Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Nebraska; Department of Roads Nebraska Highway 12 Niobrara East and West Project, 43434-43435 [E8-17077]
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 144 / Friday, July 25, 2008 / Notices
are contained in Army Regulations 340–
21; 32 CFR part 505; or may be obtained
from the system manager.
From the individual; Army records
and reports.
EXEMPTIONS CLAIMED FOR THE SYSTEM:
None.
[FR Doc. E8–17035 Filed 7–24–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001–06–P
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army
Department of the Army; Corps of
Engineers
Availability of Information Bulletin, for
a Replacement Lock, Sault Locks
Complex, Sault Sainte Marie, MI
Department of the Army, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE), Detroit District, is
issuing this notice to announce the
availability of an Information Bulletin
for a proposed Replacement Lock, Sault
Locks Complex, Sault Sainte Marie, MI.
This bulletin provides information on
the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) review of the project that was
presented in the Great Lakes Connecting
Channels and Harbors Final Interim
Feasibility Report and Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS), 1986 and a
Record of Environmental Consideration,
2000. Based upon the review of current
site conditions and project plans, it
appears that no new environmental
impacts or issues have been identified
since the 1986 FEIS and the 2000
Record of Environmental Consideration
for the project. The planned
construction of a second large lock at
Sault Sainte Marie, MI, has been
adequately assessed in accordance with
NEPA and a Record of Decision (ROD)
should be signed to allow construction
to begin. The Bulletin is being provided
for information and to solicit comments
on any changed conditions or
anticipated impacts that may effect the
decision to sign the ROD.
DATES: The Information Bulletin will be
available for public review from July 25,
2008 through August 25, 2008. Written
comments must be received by
September 2, 2008.
ADDRESSES: You may request a copy of
the Information Bulletin from Ms.
Florence Bissell, Environmental
Analysis Branch, U.S. Army Corps of
17:15 Jul 24, 2008
Ms.
Florence Bissell at (313) 226–3510 or at
florence.k.bissell@usace.army.mil.
Written comments are to be provided to
Ms. Bissell.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Construction of a replacement lock at
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sault
Locks Complex on the St. Mary’s River,
Michigan was proposed following a
1976 resolution of the Senate Public
Works Committee to determine the
advisability of providing additional
lockage facilities. It was recommended
that a lock of greater dimensions replace
two smaller locks, the Davis and Sabin
Locks, which were constructed during
World War I. The proposed lock would
be capable of handling the Great Lakes
System’s largest vessels (Class C) which
account for more than half of the
potential carrying capacity of the Great
Lakes fleet and currently are limited to
lockage through the Poe Lock. A
disruption of the Poe Lock would result
in significant national economic
consequences therefore a second lock of
the Poe Lock dimensions is needed.
Congress has provided, in the Water
Resources Development Act of 2007 that
such a lock be constructed at Federal
expense and funding has been
appropriated to initiate construction.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:
VerDate Aug<31>2005
Engineers, Detroit District, 477
Michigan Avenue, P.O. Box 1027,
Detroit, MI 48231–1027.
Jkt 214001
Dated: July 18, 2008.
Les E. Weigum,
Chief, Environmental Analysis Branch.
[FR Doc. E8–17073 Filed 7–24–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710–GA–P
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of
Engineers
Intent To Prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement for Nebraska;
Department of Roads Nebraska
Highway 12 Niobrara East and West
Project
Department of the Army, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (Corps) is preparing an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
to analyze the direct, indirect and
cumulative effects of a proposed
Nebraska State Highway project,
Nebraska Highway 12 Niobrara East and
West Project (project), by the Nebraska
Department of Roads (NDOR). The
project will provide a safe regional
transportation corridor that meets
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Frm 00037
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Nebraska State Highway design
standards. The project is needed due to
interrupted use, high maintenance,
roadway stability issues, driver safety
during high water events, and the
importance of maintaining Nebraska
Highway 12 as a regional transportation
corridor. Alternatives under
consideration include: (1) Taking no
action; (2) re-construction on existing
alignment; (3) providing a new two-lane
highway on new alignment; (4) reducing
or eliminating existing flooding through
evaluation of methods to reduce Lewis
and Clark Lake elevation through
operations and/or maintenance. NDOR
and Corps have not selected a project
alternative but will be exploring a range
of alternatives through the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
process. Additional alternatives will be
considered during the NEPA process.
Construction of the project is expected
to result in temporary and permanent
impacts to jurisdictional waters of the
United States, thereby requiring a Clean
Water Act section 404 permit.
