[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 26 (Wednesday, February 8, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7578-7581]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-3080]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Intent To Prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement 
for the Application of the Coastal Barrier Resources Act to the Pacific 
Coast

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Fish and Wildlife 
Service (FWS) intends to gather information to prepare a programmatic 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the application of the Coastal 
Barrier Resources Act (CBRA) on the Pacific coast. The National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Regulations (40 CFR 1501.7) require 
publication of a notice to inform other agencies and the public on the 
scope of issues to be addressed and identified in the EIS. All previous 
public comments received by the FWS during the review of the 1993 Draft 
Coastal Barriers Study, conducted according to Section 6 of the Coastal 
Barrier Improvement Act of 1990, will be considered part of the 
information gathering process for this EIS.
    Changes to individual mapped coastal barrier unit boundaries that 
would depict new development or structural changes are not within the 
scope of this programmatic EIS. All major issues raised during the 
public review of the 1993 Draft Coastal Barriers Study and maps 
regarding technical criteria used in mapping the units have been 
considered and will be addressed in the EIS. Any future changes to 
individual units in the current inventory will require the 
recommendation of the Governors or Congressional representatives of the 
affected States.
    Please submit recommendations or comments on the scope of issues to 
be addressed in this EIS by 45 days after the publication of this 
notice.

DATES: Written comments should be received by March 27, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to: CBRA EIS Team Leader, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, 911 NE. 11th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97232-
4181.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paula Levin, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, 911 NE. 11th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 9732-4181, (503) 231-
2068. Table ``A'' provides a summary of technical changes on the 1993 
Draft Coastal Barrier Maps of California, Oregon, and Washington. No 
unit boundary changes were made in Hawaii, however, the EIS will 
address the applicability of the technical criteria to the coastal 
barriers in Hawaii, the Pacific Islands and the other affected States. 
The 1994 draft Coastal Barrier maps can be viewed at the central 
locations listed in this notice. The maps are being provided for 
informational purposes at the locations listed and only to county 
planning offices in those counties where unit boundaries were changed.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Coastal barriers are unique landforms that 
provide protection for diverse aquatic habitats and are the mainland's 
first line of defense against the impacts of coastal storms and 
erosion.
    Congress recognized the vulnerability of coastal barriers to 
development by passing the Coastal Barriers Resource Act in 1982 
(CBRA). CBRA (Pub L. 97-348) established the Coastal Barriers Resources 
System (System) that prohibits all new Federal expenditures and 
financial assistance within the units of that System unless 
specifically excepted by the Act. Congress took this action because 
Federal expenditures and financial assistance have the effect of 
encouraging development of coastal barriers. By restricting these 
Federal expenditures, Congress intended to minimize the loss of human 
life, wasteful expenditure of Federal revenues, and damage to fish, 
wildlife, and other natural resources associated with coastal barriers 
along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts.
    In 1990, Congress passed the Coastal Barrier Improvement Act 
(CBIA). The CBIA (Pub. L. 101-591) tripled the size of the System by 
adding coastal barriers of the Great Lakes and additional areas along 
the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts. The System currently includes 
560 units, comprising almost 1.3 million acres and about 1,200 
shoreline miles.
[[Page 7579]]

    One hundred and ninety-five (195) units encompassing 104,814 acres 
and 307 miles of shoreline on the Pacific coast are proposed for 
inclusion in the System. Of this acreage, approximately 28,400 acres 
consist of fastland (non-wetland area above the mean high tide line) 
and 76,414 acres consist of wetlands and other associated aquatic 
habitats.
    The proposal to add 195 units to the System is the result of the 
CBIA's requiring the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to prepare a 
study that examines the need for protecting undeveloped coastal 
barriers along the Pacific coast of the United States, through 
inclusion in the System. This area includes the States of California, 
Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern 
Marianas, and all Pacific Ocean territories and possessions of the 
United States. In addition, the Secretary was directed to prepare maps 
identifying the boundaries of undeveloped coastal barriers within this 
area. The Secretary delegated the authority to develop the Study and 
accompanying maps of undeveloped coastal barriers of the Pacific coast 
to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).
    Notices of availability of FWS-developed Draft Coastal Barrier Maps 
were published in the Federal Register on April 23, 1992 (57 FR 14846), 
for Oregon, May 29, 1992 (57 FR 22821), for Washington, July 7, 1992 
(57 FR 29883) for California, and August 14, 1992 (57 FR 36668), for 
Hawaii. Following the 90-day public comment period, FWS revised the 
draft maps to correct any technical errors noted during the comment 
period. The revised draft maps, and all comments received, were 
forwarded to appropriate State Governors for review and comment.
    The FWS developed the required Draft Study and revised draft maps 
of areas under consideration for inclusion in the Coastal Barrier 
Resources System in 1993. The FWS made the Draft Study and maps 
available for a 60-day public review and comment period on December 17, 
1993 (58 FR 66016). Appropriate State Governors were afforded an 
additional 30 days for review and comment. On February 23, 1994, the 
FWS extended the public comment period until March 25, 1994, and for 
State Governors until April 25, 1994. Between January 5, 1994, and 
January 18, 1994, 15 public meetings were held in Oregon, Washington, 
California, and Hawaii regarding the draft study and accompanying maps. 
Press releases were issued in all affected areas. Mailings of the draft 
maps and Study were provided to individuals and central locations on 
FWS mailing lists, supplemented by mailings lists provided by State 
Coastal Zone Management program managers. Announcements of availability 
and central locations for review of the maps and Study were also widely 
distributed.
    Coastal barrier units that occur on Tribal lands were included on 
the 1991 draft maps but deleted from the 1993 draft maps at the request 
of the Tribal sovereign nations. Neither the CBRA nor the CBIA provides 
guidance regarding the inclusion of Tribal lands in the System. 
Recognizing the sovereignty of the Native American nations, the 
Department of the Interior (Department) solicited recommendations from 
each affected Tribe. These Tribal recommendations will be submitted to 
Congress with the Department's final EIS recommendations.
    A Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) will be available for 
public for review and comment when complete. A summary of alternatives 
currently proposed for evaluation in the EIS include:

