Environmental Impact Statement - Sonoma Land Trust

Sonoma Land Trust
Chapter 4. Consultation and Other Requirements
• enhance 15.5 acres of additional breeding habitat for the California redlegged
frog breeding, including approximately 0.86 acres of excavation in
the floodplain near the northern project boundary;
• encapsulate lead and PAH contaminated soil; and
• provide enhanced flood protection to surrounding areas and the SMART rail
line.
The Full-Tidal Alternative would provide additional enhancement of tidal marsh
habitat. During project planning, SLT learned that SMART planned to reactivate
the rail line. This new constraint required protection of the rail line from tidal
flooding, and rendered implementation of the Full-Tidal Alternative very difficult
due to exceedingly high design and construction costs. The Full-Tidal Alternative
would:
• restore approximately 1,352 acres of tidal marsh;
• provide public recreation access south and possibly north of Highway 37;
• create 15.5 acres of additional breeding habitat, including approximately 0.86
acres of excavation in the floodplain, for the California red-legged frog near
the northern project boundary;
• encapsulate lead and PAH contaminated soil; and
• provide enhanced flood protection to surrounding areas and the SMART rail
line.
The preferred Bay Trail alignment would not be constructed under this
alternative because Segments 1 and 5 cannot be constructed (see Section 3.8);
however, other public access and trail segments would be provided. Existing
agricultural practices north of the rail line and enhancing existing seasonal
wetlands on those lands would not be retained under this alternative.
The Proposed Project has been identified as the environmentally
preferred/environmentally superior alternative because it meets the project
objectives by providing extensive environmental benefits, including restoration
of approximately 955 acres of tidal habitat while controlling costs, allowing for
more extensive public access (including allowing for the preferred Bay Trail
alignment), and retaining greater habitat diversity, including seasonal wetlands.
Although the Full-Tidal Alternative would provide approximately 40% more
tidal habitat than the Proposed Project, project costs would increase
approximately 4-fold, there would less seasonal wetland habitat, the Bay Trail
could not be constructed in its preferred alignment, and there would significant
and unavoidable impacts to aesthetics.
Sears Point Wetland and Watershed Restoration
Project Final Environmental Impact
Report/Environmental Impact Statement
4-7
April 2012