United States and Mexico; United States Section; Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for Improvements to the Main and North Floodways Levee System in the Lower Rio Grande Flood Control Project, Hidalgo, Cameron and Willacy Counties, TX, 54067-54069 [E7-18636]
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mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 183 / Friday, September 21, 2007 / Notices
Rancheria of Maidu Indians of
California; Ione Band of Miwok Indians
of California; Jackson Rancheria of Me–
Wuk Indians of California; Mooretown
Rancheria of Maidu Indians of
California; Santa Rosa Indian
Community of the Santa Rosa
Rancheria, California; Shingle Springs
Band of Miwok Indians, Shingle Springs
Rancheria (Verona Tract), California;
Susanville Indian Rancheria, California;
Table Mountain Rancheria of California;
Tule River Indian Tribe of the Tule
River Reservation, California; and
Tuolumne Band of Me–Wuk Indians of
the Tuolumne Rancheria of California.
Officials of the Southwest Museum of
the American Indian, Autry National
Center have determined that, pursuant
to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9–10), the human
remains described above represent the
physical remains of two individuals of
Native American ancestry. Officials of
the Southwest Museum of the American
Indian, Autry National Center also have
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C.
3001 (2), there is a relationship of
shared group identity that can be
reasonably traced between the Native
American human remains and the Berry
Creek Rancheria of Maidu Indians of
California; Buena Vista Rancheria of
Me–Wuk Indians of California;
California Valley Miwok Tribe,
California; Chicken Ranch Rancheria of
Me–Wuk Indians of California;
Enterprise Rancheria of Maidu Indians
of California; Greenville Rancheria of
Maidu Indians of California; Ione Band
of Miwok Indians of California; Jackson
Rancheria of Me–Wuk Indians of
California; Mooretown Rancheria of
Maidu Indians of California; Santa Rosa
Indian Community of the Santa Rosa
Rancheria, California; Shingle Springs
Band of Miwok Indians, Shingle Springs
Rancheria (Verona Tract), California;
Susanville Indian Rancheria, California;
Table Mountain Rancheria of California;
Tule River Indian Tribe of the Tule
River Reservation, California; and
Tuolumne Band of Me–Wuk Indians of
the Tuolumne Rancheria of California.
Representatives of any other Indian
tribe that believes itself to be culturally
affiliated with the human remains
should contact Duane H. King, Ph.D.,
Executive Director, or LaLena Lewark,
Senior NAGPRA Coordinator,
Southwest Museum of the American
Indian, 234 Museum Drive, Los Angeles,
CA 90065, (323) 221–2164, extension
241, before October 22, 2007.
Repatriation of the human remains to
the Santa Rosa Indian Community of the
Santa Rosa Rancheria, California may
proceed after that date if no additional
claimants come forward.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
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The Southwest Museum of the
American Indian, Autry National Center
is responsible for notifying the Berry
Creek Rancheria of Maidu Indians of
California; Buena Vista Rancheria of
Me–Wuk Indians of California;
California Valley Miwok Tribe,
California; Chicken Ranch Rancheria of
Me-Wuk Indians of California;
Enterprise Rancheria of Maidu Indians
of California; Greenville Rancheria of
Maidu Indians of California; Ione Band
of Miwok Indians of California; Jackson
Rancheria of Me–Wuk Indians of
California; Mooretown Rancheria of
Maidu Indians of California; Santa Rosa
Indian Community of the Santa Rosa
Rancheria, California; Shingle Springs
Band of Miwok Indians, Shingle Springs
Rancheria (Verona Tract), California;
Susanville Indian Rancheria, California;
Table Mountain Rancheria of California;
Tule River Indian Tribe of the Tule
River Reservation, California; and
Tuolumne Band of Me–Wuk Indians of
the Tuolumne Rancheria of California
that this notice has been published.
54067
Environmental Assessment and FONSI
for Improvements to the Main and North
Floodways Levee System, in the Lower
Rio Grande Flood Control Project,
located in Hidalgo, Cameron and
Willacy Counties, Texas.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Daniel Borunda, Environmental
Protection Specialist, Environmental
Management Division, United States
Section, International Boundary and
Water Commission; 4171 N. Mesa, C–
100; El Paso, Texas 79902. Telephone:
(915) 832–4767; e-mail:
danielborunda@ibwc.state.gov.
DATES: Comments on the Draft EA and
Draft FONSI will be accepted through
October 22, 2007.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
United States Section,
International Boundary and Water
Commission, United States and Mexico.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of Draft
Environmental Assessment (EA) and
Draft Finding of No Significant Impact
(FONSI).
