Intent To Prepare a Draft Supplement No. 1 to the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Upper Trinity River, Central City Project, Fort Worth, TX, 7622-7623 [07-724]
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 32 / Friday, February 16, 2007 / Notices
Helena, and St. John Parishes. The
Amite River and its tributaries flow
southward from the state of Mississippi
through the western ‘‘Florida’’ parishes
of southeast Louisiana into Lake
Maurepas, an oligohaline lake that
drains into Lake Pontchartrain. The
Amite River is used for recreation,
propagation of fish and wildlife, and to
a lesser extent, for water supply,
navigation, and waste disposal. The
Amite River has a large drainage area
and an average flow of about 2,000
cubic feet per second (CFS) at Denham
Springs. A section of the Amite River in
East Feliciana Parish, from the
Louisiana/Mississippi state line to
Louisiana Highway 37 (LA 37) is
included in Louisiana’s Natural and
Scenic Rivers System. The major urban
areas in this watershed are Baton Rouge,
Denham Springs, and Gonzales, which
are situated along the lower third of the
river.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions concerning the
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
should be addressed to Ms. Bonnie S.
Obiol at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
PM–RS, P.O. Box 60267, New Orleans,
LA 70160–0267, phone (504) 862–2280,
fax number (504) 862–2088 or by E-mail
at bonnie.s.obiol@mvn02.usace.
army.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Proposed Action. An ecological
restoration project will be designed to
maximize environmental benefits
within the study area. The proposed
action includes all or portions of several
alternatives, identified below, that
would improve the ecosystem and
possibly reduce storm water flood stages
as an ancillary benefit. Design features
will be fully evaluated with respect to
the latest engineering, economic, and
environmental regulations for
acceptability under current Federal laws
and regulations. The results of the
feasibility study will determine the
preferred alternative.
2. Alternatives. The Amite River and
Tributaries Ecosystem Restoration
reconnaissance study considered several
alternative plans for restoring the
ecosystem in the study area. Four plans
were determined to be economically
justified and environmentally
acceptable. The plans include: (1) Recontouring and re-vegetating sterile and
unstable abandoned tailing piles and
un-vegetated abandoned mined areas in
the immediate vicinity of the stream
corridor, (2) as an increment to
Alternative 1, including an additional
4,500 to 6,000 acres not immediately
adjacent to the river by re-contouring
and re-vegetating a total area of
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Jkt 211001
approximately 6,000 to 7,500 acres, (3)
re-meandering abandoned bendways
and loops of the Amite River in
appropriate areas to recreate some of the
historical meander loops or create new
loops that would serve the same
purpose, and (4) investigate
recommendations of Best Management
Practices (BMPs) for the sand and gravel
industry, as well as other affected
industries and urban areas in the study
area for more stewardship for future
habitat areas. The objective of the
enactment of the BMPs would be to
protect the restoration efforts
undertaken by this project and other
restorative measures by others and
prevent reoccurrence of the degradation.
3. Scoping. Scoping is the process for
determining the scope of alternatives
and significant issues to be addressed in
the EIS. For this analysis, a letter will
be sent to all parties believed to have an
interest in the analysis, requesting their
input on alternatives and issues to be
evaluated. The letter will also notify
interested parties of public scoping
meetings that will be held in the local
area. Notices will also be sent to local
news media. All interested parties are
invited to comment at this time, and
anyone interested in this study should
request to be included in the study
mailing list.
A public scoping meeting will be held
in the spring of 2007. The meeting will
be held in the vicinity of Baton Rouge,
LA. Additional meetings could be held,
depending upon interest and if it is
determined that further public
coordination is warranted.
4. Significant Issues. The tentative list
of resources and issues to be evaluated
in the EIS includes wetlands (marshes
and swamps), aquatic resources,
commercial and recreational fisheries,
wildlife resources, essential fish habitat,
water quality, air quality, threatened
and endangered species, recreation and
aesthetic resources, and cultural
resources. Socioeconomic items to be
evaluated in the EIS include navigation,
flood protection, business and industrial
activity, employment, land use,
property values, public/community
facilities and services, tax revenues,
population, community and regional
growth, transportation, housing,
community cohesion, and noise.
5. Environmental Consultation and
Review. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (USFWS) will be assisting in the
documentation of existing conditions
and assessment of effects of project
alternatives through Fish and Wildlife
Coordination Act consultation
procedures. The USFWS will provide a
Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act
report. Consultation will be
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accomplished with the USFWS and the
National marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS) concerning threatened and
endangered species and their critical
habitat. The NMFS will be consulted on
the effects of this proposed action on
Essential Fish Habitat. The draft EIS
(DEIS) or a notice of its availability will
be distributed to all interested agencies,
organizations, and individuals.
6. Estimated Date of Availability.
Funding levels will dictate the date
when the DEIS is available. The earliest
that the DEIS is expected to be available
is in the summer of 2009.
Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 07–719 Filed 2–15–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810–84–M
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of
Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Draft Supplement
No. 1 to the Final Environmental
Impact Statement for the Upper Trinity
River, Central City Project, Fort Worth,
TX
Department of the Army, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Section 116 of Pub. L. 108–
447, dated December 8, 2004,
authorized the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers’ (Corps) participation in
construction of the Central City project.
A Final Environmental Impact
Statement (FEIS) was completed for the
Central City Project in Janauary 2006. A
Record of Decision (ROD)
recommending the Community-Based
Alternative and determining it was
technically sound and environmentally
acceptable was signed by the Assistant
Secretary of the Army for Civil Works
(ASA (CW)) on April 7, 2006. An
Interim Feasibility Report with
Integrated Environmental Assessment
(with signed Finding of No Significant
Impact) for the Riverside Oxbow Project
was approved by the Chief of Engineers
on May 29, 2003. An addendum, dated
April 2005, was prepared to address
comments from the ASA (CW);
however, neither construction funding
nor authority for implementation of this
project has been provided by Congress
to date.
By letter dated June 22, 2006, the City
of Fort Worth requested the Corps to
evaluate the potential benefits of
merging the Central City Project with
the Riverside Oxbow project. They
identified potential benefits including
E:\FR\FM\16FEN1.SGM
16FEN1
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 32 / Friday, February 16, 2007 / Notices
greater opportunity for valley storage
requirements, increased restoration
opportunities, and cost savings. After an
initial evaluation, the Corps determined
that alternative areas along the West
Fork of the Trinity River including areas
within the Riverside Oxbow project had
the potential to provide the required
hydraulic mitigation, provide
comparable ecosystem restoration
outputs, reduce habitat mitigation
requirements, and lower overall project
costs.
These potential modifications to the
projects may be substantial and a
supplement to the Central City
environmental impact statement should
be prepared concurrently with a more
detailed analysis. Therefore, this Notice
of Intent to prepare Supplement No. 1
to the FEIS for the Central City project
is being issued in accordance with the
Council on Environmental Quality’s
NEPA implementing regulations at 40
CFR Parts 1500–1508.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions and scoping comments
pertaining to this analysis and Draft
Supplement to the EIS should be
directed to Mr. Saji Puthenpurayel,
Project Manager, CESWF–EC–D, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth
District, P.O. Box 17300, Fort Worth, TX
76102–0300, (817) 886–1764.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Central City project as authorized
includes a flood bypass channel and
flood gates to divert flood flows around
a segment of the existing Trinity River
channel adjacent to downtown Fort
Worth, Samuels Avenue Dam to create
an interior water feature, and hydraulic
and ecological mitigation areas. The
bypass channel is approximately 8,400
feet long, 300–400 feet wide, and would
be approximately 30 feet below the
existing grade. The bypass channel
would begin at the Clear Fork
downstream of West Seventh Street,
interest the West Fork approximately
2,600 feet upstream of the existing
confluence with the Clear Fork, and
continue to the northeast terminating at
the West Fork about 8,500 feet
downstream of the existing confluence.
The Corps component of the Central
City Project was authorized for
construction by Section 116 of Public
Law 108–447, dated December 8, 2004.
Under that authority, Corps
participation is limited to $110 million
with a total project cost $220 million for
that portion of the infrastructure plan in
which the Corps can participate.
Without hydraulic mitigation, the
Central City project would result in a
loss of valley storage due to the bypass
channel being shorter and more efficient
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19:03 Feb 15, 2007
Jkt 211001
than the existing river channel. Valley
storage sites are included in the existing
authorized plan to compensate for this
potential loss of storage. Four areas
would provide the required valley
storage; along the West Fork of the
Trinity River upstream of the bypass
channel (Riverbend/Rockwood),
adjacent to University Drive, in the
vicinity of the Samuels Avenue Dam,
and slightly downstream of the
proposed dam site in proximity to
Riverside Park. Construction of the
bypass channel and associated valley
storage sites would not increase
downstream water surface elevations or
downstream flow.
Reestablishment of vegetation and
habitat at the Riverbend/Rockwood site
following construction activities were
included in the authorized plan,
partially for mitigation of project
impacts to wetland, riparian, and
terrestrial resources and partially for
ecosystem restoration. Additional
habitat mitigation measures were
included along Ham Branch, a tributary
of the West Fork of the Trinity River,
which enters the system a short distance
downstream of Highway 121.
Approximately 305 feet of the existing
channel would be relocated to provide
adequate width for riparian forest
development and existing riparian
habitat would be improved along the
remainder of the channel.
The Riverside Oxbow project area is
adjacent to and immediately
downstream of the Central City Project.
