The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) invites public comment on a supplemental environmental document for the Mid-Coast Trolley extension project that will evaluate a previously unidentified impact on San Diego’s fairy-shrimp population. The fairy shrimp is a federally listed endangered species. Pacific Beach would be nearly at the center of the proposed route between the downtown Santa Fe Depot to the south and the UCSD and Westfield UTC areas to the north, should the plan be ultimately approved. The 45-day public comment period for the document, available at sandag.org/midcoast, ends Sept. 2.
The report, a supplement to the draft supplemental environmental impact statement/subsequent environmental impact report (SEIS/SEIR), discloses impacts to a fairy-shrimp population that lives next to a set of railroad tracks during surveys in 2014. The impact statement was circulated for review and comment from May 17, 2013 to July 17, 2013.
The locally endangered San Diego fairy shrimp reaches a length of about an inch and is named for the fairylike movements it makes when swimming.
Comments on the latest supplemental report are limited to the analysis of impacts to fairy shrimp. Responses will be provided in the final SEIS/SEIR, along with responses to comments received on the previously released draft SEIS/SEIR. The SANDAG board is expected to take action on the document later this year. Comments may be submitted in these formats:
• U.S. mail: Leslie Blanda, Mid-Coast Project Development Program Manager. San Diego Association of Governments, 401 B St., Suite 800, San Diego, 92101.
• Email: [email protected].
• Fax: (619) 699-1905.
• Voicemail: (619) 595-5620.
The project would be funded in partnership by SANDAG (using a regional half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements) and the Federal Transit Administration New Starts Program. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2015, with service starting in early 2019.