Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Wilmington Harbor-96 Act, General Reevaluation Report, New Hanover County, NC, 3059-3060 [06-485]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 12 / Thursday, January 19, 2006 / Notices Board, 1535 Command Drive, EE-Wing, 3rd third Floor, Andrews AFB, MD 20762–7002. Copies of documents or other materials submitted cannot be returned. Bao-Anh Trinh, Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer. [FR Doc. E6–540 Filed 1–18–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 5001–05–P DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Army Notice of Availability (NOA) for the Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement (SFEIS) for the Proposed Addition of Maneuver Training Land at Fort Irwin, CA Department of the Army, DoD. Notice of availability. AGENCY: sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES ACTION: SUMMARY: This announces the availability of the SFEIS for the Proposed Addition of Maneuver Training Land at Fort Irwin. The SFEIS assesses the potential environmental impacts of the addition of maneuver lands to supplement the current training corridors at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin in the Mojave Desert of California by approximately 118,674 acres. The proposed expanded maneuver training will improve necessary field training by providing a more realistic battle corridor. The cooperating agencies for this project are: Bureau of Land Management (as the administrator of the vast majority of the lands within the study area), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (as a tenant on Fort Irwin), and the Federal Aviation Administration (as some of the alternatives involve possible changes to airspace). DATES: The waiting period for the SFEIS will end 30 days after publication of the NOA in the Federal Register by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. No sooner than the expiration of the waiting period, the Army will sign a Record of Decision (ROD). A Notice of Availability of the ROD will also be published in the Federal Register. ADDRESSES: Direct questions and/or written comments regarding the SFEIS to, or request a copy of the document from, Ms. Jennifer Barry, Strategic Planning Office, PO Box 10309, Fort Irwin, California 92310. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Jennifer Barry at (760) 380–6174; by email at Jennifer.Barry@irwin.army.mil; or by facsimile at (760) 380–6171. VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:38 Jan 18, 2006 Jkt 208001 The SFEIS analyzed the following six alternatives to meet the need for additional maneuver training lands at Fort Irwin: (1) Alternative 1 (preferred alternative) analyzed expanding training to the east and west to include reintroduction of training in Fort Irwin lands previously set aside to the south (UTM 90 area). Additional lands totaling approximately 150,510 acres would be added to the available training lands. (2) Alternative 2 analyzed expanding training to the east and the south, including the UTM 90 area. Additional lands totaling approximately 156,340 acres would be added to the available training lands. (3) Alternative 3 analyzed expanding training to the east. Additional lands totaling approximately 48,760 acres would be added to the available training lands. (4) Alternative 4 analyzed expanding training to the east, west, and south to include reintroducing the UTM 90 area. Additional lands totaling approximately 185,301 acres would be added to the available training lands. (5) Alternative 5 analyzed expanding training to the east and reintroduction of the UTM 90 area. Additional lands totaling approximately 72,060 acres would be added to the available training lands. (6) Alternative 6 analyzed no action, under which no expansion would occur and training would continue as currently exists. The Congressionally withdrawn lands would be managed under the Interim Management Plan until further disposition was decided. Public involvement for this project has included five scoping sessions held for the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) which began in November 2001 and ended in January 2002; a 45-day public review of the SDEIS, with a 15day extension; and public hearings at various locations throughout southern California to receive public comment on the SDEIS. Written comments and other forms of input from public and private entities were addressed in the SFEIS. Copies of the SFEIS are available for review at the following libraries: Library of Congress; Riverside Main Library; San Diego County Library; and San Bernardino County Libraries at the following locations: Hesperia, San Bernardino, Apple Valley, Trona, Barstow, Big Bear, Lucerne Valley, Victorville, Wrightwood, and Yucca Valley. The SFEIS may also be viewed at the Land Expansion Web Site: https:// fortirwindlandexpansion.com. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 3059 Dated: January 10, 2006. Addison D. Davis, IV, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and Occupational Health) DASA (ESOH). [FR Doc. 06–475 Filed 1–18–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3710–08–M DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Wilmington Harbor–96 Act, General Reevaluation Report, New Hanover County, NC Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD. ACTION: Notice of intent. AGENCY: SUMMARY: The Wilmington Harbor–96 Act project is being constructed for the purpose of enhancing commercial shipping the Cape Fear River and Northeast Cape Fear River, and the State Port in Wilmington, New Hanover County, NC. The project, including turning basin and mitigation efforts were originally addressed in an Environmental Impact Statement, Cape Fear—Northeast Cape Fear Rivers Comprehensive Study, Wilmington, NC, dated June 1996, which was supplemented by an Environmental Assessment, Preconstruction Modifications of Authorized Improvements, Wilmington Harbor, NC, dated February 2000. However since then, the need for new project features and mitigation issues have arisen. In order to address these issues, a General Reevaluation Report (GRR) will be prepared, and a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) will be included as a part of this process. The GRR and DEIS will address the proposed relocation of a turning basin in the Northeast Cape Fear River, and a reevaluation of alternatives for fish passage at the three locks and dams on the Cape Fear River. