Yuba-Sutter Regional Conservation Plan EIS/EIR SCOPING MEETING January 6, 2015

1. To obtain feedback on the scope of the EIS/EIR 2.Provide overview of the Yuba-Sutter Regional Conservation Plan (RCP) 3.Explain the federal and state Endangered Species Acts 4.Explain the environmental review process

2001 – Caltrans improvements to State Routes 99 and 70 trigger need for an HCP 2001 – Sutter and Yuba Counties agree to prepare HCP/NCCP 2006 – New plan boundaries are adopted 2010 – Cities formalize participation, and plan boundary is expanded to include spheres of influence 2014 – EIS NOI and EIR NOP released to begin environmental document scoping

What is the RCP – An “HCP” (federal Endangered Species Act) and an “NCCP” (Section 2800 of California Fish and Game Code) Purpose – To implement growth identified in General Plans Location – Covers valley floor area of Yuba and Sutter Counties Timing – Proposed permit term = 50 years Participants – Yuba and Sutter Counties, Cities of Yuba City, Wheatland, and Live Oak

Reduce the cost of endangered species permitting Provide certainty of regulatory costs and requirements Provide local control Provide improved habitat preserves for species Protect the rights of private property owners

Applicants Sutter County Yuba County Cities of Yuba City, Wheatland, and Live Oak Permitting Agencies U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Consultants PMC (RCP) Dudek (EIS/EIR)

3 amphibians and reptiles – giant garter snake, western spadefoot, western pond turtle 3 invertebrates – vernal pool fairy shrimp, vernal pool tadpole shrimp, Valley elderberry longhorn beetle 8 birds – Swainson’s hawk, western yellow-billed cuckoo, bank swallow, California black rail, greater sandhill crane, bald eagle, western burrowing owl, tricolored blackbird 3 plants – dwarf downingia, Ahart’s dwarf rush, legenere

Residential, commercial, industrial, and commercial agricultural projects Recreational facilities Transportation facilities Public and private utilities Mining and mineral extraction Ground water supply and delivery facilities Flood control maintenance and stream- related facilities Wastewater and water management facilities Activities within the RCP reserves

Issuance of an Incidental Take Permit is a federal action NEPA requires that environmental effects of all federal actions be evaluated/disclosed EIS is the appropriate NEPA document USFWS is the NEPA lead agency

Trigger for EIS NOI/Scoping (written public comments received) Prepare Draft EIS (public comments received) Prepare Final EIS Including responses to public comments Lead agency decision (Record of Decision)

Two ways to authorize incidental take of a state-listed species Incidental Take Permit (Section 2081 California Fish and Game Code, under Section 2050 et seq. of California Endangered Species Act) NCCP (Section 2800 et seq. California Fish and Game Code) As a state action, approval of an NCCP requires analysis under CEQA Sutter County is the CEQA lead agency CDFW is a responsible agency under CEQA

Trigger for EIR NOP/Scoping (public comments received) Prepare Draft EIR (public comments received) Prepare Final EIR Including responses to public comments Lead agency decision (Notice of Determination)

Agriculture Air Quality Biological Resources Climate Change Cultural Resources Hydrology and Water Quality Hazardous Materials Land Use Public Services and Facilities Recreation Socioeconomics and Environmental Justice Soils, Geology, and Mining Transportation and Circulation Growth-Inducing Effects

No Action/No Project Preferred Alternative Alternative(s) to be identified through the scoping process. Possible alternatives include: -Reduction in scope of permits (reduced impacts) -Variations in conservation strategy -Reduction in permit duration -Variations in covered species -Variations in covered activities -Reduction in permit area -Some combination of these elements

All comments must be received by January 29, 2015 Comments: USFWS NEPA requirements require written comments Sutter County CEQA requirements allow all comments Written comments are encouraged! Please be as specific as possible

Comment cards – available today Faxed comments – Sutter County: (530) – Attn: Danelle Stylos USFWS: (916) – Attn: Mike Thomas ed comments – Written comments – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Attn: Mike Thomas 2800 Cottage Way, Room W-2605 Sacramento, CA Sutter County Development Services Attn: Danelle Stylos 1130 Civic Center Boulevard, Suite A Yuba City, CA 95993

Yuba-Sutter Regional Conservation Plan website: USFWS website: CDFW website:

Q & A

Additional Slides