The focus of the project is to restore the
ecological integrity of aquatic and
riparian systems along a portion of the
natural Trinity River channel that was
severed by construction of a realignment
and enlargement of the West Fork of the
Trinity River channel by non-Federal
interests. The Interim Feasibility Report
recommends implementation of the
Locally Preferred Plan, which consists
of the National Ecosystem Restoration
(NER) Plan along with additional local
features. The NER plan for the Riverside
Oxbow will restore the biological
integrity of the wetland and bottomland
hardwood communities through a
combination of measures directed at
either specific habitat types or specific
problems within the existing ecosystem.
The City’s request to merge these
projects recognized that each project is
moving forward independently but they
are located adjacent to one another. The
City and the Tarrant Regional Water
District expressed their opinion that
based on their adjacency, there might be
merit in combining the two projects. In
their letter, the City of Forth Worth
identified potential benefits of
combining the two projects that would
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
7623
not be achieved if they proceed
independently. These potential benefits
included greater flexibility in selecting
sites for the required valley storage
mitigation, opportunity to increase
restoration benefits, and cost savings.
In addition, during detailed design
investigations it was determined that
alternative locations of the proposed
Samuel Avenue Dam should be
evaluated due to geotechnical
considerations. The amount of aquatic
habitat impacted in marine and Lebow
Creeks is affected by the location of
Samuels Avenue Dam and will be
considered during further site analysis.
In response to the City’s letter request,
the corps performed an initial
evaluation and determined that
alternative areas along the West Fork of
the Trinity River including areas within
the Riverside Oxbow project had the
potential to provide the required
hydraulic mitigation, provide
comparable ecosystem restoration
outputs, reduce habitat mitigation
requirements, and lower project costs.
Following review of this initial
evaluation, Corps Headquarters directed
that a detailed analysis be undertaken
that evaluates the total hydraulic system
including the Central City and Riveside
Oxbow project areas. The Corps’
approving offices acknowledged that to
determine if and how either project
should be modified, additional study,
reporting, and environmental
compliance would be required.
All affected Federal, State, and local
agencies, affected Indian tribes, and
other interested private local
organizations and parties are hereby
invited to participate in the
development of the Draft SEIS. No
Public Meetings have been scheduled at
this time, however all agencies and
other known interested entities will be
informed by public notice to request
their comments regarding the potential
modifications. Coordination will
continue with the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service and Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department in accordance with
the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act.
The Texas State Historic Preservation
Office will be consulted as required by
Section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act. Potential
modifications to the project will also be
coordinated with the Texas Council on
Environmental Quality to ensure any
changes are in compliance with Section
401 of the Clean Water Act.
Dated: February 7, 2007.
Christopher W. Martin,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 07–724 Filed 2–15–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710–20–M
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16FEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 32 (Friday, February 16, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7622-7623]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-724]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Draft Supplement No. 1 to the Final
Environmental Impact Statement for the Upper Trinity River, Central
City Project, Fort Worth, TX
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Section 116 of Pub. L. 108-447, dated December 8, 2004,
authorized the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (Corps) participation in
construction of the Central City project. A Final Environmental Impact
Statement (FEIS) was completed for the Central City Project in Janauary
2006. A Record of Decision (ROD) recommending the Community-Based
Alternative and determining it was technically sound and
environmentally acceptable was signed by the Assistant Secretary of the
Army for Civil Works (ASA (CW)) on April 7, 2006. An Interim
Feasibility Report with Integrated Environmental Assessment (with
signed Finding of No Significant Impact) for the Riverside Oxbow
Project was approved by the Chief of Engineers on May 29, 2003. An
addendum, dated April 2005, was prepared to address comments from the
ASA (CW); however, neither construction funding nor authority for
implementation of this project has been provided by Congress to date.
By letter dated June 22, 2006, the City of Fort Worth requested the
Corps to evaluate the potential benefits of merging the Central City
Project with the Riverside Oxbow project. They identified potential
benefits including
[[Page 7623]]
greater opportunity for valley storage requirements, increased
restoration opportunities, and cost savings. After an initial
evaluation, the Corps determined that alternative areas along the West
Fork of the Trinity River including areas within the Riverside Oxbow
project had the potential to provide the required hydraulic mitigation,
provide comparable ecosystem restoration outputs, reduce habitat
mitigation requirements, and lower overall project costs.
These potential modifications to the projects may be substantial
and a supplement to the Central City environmental impact statement
should be prepared concurrently with a more detailed analysis.
