55116 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 181 / Tuesday, September 20, 2005 / Notices 

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 

Department of the Army; Corps of 

Engineers 

Notice of Intent To Prepare an 

Environmental Impact Statement/ 

Environmental Impact Report for the 

Ballona Creek Ecosystem Restoration 

Feasibility Study, Los Angeles County, 

CA 

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. 

Army Corps of Engineers, DoD. 

ACTION: Notice of intent. 

SUMMARY: The Los Angeles District 

intends to prepare an Environmental 

Impact Statement/Environmental 

Impact Report (EIS/EIR) to support a 

cost-shared ecosystem restoration 

feasibility study with the Santa Monica 

Bay Restoration Commission. The 

proposed project study areas has been 

degraded by encroachment of nonnative plants, placement of fill from 

Marina Del Rey, interruption of the 

hydrologic regime, trash accumulation, 

and varied attempts at bank protection 

along the creek using rock and concrete. 

Direct benefits of the proposed project 

include improved habitat and water 

quality, reductions in waste and trash, 

and aesthetics. The watershed is an 

important resource for both recreational 

uses and for fish, and wildlife and 

further degradation could jeopardize 

remaining. The purpose of the 

feasibility study is to evaluate 

alternatives for channel modification, 

habitat restoration (coastal and 

freshwater wetlands and riparian), 

recreation, and related purposes along 

the lower reach of the Ballona Creek. 

DATES: A public scoping meeting will be 

held on September 29, 2005 at 6 p.m. 

ADDRESSES: U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers, Los Angeles District, CESPL–

PD, P.O. Box 532711, Los Angeles, CA 

90053 and Santa Monica Bay 

Restoration Commission, 320 West 4th 

Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Shannon Dellaquila, Project 

Environmental Manager, at (213) 452–

3850 or Malisa Martin, Project Study 

Manager at (213) 452–3828. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

1. Authorization 

This study was prepared as an interim 

response to the following authorities 

provided by Congress under Section 216 

of the Flood Control Act of 1970, which 

states: 

The Secretary of the Army, acting through 

the Chief of Engineers, is authorized to 

review the operation of projects the 

construction of which has been completed 

and which were constructed by the Corps of 

Engineers in the interest of navigation, flood 

control, water supply, and related purposes, 

when found advisable due the significantly 

changed physical or economic conditions, 

and to report thereon to Congress with 

recommendations on the advisability of 

modifying the structures or their operation, 

and for improving the quality of the 

environment in the overall public interest; 

supplemented by House Resolution on 

Public Works and Transportation dated 

September 28, 1994 which states: 

The Secretary of the Army is requested to 

review the report of the Chief of Engineers on 

Playa del Rey Inlet and Basin, Venice, 

California, published as House Document 

389, Eighty-third Congress, Second Session, 

and other pertinent reports, to determine 

whether modifications of the 

recommendations contained therein are 

advisable at present time, in the interest of 

navigation, hurricane and storm damage 

reduction, environmental restoration, and 

other purposes at Marina del Rey Harbor, Los 

Angeles, California, with consideration given 

to disposal of contaminated sediments from 

the entrance channel required under the 

existing operation and maintenance program 

at Marina del Rey. 

2. Background 

The Ballona Creek Ecosystem 

Restoration study area lies within Los 

Angeles County, CA and includes 

portions of Marina del Rey, Culver City, 

Playa del Rey, and the City of Los 

Angeles. The study area, a component of 

the greater Ballona Creek Watershed, 

includes the lower reach of Ballona 

Creek extending southwest from 

Cochran Avenue, in Los Angeles, to 

Pacific Ocean in Marina del Rey. 

specific features of the Ballona Creek 

watershed, including existing and 

historic wetland areas, the Ballona 

Lagoon, Del Rey Lagoon, Venice Canal, 

Grand Canal, the Oxford Drain and the 

Ballona Channel and tributaries, will be 

addressed in this study. 

The greater Ballona Creek system 

drains a watershed of approximately 

329 square kilometers (81,300 acres), 

and is the largest tributary that drains 

into the Santa Monica Bay. Ballona 

Creek collects runoff from several 

partially urbanized canyons on the 

south slopes of the Santa Monica 

Mountains as well as from intensely 

urbanized areas of West Los Angeles, 

Culver City, Beverly Hills, Hollywood, 

and parts of Central Los Angeles. The 

urbanized areas account for 80 percent 

of the watershed area, and the partially 

developed foothills and mountains 

make up the remaining 20 percent. The 

watershed boundary includes the Santa 

Monica Mountains on the north, the 

unincorporated area known as Baldwin 

Hills, and the City of Inglewood on the 

south. 

