DR-4344-CA Public Notice 025

PUBLIC NOTICE: Carmel River Floodplain Restoration and Environmental Enhancement Project (CRFREE), Monterey County, California | HMGP 4344-539-094

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) intends to provide federal financial assistance to Monterey County, California, to restore the floodplain of the Carmel River. Monterey County applied to FEMA through the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) for a flood hazard mitigation grant under FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). Cal OES is the direct Applicant for the grant, and the County is the Subapplicant. The HMGP is authorized under Section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.

FEMA intends to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the action, in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, the President’s Council on Environmental Quality regulations to implement NEPA (40 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 1500 to 1508), U.S. Department of Homeland Security Instruction 023-01-001, and FEMA Instruction 108-01-1, NEPA implementing procedures. Pursuant to Executive Order 11988 (Floodplain Management) and Executive Order 11990 (Wetlands Management) and FEMA’s implementing regulations at Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 9, FEMA hereby provides interested parties with a notice of its intent to carry out an action affecting a floodplain and wetland.

The floodplain restoration component, proposed by Monterey County, in partnership with the Big Sur Land Trust, includes the removal of levees along the river channel, widening of the floodplain, and creation of new distributary channels that would flow to the south arm of the Carmel River Lagoon. Additionally, a new causeway would be constructed along a portion of State Route 1 (SR 1) to allow floodwaters to flow under the highway to the south arm of the Carmel Lagoon. Because the proposed changes in the floodplain have the potential to affect other structures downstream, additional actions discussed below are needed to mitigate the effects of floodplain restoration. The proposed action would restore natural floodplain functions and values, including connectivity with the coastal and estuarine waters of the Carmel Lagoon.

The purpose of the proposed action is to restore the floodplain of the Carmel River. The proposed action consists of (1) floodplain restoration, (2) replacement of a section of the SR 1 embankment with a causeway, (3) undergrounding the Carmel Area Wastewater District's (CAWD) pipeline crossing of the Carmel Lagoon (also known as Calle La Cruz), and (4) construction of two earthen berms to mitigate potential flooding of historic structures at the California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks) Carmel State Beach Barn Complex.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), California Department of Water Resources, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the Wildlife Conservation Board, and the California State Coastal Conservancy have provided funding for the planning and implementation of the floodplain restoration component. The California State Coastal Conservancy has provided funding for the design development of the CAWD pipeline, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers authorized a Clean Water Act Section 404 permit for the pipeline in January 2022. Caltrans is funding a portion of the causeway component with state funds, and FEMA is proposing to provide additional funding to support construction for all four additional mitigation components. The floodplain and causeway components are described in the CRFREE Project Final Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Assessment, which was published in January 2020. The Service issued a Finding of No Significant Impact in 2020 for the floodplain restoration component only. FEMA is required to consider potential environmental impacts before funding or approving actions and projects, and all four proposed components will be evaluated in FEMA’s EA.

The majority of the project area is in the 100-year floodplain in Zone AE, as depicted on the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) Numbers 06053C0316H and 06053C0320H, effective June 21, 2017. The FIRM shows that some staging and access areas for the CAWD pipeline seaward of the pipeline alignment lie within the VE Zone (100-year floodplain with additional hazards due to storm-induced velocity wave action). Some areas within the floodplain restoration component are within the 0.2‑percent-annual-chance flood hazard zone. Upland areas fall within Zone X, an area of minimal flood hazard.

According to Monterey County, approximately 0.01 acre of wetlands are mapped in the floodplain restoration area, and approximately 3.27 acres of wetlands are mapped in the CAWD pipeline replacement area for a total potential impact of 3.28 acres.

Initial comments concerning the project will be accepted from the affected public; local, state, and federal agencies; Tribes; and other interested parties to assist FEMA and inform decision-making. Comments should be made in writing and sent to David Cohen, Deputy Regional Environmental Officer, via email (fema-rix-ehp-documents@fema.dhs.gov) or mail (FEMA Region 9, 1111 Broadway, Suite 1200, Oakland, CA, 94607-4052). Reference: “HMGP 4344-539-094-CRFREE” in correspondence. All comments should be received within 30 days after posting of this notice.