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

The Yolo County Department of Community Services, Public Works Division, is proposing to replace the County Road 96 Bridge crossing over Union Slough, known as the County Road 96 over Union 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 and approval of the Project 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 Union Slough with funding made available through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Highway Bridge Program (HBP), which is administered by Caltrans. The bridge was determined to be structurally deficient by Caltrans as recently as 2013 and currently has a sufficiency rating of 54.9. The existing bridge (Bridge No. 22C0126) was constructed in 1930 and is approximately 40 feet long and 20 feet wide. The structure consists of single-span reinforced concrete T-girders. The bridge has extensive deck cracking, with longitudinal cracking along the bottom of all girders. Spalls with exposed rebar are also visible on the girders and soffit, and abrasion with exposed rebar is evident on the face of the northern abutment (Abutment 2). Sections of the bridge railing have completely spalled, exposing the rebar. Debris and mud build-up under the bridge has exacerbated the documented scouring at the site.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The proposed Project will construct a new bridge south of the existing structure, such that Union School Slough can flow straight east under CR 96. A pipe culvert will be installed at the current crossing to accommodate overflows and maintain the environmental benefit of the existing watercourse spur. The new bridge will accommodate two 11-foot travel lanes and two-foot shoulders. The new bridge is a 46.5 foot long, 29.5 foot wide, single-span structure. The structure type is cast-in-place, post-tensioned concrete slab. Construction of the bridge will involve excavation for and construction of concrete abutments, founded on deep foundations on driven piles.
 
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 $252,920 and $72,500, 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 Environment Study (NES) was prepared by Caltrans for the Project area which supports the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) (Attachment A). Caltrans is the lead agency for the NEPA review and the County is the lead agency for CEQA review. The Caltrans’ NES is included as Appendix C to the IS/MND.

As lead agency under CEQA, the County, along with its CEQA consultant, Gallaway Enterprises, prepared the IS/MND, which was submitted to the State Clearinghouse, and subsequently circulated for public review and comment, on June 13, 2023 through July 14, 2023. Three entities commented on the Draft IS/MND during the review period. The comments received and responses to the comments are included in the attached memorandum along with the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (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 concluded 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 conservation and mitigation measures outlined in the MMRP and discussed in the IS/MND.

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 Tribes under the provisions of Assembly Bill (AB) 52. The Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC) was contacted to request a sacred lands file search and contact list. On October 27, 2020, the NAHC returned a negative result for sacred lands within the Project Area of Potential Effects (APE). Additionally, 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 email in a letter on October 30, 2020, informing them of the proposed Project and to request participation of interested parties. One response was received by the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation (Yocha Dehe) on November 23, 2020. Although no known cultural resources have been identified near the Project site, Yocha Dehe indicated in the letter that the Project boundary lies within the aboriginal territories of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation who claimed authority over the proposed Project area. The Tribe is not aware of any known cultural resources near the Project APE and a cultural monitor is not needed. Should cultural material or new information be discovered during the course of the Project, the Tribe requests notification. Additionally, the Tribe recommended cultural sensitivity training prior to construction related activities. Sensitivity training is addressed in the Tribal Cultural Resources section of the IS/MND as a mitigation measure: MM TCR-1 (Sensitivity Training).

Additionally, prior to commencing the CEQA process, Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation representatives attended a field review meeting on February 20, 2020 to visit the Project site and to better understand the proposed Project activities. Details of the Tribal consultation process are outlined in the IS/MND.

The County is working to receive a Categorical Exclusion (CE) from Caltrans as part of the 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 October 2023, but Caltrans must confirm the County’s adoption 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, and the MMRP, that the Project would not have a significant effect on the environment as follows:

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 2025 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.

Caltrans
Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation
Yolo Habitat Conservancy