FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT

**County of Ventura, General Service Agency**

**Soule Park Bank Repairs**

**FEMA-1203-DR-CA; DSR #52055/73861**

The County of Ventura (the County), through the California Office of
Emergency Services, has applied to the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance Program for funding to repair and
stabilize stream banks along Thacher and San Antonio Creeks. Heavy rains
from the winter storms of February 1998 caused severe slope failure and
erosion along Thacher and upper San Antonio Creeks in Soule Park and
Soule Golf Course. Therefore, the County has identified the need to
protect public health and safety, as the steep and unprotected slopes
are vulnerable to continued erosion and possible failure.

Under the Proposed Action, the County would repair two areas along
Thacher Creek and one area along San Antonio Creek. The Thacher Creek
project area is located on the south bank of the creek within Soule
Park, approximately 1,500 feet upstream from its confluence with San
Antonio Creek. In total, the two damaged areas measure 784 linear feet
and are separated by a 300 linear foot segment of stable vegetated bank.
The 445-foot upstream segment would be stabilized using interlocking,
x-shaped, concrete blocks call "A-jacks" placed in 3 feet deep and 5
feet wide excavated trench. Established willows would be hand-cut and
placed among the "A-jacks" with soil to help re-establish the
vegetation. Above the "A-jacks", the banks would be graded to a 2:1
slope. The banks along the 339-foot downstream segment would be cut to a
2:1 slope. Filter material would be placed on the new slope and would be
seeded with native grasses. All work would be performed from the top of
the bank.

The San Antonio creek bank repair would occur along 300 linear feet of
the creek's eastern bank in an area adjacent to the Soule Golf Course.
The top of the bank would be lowered approximately 3 to 5 feet and cut
to a 2:1 slope. "A-jacks" would be placed in a 5-foot wide by 4-foot
deep trench. Existing willows would be hand-cut, stripped of their
leaves, placed among the "A-jacks" and covered with soil to help
establish growth. All construction would occur from the existing
equestrian trail.

The Supplemental Environmental Assessment that was prepared for the
County of Ventura Soule Park Bank Repairs Project tiers from the Final
Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Typical Recurring Actions
Resulting from Flood Disasters in California as Proposed by the Federal
Emergency Management Agency, FEMA-1203-DR-CA (PEA; April 16, 1998). The
PEA resulted in a Finding of No Significant Impact (April 16, 1998).
Both the SEA for the Soule Park Bank Repairs Project and the PEA are
available online at <http://www.fema.gov/mit/ep/assess.htm> and
<http://www.fema.gov/reg-ix/env/nhpapa.htm>, respectively.

A public notice has been circulated explaining reasons for siting the
project in the floodplain, pursuant to Executive Order 11988 (Floodplain
Management). This Finding of No Significant Impact serves as the final
notice for Executive Order 11988 compliance.

Based upon the conditions and the information contained in the
Programmatic Environmental Assessment and the Supplemental Environmental
Assessment for the County of Ventura Soule Park Bank Repair Project
(April 22, 2002 make sure that this is the date of the final document),
and in accordance with FEMA's regulations in 44CFR Part 10
(Environmental Considerations) and Executive Orders 11988 (Floodplain
Management), 11990 (Protection of Wetlands), and 12898 (Environmental
Justice), the following is concluded:

A Finding of No Significant Impact. Therefore, an environmental impact
statement will not be prepared, based on the fact that there will be no
long-term adverse impacts to the natural environment resulting from this
project.

This Finding of No Significant Impact is based upon the conditions
contained in the Programmatic Environmental Assessment and the
Supplemental Environmental Assessment.

For more information, contact Sandro Amaglio, Region IX Environmental
Officer, at (415) 923-7027. No action will be allowed to occur until 15
days after publication of this Finding of No Significant Impact.