DRAFT INITIAL STUDY MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION INGLENOOK FEN – TEN MILE DUNES NATURAL PRESERVE MACKERRICHER STATE PARK DUNE REHABILITATION PROJECT July 30, 2012 State of California California State Parks MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION PROJECT: MACKERRICHER STATE PARK DUNE REHABILITATION PROJECT LEAD AGENCY: California State Parks AVAILABILITY OF DOCUMENTS: The Initial Study for this Mitigated Negative Declaration is available for review at: Mendocino District Headquarters California State Parks Russian Gulch State Park 12301 North Highway 1 Mendocino, California 95460 Mendocino County Library, Fort Bragg Branch 499 Laurel Street Fort Bragg, California 95437 Northern Service Center California State Parks One Capital Mall, Suite 410 Sacramento, California 95814 California State Parks Internet Site http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=980 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: California State Parks (CSP) proposes to restore ecosystem processes that are crucial to the viability of endangered species and their habitats in the Inglenook Fen-Ten Mile Dunes Natural Preserve (Preserve) by removing up to 2.7 miles (4.3 km) of asphalt road and portions of the underlying rock base in foredune habitat, removing two culverts and restoring the stream channel, and treating approximately 60 acres (24.3 hectares) of European beachgrass and other nonnative weeds. Mitigation measures are incorporated to assure that restoration and enhancements would not result in significant adverse effects. A copy of the Initial Study is incorporated into this Mitigated Negative Declaration. Questions or comments regarding this Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration may be addressed to: Renee Pasquinelli, Senior Environmental Scientist California State Parks Mendocino District 12301 North Highway 1 – Box 1 Mendocino, CA 95460 ii TABLE of CONTENTS Chapter/Section Page 1. INTRODUCTION………..…………………………………………………………… 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION AND REGULATORY GUIDANCE…………………………… 1 1.2 LEAD AGENCY……………………………………………………………. 1 1.3 PURPOSE AND DOCUMENT ORGANIZATION……………………………… 2 1.4 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS………………………………………………….. 3 2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION…………………………………………………………… 4 2.1 INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………….. 4 2.2 PROJECT LOCATION……………………………………………………….. 4 2.3 BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR THE PROJECT…………………………….. 4 2.4 PROJECT OBJECTIVES…………………………………………………….. 6 2.5 PROJECT DESCRIPTION…………………………………………………… 6 2.6 PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION………………………………………………. 6 2.7 PROJECT REQUIREMENTS………………………………………………… 15 2.8 VISITATION TO MACKERRICHER STATE PARK……………………………. 35 2.9 CONSISTENCY WITH LOCAL PLANS AND POLICIES……………………….. 35 2.10 DISCRETIONARY APPROVALS……………………………………………… 36 2.11 RELATED PROJECTS………………………………………………………. 36 3. ENVIRONMENTAL CHECKLIST……………………………………………………… 38 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES I. Aesthetics…………………………………………………………….. 41 II. Agriculture and Forest Resources………………………………... 44 III. Air Quality…………………………………………………………… 46 IV. Biological Resources……………………………………………… 50 V. Cultural Resources………………………………………………… 74 VI. Geology and Soils…………………………………………………. 84 VII. Greenhouse Gas Emission and Climate Change……………… 89 VIII. Hazards and Hazardous Materials………………………………. 95 IX. Hydrology and Water Quality……………………………………… 98 X. Land Use and Planning…………………………………………… 104 XI. Mineral Resources…………………………………………………. 107 XII. Noise………………………………………………………………… 108 XIII. Population and Housing…………………………………………… 111 XIV. Public Services…………………………………………………….... 112 XV. Recreation…………………………………………………………… 115 iv XVI. Transportation and Traffic…………………………………………. 118 XVII. Utilities and Service Systems……………………………………... 123 4. MANDATORY FINDINGS OF SIGNIFICANCE…………………………………………. 126 5. SUMMARY OF MITIGATION MEASURES…………………………………………….. 128 6. REFERENCES………………………………………………………………………. 131 7. REPORT PREPARATION……………………………………………………………. 140 Figures FIGURE 2.6–01: PORTION 1-VERTICAL POSITION…………………………................ 8 FIGURE 2.6–02: PORTION 2-HORIZONTAL POSITION………………………………..... 9 FIGURE 2.6–03: PHOTOGRAPH OF SECONDARY TREATMENT AREA…...................... 13 FIGURE 3. BIO–01: WAVE-CUT STEEPENED FOREDUNES WITH EUROPEAN BEACHGRASS………………………………………………………………………….. 56 FIGURE 3. BIO–02: TEN MILE HAUL ROAD AND FOREDUNES BEFORE 1980 ………. 56 FIGURE 3. BIO–03: FOREDUNES AFTER EUROPEAN BEACHGRASS REMOVAL………………………………………………………………………………. 56 FIGURE 3. BIO–04: SAND DRIFT AND ESTABLISHMENT OF DUNE MAT……………….. 58 FIGURE 3. HYDRO–01: TYPICAL SET UP OF SEDIMENT CAPTURE BAG…………….. 101 Tables TABLE 2.6 –01: TEN MILE DUNE HAUL ROAD REMOVAL PORTIONS AND CULVERT…. 11 TABLE 3.AIR–01: MENDOCINO COUNTY 2010 ESTIMATED NON-ATTAINMENT COMPLIANCE PARTICULATE MATTER POLLUTANT AND MODELED PROJECT RELATED PARTICULATE EMISSIONS……………………………………………………………… 48 TABLE 3. BIO–01: NON-VEGETATED LAND SURFACE……………………................. 