Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Nebraska Highway 12 Niobrara East and West Project, Knox County, NE, 61188 [2015-25845]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
• Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 196 (Friday, October 9, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 61188]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-25845]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Nebraska Highway 12 Niobrara East and West Project, 
Knox County, NE

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Omaha District, has 
prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze the 
direct, indirect and cumulative effects of a proposed Nebraska State 
Highway project, Nebraska Highway 12 Niobrara East and West Project by 
the Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR). The Applied-for Project is the 
relocation and elevation (including additional bridges) of two segments 
of existing Nebraska Highway 12 (N-12) that are frequently flooded and 
have incurred damage due to high water levels associated with the 
Missouri River.

DATES: Written comments on the Draft EIS will be accepted on or after 
October 9, 2015, through November 23, 2015. Oral and/or written 
comments may also be presented at the Public Hearing to be held at 6:00 
p.m. on Monday, November 9, 2015, at the Niobrara Secondary School, 
located at 247 NE-12, Niobrara, NE 68760.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments regarding the Applied-for Project and 
Draft EIS to Rebecca J. Latka, Project Manager, U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, Omaha District, Regulatory Branch, 1616 Capitol Avenue, 
Omaha, NE 68102-4901, or via email at Rebecca.J.Latka@usace.army.mil. 
Requests to be placed on or removed from the mailing list should also 
be sent to this address.
    Copies of the Draft EIS will be available for review at the 
addresses listed in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.
    Electronic copies of the Draft EIS may be obtained from the 
Nebraska Regulatory Office or its Web site at https://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/Missions/RegulatoryProgram/Nebraska/EISHighway12.aspx.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rebecca J. Latka, Project Manager, 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, at 402-995-2681; fax 402-996-3842.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the Draft EIS is to provide a 
full and fair discussion of the Applied-for Project and other 
reasonable alternatives to inform decision makers and the public of the 
environmental impacts of the Applied-for Project and the reasonable 
alternatives. NDOR has submitted a Section 404 (Clean Water Act) permit 
application containing a roadway design for Alternative A7 (the 
Applied-for Project) to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). NDOR 
proposes to relocate N-12 east and west of Niobrara, NE., south of its 
existing location and construct a new roadway at a higher elevation 
with enhanced bridged sections to withstand existing and future flood 
events. The segment of N-12 that is in the bluffs, including the 
segment that goes through the Village of Niobrara, will remain the 
same. Two segments of N-12 within the existing Missouri River 
floodplain would be relocated. The west segment is approximately 6.2 
miles long and extends from just east of Verdel, Nebraska, on the west 
end to 2 miles west of the bridge over the Niobrara River. The Applied-
for Project would deviate from the existing alignment just east of 
Ponca Creek and would rejoin the existing alignment just north of 
County Road 892. The east segment is approximately 6 miles long and 
extends from just east of Spruce Avenue in Niobrara, NE., to 
approximately 1 mile east of Spur 54D (S-54D). In the east segment, the 
alignment would deviate from the existing alignment east of 4th Avenue 
in Niobrara, NE., and would reconnect with existing N-12 at 
approximately S-54D. A new connection to the Chief Standing Bear 
Memorial Bridge (N-14) and SD-37 would be developed, tying into the 
existing Highway 14 connection (which will be elevated as part of the 
project). Once the roads are completed, the existing N-12 roadway would 
be removed to the existing ground level. In addition to the Applied-for 
Project, the Draft EIS analyzes three alternatives: (1) Elevation Raise 
on Existing Alignment, (2) Elevation Raise on Parallel Alignment, (3) 
Base of Bluffs Alignment. The National Park Service, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Federal Highway 
Administration, and Knox County are serving as cooperating agencies. 
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and Nebraska Department of 
Environmental Quality are participating as review agencies. Copies of 
the document are available at the following addresses:

1. Niobrara Public Library/Niobrara Civic Center, 25414 Park Avenue 
Ste 3, Niobrara, NE 68760-0015
2. Tyndall City Library, 110 W 17th Avenue, Tyndall, SD 57066
3. Verdel City Office, 202 Second St., Verdel, NE 68760
4. Verdigre City Public Library, 101 E 3rd Street, Verdigre, NE 
68783
5. Springfield City Library, 605 8th Street, Springfield, SD 57062
6. Knox County Extension Office, 308 Bridge Street, Center, NE 68724
7. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Lewis and Clark Visitor Center, 
55245 Hwy 121, Croften, NE 68730
8. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nebraska Regulatory Office, Lake 
Wehrspann Field Office, 8901 S. 154th Street, Omaha, NE 68138-3621
9. Corps of Discovery Welcome Center, 89705 Highway 81, Crofton, NE 
68730

    Dated: September 30, 2015.
Joseph McMahan,
Chief Regulatory Field Support, Omaha District.
[FR Doc. 2015-25845 Filed 10-8-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P