Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Potable Water Supply for Washington Parish Reservoir, Project, 16653 [E8-6447]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 61 / Friday, March 28, 2008 / Notices
3140, via e-mail at
charles.lominac@osd.mil, or via phone
at (703) 571–0081.
Dated: March 20, 2008.
L.M. Bynum,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison
Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. E8–6421 Filed 3–27–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001–06–P
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of
Engineers
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for the Potable Water Supply for
Washington Parish Reservoir, Project
Department of the Army, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The study area comprises
Washington Parish in southeast
Louisiana. Washington Parish currently
consumes approximately 40 million
gallons of water daily, 70 percent of
which is supplied by groundwater.
Decreasing groundwater levels
(quantity) and groundwater quality, in
combination with forecasted growth
within the Parish require alternative
water supplies to be developed. The
purpose of the project is to identify a
new water supply to address the current
and future potable water demands of
Washington Parish. The Local Project
Sponsor is the Washington Parish
Reservoir Commission.
DATES: A public scoping meeting will be
held on April 10, 2008 at 5:30 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The public scoping meeting
will be held in Bogalusa, LA at the
Bogalusa City Hall, 202 Arkansas
Avenue, Bogalusa, LA 70427.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions about the proposed action
and Draft EIS should be directed to:
Karen Dove-Jackson at (601) 631–7136,
Vicksburg District, Corps of Engineers,
4155 Clay Street, CEMVK–OD–FE,
Vicksburg, MS 39183–3435.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant
to Louisiana House Bill 216, 2003
Regular Session, the Louisiana
Legislature created the Washington
Parish Reservoir Commission as a State
Entity. This law gives the Washington
Parish Reservoir Commission the power
to obtain land needed for the reservoir
pursuant to the State of Louisiana’s
principle of eminent domain, and in
accordance with the Louisiana Laws
and Revised Statutes for this principle.
1. The Washington Parish Reservoir
Commission completed a site selection
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:57 Mar 27, 2008
Jkt 214001
study (January 2005) to determine a
recommended best source of future
potable water for Washington Parish.
The study concluded that creation of a
surface water reservoir by damming
Bogalusa Creek was the most desirable.
The Washington Parish Reservoir
Commission subsequently completed a
preliminary engineering report
(December 2006) that presented
preliminary design, planning level costs
estimates, and preliminary construction
plans for a water supply reservoir.
Based upon review of the site selection
report, the Corps concluded that the
proposed project had the potential for
significant impacts to the human and
natural environment. The National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
requires the preparation of an EIS for
proposals that are subject to federal
funding, control, responsibility and
permitting, and which have the
potential for significant impacts. The
proposed project would affect wetlands,
which are regulated by the Corps, and
require a permit to comply with Section
404 of the Clean Water Act. Because the
proposed project would require federal
involvement, it is subject to NEPA.
Preliminary alternatives being
considered include construction of a
new surface water supply reservoir,
construction of distribution systems to
make available existing surface water
supplies, and increased use of
groundwater.
2. The Southern Hills Aquifer system
supplies Washington Parish with
potable water. The Southern Hills
Aquifer system is one of the most
heavily pumped aquifers in Louisiana,
supplying 290 million gallons per day
for consumption. Recent studies
indicate that the Southern Hills Aquifer
system is supplying more water
annually than it can sustain, and water
levels in the aquifer are dropping as
much as one foot annually. In addition
to aquifer water levels, the water quality
of the aquifer is also declining.
3. A public scoping meeting will be
held (see DATES and ADDRESSES).
Significant issues identified during this
scoping process will be analyzed in
depth in the Draft EIS.
4. Upon completion, the Draft EIS will
be distributed for agency and public
review and comment. Additionally, a
public meeting will be held to present
results of the Draft EIS evaluations and
the recommended plan.
5. The Draft EIS is estimated to be
completed in September 2008.
Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E8–6447 Filed 3–27–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710–PU–P
PO 00000
Frm 00033
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
16653
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of
Engineers
Intent To Prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement for the Proposed
Sierra Vista Specific Plan Project,
Corps Permit Application Number
200601050
Department of the Army, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Sierra Vista Landowner
Group proposes to implement a largescale, mixed-use, mixed-density master
planned community with residential,
commercial, office, public/quasi-public,
and open space land uses, and parks.
The Sierra Vista Specific Plan would
include approximately 1,148 acres of
residential uses; 281 acres of
commercial, office, and commercialmixed uses; 162 acres of parks and
paseos; 83 acres of public/quasi-public
land uses; 31 acres of urban reserve; and
190 acres of roadways and landscape
corridors. The Specific Plan would also
include 244 acres of open space; of
these, 38 acres would be graded as part
of the project and the remaining 206
acres would be preservation areas.
