Department of Agriculture
Rural Development
Seneca Healthcare District: Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact
AGENCY: Rural Development, USDA
ACTION: Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact.
SUMMARY: The USDA-RD has made a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) with respect to a request for possible financing assistance to Seneca Healthcare District for the construction of the Seneca Healthcare District Hospital Replacement Project in Plumas, Ca.
FURTHER INFORMATION: To obtain copies of the EA and FONSI, or for further information, contact: Shawn McKenzie Chief Executive Officer Seneca Healthcare District c/o Donna Huntingdale Building Rx (530) 867-1971 donna@building-rx.com. The EA and FONSI are also available for public review at Seneca Healthcare District Administration Office, 199 Reynolds Road, Chester Ca 96020.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed project consists of the construction of a new acute-care hospital and skilled nursing facility building to replace their existing aged facilities (Exhibits A1 and A2) Alternatives considered by USDA-RD and Seneca Healthcare District include: No action; The proposed Project is a less-complicated, single-site action and, in accordance with 7 CFR 1970.13(a), such projects are only required to consider and analyze the No Action alternative. Accordingly, the potential impacts of the No Action Alternative are disclosed in this EA but no other alternatives were evaluated. The alternatives are discussed in the Seneca Healthcare District Hospital Replacement Project EA. The USDA-RD has reviewed and approved the EA for the proposed project.
The availability of the EA for public review was announced via notice in the following newspaper(s): Lake Almanor Area Chamber Town Chatter, Plumas News and Seneca Healthcare Updates on July 7, 2023. A 14- day comment period was announced in the newspaper notice(s). The EA was also available for public review at the USDA Rural Development office and website as well as Seneca Healthcare District’s offices.
NO Comments were received.
Based on its EA, commitments made by Seneca Healthcare District, and public comments received, USDA-RD has concluded that the project would have no significant impact (or no impacts) to water quality, wetlands, floodplains, land use, aesthetics, transportation, or human health and safety.
The proposed project will have no adverse effect on resources listed or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The Agency has also concluded that the proposed project is not likely to affect federally listed threatened and endangered species or designated critical habitat thereof. The proposed project would not disproportionately affect minority and/or low- income populations.
No other potential significant impacts resulting from the proposed project have been identified. Therefore, USDA-RD has determined that this FONSI fulfills its obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR §§ 1500-1508), and USDA Rural Development’s Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR Part 1970) for its action related to the project.
USDA-RD is satisfied that the environmental impacts of the proposed project have been adequately addressed. USDA-RD’s federal action would not result in significant impacts to the quality of the human environment, and as such it will not prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for its action related to the proposed project.
Dated: 8/14/2023