Public Scoping Meeting and Preparation of Environmental Impact Statement for Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer Project in Liberty County and Harris County, TX, 30320-30321 [2011-12912]
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 101 / Wednesday, May 25, 2011 / Notices
and alternatives and to solicit input and
feedback from the public on issues to be
addressed in the PEIS. Meetings will be
announced in local media. The public
will also be invited to review and
comment on the Draft PEIS when it is
released. Comments from the public
will be considered before any decision
is made regarding implementing the
proposed action.
Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011–12914 Filed 5–24–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710–08–P
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of
Engineers
Public Scoping Meeting and
Preparation of Environmental Impact
Statement for Luce Bayou Interbasin
Transfer Project in Liberty County and
Harris County, TX
Department of the Army, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
AGENCY:
The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Galveston District, has
received a permit application for a
Department of the Army Permit
pursuant to Section 10 of the Rivers and
Harbors Act of 1899 (33 U.S.C. 403) and
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33
U.S.C. 1344) from the Coastal Water
Authority (SWG–2009–00188) for the
proposed Coastal Water Authority’s
Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer Project
located in eastern Liberty County with
the 26.5-mile corridor extending
southwestward from the Trinity River to
a discharge point near the confluence of
Luce Bayou with Lake Houston. The
primary Federal involvement associated
with the proposed action is the
discharge or dredged or fill material into
waters of the United States, including
jurisdictional wetlands, and the
construction of structures that may
affect navigable waters. Federal
authorizations for the proposed project
would constitute a ‘‘major federal
action.’’ Based on the potential impacts,
both individually and cumulatively, the
Corps intends to prepare an
Environmental Statement (EIS) in
compliance with the National
Environmental Policy Act to render a
final decision on the permit
applications.
The Corps’ decision will be to either
issue, issue with modification or deny
Department of the Army permits for the
proposed action. The EIS will assess the
potential social, economic and
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SUMMARY:
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15:12 May 24, 2011
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environmental impacts of the
construction and operation of the
interbasin conveyance, associated
facilities, and appurtenances and is
intended to be sufficient in scope to
address Federal, State and local
requirements, environmental issues
concerning the proposed action, and
permit reviews.
DATES: The scoping period will
commence with the publication of this
notice. The formal scoping period will
end 60 days after the publication of this
notice. Comments regarding issues
relative to the proposed project should
be received.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
by any of the following methods: Mail:
Jayson M. Hudson, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Regulatory Branch, P.O. Box
1229, Galveston, TX 77553–1229; Fax:
(409) 766–3931 or E-mail:
Jayson.m.hudson@usace.army.mil.
Emailed comments, including
attachments, should be provided in
.doc, .docx, .pdf or .txt formats.
Documents pertinent to the proposed
project may be examined at https://
www.swg.usace.army.mil/reg/eis.asp.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Jayson Hudson, (409) 766–3108.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Galveston District intends to prepare a
DEIS on the proposed Luce Bayou
Interbasin Transfer Project which is the
proposed transfer of water from the
Trinity River in Liberty County to Lake
Houston in Harris County, TX. The
Coastal Water Authority proposed this
project and is the applicant for the
Department of the Army permit (DA)
SWG–2009–00188.
1. Project Background: The Coastal
Water Authority is proposing to convey
up to 400 million gallons of water per
day (MGD) under gravity in accordance
with the City of Houston’s existing
water rights permit from the Trinity
River to Lake Houston, a distance of
approximately 26.5 miles. The Trinity
River water would be conveyed from the
proposed pump station through large
diameter pipelines to a sediment storage
and settling basin and then through an
earthen canal to outfall at the Lake
Houston discharge point. The canal
would have side berms and there would
be an access road, drainage ditches, and
perimeter fencing surrounding the water
conveyance canal. The proposed project
consists of the following:
a. A new water pumping station will
be constructed on the Trinity River at
Capers Ridge approximately 10 miles
north of Dayton, TX.
b. Dual, 108-inch diameter force
mains will be constructed extending
from the Capers Ridge pump station
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
approximately 3.5 miles to the west and
southwest to outfall to the
sedimentation settling basin.
c. An approximate 20-acre
sedimentation settling and storage
basin.
d. An approximate 23.5 mile claylined earthen canal with 4:1 side slopes
within a 300-foot easement that would
include access roads, berms, chain link
perimeter fencing, flow control
structures, and metering stations.
e. Box culverts at canal and roadway
crossings and multiple bawl-ground
siphons constructed to facilitate wildlife
movement and maintain existing
hydrology along the canal conveyance
system.
f. An approximate 10-acre
maintenance facility located
approximately 6 miles north of Dayton,
TX.
g. Discharge structure along the
southeastern shoreline of Lake Houston.
