Consider approval of the County Road 96 over Dry Slough Bridge Replacement Project, adopt an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program for the Project in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and CEQA Guidelines, and direct County staff to file a CEQA Notice of Determination with the County Clerk-Recorder. (No general fund impact) (Echiburú/Aleaf)

The Yolo County Department of Community Services, Public Works Division, is proposing to replace the County Road 96 Bridge crossing over Dry Slough, known as the County Road 96 over Dry Slough Bridge Replacement Project (Project). Based on the environmental evaluation in the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) prepared for the Project, with the implementation of prescribed mitigation and other measures to reduce environmental impacts, the Project was determined not to have a significant effect on the environment. Adoption of this IS/MND and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) will allow the Project to move forward to the right of way acquisition phase and through the environmental permitting process for Project construction.
 
BACKGROUND
 
The Yolo County Department of Community Services, Public Works Division (County) is proposing to replace the existing bridge on County Road (CR) 96 crossing over Dry Slough with funding made available through the FHWA Highway Bridge Program (HBP), which is administered by Caltrans. The bridge was determined to be functionally obsolete by Caltrans as recently as 2013 and currently has a sufficiency rating of 53.6. The existing bridge (Bridge No. 22C0127) was constructed in 1929 and is approximately 44 feet long and 20 feet wide. The structure consists of single-span reinforced concrete T-girders. The bridge has longitudinal and shear cracking along the girders and evidence of damaging water penetration through the deck. Additionally, the bridge railing is in poor condition with concrete spalling and exposed, deteriorating steel rebar.
 
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
 
The proposed Project will construct a new bridge along the same roadway alignment. The new structure will accommodate two 11-foot travel lanes with two-foot shoulders. The new bridge is anticipated to be a single-span cast-in-place post-tensioned slab structure, approximately 60 feet long. The roadway and bridge profile will be raised slightly to clear the 100-year storm event.
 
The Project has received federal transportation funding for preliminary engineering and project development, and for right of way acquisition through the HBP in the amounts of $277,704 and $641,500, respectively. 
 
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
 
The Project is subject to both the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and, therefore, a Natural Environmental Study (NES) was prepared for the Project area which supports the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) (Attachment A). The IS/MND was submitted to the State Clearinghouse, and subsequently circulated for public review and comment from June 14, 2022 through July 15, 2022.  Seven letters were received commenting on the Draft IS/MND during the review period. The letters received and responses to the comments contained in the letters are included in the attached memorandum along with the MMRP (Attachment B). The comments received do not raise substantial environmental issues as to the adequacy of the IS/MND. The IS/MND identified several environmental effects of the Project, but it also concludes that all identified environmental effects can be mitigated to a less than significant level by incorporating the mitigation measures identified in the MMRP into the Project, including mitigation measures to address temporary construction impacts. The County will be responsible for implementing the mitigation measures outlined in the MMRP and discussed in the IS/MND.
 
The County staff has determined the Project is a covered activity under the Yolo Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Community Conservation Plan (HCP/NCCP) and as such has applied with the Yolo Habitat Conservancy for coverage under the Yolo HCP/NCCP.
 
The County also initiated an early consultation request with interested Native American Tribes under the provisions of Assembly Bill (AB) 52. The Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC) was contacted to request sacred lands file search and contact list. The NAHC listed three Native American tribes who may have knowledge of sites or traditionally cultural properties that may be affected by Project-related activities. All Tribes listed were contacted via letter on October 30, 2020 informing them of the proposed Project and to request participation of interested parties. All Tribes requesting notification in Yolo County were subsequently sent a letter via email on June 18, 2021, giving formal notice and invitation by Yolo County to initiate AB 52 consultation on the proposed Project and to request participation of interested parties. The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation (Yocha Dehe) attended a field review meeting on February 20, 2020. Yocha Dehe requested to be included in property owner and utility owner discussions so they can provide cultural resources education. Details of the consultation process are outlined in the IS/MND.  No known cultural resources are near the Project site, but Yocha Dehe recommends cultural sensitivity training for all construction project personnel. Yocha Dehe’s request for cultural sensitivity training is included in the MMRP as Mitigation Measure TCR-1 (Sensitivity Training). No additional responses from Native American Tribes have been received.

The County is working to receive a Categorical Exclusion (CE) from Caltrans as part of their NEPA determination.  Caltrans is the lead agency for analyzing the Project’s environmental impacts under NEPA.  All studies required for NEPA, including the NES, have been approved by Caltrans. Staff anticipates final NEPA approval in early 2023, but Caltrans must receive approval of the IS/MND before approving the CE.

Staff has determined based upon the entire record, including the IS/MND, the comments received and responses thereto, the NES and the MMRP, that the Project would not have a significant effect on the environment for the following reasons:

Staff recommends that the Board of Supervisors adopt the IS/MND as the lead agency under CEQA. Approval of the Project’s CEQA determination will allow the County to proceed with right-of-way acquisition and finalizing Project design for anticipated construction in 2024 following Caltrans’ final NEPA approval.

The documents and materials that constitute the record of proceedings on which these findings have been based are located at Yolo County Department of Community Services, 292 W. Beamer Street, Woodland, CA 95695. The custodian for these records is Ahmad Aleaf, Senior Civil Engineer, Public Works Division.