51 TABLE 3. BIO–02: LIST OF NATURAL COMMUNITIES IN PROJECT AREA…………….. 54 v Dune Rehabilitation Project IS/MND Inglenook Fen – Ten Mile Dunes Natural Preserve, MacKerricher State Park California State Parks TABLE 3. GHG–01: MENDOCINO COUNTY 2010 ESTIMATED CRITERIA POLLUTANT (GHG CONTRIBUTORS) AND MODELED PROJECT RELATED EMISSIONS…………………….. 93 TABLE 3. GHG–02: MODELED PROJECT CO2 EMISSIONS AND ARB GREENHOUSE GAS CONTRIBUTION FOR TRANSPORTATION SECTOR………………..…………………….. 93 Appendices A. MAPS, TABLES AND CHARTS A.1 - DUNE REHABILITATION PROJECT OVERVIEW MAP A.2 - COMPARISON OF EUROPEAN BEACHGRASS INFESTATION FROM AERIAL PHOTOS, 1979 & 2009 A.3 - COMPARISON OF SPINEFLOWER (CHORIZANTHE HOWELLII) MAPPED OCCURRENCES, 2001 & 2011 A.4 – POPULATION ESTIMATES METHODOLOGY A.5 - PROJECT AREA FLORISTIC INVENTORY A.6 - SPECIAL STATUS PLANTS MAPS A.7 - NATURAL COMMUNITIES MAPS A.8 - SEA-LEVEL RISE MAP A.9 - HYDROLOGY MAP B. PROJECT GRAPHICS COMPARISON OF EUROPEAN BEACHGRASS INFESTATION FROM OBLIQUE AERIAL PHOTOS, 1979 & 2005 C. SENSITIVE SPECIES AND HABITAT LISTS C.1 – SENSITIVE AND SPECIAL STATUS WILDLIFE C.2 - SPECIAL STATUS PLANTS SCOPING LIST C.3 - NATURAL COMMUNITIES SCOPING LIST D. ACRONYMS vi Dune Rehabilitation Project IS/MND Inglenook Fen – Ten Mile Dunes Natural Preserve, MacKerricher State Park California State Parks E. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS E.1 - BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES E.2 - MITIGATION, MONITORING, AND RESTORATION PLAN E.3 - WETLAND DELINEATION E.4 - SAND ANALYSIS E.5 - TIDEWATER GOBY AVOIDANCE MEASURES vii Dune Rehabilitation Project IS/MND Inglenook Fen – Ten Mile Dunes Natural Preserve, MacKerricher State Park California State Parks CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 INTRODUCTION AND REGULATORY GUIDANCE The Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) has been prepared by California State Parks (CSP) to evaluate the potential environmental effects of the proposed Dune Rehabilitation Project at MacKerricher State Park, Mendocino County, California. This document has been prepared in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Public Resources Code §21000 et seq., and the State CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations (CCR) §15000 et seq. An Initial Study is conducted by a lead agency to determine if a project may have a significant effect on the environment [CEQA Guidelines §15063(a)]. If there is substantial evidence that a project may have a significant effect on the environment, an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) must be prepared, in accordance with CEQA Guidelines §15064(a). However, if the lead agency determines that revisions in the project plans or proposals made by or agreed to by the applicant mitigate the potentially significant effects to a less-than-significant level, a Mitigated Negative Declaration may be prepared instead of an EIR [CEQA Guidelines §15070(b)]. The lead agency prepares a written statement describing the reasons a proposed project would not have a significant effect on the environment and, therefore, why an EIR need not be prepared. This IS/MND conforms to the content requirements under CEQA Guidelines §15071. 1.2 LEAD AGENCY The lead agency is the public agency with primary approval authority over the proposed project. In accordance with CEQA Guidelines §15051(b)(1), "the lead agency will normally be an agency with general governmental powers, such as a city or county, rather than an agency with a single or limited purpose." The lead agency for the proposed project is CSP. The contact person for the lead agency regarding specific project information is: Renee Pasquinelli, Senior Environmental Scientist Email: [email protected] Questions or comments regarding this Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration should be submitted to: Renee Pasquinelli, Senior Environmental Scientist California State Parks Mendocino District 12301 North Highway 1 – Box 1 Mendocino, CA 95460 Fax : (707) 937-2953 Email: [email protected] Submissions must be in writing and postmarked or received by fax or email no later than August 31, 2012. The originals of any faxed document must be received by regular mail within ten (10) 1 Dune Rehabilitation Project IS/MND Inglenook Fen – Ten Mile Dunes Natural Preserve, MacKerricher State Park California State Parks working days following the deadline for comments, along with proof of successful fax transmission. Email or fax submissions must include full name and address. All comments will be included in the final environmental document for this project and become part of the public record. 1.3 PURPOSE AND DOCUMENT ORGANIZATION The purpose of this document is to evaluate the potential environmental effects of the proposed Dune Rehabilitation Project at MacKerricher State Park. Mitigation measures have been incorporated into the project to either