1. No action Alternative: current circumstances projected into the 
future.
2. Implement the Act with stipulations:
    (a) Apply Section 4(d) CBIA provision to:
    (1) Federal lands undergoing disposal following inclusion of the 
Pacific coastal barriers in the System, providing, the disposal has not 
yet been completed.
    (2) ``otherwise protected areas (and private inholdings)'' not in 
Federal or State ownership if changes in their status may result in 
their development.
    (b) Engage in appropriate Government to Government coordination 
before considering incorporation of Tribal lands including 
reservations, allotment lands, and usual and accustomed treaty areas in 
the System.

    Other alternatives may be explored if responses to scoping and 
further analysis show the necessity.

Locations of Maps

All States

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services, 911 N.E. 11th 
Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97232-4181; Phone: (503) 231-2068
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services, 4401 N. Fairfax 
Drive, Room 400, Arlington, Virginia 22203; Phone: (703) 358-2201

Hawaii

Pacific Islands Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 300 Ala Moana 
Boulevard, Room 6307, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813; Phone: (808) 541-2749
Hawaii Office of State Planning, State Coastal Zone Management, 1177 
Alakea Street, 2nd Floor, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813; Phone: (808) 587-2880
Kauai National Wildlife Refuge Complex, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Kilauea, Kauai, Hawaii 96754; Phone: (808) 828-1413
Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, 154 Waianuenue Avenue, Room 219, Hilo, Hawaii 96720; Phone: 
(808) 969-9909
Maui County Planning Office, Parks and Recreation, 1580-C Kaahumanu 
Avenue, Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii 96793; Phone: (808) 243-7931
Kahului Public Library, 20 School Street, Kahului, Hawaii 96793; Phone: 
(808) 877-5048
Mitchell Paole Center, 90 Inoa Street, Kaunakakai, Molokai 96748; 
Phone: (808) 553-3204

California

Carlsbad Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2730 Loker 
Avenue West, Carlsbad, California 92008; Phone: (619) 431-9440
Ventura Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2140 Eastman 
Avenue, Suite 100, Ventura, California 93003; Phone: (805) 644-1766
Sacramento Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2800 Cottage 
Way, Room E-1803, Sacramento, California 95825; Phone: (916) 979-2116
San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, 1 Marshlands Road, Fremont, California 94536; Phone: (510) 
792-0222
Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
1020 Ranch Road, Loleta, California 95551; Phone: (707) 733-5406
California Coastal Commission, 45 Fremont, Suite 2000, San Francisco, 
California 94105-2219; Phone: (415) 904-5280
California Coastal Commission Legislative Office, 921 11th Street, Room 
1200, Sacramento, California 95814; Phone: (916) 445-6067
State of California, The Resources Agency, 1416 9th Street, Suite 1311, 
Sacramento, California 95814; Phone: (916) 654-2506

Oregon

Portland Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2600 S.E. 98th 
Avenue, Suite 100, Portland, Oregon 97266; Phone: (503) 231-6179
Oregon Coastal Refuges, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2030 Marine 
Science [[Page 7580]] Drive, Newport, Oregon 97365-5296; Phone: (503) 
867-4550
Oregon Coastal/Ocean Management Program, Dept. of Land and Conservation 
Development, 1175 Court Street NE, Salem, Oregon 97310-0590; Phone: 
(503) 373-0092
Bandon Public Library, P.O. Box 128, Bandon, Oregon 97411 (located in 
the Bandon City Hall on Highway 101); Phone: (503) 347-3221
Tillamook Public Library, 210 Ivy Avenue, Tillamook, Oregon 97141; 
Phone: (503) 842-4792
Seaside Public Library, 60 N. Roosevelt Boulevard, Seaside, Oregon 
97138; Phone: (503) 738-6742
Hatfield Marine Science Center, Guin Library, 2030 Marine Science 
Drive, Newport, Oregon 97365; Phone: (503) 867-0249
North Bend Public Library, 1800 Sherman Avenue, North Bend, Oregon 
97459; Phone: (503) 756-0400