Background
The USIBWC is authorized to
construct, operate, and maintain any
project or works projected by the United
States of America on the Lower Rio
Grande Flood Control Project (LRGFCP),
as authorized by the Act of the 74th
Congress, Sess. I Ch. 561 (H.R. 6453),
approved August 19, 1935 (49 Stat. 660),
and codified at 22 U.S.C. 277, 277a,
277b, 277c, and Acts amendatory
thereof and supplementary thereto. The
LRGFCP was constructed to protect
urban, suburban, and highly developed
irrigated farmland along the Rio Grande
delta in the United States and Mexico.
The USIBWC, in cooperation with the
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department,
prepared this EA for the proposed
action to improve flood control along
sections of the Main and North
Floodways Levee System located in
Hidalgo, Cameron, and Willacy
Counties, Texas. This levee system is
part of the LRGFCP that extends
approximately 180 miles from the Town
˜
of Penitas in south Texas to the Gulf of
Mexico. The Main and North Floodways
Levee System, extends approximately
75 levee miles along the Rio Grande,
downstream from Anzalduas Dam,
extending near the town of Mercedes to
the Laguna Madre northwest of Arroyo
City, Texas.
Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c)
of the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) of 1969, the Council on
Environmental Quality Final
Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500 through
1508), and the United States Section,
International Boundary and Water
Commission’s (USIBWC) Operational
Procedures for Implementing Section
102 of NEPA, published in the Federal
Register September 2, 1981, (46 FR
44083); the USIBWC hereby gives notice
of availability of the Draft
Proposed Action
The Proposed Action would increase
the flood containment capacity of the
Main and North Floodways Levee
System by raising elevation of a number
of levee segments for improved flood
protection. Fill material would be added
to the existing levee to bring height to
its original design specifications, or to
meet a 2 feet freeboard design criterion.
Typical height increases in
improvement areas would be from less
than 1 foot up to 2 feet, extending levee
Dated: August 30, 2007
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E7–18663 Filed 9–20–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312–50–S
INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND
WATER COMMISSION
United States and Mexico; United
States Section; Notice of Availability of
a Draft Environmental Assessment and
Finding of No Significant Impact for
Improvements to the Main and North
Floodways Levee System in the Lower
Rio Grande Flood Control Project,
Hidalgo, Cameron and Willacy
Counties, TX
AGENCY:
SUMMARY:
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54068
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 183 / Friday, September 21, 2007 / Notices
footprint up to a maximum of 12 feet
from the current toe of the levee. This
expansion would take place along the
approximately 20 feet service corridor
currently utilized for levee
maintenance, inside the maintained
floodway, and entirely within the flood
control project right-of-way. In some
instances, adjustment in levee slope
would be made to eliminate the need for
levee footprint expansion, when
required due to engineering or
maintenance considerations or for
protection of biological or cultural
resources. The need for excavation
outside the levee structure is not
anticipated.
Summary of Findings
Pursuant to NEPA guidance (40 Code
of Federal Regulations 1500–1508), The
President’s Council on Environmental
Quality issued regulations for NEPA
implementation which included
provisions for both the content and
procedural aspects of the required
Environmental Assessment. The
USIBWC completed an EA of the
potential environmental consequences
of raising the Main and North
Floodways Levee System to meet
current requirements for flood control.
The EA, which supports this Finding of
No Significant Impact, evaluated the
Proposed Action and No Action
Alternative.
Levee System Evaluation
No Action Alternative
The No Action Alternative was
evaluated as the single alternative action
to the Proposed Action. The No Action
Alternative would retain the current
configuration of the Main and North
Floodways Levee System, with no
impacts to biological and cultural
resources, land use, community
resources, or environmental health
issues. In terms of flood protection,
however, current containment capacity
under the No Action Alternative may be
insufficient to fully control Rio Grande
flooding under severe storm events,
with associated risks to personal safety
and property.
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
Proposed Action
Biological Resources
Improvements to the levee system
would placement of fill material that
would affect grassed areas at levee
footprint expansion locations. All
expansion would take place along the
current levee service corridor, limiting
vegetation removal to invasive-species
grasslands; this grass cover is expected
to be rapidly re-established after project
completion.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
18:17 Sep 20, 2007
Jkt 211001
No significant effects are anticipated
on wildlife habitat in the vicinity of the
levee system, including potential habitat
for threatened and endangered species.
