Final Environmental Impact Statement Pursuant To California Environmental Quality Act And National Environmental Policy Act

"In April 2009, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) and issued a Record of Decision (ROD) for its Proposed Action to replace its Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) facilities in La Jolla, California. The NOAA SWFSC is a National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) regional headquarters located at the University of California at San Diego. A joint Final EIS/EIR was prepared and approved in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S. Code 4321-4347), the President's Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) implementing regulations (40 CFR Part 1500 - 1508), NOAA Administrative Order (NAO) 216-6: Environmental Review Procedures for Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines. Since completion of the Final EIS/EIR, substantial changes to the Proposed Action are being considered by NOAA within portions of the project area containing the 2.5-acre property currently occupied by SWFSC and managed by NOAA under a 99-year deed from the University of California Office of the President (UCOP). These newly Proposed Actions were not previously analyzed in the Final EIS/EIR and involve additional demolition activities, substantial excavation and grading, installation of a geohazard soil stabilization system, structural upgrade to remaining structures, and other site alterations. These Proposed Actions were deemed necessary by NOAA based on additional geotechnical information and design recommendations received since approval of the Final EIS/EIR"--Executive summary.