The Ballona Creek Ecosystem 

Restoration study footprint’s southern 

boundary is defined by the Westcheste 

Bluffs, which run southwest from the 

San Diego (405) Freeway beyond Loyola 

Marymount University. The western 

boundary extends from the Pacific 

Ocean. The eastern boundary begins 

where Ballona Creek daylights at 

Cochran Avenue and Venice Boulevard 

in a section of Los Angeles known as the 

Mid City. Tributaries of Ballona Creek 

include Centinela Creek, Sepulveda 

Canyon Channel, Benedict Canyon 

Channel, and numerous storm drains. 

The Ballona Creek watershed 

ecosystem has been altered by intense 

land development, encroachment of 

non-native plants, trash accumulation, 

and varied attempts at bank protection 

along the creek using rock and concrete. 

Although an important function of the 

Ballona Creek is as a flood control 

channel, the lower watershed is still an 

important resource for both recreational 

uses and for fish and wildlife habitat. 

Further impairment could jeopardize 

remaining habitat. This study will 

evaluate opportunities for habitat 

restoration (including wetland and 

riparian habitat), improvements to water 

quality, trash mitigation, and recreation 

and related purposes along the lower 

reach of the Ballona creek. 

3. Problems and Needs 

At least ninety (90) percent of historic 

coastal wetlands in California have been 

lost due to filing, dredging, flood control 

and intensive development. Within the 

Lower Ballona Creek Watershed, 

remaining fragmented wetland areas 

have been degraded due to diminished 

hydraulic function, poor water quality 

and introduction of exotic plants and 

animals. While functioning wetland 

systems and riparian habitat remain, 

they are stressed. 

• Channelization of the Ballona Creek 

and filling of historic wetland and 

riparian areas have contributed to 

degradation and loss of habitat due to 

impeded tidal exchange and circulation. 

•Contaminated stormwater runoff and 

trash loading has degraded Ballona 

Creek water quality. 

• Habitat alteration and loss has 

decreased biodiversity and overall 

ecological health, threatening the 

survival of native endangered species 

such as the California least tern (Sterna 

antillarum brown), snowy plover 

(Charadrius alexandrinus), and the 

Belding’s Savannah Sparrow 

(Sandwichensis beldingi). 

•The current design of the Flood 

Control channel has resulted in a lack 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 181 / Tuesday, September 20, 2005 / Notices 55117 

of recreational opportunities and is 

considered aesthetically challenged. 

• At present there is no integrated 

approach and partnership amongst 

stakeholders to resolve lower Ballona 

Creek in-stream and wetland 

degradation issues, which has led to 

uncoordinated and sometimes 

redundant and unsuccessful 

improvement measures. 

4. Proposed Action and Alternative 

The Los Angeles District will 

investigate and evaluate all reasonable 

alternatives to address the problems and 

need stated above. In addition to a 

without project (No Action) Alternative, 

both structural and non-structural 

environmental measures will be 

investigated. An assessment of the 

feasibility of removing impervious 

surfaces from the Ballona Channel will 

also be evaluated. Proposed restoration 

measures include: re-grading and 

removal of fill, remove invasive and 

non-native plant species, reintroduction 

of a water source and installation of 

native plants to restore previously filled 

coastal wetlands. Other measures to be 

evaluated include features to improve or 

restore tidal regime in Oxford Basin, the 

Grand and Venice canals, and Ballona 

and Del Rey Lagoons; the potential for 

in stream wetland development in 

Centinela, Sepulveda and Ballona 

Creek; sediment loading in the upper 

watershed; and related recreation and 

educational opportunities. 