While approximately 17 percent of levee
system is adjacent to natural resources
conservation areas, only a small fraction
would fall within levee improvement
areas. In areas requiring levee footprint
expansion, no woodland communities
would be impacted; impacts on
vegetation would be limited to nonnative grasslands along the levee, of
very limited value as wildlife habitat.
No wetlands are located within the
potential levee expansion area.
Cultural Resources
Improvements to the Main and North
Floodways Levee System are not
expected to adversely affect known
archaeological or historical resources.
Typically, placement of fill material
over the existing levee would not
expand levee footprint; when levee
footprint expansion is needed,
expansion would take place within the
service corridor currently used for levee
maintenance. High-Probability Areas
(HPAs) identified along the levee system
would be located outside the
improvement areas, with minor
exceptions. In areas where HPAs are
located near improvement areas, the
need for footprint expansion would be
eliminated by adjusting levee slope to
retain current location of the toe of the
levee.
Cultural resources located in the
general vicinity of the levee system
include historic age structures. Potential
historic-age resources near the levee
system would not be affected because
most of those resources are located
outside of the floodway, and away from
potential levee footprint expansion
areas. Only irrigation canals and minor
irrigation structures, such as weir gates
and standpipes, are located within or
near the levee service corridor where
footprint expansion would take place;
irrigation canals and nearly all irrigation
structures would be retained in their
current condition.
Water Resources
Improvements to the levee system
would increase flood containment
capacity to control the design flood
event with a negligible increase in water
surface elevation. Levee footprint
expansion would not affect water
bodies.
Land Use
Footprint levee expansion, where
required, would take place completely
within the existing floodway and along
the levee service corridor. No urban or
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
agricultural lands would be affected.
Impacts to natural resources
conservation areas would be limited to
grassland areas.
Community Resources
In terms of socioeconomic resources,
the influx of federal funds into Hidalgo,
Cameron, and Willacy Counties from
the levee improvement project would
have a positive but minor local
economic impact. The impact would be
limited to the construction period, and
represent less than 1 percent of the
annual county employment, income and
sales values. No adverse impacts to
disproportionately high minority and
low-income populations were identified
for construction activities. Moderate
utilization of public roads would be
required during construction; a
temporary increase in access road use
would be required for equipment
mobilization to staging areas.
Environmental Health Issues
Estimated air emissions of five criteria
pollutants during construction represent
less than 1.1 percent of the annual
emissions inventory of Hidalgo,
Cameron, and Willacy Counties. There
would be a moderate increase in
ambient noise levels due to construction
activities. No long-term and regular
exposure is expected above noise
threshold values. A database search
indicated that no waste storage and
disposal sites were within the proposed
Main and North Floodway Levee Project
area, and none would affect, or be
affected, by the levee improvement
project.
Best Management Practices
When warranted due to engineering
considerations, or for protection of
biological or cultural resources, the
need for levee footprint expansion
would be eliminated by levee slope
adjustment. Best management practices
during construction would include
development of a storm water pollution
prevention plan to avoid impacts to
receiving waters, and use of sediment
barriers and soil wetting to minimize
erosion.
To protect vegetation cover, both the
modified levee and construction
corridor would be re-vegetated with
native herbaceous species. To protect
wildlife, construction activities would
be scheduled to occur, to the extent
possible, outside the March to August
bird migratory season.
Availability
Single hard copies of the Draft
Environmental Assessment and Finding
of No Significant Impact may be
E:\FR\FM\21SEN1.SGM
21SEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 183 / Friday, September 21, 2007 / Notices
Authority: The authority for institution of
this investigation is contained in section 337
of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, and
in section 210.10 of the Commission’s Rules
of Practice and Procedure, 19 CFR 210.10
(2007).
obtained by request at the above
address. Electronic copies may also be
obtained from the USIBWC Home Page
at https://www.ibwc.state.gov.
Dated: September 17, 2007.
Susan Daniel,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. E7–18636 Filed 9–20–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7010–01–P
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
COMMISSION
[Inv. No. 337–TA–614]
In the Matter of Certain Wireless
Communication Chips and Chipsets,
and Products Containing Same,
Including Wireless Handsets and
Network Interface Cards; Notice of
Investigation
U.S. International Trade
Commission.
ACTION: Institution of investigation
pursuant to 19 U.S.C. 1337.
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a
complaint was filed with the U.S.
