Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Clear Creek General Reevaluation Study, Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston and Harris Counties, TX, 35671-35672 [E8-14239]
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 122 / Tuesday, June 24, 2008 / Notices
MA 01760, Phone: (508) 233–4184 or Email: Jeffrey.Ditullio@natick.army.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Any
licenses granted shall comply with 35
U.S.C. 209 and 37 CFR Part 404.
Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E8–14236 Filed 6–23–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710–08–P
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of
Engineers
Spring Bayou, Louisiana, Ecosystem
Restoration Feasibility Study
Department of the Army, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
ebenthall on PRODPC60 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Vicksburg District, in
conjunction with the Avoyelles Parish
Police Jury, the non-Federal sponsor, is
undertaking studies to investigate the
feasibility of restoring the Spring Bayou
area ecosystem.
DATES: Initiate EIS, June 30, 2008.
ADDRESSES: Correspondence may be
sent to Mr. Larry Marcy, U.S. Army
Engineer District, Vicksburg, CEMVK–
PP–PQ, 4155 Clay Street, Vicksburg, MS
39183–3435.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Larry Marcy at U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Vicksburg District, telephone
(601) 631–5965, fax (601) 631–5115, or
e-mail at larry.e.marcy@usace.army.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Proposed Action. A feasibility level
study will identify and evaluate
alternatives to restore the Spring Bayou
area ecosystem, Avoyelles Parish,
Louisiana. The ecosystem is being
degraded by water pollution,
sedimentation, and growth of nuisance
aquatic weeds. An opportunity exists to
restore previously existing hydrology by
diverting freshwater from the Red River
into the Spring Bayou area to improve
water quality, fishery production, and
wetland habitat.
Alternatives. Alternative locations for
water diversion from the Red River will
be identified and evaluated, as well as
investigating alternatives to control
sediment entering the Spring Bayou area
from Chatlin Lake Canal. Combinations
of alternatives involving water
diversion, sediment control or removal,
modification or replacement of existing
water control structures, and nuisance
aquatic weed control will be developed
and evaluated in cooperation with state
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12:39 Jun 23, 2008
Jkt 214001
and Federal agencies, local government,
Native American tribes, and the public.
Scoping. Scoping is the process for
determining the range of the alternatives
and significant issues to be addressed in
the Environmental Impact Statement
(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 the public scoping
meeting that will be held in the local
area. A notice will be sent to the local
news media. All interested parties are
invited to comment at this time, and
anyone interested in the study should
request to be included on the mailing
list.
A public scoping meeting will be held
July 29, 2008, beginning at 7 p.m. at the
Marksville Fire Department, 512 North
Main Street, Marksville, Louisiana.
Significant Issues. The tentative list of
resources and issues to be evaluated in
the EIS includes aquatic resources,
recreational fisheries, wildlife resources,
water quality, air quality, threatened or
endangered species, recreation
resources, and cultural resources.
Tentative socioeconomic items to be
evaluated in the EIS include business
and industrial activity, tax revenues,
community and regional growth,
community cohesion, and navigation.
Environmental Consultation and
Review. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (FWS) will be asked to assist in
the documentation of existing
conditions, impact analysis of
alternatives, and overall study review
through the Fish and Wildlife
Coordination Act (FWCA) consultation
procedures. The FWS would provide an
FWCA report to be incorporated into the
EIS. The draft EIS or a Notice of
Availability will be distributed to all
interested agencies, organizations, and
individuals.
Estimated Date of Availability. The
earliest that the draft EIS is expected to
be available is May 2010.
Dated: June 10, 2008.
Douglas J. Kamien,
Chief, Planning, Programs, and Project
Management Division.