The Corps has prepared a scoping
document to familiarize other agencies,
the public and interested organizations
with the preliminary project alternatives
and potential environmental issues that
may be involved. The scoping document
includes a description of the problems
that create the need for the project, a
preliminary list of project alternatives,
and various environmental/resource
issues that will be addressed in the EIS.
Copies of the scoping document will be
available at the public scoping meeting
or can be requested by mail. The EIS
will be prepared according to the Corps’
procedures for implementing the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended, 42 U.S.C.
4332(2)(c), and consistent with the
Corps’ policy to facilitate public
understanding and review of agency
proposals.
A public scoping meeting will be
held on August 28, 2008, from 6 p.m. to
8:30 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The public scoping meeting
will be held at the WFLA Conference
Center located on Spruce and Park
Avenue in, Niobrara, NE 68760.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions regarding the proposed action
and EIS should be addressed to Matt
Wray, Project Manager, U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, Nebraska Regulatory
Office, Wehrspann Field Office, 8901 S.
154th Street, Omaha, NE 68138–3621 or
at (402) 896–0896;
Matt.T.Wray@usace.army.mil.
DATES:
The
Nebraska Department Roads (NDOR) is
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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25JYN1
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 144 / Friday, July 25, 2008 / Notices
responsible for providing a safe,
efficient, affordable, environmentally
compatible and coordinated statewide
transportation system for the movement
of people and goods. NDOR has
identified two segments of Nebraska
Highway 12 that have experienced
flooding and damage due to high water
levels associated with the Missouri
River. Segment 1 is approximately 6.4
miles long and extends from just east of
Verdel on the west end to 2 miles west
of the bridge over the Niobrara River.
Segment 2 is approximately 6 miles long
and extends from just east of Spruce
Avenue in Niobrara to approximately 1
mile east of S–54D. Problems associated
with this portion of Nebraska Highway
12 include high maintenance, driver
safety, and disruption in use. The
following summarizes the issues that
create these problems:
Roadway Stability: Due to high water
levels and overtopping of Nebraska
Highway 12 in the project area, the
stability of the roadway is threatened.
Gavin’s Point Dam on the Missouri
River was built in the 1950’s near
Yankton, South Dakota, creating Lewis
and Clark Lake (lake). The lake has
caused the water table adjacent to the
Missouri River to rise. Nebraska
Highway 12, which runs parallel to the
Missouri River, is affected where it
crosses into the Missouri River
floodplain east and west of Niobrara,
Nebraska. About eight miles of Nebraska
Highway 12 runs through the
floodplain. About half of this length is
located to the east and half to the west
of Niobrara, in Knox County, Nebraska.
The distance between Nebraska
Highway 12 and the Missouri River
bank differs, but some areas are as close
as two to three thousand feet. Due to the
location of Nebraska Highway 12, the
following road related issues are
present:
(1) Roadway inundation: When high
water events occur on the Missouri
River, portions of Nebraska Highway 12
are under water. This jeopardizes the
integrity of the roadway due to
saturation of the roadway bed. This can
create roadway sloughing and potential
for failure. Bazile Creek enters the river
east of Niobrara, NE where it intersects
Nebraska Highway 12. During high
water events on Bazile Creek, Nebraska
Highway 12 becomes flooded. The
flooding has occurred numerous times
in the past.
(2) Roadway saturation: High water
levels adjacent to Nebraska Highway 12
are the result of the lake. The lake is a
man-made reservoir located behind
Gavin’s Point dam. The lake has
contributed to the rising water table
throughout the floodplain where
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:15 Jul 24, 2008
Jkt 214001
Nebraska Highway 12 is located. In
addition, system releases from upstream
reservoirs as part of the Missouri River
mainstem system, can provide constant
water levels. Additionally, large releases
of water can sometimes last for many
months causing roadway saturation. The
increased silt load coming into the lake
from the Missouri River tributaries,
primarily the Niobrara River and Bazile
Creek also contributes to roadway
saturation. The confluence of the
Niobrara River and the Missouri River is
just west of the town of Niobrara. The
water from these tributaries slows as
they enter the Missouri River and
sediment is deposited creating a fill area
that restricts the channel and raises the
bed of the river. This causes the area of
the lake to increase in dimension as
well as raising the water table. High
water levels create conditions of longterm saturation of the roadway
embankment, thus creating the potential
for roadway embankment erosion.
Driver Safety: Portion of Nebraska
Highway 12 are exposed to regular
flooding. Roadway flooding is a concern
for driver safety because even if the road
is marked closed, motorists may choose
to drive through flooded roadways.
