ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Coast Guard Action Special Local Regulation and Safety Zone, America’s Cup Sailing Events, San Francisco, CA April 15, 2012 PREPARED FOR: Department of Homeland Security U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Francisco ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE 34TH AMERICA’S CUP‐COAST GUARD ACTION TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION 1‐1 1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 1‐1 1.2 Purpose and Need for The Action .......................................................................................... 1‐3 1.3 Objectives ................................................................................................................................... 1‐4 1.4 Scope of the Environmental Assessment ............................................................................... 1‐4 1.5 Summary of Laws ..................................................................................................................... 1‐4 1.6 Summary of Regulations ......................................................................................................... 1‐6 1.7 Summary of Policies ................................................................................................................. 1‐7 1.8 Scoping Process and Public Participation ............................................................................. 1‐8 1.9 Issues and Impact Topics ......................................................................................................... 1‐9 2. ALTERNATIVES 2‐1 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 2‐1 2.2 Background ............................................................................................................................... 2‐1 2.3 Alternatives Development Process ........................................................................................ 2‐1 2.4 Summary of Alternatives Evaluated ...................................................................................... 2‐2 2.5 Geographic Extent of Analysis ............................................................................................... 2‐2 2.6 Measures as Part of the Project Alternatives to Avoid or Reduce Impacts ...................... 2‐3 2.7 Alternative A – No Action ....................................................................................................... 2‐4 2.8 Alternative B – East‐West Regulated Area (Primary) and North‐South Regulated Area (Contingency) .................................................................................................................. 2‐5 2.9 Alternative C – East‐West Regulated Area Shifted East by 1,500 feet in 2012 and North‐South Regulated Area (Contingency) ...................................................................... 2‐10 2.10 Alternatives Eliminated from Further Study ...................................................................... 2‐11 3. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT 3‐1 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 3‐1 3.2 Biological Resources ................................................................................................................. 3‐1 3.2.1 General Marine Habitat Types and Associated Biota ............................................... 3‐2 3.3 Maritime Navigation and Safety .......................................................................................... 3‐16 3.3.1 Navigational Environment ......................................................................................... 3‐16 3.3.2 Commercial Vessel Traffic .......................................................................................... 3‐18 3.3.3 Recreational and Fishing Boats .................................................................................. 3‐22 3.4 Socioeconomics ....................................................................................................................... 3‐27 3.4.1 Local Economy ............................................................................................................. 3‐27 3.4.2 Regional Economy ....................................................................................................... 3‐34 3.5 Recreation ................................................................................................................................ 3‐40 3.5.1 Recreational Boating .................................................................................................... 3‐41 3.5.2 Other Recreational Water Uses .................................................................................. 3‐41 The 34th America’s Cup‐Coast Guard Action/Environmental Assessment i April 15, 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS 4. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES 4‐1 4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 4‐1 4.1.1 General Methodology for Analyzing Impacts ........................................................... 4‐1 4.2 Cumulative effects .................................................................................................................... 4‐1 4.3 Biological Resources ................................................................................................................. 4‐3 4.3.1 Study Area/Context ....................................................................................................... 4‐3 4.3.2 Issues ............................................................................................................................... 4‐3 4.3.3 Guiding Policies and Regulations‐Wildlife ................................................................ 4‐3 4.3.4 Guiding Policies and Regulations‐Special‐status Species ........................................ 4‐6 4.3.5 Assessment Methods/Thresholds ................................................................................ 4‐7 4.3.6 Alternative A: No Action ............................................................................................ 4‐12 4.3.7 Alternative B: East‐West Regulated Area (primary) and North‐South Regulated Area (contingency) .................................................................................... 4‐12 4.3.8 Alternative C: East‐West Regulated Area Shifted East by 1,500 Feet in 2012 (primary) and North‐South (contingency) ............................................................... 4‐17 4.3.9 Mitigation Measures .................................................................................................... 4‐18 4.4 Maritime Navigation and Safety .......................................................................................... 4‐18 4.4.1 Study Area/Context ..................................................................................................... 4‐18 4.4.2 Issues ............................................................................................................................. 4‐19 4.4.3 Guiding Regulations and Policies.............................................................................. 4‐19 4.4.4 Assessment Methods/Thresholds .............................................................................. 4‐22 4.4.5 Impacts Common to All Action Alternatives ........................................................... 4‐23 4.4.6 Alternative A: No Action ............................................................................................ 4‐23 4.4.7 Alternative B: East‐West Regulated Area (primary) and North‐South Regulated Area (contingency) .................................................................................... 4‐24 4.4.8 Alternative C: East‐West Regulated Area Shifted East by 1,500 Feet in 2012 (primary) and North‐South (contingency) ............................................................... 4‐30 4.5 Socioeconomics ....................................................................................................................... 4‐31 4.5.1 Study Area/Context ..................................................................................................... 4‐31 4.5.2 Issues ............................................................................................................................. 4‐32 4.5.3 Guiding Regulations and Policies.............................................................................. 4‐33 4.5.4 Assessment Methods/Thresholds .............................................................................. 4‐33 4.5.5 Alternative A: No Action ............................................................................................ 4‐36 4.5.6 Alternative B: East‐West Regulated Area (primary) and North‐South Regulated Area (contingency) .................................................................................... 4‐36 4.5.7 Alternative C: East‐west Regulated Area Shifted East by 1,500 Feet in 2012 (primary) and North‐South (contingency) ............................................................... 4‐43 4.6 Recreation ................................................................................................................................ 4‐43 4.6.1 Study Area/Context ..................................................................................................... 4‐43 4.6.2 Issues ............................................................................................................................