International Trade Commission on
August 16, 2007, under section 337 of
the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, 19
U.S.C. 1337, on behalf of Nokia
Corporation of Finland and Nokia Inc.
of Irving, Texas. A supplement to the
complaint was filed on September 12,
2007. The complaint alleges violations
of section 337 in the importation into
the United States, the sale for
importation, and the sale within the
United States after importation of
certain wireless communication chips
and chipsets, and products containing
same, including wireless handsets and
network interface cards, by reason of
infringement of certain claims of U.S.
Patent Nos. 7,236,761, 6,714,091,
6,292,474, 5,896,562, and 5,752,172.
The complaint further alleges that an
industry in the United States exists as
required by subsection (a)(2) of section
337.
The complainants request that the
Commission institute an investigation
and, after the investigation, issue a
permanent exclusion order and
permanent cease and desist orders.
ADDRESSES: The complaint, except for
any confidential information contained
therein, is available for inspection
during official business hours (8:45 a.m.
to 5:15 p.m.) in the Office of the
Secretary, U.S. International Trade
Commission, 500 E Street, SW., Room
112, Washington, DC 20436, telephone
202–205–2000. Hearing impaired
individuals are advised that information
on this matter can be obtained by
VerDate Aug<31>2005
18:17 Sep 20, 2007
Jkt 211001
54069
Scope of Investigation: Having
considered the complaint, the U.S.
International Trade Commission, on
September 14, 2007, ordered that—
(1) Pursuant to subsection (b) of
section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as
amended, an investigation be instituted
to determine whether there is a
violation of subsection (a)(1)(B) of
section 337 in the importation into the
United States, the sale for importation,
or the sale within the United States after
importation of certain wireless
communications chips or chipsets, or
products containing same, including
wireless handsets or network interface
cards, by reason of infringement of one
or more of claims 1–17, 19–20, and 22–
108 of U.S. Patent No. 7,236,761; claims
1–13 of U.S. Patent No. 6,714,091;
claims 1, 15, and 16 of U.S. Patent No.
6,292,474; claims 1–4, 7, and 11 of U.S.
Patent No. 5,896,562; and claims 1–3, 6,
8, and 14 of U.S. Patent No. 5,752,172,
and whether an industry in the United
States exists as required by subsection
(a)(2) of section 337;
(2) For the purpose of the
investigation so instituted, the following
are hereby named as parties upon which
this notice of investigation shall be
served:
(a) The complainants are—
Nokia Corporation, Keilalahdentie 4,
P.O. Box 226, FIN–00045 Nokia
Group, Espoo, Finland.
Nokia Inc., 6000 Connection Drive,
Irving, Texas 75039.
(b) The respondent is the following
entity alleged to be in violation of
section 337, and is the party upon
which the complaint is to be served:
QUALCOMM, Inc., 5775 Morehouse
Drive, San Diego, California 92121.
(c) The Commission investigative
attorney, party to this investigation, is
David O. Lloyd, Esq., Office of Unfair
Import Investigations, U.S. International
Trade Commission, 500 E Street, SW.,
Suite 401, Washington, DC 20436; and
(3) For the investigation so instituted,
the Honorable Paul J. Luckern is
designated as the presiding
administrative law judge.
Responses to the complaint and the
notice of investigation must be
submitted by the named respondent in
accordance with section 210.13 of the
Commission’s Rules of Practice and
Procedure, 19 CFR 210.13. Pursuant to
19 CFR 201.16(d) and 210.13(a), such
responses will be considered by the
Commission if received not later than 20
days after the date of service by the
Commission of the complaint and the
notice of investigation. Extensions of
time for submitting responses to the
complaint and the notice of
investigation will not be granted unless
good cause therefor is shown.
Failure of the respondent to file a
timely response to each allegation in the
complaint and in this notice may be
deemed to constitute a waiver of the
right to appear and contest the
allegations of the complaint and this
notice, and to authorize the
administrative law judge and the
Commission, without further notice to
the respondent, to find the facts to be as
alleged in the complaint and this notice
and to enter an initial determination
and a final determination containing
such findings, and may result in the
issuance of an exclusion order or cease
and desist order or both directed against
the respondent.
By order of the Commission.
Issued: September 17, 2007.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. E7–18674 Filed 9–20–07; 8:45 am]
contacting the Commission’s TDD
terminal on 202–205–1810. Persons
with mobility impairments who will
need special assistance in gaining access
to the Commission should contact the
Office of the Secretary at 202–205–2000.