[FR Doc. E8–14240 Filed 6–23–08; 8:45 am]
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35671
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of
Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Clear Creek General Reevaluation
Study, Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston
and Harris Counties, TX
Department of the Army, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Clear Creek watershed
drains portions of Fort Bend, Harris,
Galveston, and Brazoria counties, Texas,
including portions of Houston and the
smaller towns of League City,
Friendswood and Pearland, among
others. The watershed also forms part of
the boundary between Harris County to
the north and Galveston and Brazoria
counties to the south. Clear Creek flows
into the west side of upper Galveston
Bay through Clear Lake. The Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)
will evaluate several flood detention
and conveyance features to reduce
flooding of homes and businesses in the
Clear Creek Watershed. The study will
focus on environmental and social
conditions currently present and those
likely to be affected by the proposed
changes in the watershed. The floodcontrol project includes construction of
several miles of high flow channel
adjacent to the existing channel, while
preserving the existing channel and
floodplain forest. Detention of flood
waters would also be provided in some
areas where the high flow channel
diverges from the low flow channel and
in off-line detention areas adjacent to
the creek. All flood control measures on
Clear Creek occur upstream of the Dixie
Farm Road crossing. The proposed
project also includes widening three
tributaries to Clear Creek, Mud Gully,
Turkey Creek, and Mary’s Creek, for
improved conveyance of flood flows,
with detention basins constructed
adjacent to Mary’s Creek and between
Clear Creek and Mud Gully.
ADDRESSES: U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Galveston District, P.O. Box
1229, Galveston, TX 77553–1229.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Robert Heinly, (409) 766–3992, Planning
Lead, Planning Section, Planning,
Environmental and Regulatory Division;
or Ms. Andrea Catanzaro, (409) 766–
6346, Environmental Lead,
Environmental Section, Planning,
Environmental and Regulatory Division.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
(1) Background. Flooding along Clear
Creek has caused problems for over 30
E:\FR\FM\24JNN1.SGM
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35672
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 122 / Tuesday, June 24, 2008 / Notices
years. Floodwaters in 1973, 1976, 1979,
1989, and 1994 substantially damaged
residences along the creek. Heavy rains
from Tropical Storm Allison in 2001
resulted in severe flooding along Clear
Creek and prompted the buyout of
approximately 300 flood-prone homes.
However, flooding is not only a problem
associated severe rain events, but has
become increasingly more frequent
along Clear Creek, even with moderate
amounts of rainfall. Local authorities
have made limited channel
improvements to address specific flood
concerns, but those efforts have
contributed little to resolving the
current large-scale flooding problem.
The Clear Creek Federal flood control
project was authorized by Congress in
the Flood Control Act of 1968 (Pub. L.
91–611, Section 221). The authorized
project extended 31 miles from Clear
Lake to the Fort Bend County line. Plans
included deepening, widening, and
realigning the creek channel. The
congressional authorization for this
project only allows the consideration of
reducing flood damage caused by
rainfall runoff along the main channel of
Clear Creek and not coastal flooding
caused by tropical storm systems. In
1982 the Phase I General Design
Memorandum, including the Final
Environmental Impact Statement, was
signed by the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE) Southwest Division
Engineer, thus authorizing the detailed
design. Due to concerns regarding its
design, the project’s non-Federal
sponsors, Galveston County and Harris
County Flood Control District, with
input from the public and governmental
entities, requested reevaluation of the
design. In 1997, the sponsors requested
the USACE adopt changes to the plans.
The changes requested by the nonFederal sponsors were beyond the
discretionary authority of the USACE
Southwest Division Commander to
approve. As a result, in February 1999,
the USACE decided a general
reevaluation study would be needed. In
April 1999, the non-Federal sponsors
agreed to accept the USACE
recommendation to conduct the general
reevaluation study. The general
reevaluation study reconsidered the
previously authorized project as well as
non-Federal sponsor-proposed
alternatives and other alternatives that
were deemed reasonable. Brazoria
County Drainage District #4 joined the
non-Federal sponsors in this effort by
June 1999.
(2) Alternatives. The construction
alternatives that will be evaluated are:
(1) Constructing 15.2 miles of 130 ft to
240 ft wide high flow channel in two
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Jkt 214001
separate sections of Clear Creek. (2)
Detention of 485 acre feet of flood water
in the high flow channel of Clear Creek
where it diverges from the low flow
channel. (3) Detention of 1,750 acre feet
of flood water in a 160 acre basin
adjacent to Clear Creek. (4) Construction
of a grass-lined channel on 2.4 miles of
Turkey Creek to its confluence with
Clear Creek. (5) Construction of a
concrete-lined channel for 0.8 mile of
Mud Gully in the reach which is located
between the northbound and
southbound lanes of Beamer Rd. (6)
Detention of 1,515 acre feet of flood
water in a 120 acre basin between Clear
Creek and Mud Gully. (7) Construction
of a 2.1 mile grass-lined channel on
Mary’s Creek. (8) Detention of 857 acre
feet of flood water in two detention
basins totaling 120 acres along Mary’s
Creek.
