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Phase 1 of
the Placer Parkway Corridor Preservation Project is to identify a
reasonable range of alternatives. These corridor alignment alternatives
(see CORRIDOR ALTERNATIVES) will be
analyzed in Phase 2 – the Tier 1 Environmental Impact
Statement/Environmental Impact Report (Tier 1 EIS/EIR).
Tiering
Plans for large
infrastructure projects, such as the Placer Parkway, are developed over
many years. Generally, greater detail becomes available as the planning
process moves forward. To make sure that environmental analysis is
included and considered as early in the process as feasible, federal and
State environmental laws allow for a tiered environmental review.
“Tiering” is a streamlining concept for large infrastructure projects
with several stages or phases. It is a way to focus environmental
studies during the planning process at the same level of detail as the
plans.
Tier 1 EIS/EIR
This environmental document will address federal (National Environment
Policy Act – NEPA) and State (California Environmental Quality Act –
CEQA) requirements for the Placer Parkway Corridor Preservation Project.
It will evaluate the corridor alternatives and will lead to the
selection of one corridor for right-of-way preservation.
The Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA), the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans),
and the South Placer Regional
Transportation Authority (SPRTA) propose to select and preserve a
corridor for the future construction of the Placer Parkway. FHWA
is the NEPA lead agency. SPRTA is the CEQA lead agency. SPRTA
has
authorized Placer County Transportation Planning Agency (PCTPA) to carry
out the work.
Environmental Process
The following steps are being taken to complete the Placer Parkway
Corridor Preservation Tier 1 EIS/EIR:
- Scoping
The scoping process solicits input from the public and agencies
regarding the extent and significant environmental issues to be
addressed in the environmental document. The
Notice of Intent (NOI),
to address NEPA provisions, was published in the Federal Register on
September 18, 2003. The Notice of Preparation (NOP), to address CEQA
provisions, was sent to the State Clearinghouse on September 22,
2003 as well as to interested agencies, organization, and
individuals. These notices serve as the official legal notice that
the Tier 1 EIS/EIR is to be prepared.
As part of the scoping process, two public scoping meetings were
held. The first, on October 6, 2003, was in Roseville. The second
was held in Pleasant Grove on October 9, 2003. For background and recap, see
PUBLIC OUTREACH.
-
Draft Tier 1 EIS/EIR
It evaluates the corridor alternatives, identified by the SPRTA
Board in September 2005. It will lead to the selection of one
corridor for right-of-way preservation. The Tier 1 EIS/EIR emphasizes the relative differences among the corridor alternatives
regarding potential impacts. This information will allow for an
informed choice among the alternatives. The Tier 1 EIS/EIR
focuses on broad topics such as general location, mode choice, and
area-wide air quality and land use, along with other environmental
issues. It also identifies mitigation strategies to be used in
later design/construction (Tier 2) environmental reviews.
The Draft Tier 1 EIR/EIS was released for public review and comment
on July 2, 2007. Public hearings were held in Yuba City on
August 6, 2007 and in Roseville on August 8, 2007 to get comments on
the Draft. The extended comment period closed on September 25,
2007.
Access & Buffer Chapter and Re-Circulation
Because of re-emerging questions about the access/buffer provisions
and to address USEPA comments on the Draft Tier 1 EIS/EIR, the SPRTA
Board conducted a public workshop on February 27, 2008. The Board
considered a number of options. On March 26, 2008, the Board
directed the staff to prepare a Draft Tier 1 EIS/EIR chapter
containing the additional analysis for growth inducement,
secondary/indirect impacts, and cumulative impacts as well as
considering a hypothetical scenario including less buffers and more
interchanges. The new chapter is to be circulated for public review.
This effort is to
provide fuller, more formal public disclosure of the additional work
and to make a better foundation for later Tier 2 work.
- Final Tier 1 EIS/EIR
After the Draft Tier 1 EIS/EIR public comment period ends, the Final
Tier 1 EIS/EIR will be prepared. Among its required components, the
Final Tier 1 EIS/EIR must respond to the comments received on the
Draft Tier 1 EIS/EIR.
After the Final Tier 1 EIS/EIR is prepared and before action can be
taken on the project, several decision-making documents are
required. These include the Record of Decision (NEPA) by FHWA and
the Notice of
Determination, Notice of Availability, Findings, and Statement of
Overriding Considerations (CEQA) to be considered by the SPRTA Board
of Directors. The Sutter County Board of Supervisions will
separately consider formal adoption of the selected corridor within
its jurisdiction based on the Final Tier 1 EIS/EIR.
The Final Tier 1 EIS/EIR is expected to be completed by summer 2009.
Corridor land acquisition can begin only after the Tier 1 EIS/EIR
process is completed.
Federal Resource Agencies Coordination
The FHWA and PCTPA are committed to identifying and addressing
environmental issues, including ones that could affect future federal
permits required to construct the Parkway. So that these issues could be
identified and satisfactorily dealt with during the Tier 1 review, FHWA,
Caltrans, and PCTPA entered into an informal Memorandum of Understanding
(Modified NEPA/404 MOU) with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE)
and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The MOU modifies
the NEPA/404 permitting process for wetlands and other “Waters of the
U.S.” -- part of the U.S. Clean Water Act.
Although, the Placer Parkway Corridor
Preservation project is not a construction project and does not require
permits, the MOU outlines agreement to identify environmental issues
that could affect future construction permit approvals. This process
seeks to reach "concurrence" on the following:
-
Purpose and Need Statement
(Completed October 2005)
-
Criteria for Selecting the Range of Alternatives
(Completed October 2005)
-
Range of Alternatives - general
agreement reached –
(Completed September 2006)
- Alternative(s) most likely to
contain the Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative (LEDPA)
(underway - to be completed
before the final Tier 1 EIS/EIR is finished)
- Mitigation Strategy Framework
(to
be completed before the final Tier 1 EIS/EIR is finished)
The discussion on the Range of
Alternatives focused on ways to avoid building a new transportation
facility. A number of potential concepts were analyzed. Based on this
work, the group concluded that no feasible corridor alternatives could be
identified that did not involve a new roadway. It was further agreed
that the five ‘build’ corridor alternatives (identified by the SPRTA
Board) would be considered with a commitment to construction options and
resource protection techniques as a way to meet avoidance obligations.
Placer County Conservation Plan (PCCP)
Placer County is pursuing a Natural Community Conservation Plan (NCCP)
and Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). It is referred to as the
Placer County
Conservation Plan (PCCP). Phase 1, for portions of the western County,
would allow specific development projects to comply with several federal
and State laws involving federal and State endangered/threatened species
over the next 50 years.
Since 2004, SPRTA considered becoming a
participating agency in the PCCP. In doing so, the Parkway would be a covered
activity. The benefit of participating would be that the PCCP would
identify all of the Parkway’s direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts
and mitigation requirements related to the:
- Federal Endangered Species Act
- California Endangered Species Act
- Natural Communities Conservation
Planning Act
- California Dept. of Fish and
Game’s Stream Alteration Permit
This, in turn, would provide certainty
and time savings in completing future Parkway Tier 2 environmental and
construction requirements.
On December 7, 2005, the SPRTA Board
approved an allocation not to exceed $155,000 as SPRTA’s contribution
for PCCP preparation. This allocation is contingent upon completing an
acceptable planning agreement with the County and resource agencies.
On January 23, 2007, the Placer County
Board of Supervisors directed County staff to proceed with work
associated with development of the PCCP. The County requested
staff participation from partner agencies - SPRTA and the Placer County
Water Agency. |