Nebraska Highway 12 in this location
does not have lighting and the inherent
dangers of driving through flooded
roadways exist. In 1995, the Corps
implemented an interim fix by raising
the gradeline of Nebraska Highway 12
by several feet on two short highway
segments to alleviate the immediate
flooding problems. The resultant
roadway is narrow with shoulders that
are not adequate in width, and steep
foreslopes. Cable guardrail was installed
to help protect vehicles from running off
the road and into the water. Due to the
narrow roadway, the cable guardrail is
close to the edge of the driving lane.
A public scoping meeting will be held
(see DATES) to describe why the project
is needed, preliminary alternatives, the
NEPA compliance process and to solicit
input on the issues and alternatives to
be evaluated and other related matters.
Written comments will also be
requested. The Corps has invited the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
National Park Service, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, and Knox County to be
cooperating agencies in the formulation
of the EIS.
John L. Moeschen,
Nebraska State Program Manager, Regulatory
Branch.
[FR Doc. E8–17077 Filed 7–24–08; 8:45 am]
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43435
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of
Engineers
Notice of Availability of the Draft
Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement (DSEIS) for the Nourishment
of 25,000 Feet of Beach in Topsail
Beach, Pender County, NC
Department of the Army, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Notice of availability.
SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE), Wilmington
District, Wilmington Regulatory Field
Office has received a request for
Department of the Army authorization,
pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean
Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers
and Harbors Act, from the Town of
Topsail Beach to conduct a one-time
interim beach fill project to protect
oceanfront development and
infrastructure until such time that a
federally authorized shore protection
project can be implemented. While
federal budget priorities have made it
difficult to obtain funds for civil works
projects in general and beach protection
projects in particular, the projected
earliest construction date for the federal
project is 2012. A Draft General
Reevaluation Report—Environmental
Impact Statement (GRR–EIS) has been
prepared by the USACE and was
released for public review and comment
in June 2006 (USACE, 2006). Given the
current status of the GRR–EIS and the
need for Congressional authorization,
funding, preparation of plans and
specifications, and right-of-way
acquisition, the federal project may not
be implemented until Fiscal Year 2012,
or possibly later. Accordingly, the Town
would like to construct an interim
project to protect its development and
infrastructure during the period
between now and the time the federal
project is constructed. In order to
account for any possible delays in the
construction of the federal project, a
construction date of 2016 was used in
the development of the alternatives and
economic analysis for the interim
project. This would maintain the
baseline conditions described in the
Draft GRR and EIS.
Copies of comments and
questions regarding the DSEIS may be
addressed to: U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Wilmington District,
Regulatory Division. ATTN: File
Number SAW–2006–40848–071, Post
Office Box 1890, Wilmington, NC
28402–1890.
ADDRESSES:
E:\FR\FM\25JYN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 144 (Friday, July 25, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43434-43435]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-17077]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Nebraska;
Department of Roads Nebraska Highway 12 Niobrara East and West Project
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is preparing an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze the direct, indirect
and cumulative effects of a proposed Nebraska State Highway project,
Nebraska Highway 12 Niobrara East and West Project (project), by the
Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR). The project will provide a safe
regional transportation corridor that meets Nebraska State Highway
design standards. The project is needed due to interrupted use, high
maintenance, roadway stability issues, driver safety during high water
events, and the importance of maintaining Nebraska Highway 12 as a
regional transportation corridor. Alternatives under consideration
include: (1) Taking no action; (2) re-construction on existing
alignment; (3) providing a new two-lane highway on new alignment; (4)
reducing or eliminating existing flooding through evaluation of methods
to reduce Lewis and Clark Lake elevation through operations and/or
maintenance. NDOR and Corps have not selected a project alternative but
will be exploring a range of alternatives through the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. Additional alternatives will
be considered during the NEPA process. Construction of the project is
expected to result in temporary and permanent impacts to jurisdictional
waters of the United States, thereby requiring a Clean Water Act
section 404 permit.
The Corps has prepared a scoping document to familiarize other
agencies, the public and interested organizations with the preliminary
project alternatives and potential environmental issues that may be
involved. The scoping document includes a description of the problems
that create the need for the project, a preliminary list of project
alternatives, and various environmental/resource issues that will be
addressed in the EIS. Copies of the scoping document will be available
at the public scoping meeting or can be requested by mail. The EIS will
be prepared according to the Corps' procedures for implementing the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, 42 U.S.C.
4332(2)(c), and consistent with the Corps' policy to facilitate public
understanding and review of agency proposals.