(3) Scoping. Scoping meetings were
held on March 15, 2001 at the
Friendswood High School in
Friendswood, TX, on March 15, 2001 in
Friendswood, TX, on May 3, 2001 in
League City, TX, and on May 9, 2001 in
Pearland, TX. The scoping process
involved Federal, State and local
agencies, and other interested persons
and organizations. Comments were
received for 30 days following each
scoping meeting. Comments will be
considered during preparation of the
EIS. At this time, there are no plans for
an additional scoping effort.
(4) Coordination. Further
coordination with environmental
agencies will be conducted under the
National Environmental Policy Act, the
Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, the
Endangered Species Act, the Clean
Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the
National Historic Preservation Act, the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act
(Essential Fish Habitat), and the Coastal
Zone Management Act under the Texas
Coastal Management Program.
(5) DEIS Preparation. It is estimated
that the DEIS will be available to the
public for review and comment in
March 2009.
Richard Medina,
Chief, Planning and Environmental Branch.
[FR Doc. E8–14239 Filed 6–23–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710–52–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Notice of Proposed Information
Collection Requests
Department of Education.
The IC Clearance Official,
Regulatory Information Management
AGENCY:
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
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Services, Office of Management, invites
comments on the proposed information
collection requests as required by the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to
submit comments on or before August
25, 2008.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section
3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) requires
that the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) provide interested
Federal agencies and the public an early
opportunity to comment on information
collection requests. OMB may amend or
waive the requirement for public
consultation to the extent that public
participation in the approval process
would defeat the purpose of the
information collection, violate State or
Federal law, or substantially interfere
with any agency’s ability to perform its
statutory obligations. The IC Clearance
Official, Regulatory Information
Management Services, Office of
Management, publishes that notice
containing proposed information
collection requests prior to submission
of these requests to OMB. Each
proposed information collection,
grouped by office, contains the
following: (1) Type of review requested,
e.g. new, revision, extension, existing or
reinstatement; (2) Title; (3) Summary of
the collection; (4) Description of the
need for, and proposed use of, the
information; (5) Respondents and
frequency of collection; and (6)
Reporting and/or Recordkeeping
burden. OMB invites public comment.
The Department of Education is
especially interested in public comment
addressing the following issues: (1) Is
this collection necessary to the proper
functions of the Department; (2) will
this information be processed and used
in a timely manner; (3) is the estimate
of burden accurate; (4) how might the
Department enhance the quality, utility,
and clarity of the information to be
collected; and (5) how might the
Department minimize the burden of this
collection on the respondents, including
through the use of information
technology.
Dated: June 18, 2008.
Angela C. Arrington,
IC Clearance Official, Regulatory Information
Management Services, Office of Management.
Federal Student Aid
Type of Review: Revision.
Title: Federal Family Education Loan,
Direct Loan, and Perkins Loan Discharge
Applications.
Frequency: On Occasion.
Affected Public: Individuals or
household.
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[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 122 (Tuesday, June 24, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35671-35672]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-14239]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the
Clear Creek General Reevaluation Study, Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston
and Harris Counties, TX
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Clear Creek watershed drains portions of Fort Bend,
Harris, Galveston, and Brazoria counties, Texas, including portions of
Houston and the smaller towns of League City, Friendswood and Pearland,
among others. The watershed also forms part of the boundary between
Harris County to the north and Galveston and Brazoria counties to the
south. Clear Creek flows into the west side of upper Galveston Bay
through Clear Lake. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)
will evaluate several flood detention and conveyance features to reduce
flooding of homes and businesses in the Clear Creek Watershed. The
study will focus on environmental and social conditions currently
present and those likely to be affected by the proposed changes in the
watershed. The flood-control project includes construction of several
miles of high flow channel adjacent to the existing channel, while
preserving the existing channel and floodplain forest. Detention of
flood waters would also be provided in some areas where the high flow
channel diverges from the low flow channel and in off-line detention
areas adjacent to the creek. All flood control measures on Clear Creek
occur upstream of the Dixie Farm Road crossing. The proposed project
also includes widening three tributaries to Clear Creek, Mud Gully,
Turkey Creek, and Mary's Creek, for improved conveyance of flood flows,
with detention basins constructed adjacent to Mary's Creek and between
Clear Creek and Mud Gully.
