Intent To Prepare a Draft Environment Impact Statement (DEIS) for a Proposed Highway Between Bush, LA and I-12, in St. Tammany Parish, 69616-69617 [E8-27438]
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 224 / Wednesday, November 19, 2008 / Notices
gaps through the levee. The L–29 Levee
may have to be modified as a result of
increased conveyance through the
L–67A and L–67C Levees.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
section for scoping meeting date.
Intent To Prepare a Draft Environment
Impact Statement (DEIS) for a
Proposed Highway Between Bush, LA
and I–12, in St. Tammany Parish
DATES:
U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Planning Division,
Environmental Branch, P.O. Box 4970,
Jacksonville, FL 32232–0019.
ADDRESSES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mrs.
Susan Conner at (904) 232–1782 or
e-mail at
Susan.L.Conner@usace.army.mil.
cprice-sewell on PROD1PC64 with NOTICES
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
a. A scoping letter was sent to invite
comments on alternatives and issues
from Federal, State, and local agencies,
affected Indian tribes, and other
interested private organizations and
individuals. The scoping letter was sent
out in November 2008. A public
meeting will be held in order to provide
information on the proposed project and
gather public comments and concerns.
The meeting will be held on Thursday,
November 20, 2008, 7 p.m. at the South
Florida Water Management District,
Miami Field Station, 9001 N.W. 58th
Street, Miami, Florida 33178.
b. A public meeting will be held after
release of the Draft Environmental
Impact Statement. The exact location,
date, and times will be announced in a
public notice and local newspapers.
c. The Draft EIS will analyze the
potential social, economic, and
environmental impacts to the local area
resulting from the proposed project and
alternatives. Specifically, the following
major issues will be analyzed in the
Draft EIS: Hydrologic and hydraulic
regimes, threatened and endangered
species, fish and wildlife habitat,
wetlands, essential fish habitat and
other marine habitat, air quality,
cultural resources, alternatives,
secondary and cumulative impacts,
socioeconomic impacts, and
environmental justice).
d. The Corps will serve as the lead
Federal agency in the preparation of the
Draft EIS. The Corps intends to
coordinate and/or consult with an
interagency team of Federal and State
agencies during scoping and preparation
of during the scoping process whether
other agencies will serve in an official
role as cooperating agencies.
Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E8–27434 Filed 11–18–08; 8:45 am]
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15:14 Nov 18, 2008
Jkt 217001
Department of the Army; Corps of
Engineers
Department of the Army, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, New Orleans District,
Regulatory Branch has received a
request for Department of the Army
authorization from the Louisiana
Department of Transportation and
Development to construct a modern,
high-speed, 4-lane arterial highway from
the southern terminus of the current
modern 4-lane arterial portion of LA 21
in Bush, LA to I–12 in St. Tammany
Parish, a distance of between 17.4 and
21 miles. The project proposes work in
wetlands and structural crossings of
various waterways in the project area.
The EIS will be used to ensure
compliance with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), to
determine the least damaging, yet
practicable alternative and as a basis for
the permit decision.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions about the proposed action
and Draft EIS should be directed to: Dr.
James A. Barlow, Jr. at (504) 862–2250,
New Orleans District, Corps of
Engineers, CEMVN ODS, PO Box 60267,
New Orleans, LA 70160.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. Briefly
describe the proposed action. The
proposed project would be designed as
a rural arterial highway (RA–3) with a
posted speed limit of 65 mph. The
exception to this design would be as the
proposed project transitions into exiting
roadways. The typical cross section will
have two, 12-foot travel lanes, an 8–10
foot outside shoulder and a 4-foot inside
shoulder in each direction. The median
width would vary depending upon
highway design class used ranging
between 42 and 60 feet, and a minimum
right-of-way (ROW) dependent upon
what is needed for the design. The
initial analysis assumed a minimum of
250 feet. To assure an adequate
foundation, existing soils may be
excavated and hauled-in earthen fill
obtained from an undisclosed source
deposited to elevate the highway
embankment over natural grades.
Roadway embankments would be
sloped with inside slopes of
approximately 6:1 for 26 feet from edge
of shoulder and then 4:1 thereafter.
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Roadside ditches would be constructed
as required to reduce ponding along the
roadway. A typical design of the ditch
would be 4 feet below existing grade
with a width of 4 feet. Ditches would be
employed to divert surface flow to
structural highway crossings as
required. Drainage structures would be
identified so as to have no net impact
on the drainage of the area when
considering peak run-off flows during
the 10-, 50-, and 100-year storms at each
of these locations. Drainage structures
could include bridges, reinforced
concrete boxes, and/or reinforced
concrete pipes depending on the flow to
be passed through the structure.