2. Scoping and Public Involvement
Process: A Public Notice was published
on April 19, 2010 to initiate the public
scoping process for the proposed
project. At that time, based on
information provided by the Applicant,
a preliminary review indicated that an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
was not required. However, based on
continuing permit assessment and
information brought forth during the
initial coordination process, areas of
potential significant impact on the
human environment have been
identified. Therefore, the EIS process is
being implemented so that the permit
application can be fully evaluated and
a permit decision can be made. All
comments received to date, including
those provided for review during the
initial scoping process, will be
considered by the Galveston District
during EIS preparation. The purpose of
the EIS scoping meeting is to gather
information on the subjects to be
studied in detail by the EIS.
3. Purpose and Need. The basic
purpose of the proposed action is to
provide drinking water for the City of
Houston and surrounding area. The
overall purpose is to provide drinking
water utilizing water rights currently
held by the City of Houston in the
Trinity River. The Corps recognizes that
there is a public and private need for
drinking water.
4. Alternatives. An evaluation of
alternatives to the Applicant’s preferred
alternative initially being considered
includes a No Action alternative,
alternatives that would avoid, minimize
and compensate for impacts to the
aquatic environment within the project
right-of-way, alternatives that would
avoid, minimize and compensate for
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25MYN1
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 101 / Wednesday, May 25, 2011 / Notices
impacts to the aquatic environment
outside of the right-of-way, alternatives
utilizing alternative practices, and other
reasonable alternatives that will be
developed through the project scoping
process which may also meet the
identified purpose and need.
5. Public Involvement. The purpose of
the public scoping process is to
determine relevant issues that will
influence the scope of the
environmental analysis and EIS
alternatives. General concerns in the
following categories have been
identified to date: potential direct
effects to waters of the United States
including wetlands; water quality;
aquatic species; air quality;
environmental justice; socioeconomic
environment; archaeological and
cultural resources; recreation and
recreational resources; energy supply
and natural resources; hazardous waste
and materials; aesthetics; public health
and safety; navigation; erosion and
accretion; invasive species; cumulative
impacts; public benefit and needs of the
people along with potential effects on
the human environment. All parties
who express interest will be given an
opportunity to participate in the
process.
6. Coordination. The proposed action
is being coordinated with a number of
Federal, State, regional and local
agencies including but not limited to the
Environmental Protection Agency, the
United States (U.S.) Fish and Wildlife
Service, U.S. National Marine Fisheries
Service, the Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality, the Texas
General Land Office, and the Texas
Parks and Wildlife Department. Other
agencies, including the Trinity River
National Wildlife Refuge, Texas Water
Development Board, and the Texas
Department of Transportation, may also
comment during the scoping process.
7. Availability of the Draft EIS. The
Corps currently expects the Draft EIS to
be made available to the public by
December 2011. A public scoping
meeting will be held at the Dayton
Community Center in Dayton, Texas.
The Corps will announce the public
scoping meeting through local news
media and the Corps’ webpage at https://
www.swg.usace.army.mil/reg at least 15
days prior to the first meeting.
Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011–12912 Filed 5–24–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720–58–P
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of
Engineers
Withdrawal of Notice of Intent To
Prepare a Programmatic
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Chesapeake Bay Oyster Recovery
Project, Virginia & Maryland
Department of the Army, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent; withdrawal.
AGENCY:
The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (Corps), Baltimore and
Norfolk Districts published a notice of
intent (NOI) (74 FR 47927) for the
Chesapeake Bay Oyster Recovery, MD
and VA study on September 18, 2009.
That NOI announced that the Corps
Baltimore and Norfolk Districts would
prepare a single, integrated Native
Oyster Restoration Master Plan (master
plan) and programmatic environmental
impact statement (PEIS) for native
oyster recovery in the entire Chesapeake
Bay (inclusive of both Maryland and
Virginia) and that the document would
be tiered to the Programmatic EIS for
Oyster Restoration in Chesapeake Bay
Including the Use of a Native and/or
Nonnative Oyster. In August 2009, the
record of decision for Oyster Restoration
in Chesapeake Bay including the Use of
a Native and/or Non-Native Species was
signed. The preferred alternative
identified in the 2009 PEIS recommends
‘‘using a combination of alternatives that
involves only the native Eastern oyster
(Crassostrea virginica).’’ Consistent with
the preferred alternative, the Corps will
expand upon and further develop plans
and recommendations for Chesapeake
Bay native oyster restoration in the
master plan. However since the master
plan will not be identifying site-specific
construction areas for restoration and
the larger issue of oyster restoration
Bay-wide, has been reviewed, a PEIS for
the master plan is no longer warranted.
