The Otay River Estuary Restoration Project (ORERP) will restore approximately 125 acres of coastal wetland and upland habitats at the south end of San Diego Bay within the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) for the benefit of native fish, migratory birds, and other coastal dependent species.
Restoration will occur at two locations within the Refuge: on approximately 34 acres located east of 13th Street near Imperial Beach within the Otay River Floodplain; and approximately 91 acres of an existing solar salt pond (Pond 15) generally located to the west of the intersection of Bay Boulevard and Palomar Street in Chula Vista.
The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the ORERP was issued in May 2018. Since that time, we have been working the various permitting agencies, including the California Coastal Commission, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Regional Water Quality Control Board, in preparation for initiating restoration. We have also been working with the San Diego Unified Port District (Port) to develop an alternative access route to Pond 15 that would improve access for trucks transporting excavated material from the Otay River Floodplain restoration site to the Pond 15 restoration site. In association with the proposal for a new access route, we are also proposing to develop a second construction staging area on the Port property, located at 990 Bay Boulevard in Chula Vista. These actions will require approvals from the Port. The potential effects of the proposed actions on the environment have been addressed in an Environmental Action Statement (EAS), dated September 2, 2020, which supplements previous analysis in the FEIS for the ORERP.
The ORERP FEIS, which includes a description of the no action alternative and two action alternatives (the intertidal alternative and the subtidal alternative) and addresses the potential effects on the environment of implementing these alternatives, was made available for public comment in May 2018. On October 19, 2018, the Regional Director of the Pacific Southwest Region signed a Record of Decision (ROD) for the ORERP FEIS, which identifies Alternative B (Intertidal Alternative) for implementation. A Notice of Availability (NOA) informing the public of the availability of the ROD was published in the Federal Register on October 31, 2018. View these and other related documents.
To view the documents below, click the links and search for the corresponding page number.
ABSTRACT (page 5)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162397
COVER PAGE AND TABLE OF CONTENTS - including acronyms/abbreviations (pages 7 – 19)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162397
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (pages 21 – 43)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162397
CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION (pages 44 – 69)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162397
CHAPTER 2 – ALTERNATIVES (pages 70 – 138)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162397
CHAPTER 3 - AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT
3.1 - Affected Environment (pages 140 – 144)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162397
3.2 - Physical Environment (pages 146 – 199)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162397
3.3 - Biological Resources (pages 200 – 298)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162397
3.4 - Cultural Resources (pages 300 – 311)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162397
3.5 - Social and Economic Environment (pages 312 – 343)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162397
CHAPTER 4 - Environmental Consequences
4.1 - Environmental Consequences (pages 344 – 353)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162397
4.2 - Physical Environment (pages 354 – 466)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162397
4.3 - Biological Resources (pages 468 - 551)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162397
4.4 - Cultural Resources (pages 552 – 559)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162397
4.5 - Social and Economic Environmental Impacts (pages 560 – 581)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162397
4.6 - Cumulative Impacts (pages 582 – 597)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162397
CHAPTER 5 - Comparison of Evaluated Alternatives (pages 598 – 607)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162397
CHAPTER 6 - Other Sections Required by NEPA and/or CEQA (pages 608 – 611)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162397
CHAPTER 7 - Compliance, Consultation, and Coordination with Others (pages 612 – 623)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162397
CHAPTER 8 - References Cited (pages 624 – 647)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162397
CHAPTER 9 - List of Preparers (pages 648 – 649)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162397
APPENDICES (Click link https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162396 and search for corresponding page number)
A. Responses to comments (pages 1 – 202)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162396
B. Public Scoping Report – 2011 and 2013 (pages 203 – 216)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162396
C. FINAL RESTORATION PLAN (pages 17 - 210)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162399
D. Planting Plan for Uplands (pages 220 – 228)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162396
E. ORERP Construction Methodology (pages 229 - 252)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162396
F. Sampling and Analysis Report:
F1 - Sediment Characterization Sampling and Analysis Report (pages 253 – 298)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162396
F2 - Soil Characterization Program Sampling and Analysis Report (pages 299 – 341)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162396
G. Tidal Hydraulics Analysis (pages 343 – 453)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162396
H. Fluvial Hydraulics Study (pages 442 – 569)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162399
I. DDT Analysis (pages 570 – 641)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162399
J. Biological Technical Report with CRAM (pages 654 – 1083)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162396
K. Cultural Resources Report (confidential)
L. Utility Investigation Report (pages 1085 – 1117)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162396
M. Air Quality/Greenhouse Gas Output Files (pages 1118 – 1666)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162396
N. Coastal Commission Consistency (pages 1579 – 1594)
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/162399
For more information about the project, contact:
Jill Terp, Deputy Project Leader
jill_terp@fws.gov
Cell (619) 719-8579
Office (619) 221-3473