Limiting access to only existing state
highways (LA 1088, LA 36, LA 435 and
LA 21/40/41) has been proposed on at
least one alternative in response to
concerns regarding cumulative effects of
the proposed project. No other
mitigative measures to avoid or
minimize project impacts on the
natural, social and physical
environments are included in the
applicant’s project design.
The applicant has stated that the
proposed project is needed as an
alternative North-South connection that
would potentially reduce congestion
and delays for those traveling from
Northern St. Tammany and Washington
Parishes to I–12. The proposed project
could increase safety by reducing the
amount of traffic on existing routes (LA
41 and LA 21/LA 59/US 190) and
thereby reducing the potential for
accidents. Additionally, the resulting
travel time savings would help support/
enhance potential economic
development in North St. Tammany and
Washington Parishes. Finally, the
applicant is obliged to construct a 4-lane
or more highway from Bush, LA to I–12,
to comply with Louisiana Revised
Statute (R.S.) 47:820.2.B (e).
The proposed project would adversely
affect wetlands, which are regulated by
the Corps, and requires a permit
pursuant to Section 10 of the Rivers and
Harbors Act of March 3, 1899 and
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
Because the proposed project would
require federal involvement, it is subject
to NEPA. The Corps prepared an
environmental assessment that
documented potential direct, secondary
and cumulative adverse affects the
proposed project would have on the
social, physical and natural
environments of the project area.
Information used in the preparation of
the EA was developed by the applicant
and/or independently by the Corps. The
Corps concluded that the proposed
project had the potential for significant
impacts to the human, natural and
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 224 / Wednesday, November 19, 2008 / Notices
physical environments. 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.
2. Briefly describe reasonable
alternatives. The basic purpose of the
proposed project is to provide for
regional transportation needs. As such,
the proposed project does not require
siting within a special aquatic site to
fulfill its basic purpose and therefore
practicable alternatives that do not
involve special aquatic sites are
presumed to be available, unless clearly
demonstrated otherwise. Including the
‘‘no build’’ alternative the applicant
evaluated 18 alternatives. Based on
information provided by the applicant,
all alternatives considered could
potentially impact special aquatic sites
over which the Corps has jurisdiction.
Rough estimates of potential direct
wetland impacts range from 75 to 475
acres. The applicant also determined
that all alternatives were practicable
based on cost, existing technology, and
logistics. However, in light of the
applicant’s project purposes, the
applicant deemed only six alternatives
to be practicable.
3. Briefly describe the Corps’ scoping
process which is reasonably foreseeable
for the DEIS under consideration. The
description:
a. The Corps invites full public
participation to promote open
communication on the issues
surrounding the proposal. All Federal,
State, and local agencies, and other
persons or organizations that have an
interest are urged to participate in the
NEPA scoping process. A public
meeting will be held to help identify
significant issues and to receive public
input and comment into the scoping
process.
b. The DEIS will analyze the potential
social, economic, and natural
environmental impacts to the local area
resulting from the proposed project.
Specifically, the following major issues
will be analyzed in depth in the DEIS:
drain patterns, air quality, water quality,
suspended particulates/turbidity, flood
control functions, special aquatic sites,
fish and wildlife habitat, endangered or
threatened species, biological
availability of possible contaminants,
floodplain use, aesthetics, traffic/
transportation patterns, land use
changes, economic impacts, public
safety, noise, consideration of private
property, cultural resources,
alternatives, secondary and cumulative
impacts, environmental justice (effect
on minorities and low income groups),
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:14 Nov 18, 2008
Jkt 217001
and protection of children (Executive
Order 13045).
c. The Corps will serve as the lead
Federal agency in the preparation of the
DEIS. It is anticipated that the following
agencies will be invited and will accept
cooperating agency status for the
preparation of the DEIS: U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency and
U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish
and Wildlife Service.
d. The Corps will use a ‘‘third party
contractor’’ to prepare all or part of the
EIS or to obtain required information
(40 CFR 1500–1508). ‘‘Third party
contract’’ refers to the preparation of an
EIS by a contractor paid by the
applicant but who is selected and
supervised directly by the district
engineer. Contractor election by the
Corps for a Regulatory Program EIS will
be as follows: The Corps will select from
the applicant’s list the first contractor
that is fully acceptable to the Corps,
using the applicant’s order of
preference; this selection is finalized by
the applicant’s selection of the same
contractor. The procedures outlined in
40 CFR 1500–1508 and CEQ’s forty
questions must be followed.
Furthermore, the Corps is responsible
for final acceptance of the draft and
final EIS.
4. The date, time and location of the
scoping meeting have not been
determined. The public will be notified
of the scoping meeting information by
separate public notice posted on the
New Orleans District web page (https://
www.mvn.usace.army.mil/ops/
regulatory/publicnotices.asp).