Therefore, the Corps is withdrawing its
NOI to prepare a PEIS.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
Susan Conner, Norfolk District U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, Attn:
CENAO–PM–PA, 803 Front Street,
Norfolk, VA 23510. E-mail address:
Susan.L.Conner@usace.army.mil and
phone number: 757–201–7390 or Ms.
Anna Compton, Baltimore District, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, Attn:
CENAB–PL–P, P.O, Box 1715,
Baltimore, MD 21203. E-mail address:
Anna.M.Compton@usace.army.mil and
phone number 410–962–4633.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
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30321
1. The Baltimore District previously
published a NOI (69 FR 68887) for the
Chesapeake Bay Oyster Recovery, MD
and VA study on November 26, 2004.
That NOI indicated that the Baltimore
District would prepare a draft EIS for
native oyster (Crassostrea virginica)
recovery activities within Maryland
waters of the Chesapeake Bay. A second
NOI (71 FR 14857) was published for
the Chesapeake Bay Oyster Recovery,
MD and VA study on March 24, 2006.
That NOI announced that the Corps
Baltimore and Norfolk Districts would
prepare a single, integrated master plan
and PEIS for native oyster recovery in
the entire Chesapeake Bay.
2. A third NOI was published on
September 18, 2009 (74 FR 47927) to
announce that the timing of the master
plan/PEIS was delayed so that the
document could be tiered to the
Programmatic EIS for Oyster Restoration
in Chesapeake Bay Including the Use of
a Native and/or Nonnative Oyster. In
August 2009 the record of decision for
Oyster Restoration in Chesapeake Bay
including the Use of a Native and/or
Non-Native Species was signed. The
preferred alternative identified in the
PEIS recommends ‘‘using a combination
of alternatives that involves only the
native Eastern oyster (Crassostrea
virginica).’’ Consistent with the
preferred alternative, the Corps will
expand upon and further develop plans
and recommendations for Chesapeake
Bay native oyster restoration in the
master plan. The master plan will not
identify individual, site specific,
construction projects. The master plan,
instead, will develop a comprehensive
approach to oyster restoration and will
lay out a road map for a long-term,
large-scale restoration of native oysters
in the entire Chesapeake Bay. For each
area identified for restoration and when
Corps appropriations are received,
necessary National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) documents will be
prepared to specifically describe the
scope, scale, and details of construction
of site specific oyster projects. Therefore
the Programmatic EIS for Oyster
Restoration in Chesapeake Bay
Including the Use of a Native and/or
Nonnative Oyster prepared in August
2009 is sufficient and appropriate to
support the plans laid out in the master
plan precluding the need for another
PEIS. The master plan will incorporate
science, policy, and experience from a
number of sources to develop a
comprehensive approach to oyster
restoration in Maryland and Virginia.
All suitable locations and techniques
available for native oyster restoration
will be identified and explored, and, if
E:\FR\FM\25MYN1.SGM
25MYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 101 (Wednesday, May 25, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30320-30321]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-12912]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Public Scoping Meeting and Preparation of Environmental Impact
Statement for Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer Project in Liberty County
and Harris County, TX
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District, has
received a permit application for a Department of the Army Permit
pursuant to Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (33 U.S.C.
403) and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344) from the
Coastal Water Authority (SWG-2009-00188) for the proposed Coastal Water
Authority's Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer Project located in eastern
Liberty County with the 26.5-mile corridor extending southwestward from
the Trinity River to a discharge point near the confluence of Luce
Bayou with Lake Houston. The primary Federal involvement associated
with the proposed action is the discharge or dredged or fill material
into waters of the United States, including jurisdictional wetlands,
and the construction of structures that may affect navigable waters.
Federal authorizations for the proposed project would constitute a
``major federal action.'' Based on the potential impacts, both
individually and cumulatively, the Corps intends to prepare an
Environmental Statement (EIS) in compliance with the National
Environmental Policy Act to render a final decision on the permit
applications.
The Corps' decision will be to either issue, issue with
modification or deny Department of the Army permits for the proposed
action. The EIS will assess the potential social, economic and
environmental impacts of the construction and operation of the
interbasin conveyance, associated facilities, and appurtenances and is
intended to be sufficient in scope to address Federal, State and local
requirements, environmental issues concerning the proposed action, and
permit reviews.
DATES: The scoping period will commence with the publication of this
notice. The formal scoping period will end 60 days after the
publication of this notice. Comments regarding issues relative to the
proposed project should be received.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
Mail: Jayson M. Hudson, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regulatory
Branch, P.O. Box 1229, Galveston, TX 77553-1229; Fax: (409) 766-3931 or
E-mail: Jayson.m.hudson@usace.army.mil. Emailed comments, including
attachments, should be provided in .doc, .docx, .pdf or .txt formats.