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action and DEIS can be answered by: Mr. Jeff Richter, Environmental Resources Section; U.S. Army Engineer District, Wilmington; Post Office Box 1890; Wilmington, NC 28402–1890; telephone: (910) 251–4636. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The existing basin used for turning ships in the Northeast Cape Fear River is downstream of the major terminal, and there are two bridges between the basin and terminal. Usually the ships transit E:\FR\FM\19JAN1.SGM 19JAN1 sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES 3060 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 12 / Thursday, January 19, 2006 / Notices upstream bow-first through the two bridges, but must back downstream stern-first through the bridges to the turning basin. For safety reasons, the docking pilots requested that the turning basis be relocated upstream of the bridges so ships can proceed bowfirst through the bridges in both directions. The most significant issue related to a relocated turning basin is mitigation of dredging impacts to primary nursery areas for marine fisheries. In order to deepen sections of Wilmington Harbor, blasting has been required to remove rock. This blasting could impact the endangered shortnose sturgeon that inhabits the harbor. To mitigate for this potential impact, fish passage was required at the most downstream of the three Cape Fear River locks and dams. The proposed fish passage plan involved the construction of an approximate 3,800foot long fish bypass channel around the lock-and-dam. This plan has not been implemented due to lack of funds and real estate issues. During the GRR/DEIS process, additional alternatives will be considered that could include modification or removal or the locks and dams. This would require deauthorization of the lock and dam project. This action may be proposed because there is no longer any commercial traffic using the locks and dams, which is the authorized project purpose. Significant issues related to fish passage include water supply users upstream of the locks and dams and recreational and commercial fisheries. All private parties and Federal, State, and local agencies having an interest in the study are hereby notified of the intent to prepare a DEIS and are invited to comment at this time. A scoping meeting was held on June 30, 2005 to help determine whether an EIS or EA should be prepared. All comments received as a result of this notice of intent and the scoping meeting will be considered in the preparation of the DEIS. The lead agency for this project is the U.S. Army Engineer District, Wilmington. Cooperating agency status has not be assigned to, nor requested by, any other agency. The DEIS is being prepared in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and will address the relationship of the proposed action to all other applicable Federal and State Laws and Executive Orders. The DEIS is currently scheduled to be available in October 2007. VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:38 Jan 18, 2006 Jkt 208001 Dated: January 10, 2006. John E. Pulliam, Jr., Colonel, EN, Commanding. [FR Doc. 06–485 Filed 1–18–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3710–CE–M DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers Intent To Prepare a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement/ Environmental Impact Report for the Yuba River Basin Project, Yuba County, CA Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD ACTION: Notice of intent. AGENCY: SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Sacramento District, is preparing a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (SEIS/EIR) to reevaluate the previously authorized plan and other alternatives to reduce flood damages and restore riparian and aquatic habitat in the lower Yuba River Basin, part of the Feather River Basin, and the city of Marysville, in Yuba County, CA. This notice replaces the one previously published in the Federal Register on March 17, 2004 (69 FR 12646). The general reevaluation is needed because recent technical, environmental, and economic studies have indicated that additional refinement and reformulation are needed to determine the feasibility and extent of Federal and non-Federal interest in the project. The basic study authority for the Yuba River Basin study was provided under the Flood Control Act of 1962. ADDRESSES: Send written comments and suggestions concerning this study to Mr. Robert Koenigs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, Attn: Planning Division (CESPK–PD–R), 1325 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. Requests to be placed on the mailing list should also be sent to this address. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert Koenigs, E-mail at Robert.L.Roenigs@usace.army.mil, telephone (916) 557–6712, or fax (916) 557–7856. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. Public Involvement The Yuba River Basin project will be coordinated between Federal, State, and local governments; local stakeholders; PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 special interest groups, and any other interest individuals and organizations. The Corps will announce availability of the draft supplemental document in the Federal Register and other media, and will provide the public, organizations, and agencies with an opportunity to submit comments, which will be addressed in the Final SEIS/EIR. A 45day public review period will be provided for individuals and agencies to review and comment on the SEIS/EIR. All interested parties should respond to this notice and provide a current address if they wish to be notified SEIS/ EIR circulation. 