5. The earliest that the DEIS is
expected to be available for public
review is January of 2010.
Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E8–27438 Filed 11–18–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720–58–P
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of
Engineers
Missouri River Recovery
Implementation Committee; Meeting
Department of the Army, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of meeting.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: In accordance with Section
5018(b) of the Water Resources Act of
2007, announcement is made of the
following committee meeting:
Name of Committee: Missouri River
Recovery Implementation Committee.
Date: December 16–18, 2008.
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Fmt 4703
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69617
Time: 8 a.m.–7 p.m. (December 16,
2008).
8 a.m.–7 p.m. (December 17, 2008).
7 a.m.–1 p.m. (December 18, 2008).
Place: Doubletree Hotel Downtown,
Omaha, NE 68102.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mary Roth, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Northwestern Division, 1616
Capitol Avenue, Suite 365, Omaha, NE
68102–4909.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This will
be the second meeting of the Missouri
River Recovery Implementation
Committee (Committee). Members of the
public may attend the meeting in
person. Seating is limited and is
available on a first-come, first-served
basis. Participation by the public is
scheduled for 6 p.m.–6:30 p.m. on
December 16th and 17th and 12 p.m.–
12:30 p.m. on December 18th.
Proposed Agenda: The goals of the
meeting are to: take steps on selecting a
Committee Chair and Vice-Chair; take
steps on selecting a Third Party
facilitation team and notetaker; provide
an update on the Missouri River
Ecosystem Restoration Plan and
determine how the MRRIC fits into the
process; gather information on the
Missouri River Recovery Program, the
Corps’ Work Plan Process, and learn
about opportunities for the MRRIC to
have input on the 2010 and 2011 Work
Plans; learn about the Corps’ Integrated
Science Program, especially as it relates
to the Pallid Sturgeon; learn about the
Biological Opinion, the Endangered
Species Act, and recovery goals; hear
workgroup updates; and establish a
date, location, and draft agenda for the
next MRRIC meeting.
Members of the public may make oral
comments at the meeting or submit
written comments. In general, each
individual or group making an oral
presentation will be limited to five
minutes, and total oral comments will
be limited to one-half hour each day.
Written comments received far enough
in advance of the meeting may be
provided to the Committee prior to the
meeting; comments received too near
the meeting date to allow for
distribution will be provided to the
Committee at the meeting. Comments
submitted during or after the meeting
will be accepted but may not be
provided to the Committee until after
the meeting.
Any member of the public who
desires further information concerning
the meeting or wishes to submit oral or
written comments should contact Mary
Roth at the address shown in (see
ADDRESSES). Requests to make oral
comments must be in writing (or by
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 224 (Wednesday, November 19, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69616-69617]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-27438]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Draft Environment Impact Statement (DEIS) for
a Proposed Highway Between Bush, LA and I-12, in St. Tammany Parish
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District,
Regulatory Branch has received a request for Department of the Army
authorization from the Louisiana Department of Transportation and
Development to construct a modern, high-speed, 4-lane arterial highway
from the southern terminus of the current modern 4-lane arterial
portion of LA 21 in Bush, LA to I-12 in St. Tammany Parish, a distance
of between 17.4 and 21 miles. The project proposes work in wetlands and
structural crossings of various waterways in the project area. The EIS
will be used to ensure compliance with the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA), to determine the least damaging, yet practicable
alternative and as a basis for the permit decision.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action
and Draft EIS should be directed to: Dr. James A. Barlow, Jr. at (504)
862-2250, New Orleans District, Corps of Engineers, CEMVN ODS, PO Box
60267, New Orleans, LA 70160.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. Briefly describe the proposed action. The
proposed project would be designed as a rural arterial highway (RA-3)
with a posted speed limit of 65 mph. The exception to this design would
be as the proposed project transitions into exiting roadways. The
typical cross section will have two, 12-foot travel lanes, an 8-10 foot
outside shoulder and a 4-foot inside shoulder in each direction. The
median width would vary depending upon highway design class used
ranging between 42 and 60 feet, and a minimum right-of-way (ROW)
dependent upon what is needed for the design. The initial analysis
assumed a minimum of 250 feet. To assure an adequate foundation,
existing soils may be excavated and hauled-in earthen fill obtained
from an undisclosed source deposited to elevate the highway embankment
over natural grades. Roadway embankments would be sloped with inside
slopes of approximately 6:1 for 26 feet from edge of shoulder and then
4:1 thereafter. Roadside ditches would be constructed as required to
reduce ponding along the roadway. A typical design of the ditch would
be 4 feet below existing grade with a width of 4 feet. Ditches would be
employed to divert surface flow to structural highway crossings as
required. Drainage structures would be identified so as to have no net
impact on the drainage of the area when considering peak run-off flows
during the 10-, 50-, and 100-year storms at each of these locations.