ADDRESSES: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District, P.O. Box
1229, Galveston, TX 77553-1229.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert Heinly, (409) 766-3992,
Planning Lead, Planning Section, Planning, Environmental and Regulatory
Division; or Ms. Andrea Catanzaro, (409) 766-6346, Environmental Lead,
Environmental Section, Planning, Environmental and Regulatory Division.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
(1) Background. Flooding along Clear Creek has caused problems for
over 30
[[Page 35672]]
years. Floodwaters in 1973, 1976, 1979, 1989, and 1994 substantially
damaged residences along the creek. Heavy rains from Tropical Storm
Allison in 2001 resulted in severe flooding along Clear Creek and
prompted the buyout of approximately 300 flood-prone homes. However,
flooding is not only a problem associated severe rain events, but has
become increasingly more frequent along Clear Creek, even with moderate
amounts of rainfall. Local authorities have made limited channel
improvements to address specific flood concerns, but those efforts have
contributed little to resolving the current large-scale flooding
problem. The Clear Creek Federal flood control project was authorized
by Congress in the Flood Control Act of 1968 (Pub. L. 91-611, Section
221). The authorized project extended 31 miles from Clear Lake to the
Fort Bend County line. Plans included deepening, widening, and
realigning the creek channel. The congressional authorization for this
project only allows the consideration of reducing flood damage caused
by rainfall runoff along the main channel of Clear Creek and not
coastal flooding caused by tropical storm systems. In 1982 the Phase I
General Design Memorandum, including the Final Environmental Impact
Statement, was signed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
Southwest Division Engineer, thus authorizing the detailed design. Due
to concerns regarding its design, the project's non-Federal sponsors,
Galveston County and Harris County Flood Control District, with input
from the public and governmental entities, requested reevaluation of
the design. In 1997, the sponsors requested the USACE adopt changes to
the plans. The changes requested by the non-Federal sponsors were
beyond the discretionary authority of the USACE Southwest Division
Commander to approve. As a result, in February 1999, the USACE decided
a general reevaluation study would be needed. In April 1999, the non-
Federal sponsors agreed to accept the USACE recommendation to conduct
the general reevaluation study. The general reevaluation study
reconsidered the previously authorized project as well as non-Federal
sponsor-proposed alternatives and other alternatives that were deemed
reasonable. Brazoria County Drainage District 4 joined the
non-Federal sponsors in this effort by June 1999.
(2) Alternatives. The construction alternatives that will be
evaluated are: (1) Constructing 15.2 miles of 130 ft to 240 ft wide
high flow channel in two separate sections of Clear Creek. (2)
Detention of 485 acre feet of flood water in the high flow channel of
Clear Creek where it diverges from the low flow channel. (3) Detention
of 1,750 acre feet of flood water in a 160 acre basin adjacent to Clear
Creek. (4) Construction of a grass-lined channel on 2.4 miles of Turkey
Creek to its confluence with Clear Creek. (5) Construction of a
concrete-lined channel for 0.8 mile of Mud Gully in the reach which is
located between the northbound and southbound lanes of Beamer Rd. (6)
Detention of 1,515 acre feet of flood water in a 120 acre basin between
Clear Creek and Mud Gully. (7) Construction of a 2.1 mile grass-lined
channel on Mary's Creek. (8) Detention of 857 acre feet of flood water
in two detention basins totaling 120 acres along Mary's Creek.
(3) Scoping. Scoping meetings were held on March 15, 2001 at the
Friendswood High School in Friendswood, TX, on March 15, 2001 in
Friendswood, TX, on May 3, 2001 in League City, TX, and on May 9, 2001
in Pearland, TX. The scoping process involved Federal, State and local
agencies, and other interested persons and organizations. Comments were
received for 30 days following each scoping meeting. Comments will be
considered during preparation of the EIS. At this time, there are no
plans for an additional scoping effort.
(4) Coordination. Further coordination with environmental agencies
will be conducted under the National Environmental Policy Act, the Fish
and Wildlife Coordination Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Clean
Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the National Historic Preservation Act,
the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Essential
Fish Habitat), and the Coastal Zone Management Act under the Texas
Coastal Management Program.
(5) DEIS Preparation. It is estimated that the DEIS will be
available to the public for review and comment in March 2009.
Richard Medina,
Chief, Planning and Environmental Branch.
[FR Doc. E8-14239 Filed 6-23-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-52-P