Therefore, this Notice of Intent to prepare Supplement No. 1 to the
FEIS for the Central City project is being issued in accordance with
the Council on Environmental Quality's NEPA implementing regulations at
40 CFR Parts 1500-1508.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions and scoping comments
pertaining to this analysis and Draft Supplement to the EIS should be
directed to Mr. Saji Puthenpurayel, Project Manager, CESWF-EC-D, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District, P.O. Box 17300, Fort
Worth, TX 76102-0300, (817) 886-1764.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Central City project as authorized
includes a flood bypass channel and flood gates to divert flood flows
around a segment of the existing Trinity River channel adjacent to
downtown Fort Worth, Samuels Avenue Dam to create an interior water
feature, and hydraulic and ecological mitigation areas. The bypass
channel is approximately 8,400 feet long, 300-400 feet wide, and would
be approximately 30 feet below the existing grade. The bypass channel
would begin at the Clear Fork downstream of West Seventh Street,
interest the West Fork approximately 2,600 feet upstream of the
existing confluence with the Clear Fork, and continue to the northeast
terminating at the West Fork about 8,500 feet downstream of the
existing confluence. The Corps component of the Central City Project
was authorized for construction by Section 116 of Public Law 108-447,
dated December 8, 2004. Under that authority, Corps participation is
limited to $110 million with a total project cost $220 million for that
portion of the infrastructure plan in which the Corps can participate.
Without hydraulic mitigation, the Central City project would result
in a loss of valley storage due to the bypass channel being shorter and
more efficient than the existing river channel. Valley storage sites
are included in the existing authorized plan to compensate for this
potential loss of storage. Four areas would provide the required valley
storage; along the West Fork of the Trinity River upstream of the
bypass channel (Riverbend/Rockwood), adjacent to University Drive, in
the vicinity of the Samuels Avenue Dam, and slightly downstream of the
proposed dam site in proximity to Riverside Park. Construction of the
bypass channel and associated valley storage sites would not increase
downstream water surface elevations or downstream flow.
Reestablishment of vegetation and habitat at the Riverbend/Rockwood
site following construction activities were included in the authorized
plan, partially for mitigation of project impacts to wetland, riparian,
and terrestrial resources and partially for ecosystem restoration.
Additional habitat mitigation measures were included along Ham Branch,
a tributary of the West Fork of the Trinity River, which enters the
system a short distance downstream of Highway 121. Approximately 305
feet of the existing channel would be relocated to provide adequate
width for riparian forest development and existing riparian habitat
would be improved along the remainder of the channel.
The Riverside Oxbow project area is adjacent to and immediately
downstream of the Central City Project. The focus of the project is to
restore the ecological integrity of aquatic and riparian systems along
a portion of the natural Trinity River channel that was severed by
construction of a realignment and enlargement of the West Fork of the
Trinity River channel by non-Federal interests. The Interim Feasibility
Report recommends implementation of the Locally Preferred Plan, which
consists of the National Ecosystem Restoration (NER) Plan along with
additional local features. The NER plan for the Riverside Oxbow will
restore the biological integrity of the wetland and bottomland hardwood
communities through a combination of measures directed at either
specific habitat types or specific problems within the existing
ecosystem.
The City's request to merge these projects recognized that each
project is moving forward independently but they are located adjacent
to one another. The City and the Tarrant Regional Water District
expressed their opinion that based on their adjacency, there might be
merit in combining the two projects. In their letter, the City of Forth
Worth identified potential benefits of combining the two projects that
would not be achieved if they proceed independently. These potential
benefits included greater flexibility in selecting sites for the
required valley storage mitigation, opportunity to increase restoration
benefits, and cost savings.
In addition, during detailed design investigations it was
determined that alternative locations of the proposed Samuel Avenue Dam
should be evaluated due to geotechnical considerations. The amount of
aquatic habitat impacted in marine and Lebow Creeks is affected by the
location of Samuels Avenue Dam and will be considered during further
site analysis.
In response to the City's letter request, the corps performed an
initial evaluation and determined that alternative areas along the West
Fork of the Trinity River including areas within the Riverside Oxbow
project had the potential to provide the required hydraulic mitigation,
provide comparable ecosystem restoration outputs, reduce habitat
mitigation requirements, and lower project costs. Following review of
this initial evaluation, Corps Headquarters directed that a detailed
analysis be undertaken that evaluates the total hydraulic system
including the Central City and Riveside Oxbow project areas. The Corps'
approving offices acknowledged that to determine if and how either
project should be modified, additional study, reporting, and
environmental compliance would be required.
All affected Federal, State, and local agencies, affected Indian
tribes, and other interested private local organizations and parties
are hereby invited to participate in the development of the Draft SEIS.
No Public Meetings have been scheduled at this time, however all
agencies and other known interested entities will be informed by public
notice to request their comments regarding the potential modifications.
Coordination will continue with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in accordance with the Fish and
Wildlife Coordination Act. The Texas State Historic Preservation Office
will be consulted as required by Section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act. Potential modifications to the project will also be
coordinated with the Texas Council on Environmental Quality to ensure
any changes are in compliance with Section 401 of the Clean Water Act.
Dated: February 7, 2007.
Christopher W. Martin,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 07-724 Filed 2-15-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-20-M