5. Scoping Process 

The scoping process is on-going, and 

has involved preliminary coordination 

with Federal, State, and local agencies 

and the general public. A public scoping 

meeting is scheduled for Thursday 

September 29th from 6–8 p.m. at the 

Rotunda Room of the Veteran’s 

Memorial Building, 4117 Overland 

Avenue, Culver City, CA. This 

information is being published in the 

local news media, and a notice is being 

mailed to all parties on the study 

mailing list to ensure that public will 

have an opportunity to express opinions 

and raise any issues relating to the 

scope of the Feasibility Study and the 

Environmental Impact Study/ 

Environmental Impact Report. The 

public as well as Federal, state, and 

local agencies are encouraged to 

participate by submitting data, 

information, and comments identifying 

relevant environmental and 

socioeconomic issues to be addressed in 

the study. Useful information includes 

other environmental studies, published 

and unpublished data, alternatives that 

could be addressed in the analysis, and, 

potential mitigation measures associated 

with the proposed action. All comments 

will be considered in the project 

development. Concerns may be 

submitted in writing to the Santa 

Monica Bay Restoration Commission, or 

to the Los Angeles District (see 

ADDRESSES). Comments, suggestions, 

and request to be placed on the mailing 

list for announcements should be sent to 

MaLisa Martin (see ADDRESSES) or by 

e-mail to MaLisa.M.Martin@ 

sp101.usace.army.mil. 

Availability of the Draft EIS/EIR 

The Draft EIS/EIR is scheduled to be 

published and circulated in December 

2007, and a public hearing to receive 

comments on the Draft EIS/EIR will be 

held after it is published. 

Dated: September 13, 2005. 

Alex C. Dornstauder, 

Colonel, U.S. Army, District Engineer. 

[FR Doc. 05–18651 Filed 9–19–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3710–KF–M 

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 

Department of the Army 

Advisory Committee Meeting Notice 

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DOD. 

ACTION: Notice of meeting. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with Section 

10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–463), 

announcement is made of the following 

meeting: 

Name of Committee: Distance 

Learning/Training Technology 

Applications Subcommittee of the Army 

Education Advisory Committee. 

Date: October 5–6, 2005. 

Place: Crowne Plaza Williamsburg at 

Fort Magruder, Williamsburg, VA. 

Time: 0800–1630 on 5 Oct 05; 0800–

1630 on 6 Oct 05. 

Proposed Agenda: The meeting 

agenda includes updates on The Army 

Distributed Learning Program (TADLP) 

and infrastructure, review of selected 

courseware, and discussions focused on 

learning and technology. 

Purpose of the Meeting: To provide 

for the continuous exchange of 

information and ideas for distance 

learning between the HQ, U.S. Army 

Training and Doctrine Command 

(TRADOC), Department of the Army, 

and the academic and business 

communities. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: All 

communications regarding this 

subcommittee should be addressed to 

Mr. Mike Faughnan, at Headquarters 

TRADOC, Deputy Chief of Staff for 

Operations and Training, ATTN: ATTG–

CF (Mr. Faughnan), Fort Monroe, VA 

23651–5000; e-mail 

faughnanm@monroe.army.mil. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Meeting of 

the advisory committee is open to the 

public. Because of restricted meeting 

space, attendance will be limited to 

those persons who have notified the 

Advisory Committee Management 

Office in writing, at least 5 days prior to 

the meeting, of their intention to attend. 

Contact Mr. Faughnan 

(faughnanm@monroe.army.mil) for 

meeting agenda and specific locations. 

Any member of the public may file a 

written statement with the committee 

before, during, or after the meeting. To 

the extent that time permits, the 

committee chairman may allow public 

presentations or oral statements at the 

meeting. 

Robert E. Seger, 

Senior Executive Service, Assistant Deputy 

Chief of Staff for Operations and Training. 

[FR Doc. 05–18649 Filed 9–19–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3710–08–M 

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 

Department of the Army 

Department of Defense Historical 

Advisory Committee; Meeting 

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD. 

ACTION: Notice of open meeting. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with section 

10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act (Pub. L 92–463), 

announcement is made of the following 

committee meeting: 

Name of Committee: Department of 

Defense Historical Advisory Committee. 

Date: October 27, 2005. 

Time: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

Place: U.S. Army Center of Military 

History, Collins Hall, Building 35, 103 

Third Avenue, Fort McNair, DC 20319–

5058. 

Proposed Agenda: Review and 

discussion of the status of historical 

activities in the United States Army. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. 

Jeffrey J. Clarke, U.S. Army Center of 

Military History, ATTN: DAMH–ZC, 

103 Third Avenue, Fort McNair, DC 

20319–5058; telephone number (202) 

685–2709. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

committee will review the Army’s 

historical activities for FY 2005 and 

those projected for FY 2006 based upon 

reports and manuscripts received 

throughout the period. And the 

committee will formulate 

recommendations through the Chief of