Washington

Olympia Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 3704 Griffin Lane 
SE, Suite 102, Olympia, Washington 98501-2192; Phone: (206) 753-9440
Willapa National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, HC 
01, Box 910, Ilwaco, Washington 98624-9797; Phone: (206) 484-3482
Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 100 
Brown Farm Road, Olympia, Washington 98506; Phone: (206) 753-9467
Washington Coastal Refuges, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1638 Barr 
Road South, Port Angeles, Washington 98382; Phone: (206) 457-8451
Washington Department of Ecology, Shorelands and Coastal Management 
Program, 300 Desmond Drive, Olympia, Washington 98504; Phone: (206) 
407-7250
    Dated: January 31, 1995.
Thomas Dwyer,
Acting Regional Director.

                                                   Table A--1994 Pacific Coastal Barrier Unit Changes                                                   
                                                                  [Old=1993; New=1994]                                                                  
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           State/county            Unit No. (old/new)                 Unit name                                          Action                         
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California:                                                                                                                                             
    Sonoma.......................  N/A / CA-28         Bodega Bay............................  Added unit.                                              
    San Luis Obispo..............  CA-44/CA-47         Oso Flaco Lake........................  Extended southeast boundary to include associated aquatic
                                                                                                habitat. Added 24 acres of wetland.                     
Oregon:                                                                                                                                                 
    Clatsop......................  OR-02/OR-02         Necanicum River.......................  Expansion in northeast corner of unit to include         
                                                                                                associated aquatic habitat. Added 25 acres of wetland.  
    Tillamook....................  OR-04/OR-04         Nehalem Spit and Bay..................  Expansion in northeast corner of unit to include         
                                                                                                associated aquatic habitat. Added 19 acres of wetland.  
    Tillamook....................  OR-10/OR-10         Kiwanda Beach.........................  Expansion of southeast corner to include associated      
                                                                                                aquatic habitat. Added 114 acres of wetland.            
    Lincoln......................  OR-11/OR-11         Salmon River Estuary..................  Expansion to include associated aquatic habitat along    
                                                                                                Salmon River. Added 562 acres of wetland.               
    Lane.........................  OR-15/OR-15         Baker Beach...........................  Expanded northern boundary to include barrier and        
                                                                                                associated aquatic habitat. Added 0.5 miles of          
                                                                                                shoreline, 39 acres of fastland, and 9 acres of wetland.
    Coos.........................  OR-19/OR-19         North Spit and Coos Bay/Oregon Dunes..  Excluded industrial waste ponds and relocated inland     
                                                                                                boundary of entire unit to wetland/upland interface at  
                                                                                                foredune. Removed 1,066 acres of fastland and 3,256     
                                                                                                acres of wetland.                                       
    Curry........................  OR-25/OR-25         Euchre Creek..........................  Extended northern boundary. Added 0.1 miles of shoreline,
                                                                                                6 acres of fastland, and 6 acres of wetland.            
    Curry........................  OR-26/OR-26         Greggs Creek..........................  Extended southern boundary. Added 0.3 miles of shoreline,
                                                                                                16 acres of fastland, and 4 acres of wetland.           
Washington:                                                                                                                                             
    Whatcom......................  WA-01/Deleted       Semiahmoo Spit/Drayton Harbor.........  Site visit and documentation provided by property owners 
                                                                                                indicated site is developed and does not meet criteria. 
    Clallam......................  WA-57/WA-51         Kilakala Point........................  Extended southwest edge to include associated aquatic    
                                                                                                habitat at Grays Marsh Creek. Added 25 acres of wetland.
    Grays Harbor.................  WA-70/WA-58         Conner Creek..........................  Added an exclusion for a structure and removed developed 
                                                                                                portion (R.V. parking/campground area). Removed 3 acres 
                                                                                                of fastland and 1 acre of wetland.                      
    Grays Harbor.................  WA-71/WA-59         Ocean Shores..........................  Removed a developed portion near Oyhut. Added 0.1 miles  
                                                                                                of shoreline and removed 2 acres of fastland and 2 acres
                                                                                                of wetland.                                             
    Grays Harbor.................  WA-72/WA-60         Ocean Shores South....................  Redelineated to make eastern edge more reflective of     
                                                                                                actual barrier and extended into aquatic habitat to the 
                                                                                                north. Removed 0.1 miles of shoreline and added 583     
                                                                                                acres of wetland.                                       
    Grays Harbor.................  WA-73/WA-61         Westport..............................  Added exclusion for parking lot and structure off of     
                                                                                                Ocean Avenue and removed additional developed area which
                                                                                                extended into barrier unit. Removed 0.6 miles of        
                                                                                                shoreline, 16 acres of fastland, and 5 acres of wetland.
    Pacific......................  WA-79/WA-68         Long Beach/Seaview....................  Removed several developed areas which extended into      
                                                                                                barrier unit. Removed 3 acres of fastland and 6 acres of
                                                                                                wetland.                                                
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[FR Doc. 95-3080 Filed 2-7-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P