S. Department of the Interior City of Sacramento Bureau of Reclamation Mid Pacific Region June 2019 Mission Statements The mission of the Department of the Interior is to protect and provide access to our Nation’s natural and cultural heritage and honor our trust responsibilities to Indian Tribes and our commitments to island communities. The mission of the Bureau of Reclamation is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public. Table of Contents List of Acronyms and Abbreviations ........................................................................ ii Section 1. Introduction ....................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ............................................................................ 1 1.2 Project Purpose, Need, and Objectives ................................. 7 Section 2. Alternatives Including the Proposed Action .................................. 8 2.1 No Action Alternative ............................................................. 8 2.2 Proposed Action ..................................................................... 8 Section 3. Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences ........ 23 3.1 Aesthetics ............................................................................. 24 3.2 Agriculture and Forestry Resources .................................... 25 3.3 Air Quality ............................................................................. 25 3.4 Biological Resources ........................................................... 28 3.5 Cultural Resources .............................................................. 32 3.6 Geology and Soils ................................................................ 35 3.7 Hazardous Materials ............................................................ 36 3.8 Water Resources (Hydrology and Water Quality) ................ 36 3.9 Noise .................................................................................... 42 3.10 Recreation ............................................................................ 45 3.11 Transportation ...................................................................... 47 3.12 Environmental Commitments ............................................... 48 3.13 Cumulative Effects ............................................................... 60 Section 4. Consultation and Coordination ..................................................... 63 4.1 Agencies and Persons Consulted ........................................ 63 4.2 Public Review Period ........................................................... 63 4.3 State Historic Preservation Officer ....................................... 63 4.4 Endangered Species Act (16 USC Section 1531 et seq.) ... 63 4.5 Section 404 of the Clean Water Act ..................................... 64 4.6 Section 401 of the Clean Water Act ..................................... 64 4.7 Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act ............................ 64 4.8 Section 408 of the Rivers and Harbors Act .......................... 64 4.9 State and Local Laws, Regulations, and Policies ................ 64 Section 5. Report Preparers ............................................................................. 65 Section 6. References ....................................................................................... 67 Tables Table 1-1. Past Spawning Gravel Placement and Habitat Creation/Enhancement - 2008 to Present ........................................ 2 Table 2-1. Proposed Restoration Site Summary ............................................. 10 Table 2-2. Construction Equipment .................................................................. 18 Table 2-3. Potential Federal Actions, Permissions, Permits, Authorizations, and Approvals ................................................................................. 21 Table 2-4. Potential State, Regional, and Local Actions, Permits, and Approvals ........................................................................................ 22 Table 3-1. Proposed Action Construction Emissions ....................................... 28 Table 3-2. Construction Equipment and Typical Equipment Noise Levels ...... 43 i Figures Figure 1-1. Overview of Restoration Sites, Borrow Sites, and Haul Routes ....... 3 Figure 2-1. Example Floodplain and Side Channel Creation at River Bend (top photos) and Nimbus Basin (bottom photos) ................................... 12 Figure 2-2. Example Woody Material Placement - Nimbus Basin, 2014 .......... 16 Figure 2-3. Example Woody Material Placement -Sacramento Bar, 2016 ....... 17 Project Design Detail Plates Plate C-1. Cover Sheet Plate C-2. Project Overview Plate C-3. Site Plan Plate C-4. Profiles Plate C-5. Sections Plate C-6. Staking Plan List of Appendices Appendix A - Public Notices Appendix B - CEQA Environmental Checklist (City of Sacramento) Appendix C - Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration Appendix D - Hydraulics Analysis Technical Report (Water Surface Elevations) Appendix E - Hydraulics Analysis Technical Report (Sediment Transport) Appendix F - Air Quality Model Results Appendix G - Biological Resources Technical Report List of Acronyms and Abbreviations BA Biological Assessment BMP Best Management Practices BO Biological Opinion CAA Clean Air Act CDFW California Department of Fish and Wildlife CEQ Council on Environmental Quality CFR Code of Federal Regulations cfs Cubic feet per second City City of Sacramento CMP Sacramento Coordinated Water Quality Monitoring Program CNDDB California Natural Diversity Database CNPS California Native Plant Society CO Carbon monoxide Corps US Army Corps of Engineers CRF California red-legged frog CVFPB Central Valley Flood Protection Board ii CVPIA Central Valley Project Improvement Act CWA Clean Water Act dBA A-weighted Decibel DOI U.S. Department of the Interior DPS Distinct Population Segment EA Environmental Assessment EFH Essential Fish Habitat ESU Evolutionarily Significant Unit FISH Group Fisheries and In-Stream Habitat Working Group FMS Flow Management Standard FONSI Finding of No Significant Impact GGS Giant garter snake GHG Greenhouse gas HPTP Historic Properties Treatment Plan IPaC Information for Planning and Conservation LAR Lower American River Leq Equivalent sound level Lmax Maximum sound level LOS Level of Service MOA Memorandum of Agreement MBTA Migratory Bird Treaty Act MDM Mount Diablo Meridian NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NHPA National Historic Preservation Act NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service NO2 Nitrogen dioxide NPPA Native Plant Protection Act NRHP National Register of Historic Places O3 Ozone OHWM Ordinary High Water Mark OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration PCE Primary Constituent Elements PM Particulate matter Quad Quadrangle Reclamation Bureau of Reclamation ROG Reactive Organic Gases RM River mile RWQCB Regional Water Quality Control Board SHPO State Historic Preservation Officer SIP State Implementation Plan SMAQMD Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District SMUD Sacramento Municipal Utility District SO2 Sulfur dioxide SPCCP Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures Plan SRA State Recreation Area SVAB Sacramento Valley Air Basin iii SWRCB State Water Resources Control Board TMDL Total Maximum Daily Load USFWS US Fish and Wildlife Service USGS US Geological Survey VELB Valley elderberry longhorn beetle VOC Volatile organic compound Water Forum Sacramento Area Water Forum WYBC Western yellow-billed cuckoo iv Lower American River Anadromous Fish Habitat Restoration Project Section 1. Introduction In conformance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U. S. C. Section 4431 et seq. (NEPA), as amended, and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), California Public Resources Code, Section 21000 et seq, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and the City of Sacramento (City) have prepared this Environmental Assessment/Initial Study (EA/IS), in association with the Sacramento Area Water Forum (Water Forum), to evaluate and disclose potential environmental impacts associated with implementation of the Lower American River (LAR) Anadromous Fish Habitat Restoration Project (Proposed Action or proposed project) over a 16-year period from 2019 through 2034. The City has also prepared a Notice of Intent to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND), a CEQA Environmental Checklist, and a proposed MND, as required by the CEQA Guidelines. Reclamation is the NEPA lead agency and the City is the CEQA lead agency for the Proposed Action. CEQA review is required because the 16-year long Proposed Action will be physically implemented by the City, using City equipment and employee labor, in association with the Water Forum, and may result in a potentially significant impact on the environment that must be analyzed. This EA/IS describes the existing environmental resources in the project area; evaluates the impacts of the No Action Alternative and the Proposed Action on the resources; and proposes measures to avoid, minimize, or mitigate any significant adverse impacts. This EA/IS was prepared in accordance with NEPA, Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations (40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] 1500-1508), Department of the Interior Regulations (43 CFR Part 46),
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