DATES: A public scoping meeting will be held on August 28, 2008, from 6
p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The public scoping meeting will be held at the WFLA
Conference Center located on Spruce and Park Avenue in, Niobrara, NE
68760.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding the proposed
action and EIS should be addressed to Matt Wray, Project Manager, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, Nebraska Regulatory Office, Wehrspann Field
Office, 8901 S. 154th Street, Omaha, NE 68138-3621 or at (402) 896-
0896; Matt.T.Wray@usace.army.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Nebraska Department Roads (NDOR) is
[[Page 43435]]
responsible for providing a safe, efficient, affordable,
environmentally compatible and coordinated statewide transportation
system for the movement of people and goods. NDOR has identified two
segments of Nebraska Highway 12 that have experienced flooding and
damage due to high water levels associated with the Missouri River.
Segment 1 is approximately 6.4 miles long and extends from just east of
Verdel on the west end to 2 miles west of the bridge over the Niobrara
River. Segment 2 is approximately 6 miles long and extends from just
east of Spruce Avenue in Niobrara to approximately 1 mile east of S-
54D. Problems associated with this portion of Nebraska Highway 12
include high maintenance, driver safety, and disruption in use. The
following summarizes the issues that create these problems:
Roadway Stability: Due to high water levels and overtopping of
Nebraska Highway 12 in the project area, the stability of the roadway
is threatened. Gavin's Point Dam on the Missouri River was built in the
1950's near Yankton, South Dakota, creating Lewis and Clark Lake
(lake). The lake has caused the water table adjacent to the Missouri
River to rise. Nebraska Highway 12, which runs parallel to the Missouri
River, is affected where it crosses into the Missouri River floodplain
east and west of Niobrara, Nebraska. About eight miles of Nebraska
Highway 12 runs through the floodplain. About half of this length is
located to the east and half to the west of Niobrara, in Knox County,
Nebraska. The distance between Nebraska Highway 12 and the Missouri
River bank differs, but some areas are as close as two to three
thousand feet. Due to the location of Nebraska Highway 12, the
following road related issues are present:
(1) Roadway inundation: When high water events occur on the
Missouri River, portions of Nebraska Highway 12 are under water. This
jeopardizes the integrity of the roadway due to saturation of the
roadway bed. This can create roadway sloughing and potential for
failure. Bazile Creek enters the river east of Niobrara, NE where it
intersects Nebraska Highway 12. During high water events on Bazile
Creek, Nebraska Highway 12 becomes flooded. The flooding has occurred
numerous times in the past.
(2) Roadway saturation: High water levels adjacent to Nebraska
Highway 12 are the result of the lake. The lake is a man-made reservoir
located behind Gavin's Point dam. The lake has contributed to the
rising water table throughout the floodplain where Nebraska Highway 12
is located. In addition, system releases from upstream reservoirs as
part of the Missouri River mainstem system, can provide constant water
levels. Additionally, large releases of water can sometimes last for
many months causing roadway saturation. The increased silt load coming
into the lake from the Missouri River tributaries, primarily the
Niobrara River and Bazile Creek also contributes to roadway saturation.
The confluence of the Niobrara River and the Missouri River is just
west of the town of Niobrara. The water from these tributaries slows as
they enter the Missouri River and sediment is deposited creating a fill
area that restricts the channel and raises the bed of the river. This
causes the area of the lake to increase in dimension as well as raising
the water table. High water levels create conditions of long-term
saturation of the roadway embankment, thus creating the potential for
roadway embankment erosion.
Driver Safety: Portion of Nebraska Highway 12 are exposed to
regular flooding. Roadway flooding is a concern for driver safety
because even if the road is marked closed, motorists may choose to
drive through flooded roadways. Nebraska Highway 12 in this location
does not have lighting and the inherent dangers of driving through
flooded roadways exist. In 1995, the Corps implemented an interim fix
by raising the gradeline of Nebraska Highway 12 by several feet on two
short highway segments to alleviate the immediate flooding problems.
The resultant roadway is narrow with shoulders that are not adequate in
width, and steep foreslopes. Cable guardrail was installed to help
protect vehicles from running off the road and into the water. Due to
the narrow roadway, the cable guardrail is close to the edge of the
driving lane.
A public scoping meeting will be held (see DATES) to describe why
the project is needed, preliminary alternatives, the NEPA compliance
process and to solicit input on the issues and alternatives to be
evaluated and other related matters. Written comments will also be
requested. The Corps has invited the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Knox
County to be cooperating agencies in the formulation of the EIS.
John L. Moeschen,
Nebraska State Program Manager, Regulatory Branch.
[FR Doc. E8-17077 Filed 7-24-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-62-P