Documents pertinent to the proposed project may be examined at https://www.swg.usace.army.mil/reg/eis.asp.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jayson Hudson, (409) 766-3108.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Galveston District intends to prepare a
DEIS on the proposed Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer Project which is
the proposed transfer of water from the Trinity River in Liberty County
to Lake Houston in Harris County, TX. The Coastal Water Authority
proposed this project and is the applicant for the Department of the
Army permit (DA) SWG-2009-00188.
1. Project Background: The Coastal Water Authority is proposing to
convey up to 400 million gallons of water per day (MGD) under gravity
in accordance with the City of Houston's existing water rights permit
from the Trinity River to Lake Houston, a distance of approximately
26.5 miles. The Trinity River water would be conveyed from the proposed
pump station through large diameter pipelines to a sediment storage and
settling basin and then through an earthen canal to outfall at the Lake
Houston discharge point. The canal would have side berms and there
would be an access road, drainage ditches, and perimeter fencing
surrounding the water conveyance canal. The proposed project consists
of the following:
a. A new water pumping station will be constructed on the Trinity
River at Capers Ridge approximately 10 miles north of Dayton, TX.
b. Dual, 108-inch diameter force mains will be constructed
extending from the Capers Ridge pump station approximately 3.5 miles to
the west and southwest to outfall to the sedimentation settling basin.
c. An approximate 20-acre sedimentation settling and storage basin.
d. An approximate 23.5 mile clay-lined earthen canal with 4:1 side
slopes within a 300-foot easement that would include access roads,
berms, chain link perimeter fencing, flow control structures, and
metering stations.
e. Box culverts at canal and roadway crossings and multiple bawl-
ground siphons constructed to facilitate wildlife movement and maintain
existing hydrology along the canal conveyance system.
f. An approximate 10-acre maintenance facility located
approximately 6 miles north of Dayton, TX.
g. Discharge structure along the southeastern shoreline of Lake
Houston.
2. Scoping and Public Involvement Process: A Public Notice was
published on April 19, 2010 to initiate the public scoping process for
the proposed project. At that time, based on information provided by
the Applicant, a preliminary review indicated that an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) was not required. However, based on continuing
permit assessment and information brought forth during the initial
coordination process, areas of potential significant impact on the
human environment have been identified. Therefore, the EIS process is
being implemented so that the permit application can be fully evaluated
and a permit decision can be made. All comments received to date,
including those provided for review during the initial scoping process,
will be considered by the Galveston District during EIS preparation.
The purpose of the EIS scoping meeting is to gather information on the
subjects to be studied in detail by the EIS.
3. Purpose and Need. The basic purpose of the proposed action is to
provide drinking water for the City of Houston and surrounding area.
The overall purpose is to provide drinking water utilizing water rights
currently held by the City of Houston in the Trinity River. The Corps
recognizes that there is a public and private need for drinking water.
4. Alternatives. An evaluation of alternatives to the Applicant's
preferred alternative initially being considered includes a No Action
alternative, alternatives that would avoid, minimize and compensate for
impacts to the aquatic environment within the project right-of-way,
alternatives that would avoid, minimize and compensate for
[[Page 30321]]
impacts to the aquatic environment outside of the right-of-way,
alternatives utilizing alternative practices, and other reasonable
alternatives that will be developed through the project scoping process
which may also meet the identified purpose and need.
5. Public Involvement. The purpose of the public scoping process is
to determine relevant issues that will influence the scope of the
environmental analysis and EIS alternatives. General concerns in the
following categories have been identified to date: potential direct
effects to waters of the United States including wetlands; water
quality; aquatic species; air quality; environmental justice;
socioeconomic environment; archaeological and cultural resources;
recreation and recreational resources; energy supply and natural
resources; hazardous waste and materials; aesthetics; public health and
safety; navigation; erosion and accretion; invasive species; cumulative
impacts; public benefit and needs of the people along with potential
effects on the human environment. All parties who express interest will
be given an opportunity to participate in the process.
6. Coordination. The proposed action is being coordinated with a
number of Federal, State, regional and local agencies including but not
limited to the Environmental Protection Agency, the United States
(U.S.) Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. National Marine Fisheries
Service, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Texas
General Land Office, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Other
agencies, including the Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge, Texas
Water Development Board, and the Texas Department of Transportation,
may also comment during the scoping process.
7. Availability of the Draft EIS. The Corps currently expects the
Draft EIS to be made available to the public by December 2011. A public
scoping meeting will be held at the Dayton Community Center in Dayton,
Texas. The Corps will announce the public scoping meeting through local
news media and the Corps' webpage at
http:[sol][sol]www.swg.usace.army.mil/reg at least 15 days prior to the
first meeting.
Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-12912 Filed 5-24-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P
