The National Park Service (NPS) and Marin County Community Development Agency have completed a Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) for the Wetland and Creek Restoration at Big Lagoon.

The project extends over 38 acres of land at Muir Beach owned by GGNRA, the San Francisco Zen Center and the County of Marin. Action is needed because prior land use degraded the natural function of Redwood Creek, reduced habitat quality for federally listed species and contributed to flooding. The project will restore a functional, self-sustaining ecosystem, re-create habitat for sustainable populations of special status species, reduce flooding on Pacific Way and provide a compatible visitor experience. This project would restore the lower reach of Redwood Creek near Muir Beach, CA from where the creek passes underneath Highway 1, to its mouth at the Pacific Ocean approximately 2,800 feet downstream.

The Draft EIS/EIR was available for public review in winter 2006/2007. Twenty-five comment letters were received on the project and oral comments were made by 11 individuals at the Marin County Planning Commission Hearing. Based the public comment, the preferred Public Access and Bridge Alternatives have been changed from B3 to B4, and BR3 to BR4, respectively. Specifically, three proposed actions were modified: 1) bridge alternative changed from the 150-ft. bridge to the longer 250-ft. long bridge; 2) the preferred parking lot changed to a rotated design; and 3) the 400 linear feet at the downstream end of the relocated channel in the Green Gulch pasture will no longer have berms along the channel. With these changes made to the project, both lead agencies feel that public concerns related to the project have been adequately resolved. The Final EIS/EIR analyzes impacts associated with multiple alternatives for ecological restoration, public access improvements, bridge replacement, and fill disposal locations. Major components of the project include reconfiguring the Muir Beach parking lot and replacing the Pacific Way Bridge.

Click here to view the Final EIS/EIR.

There will be a 45-day comment period on the Final EIS/EIR.  Comments on the project are welcome between December 21, 2006 and February 4, 2008. 

Comments may be submitted online on the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website. Alternatively, comments may be submitted via email to e-mail us or in writing to:

Brian O’Neill, Superintendent

Fort Mason, Building 201

San Francisco, CA 94123

Attn: Restoration at Big Lagoon

There will be a public meeting on January 22, 2008 at the Bay Model in Sausalito. Click here for more information.

Contact Steve Ortega at (415) 561-4841 with questions.