The Specific Plan would include
9,995 dwelling units (in a mix of low,
medium, and high densities) and
approximately 2,419,113 square feet of
retail and office uses. The project would
also provide four elementary schools,
one middle school, and a fire station.
The proposed project is expected to
generate about 25,219 new residents and
5,821 jobs. It is anticipated that
construction would begin in spring
2010. The duration of construction
would depend on market conditions;
full buildout would likely be completed
within 20 years from construction
commencement.
The proposed project site is
approximately 2,138 acres and contains
51.87 acres of waters of the United
States. The project, as proposed, would
result in direct impacts to
approximately 37.74 acres of waters of
the United States. These acreages do not
include indirect impacts from the
proposed action or impacts anticipated
to result from offsite infrastructure that
may be determined to be required as
part of the project through the
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
process.
A scoping meeting will be held
on April 16, 2008 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The scoping meeting will be
held at the City of Roseville Civic Center
DATES:
E:\FR\FM\28MRN1.SGM
28MRN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 61 (Friday, March 28, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 16653]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-6447]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for the Potable Water Supply for Washington Parish
Reservoir, Project
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The study area comprises Washington Parish in southeast
Louisiana. Washington Parish currently consumes approximately 40
million gallons of water daily, 70 percent of which is supplied by
groundwater. Decreasing groundwater levels (quantity) and groundwater
quality, in combination with forecasted growth within the Parish
require alternative water supplies to be developed. The purpose of the
project is to identify a new water supply to address the current and
future potable water demands of Washington Parish. The Local Project
Sponsor is the Washington Parish Reservoir Commission.
DATES: A public scoping meeting will be held on April 10, 2008 at 5:30
p.m.
ADDRESSES: The public scoping meeting will be held in Bogalusa, LA at
the Bogalusa City Hall, 202 Arkansas Avenue, Bogalusa, LA 70427.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action
and Draft EIS should be directed to: Karen Dove-Jackson at (601) 631-
7136, Vicksburg District, Corps of Engineers, 4155 Clay Street, CEMVK-
OD-FE, Vicksburg, MS 39183-3435.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Louisiana House Bill 216, 2003
Regular Session, the Louisiana Legislature created the Washington
Parish Reservoir Commission as a State Entity. This law gives the
Washington Parish Reservoir Commission the power to obtain land needed
for the reservoir pursuant to the State of Louisiana's principle of
eminent domain, and in accordance with the Louisiana Laws and Revised
Statutes for this principle.
1. The Washington Parish Reservoir Commission completed a site
selection study (January 2005) to determine a recommended best source
of future potable water for Washington Parish. The study concluded that
creation of a surface water reservoir by damming Bogalusa Creek was the
most desirable. The Washington Parish Reservoir Commission subsequently
completed a preliminary engineering report (December 2006) that
presented preliminary design, planning level costs estimates, and
preliminary construction plans for a water supply reservoir. Based upon
review of the site selection report, the Corps concluded that the
proposed project had the potential for significant impacts to the human
and natural environment. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
requires the preparation of an EIS for proposals that are subject to
federal funding, control, responsibility and permitting, and which have
the potential for significant impacts. The proposed project would
affect wetlands, which are regulated by the Corps, and require a permit
to comply with Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Because the proposed
project would require federal involvement, it is subject to NEPA.
Preliminary alternatives being considered include construction of a new
surface water supply reservoir, construction of distribution systems to
make available existing surface water supplies, and increased use of
groundwater.
2. The Southern Hills Aquifer system supplies Washington Parish
with potable water. The Southern Hills Aquifer system is one of the
most heavily pumped aquifers in Louisiana, supplying 290 million
gallons per day for consumption. Recent studies indicate that the
Southern Hills Aquifer system is supplying more water annually than it
can sustain, and water levels in the aquifer are dropping as much as
one foot annually. In addition to aquifer water levels, the water
quality of the aquifer is also declining.
3. A public scoping meeting will be held (see DATES and ADDRESSES).
Significant issues identified during this scoping process will be
analyzed in depth in the Draft EIS.
4. Upon completion, the Draft EIS will be distributed for agency
and public review and comment. Additionally, a public meeting will be
held to present results of the Draft EIS evaluations and the
recommended plan.
5. The Draft EIS is estimated to be completed in September 2008.
Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E8-6447 Filed 3-27-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-PU-P