Drainage structures could include bridges, reinforced concrete boxes,
and/or reinforced concrete pipes depending on the flow to be passed
through the structure. Limiting access to only existing state highways
(LA 1088, LA 36, LA 435 and LA 21/40/41) has been proposed on at least
one alternative in response to concerns regarding cumulative effects of
the proposed project. No other mitigative measures to avoid or minimize
project impacts on the natural, social and physical environments are
included in the applicant's project design.
The applicant has stated that the proposed project is needed as an
alternative North-South connection that would potentially reduce
congestion and delays for those traveling from Northern St. Tammany and
Washington Parishes to I-12. The proposed project could increase safety
by reducing the amount of traffic on existing routes (LA 41 and LA 21/
LA 59/US 190) and thereby reducing the potential for accidents.
Additionally, the resulting travel time savings would help support/
enhance potential economic development in North St. Tammany and
Washington Parishes. Finally, the applicant is obliged to construct a
4-lane or more highway from Bush, LA to I-12, to comply with Louisiana
Revised Statute (R.S.) 47:820.2.B (e).
The proposed project would adversely affect wetlands, which are
regulated by the Corps, and requires a permit pursuant to Section 10 of
the Rivers and Harbors Act of March 3, 1899 and Section 404 of the
Clean Water Act. Because the proposed project would require federal
involvement, it is subject to NEPA. The Corps prepared an environmental
assessment that documented potential direct, secondary and cumulative
adverse affects the proposed project would have on the social, physical
and natural environments of the project area. Information used in the
preparation of the EA was developed by the applicant and/or
independently by the Corps. The Corps concluded that the proposed
project had the potential for significant impacts to the human, natural
and
[[Page 69617]]
physical environments. 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.
2. Briefly describe reasonable alternatives. The basic purpose of
the proposed project is to provide for regional transportation needs.
As such, the proposed project does not require siting within a special
aquatic site to fulfill its basic purpose and therefore practicable
alternatives that do not involve special aquatic sites are presumed to
be available, unless clearly demonstrated otherwise. Including the ``no
build'' alternative the applicant evaluated 18 alternatives. Based on
information provided by the applicant, all alternatives considered
could potentially impact special aquatic sites over which the Corps has
jurisdiction. Rough estimates of potential direct wetland impacts range
from 75 to 475 acres. The applicant also determined that all
alternatives were practicable based on cost, existing technology, and
logistics. However, in light of the applicant's project purposes, the
applicant deemed only six alternatives to be practicable.
3. Briefly describe the Corps' scoping process which is reasonably
foreseeable for the DEIS under consideration. The description:
a. The Corps invites full public participation to promote open
communication on the issues surrounding the proposal. All Federal,
State, and local agencies, and other persons or organizations that have
an interest are urged to participate in the NEPA scoping process. A
public meeting will be held to help identify significant issues and to
receive public input and comment into the scoping process.
b. The DEIS will analyze the potential social, economic, and
natural environmental impacts to the local area resulting from the
proposed project. Specifically, the following major issues will be
analyzed in depth in the DEIS: drain patterns, air quality, water
quality, suspended particulates/turbidity, flood control functions,
special aquatic sites, fish and wildlife habitat, endangered or
threatened species, biological availability of possible contaminants,
floodplain use, aesthetics, traffic/transportation patterns, land use
changes, economic impacts, public safety, noise, consideration of
private property, cultural resources, alternatives, secondary and
cumulative impacts, environmental justice (effect on minorities and low
income groups), and protection of children (Executive Order 13045).
c. The Corps will serve as the lead Federal agency in the
preparation of the DEIS. It is anticipated that the following agencies
will be invited and will accept cooperating agency status for the
preparation of the DEIS: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S.
Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service.
d. The Corps will use a ``third party contractor'' to prepare all
or part of the EIS or to obtain required information (40 CFR 1500-
1508). ``Third party contract'' refers to the preparation of an EIS by
a contractor paid by the applicant but who is selected and supervised
directly by the district engineer. Contractor election by the Corps for
a Regulatory Program EIS will be as follows: The Corps will select from
the applicant's list the first contractor that is fully acceptable to
the Corps, using the applicant's order of preference; this selection is
finalized by the applicant's selection of the same contractor. The
procedures outlined in 40 CFR 1500-1508 and CEQ's forty questions must
be followed. Furthermore, the Corps is responsible for final acceptance
of the draft and final EIS.
4. The date, time and location of the scoping meeting have not been
determined. The public will be notified of the scoping meeting
information by separate public notice posted on the New Orleans
District web page (https://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/ops/regulatory/
publicnotices.asp).
5. The earliest that the DEIS is expected to be available for
public review is January of 2010.
Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E8-27438 Filed 11-18-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P