General information concerning the
Commission may also be obtained by
accessing its Internet server at https://
www.usitc.gov. The public record for
this investigation may be viewed on the
Commission’s electronic docket (EDIS)
at https://edis.usitc.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
David O. Lloyd, Esq., Office of Unfair
Import Investigations, U.S. International
Trade Commission, telephone (202)
205–2576.
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BILLING CODE 7020–02–P
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Drug Enforcement Administration
Importer of Controlled Substances;
Notice of Registration
By Notice dated June 26, 2007 and
published in the Federal Register on
July 3, 2007, (72 FR 36482–36483),
Lipomed, Inc., One Broadway,
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, made
application by renewal to the Drug
Enforcement Administration (DEA) to
be registered as an importer of the basic
classes of controlled substances listed in
schedule I and II:
E:\FR\FM\21SEN1.SGM
21SEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 183 (Friday, September 21, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54067-54069]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-18636]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER COMMISSION
United States and Mexico; United States Section; Notice of
Availability of a Draft Environmental Assessment and Finding of No
Significant Impact for Improvements to the Main and North Floodways
Levee System in the Lower Rio Grande Flood Control Project, Hidalgo,
Cameron and Willacy Counties, TX
AGENCY: United States Section, International Boundary and Water
Commission, United States and Mexico.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Assessment (EA)
and Draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, the Council on Environmental Quality Final
Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500 through 1508), and the United States
Section, International Boundary and Water Commission's (USIBWC)
Operational Procedures for Implementing Section 102 of NEPA, published
in the Federal Register September 2, 1981, (46 FR 44083); the USIBWC
hereby gives notice of availability of the Draft Environmental
Assessment and FONSI for Improvements to the Main and North Floodways
Levee System, in the Lower Rio Grande Flood Control Project, located in
Hidalgo, Cameron and Willacy Counties, Texas.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daniel Borunda, Environmental
Protection Specialist, Environmental Management Division, United States
Section, International Boundary and Water Commission; 4171 N. Mesa, C-
100; El Paso, Texas 79902. Telephone: (915) 832-4767; e-mail:
danielborunda@ibwc.state.gov.
DATES: Comments on the Draft EA and Draft FONSI will be accepted
through October 22, 2007.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The USIBWC is authorized to construct, operate, and maintain any
project or works projected by the United States of America on the Lower
Rio Grande Flood Control Project (LRGFCP), as authorized by the Act of
the 74th Congress, Sess. I Ch. 561 (H.R. 6453), approved August 19,
1935 (49 Stat. 660), and codified at 22 U.S.C. 277, 277a, 277b, 277c,
and Acts amendatory thereof and supplementary thereto. The LRGFCP was
constructed to protect urban, suburban, and highly developed irrigated
farmland along the Rio Grande delta in the United States and Mexico.
The USIBWC, in cooperation with the Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department, prepared this EA for the proposed action to improve flood
control along sections of the Main and North Floodways Levee System
located in Hidalgo, Cameron, and Willacy Counties, Texas. This levee
system is part of the LRGFCP that extends approximately 180 miles from
the Town of Pe[ntilde]itas in south Texas to the Gulf of Mexico. The
Main and North Floodways Levee System, extends approximately 75 levee
miles along the Rio Grande, downstream from Anzalduas Dam, extending
near the town of Mercedes to the Laguna Madre northwest of Arroyo City,
Texas.
Proposed Action
The Proposed Action would increase the flood containment capacity
of the Main and North Floodways Levee System by raising elevation of a
number of levee segments for improved flood protection. Fill material
would be added to the existing levee to bring height to its original
design specifications, or to meet a 2 feet freeboard design criterion.
Typical height increases in improvement areas would be from less than 1
foot up to 2 feet, extending levee
[[Page 54068]]
footprint up to a maximum of 12 feet from the current toe of the levee.
This expansion would take place along the approximately 20 feet service
corridor currently utilized for levee maintenance, inside the
maintained floodway, and entirely within the flood control project
right-of-way. In some instances, adjustment in levee slope would be
made to eliminate the need for levee footprint expansion, when required
due to engineering or maintenance considerations or for protection of
biological or cultural resources. The need for excavation outside the
levee structure is not anticipated.
Summary of Findings
Pursuant to NEPA guidance (40 Code of Federal Regulations 1500-
1508), The President's Council on Environmental Quality issued
regulations for NEPA implementation which included provisions for both
the content and procedural aspects of the required Environmental
Assessment. The USIBWC completed an EA of the potential environmental
consequences of raising the Main and North Floodways Levee System to
meet current requirements for flood control. The EA, which supports
this Finding of No Significant Impact, evaluated the Proposed Action
and No Action Alternative.