2. Project Information The Yuba River Basin is located in western Yuba County about 50 miles north of Sacramento. The authorized project focused on approximately 21 miles of levees along the Yuba and Feather Rivers in the variety of Marysville, CA. The Yuba River Basin study area was divided into three reaches: Reach 1—Yuba River/Feather River; reach 2—Feather River (including Bear River and WP Interceptor Canal area); and reach 3—Marysville ring levee. The Feasibility Report and Final EIS/ EIR were completed in April 1998. Congress authorized the project in the Water Resources Development Act of 1999, and the Record of Decision was signed in June 2000. The authorized project included specific levee modifications on 6.1 miles of the left bank of the Yuba River upstream of the confluence with the Feather River; 10 miles of levee on the left bank of the Feather River downstream of the confluence of the Yuba River; and 5 miles of the Marysville ring levee. The levee modification work as authorized was intended to bring the level of flood protection for these levees up to about a 200-year level of protection. Since the final Yuba River Basin project was authorized, geotechnical investigations and updated hydrology have identified previously unknown levee foundation problems in portions of the study area/authorized project. Levees along the Bear River and the WP Interceptor Canal have also been shown to have stability and seepage problems that may cause flooding in lower Yuba County. Because flooding is still a significant problem for the affected communities along the Yuba, Feather, and Bear Rivers, the State of California Reclamation Board has requested that the Corps initiate a general reevaluation of the project to determine a new feasible project. E:\FR\FM\19JAN1.SGM 19JAN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 12 (Thursday, January 19, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3059-3060]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-485]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Wilmington Harbor-96 Act, General Reevaluation Report, New Hanover 
County, NC

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Wilmington Harbor-96 Act project is being constructed for 
the purpose of enhancing commercial shipping the Cape Fear River and 
Northeast Cape Fear River, and the State Port in Wilmington, New 
Hanover County, NC. The project, including turning basin and mitigation 
efforts were originally addressed in an Environmental Impact Statement, 
Cape Fear--Northeast Cape Fear Rivers Comprehensive Study, Wilmington, 
NC, dated June 1996, which was supplemented by an Environmental 
Assessment, Preconstruction Modifications of Authorized Improvements, 
Wilmington Harbor, NC, dated February 2000. However since then, the 
need for new project features and mitigation issues have arisen. In 
order to address these issues, a General Reevaluation Report (GRR) will 
be prepared, and a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) will be 
included as a part of this process. The GRR and DEIS will address the 
proposed relocation of a turning basin in the Northeast Cape Fear 
River, and a reevaluation of alternatives for fish passage at the three 
locks and dams on the Cape Fear River.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and DEIS can be answered by: Mr. Jeff Richter, Environmental Resources 
Section; U.S. Army Engineer District, Wilmington; Post Office Box 1890; 
Wilmington, NC 28402-1890; telephone: (910) 251-4636.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The existing basin used for turning ships in 
the Northeast Cape Fear River is downstream of the major terminal, and 
there are two bridges between the basin and terminal. Usually the ships 
transit

[[Page 3060]]

upstream bow-first through the two bridges, but must back downstream 
stern-first through the bridges to the turning basin. For safety 
reasons, the docking pilots requested that the turning basis be 
relocated upstream of the bridges so ships can proceed bow-first 
through the bridges in both directions. The most significant issue 
related to a relocated turning basin is mitigation of dredging impacts 
to primary nursery areas for marine fisheries.
    In order to deepen sections of Wilmington Harbor, blasting has been 
required to remove rock. This blasting could impact the endangered 
shortnose sturgeon that inhabits the harbor. To mitigate for this 
potential impact, fish passage was required at the most downstream of 
the three Cape Fear River locks and dams. The proposed fish passage 
plan involved the construction of an approximate 3,800-foot long fish 
bypass channel around the lock-and-dam. This plan has not been 
implemented due to lack of funds and real estate issues. During the 
GRR/DEIS process, additional alternatives will be considered that could 
include modification or removal or the locks and dams. This would 
require deauthorization of the lock and dam project. This action may be 
proposed because there is no longer any commercial traffic using the 
locks and dams, which is the authorized project purpose. Significant 
issues related to fish passage include water supply users upstream of 
the locks and dams and recreational and commercial fisheries.
    All private parties and Federal, State, and local agencies having 
an interest in the study are hereby notified of the intent to prepare a 
DEIS and are invited to comment at this time. A scoping meeting was 
held on June 30, 2005 to help determine whether an EIS or EA should be 
prepared. All comments received as a result of this notice of intent 
and the scoping meeting will be considered in the preparation of the 
DEIS.
    The lead agency for this project is the U.S. Army Engineer 
District, Wilmington. Cooperating agency status has not be assigned to, 
nor requested by, any other agency.
    The DEIS is being prepared in accordance with the requirements of 
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and will 
address the relationship of the proposed action to all other applicable 
Federal and State Laws and Executive Orders.
    The DEIS is currently scheduled to be available in October 2007.

    Dated: January 10, 2006.
John E. Pulliam, Jr.,
Colonel, EN, Commanding.
[FR Doc. 06-485 Filed 1-18-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-CE-M
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.