Levee System Evaluation
No Action Alternative
The No Action Alternative was evaluated as the single alternative
action to the Proposed Action. The No Action Alternative would retain
the current configuration of the Main and North Floodways Levee System,
with no impacts to biological and cultural resources, land use,
community resources, or environmental health issues. In terms of flood
protection, however, current containment capacity under the No Action
Alternative may be insufficient to fully control Rio Grande flooding
under severe storm events, with associated risks to personal safety and
property.
Proposed Action
Biological Resources
Improvements to the levee system would placement of fill material
that would affect grassed areas at levee footprint expansion locations.
All expansion would take place along the current levee service
corridor, limiting vegetation removal to invasive-species grasslands;
this grass cover is expected to be rapidly re-established after project
completion.
No significant effects are anticipated on wildlife habitat in the
vicinity of the levee system, including potential habitat for
threatened and endangered species. While approximately 17 percent of
levee system is adjacent to natural resources conservation areas, only
a small fraction would fall within levee improvement areas. In areas
requiring levee footprint expansion, no woodland communities would be
impacted; impacts on vegetation would be limited to non-native
grasslands along the levee, of very limited value as wildlife habitat.
No wetlands are located within the potential levee expansion area.
Cultural Resources
Improvements to the Main and North Floodways Levee System are not
expected to adversely affect known archaeological or historical
resources. Typically, placement of fill material over the existing
levee would not expand levee footprint; when levee footprint expansion
is needed, expansion would take place within the service corridor
currently used for levee maintenance. High-Probability Areas (HPAs)
identified along the levee system would be located outside the
improvement areas, with minor exceptions. In areas where HPAs are
located near improvement areas, the need for footprint expansion would
be eliminated by adjusting levee slope to retain current location of
the toe of the levee.
Cultural resources located in the general vicinity of the levee
system include historic age structures. Potential historic-age
resources near the levee system would not be affected because most of
those resources are located outside of the floodway, and away from
potential levee footprint expansion areas. Only irrigation canals and
minor irrigation structures, such as weir gates and standpipes, are
located within or near the levee service corridor where footprint
expansion would take place; irrigation canals and nearly all irrigation
structures would be retained in their current condition.
Water Resources
Improvements to the levee system would increase flood containment
capacity to control the design flood event with a negligible increase
in water surface elevation. Levee footprint expansion would not affect
water bodies.
Land Use
Footprint levee expansion, where required, would take place
completely within the existing floodway and along the levee service
corridor. No urban or agricultural lands would be affected. Impacts to
natural resources conservation areas would be limited to grassland
areas.
Community Resources
In terms of socioeconomic resources, the influx of federal funds
into Hidalgo, Cameron, and Willacy Counties from the levee improvement
project would have a positive but minor local economic impact. The
impact would be limited to the construction period, and represent less
than 1 percent of the annual county employment, income and sales
values. No adverse impacts to disproportionately high minority and low-
income populations were identified for construction activities.
Moderate utilization of public roads would be required during
construction; a temporary increase in access road use would be required
for equipment mobilization to staging areas.
Environmental Health Issues
Estimated air emissions of five criteria pollutants during
construction represent less than 1.1 percent of the annual emissions
inventory of Hidalgo, Cameron, and Willacy Counties. There would be a
moderate increase in ambient noise levels due to construction
activities. No long-term and regular exposure is expected above noise
threshold values. A database search indicated that no waste storage and
disposal sites were within the proposed Main and North Floodway Levee
Project area, and none would affect, or be affected, by the levee
improvement project.
Best Management Practices
When warranted due to engineering considerations, or for protection
of biological or cultural resources, the need for levee footprint
expansion would be eliminated by levee slope adjustment. Best
management practices during construction would include development of a
storm water pollution prevention plan to avoid impacts to receiving
waters, and use of sediment barriers and soil wetting to minimize
erosion.
To protect vegetation cover, both the modified levee and
construction corridor would be re-vegetated with native herbaceous
species. To protect wildlife, construction activities would be
scheduled to occur, to the extent possible, outside the March to August
bird migratory season.
Availability
Single hard copies of the Draft Environmental Assessment and
Finding of No Significant Impact may be
[[Page 54069]]
obtained by request at the above address. Electronic copies may also be
obtained from the USIBWC Home Page at https://www.ibwc.state.gov.
Dated: September 17, 2007.
Susan Daniel,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. E7-18636 Filed 9-20-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7010-01-P
