Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement: Department of the Army Permit Application Pursuant to the Clean Water Act and Rivers and Harbors Act and Permissions Under the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana for the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion, Plaquemines Parish, LA, 61843-61844 [2013-24234]
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 193 / Friday, October 4, 2013 / Notices
any issues arising after publication of
this notice that require emergency
action under section 305(c) of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act,
provided the public has been notified of
the Council’s intent to take final action
to address the emergency.
Special Accommodations
These meetings are physically
accessible to people with disabilities.
Requests for sign language
interpretation or other auxiliary aids
should be directed to Kathy Pereira at
the Council Office (see ADDRESSES), at
least 5 working days prior to the
meeting.
Note: The times and sequence specified in
this agenda are subject to change.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: September 30, 2013.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013–24287 Filed 10–3–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of
Engineers
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement:
Department of the Army Permit
Application Pursuant to the Clean
Water Act and Rivers and Harbors Act
and Permissions Under the Coastal
Protection and Restoration Authority
of Louisiana for the Mid-Barataria
Sediment Diversion, Plaquemines
Parish, LA
Department of the Army, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
AGENCY:
The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE) intends to prepare
an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) to inform a decision relative to the
request for a Department of the Army
(DA) permit pursuant to Section 404 of
the Clean Water Act (CWA) and Section
10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act, and
permissions under 33 U.S.C. Section
408, to the Coastal Protection and
Restoration Authority (CPRA) for their
proposed action on the Mid-Barataria
Sediment Diversion (MBSD). The EIS
will be used to ensure compliance with
the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) and as a basis for both the
permit decision and the Section 408
permissions.
pmangrum on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
14:46 Oct 03, 2013
Jkt 232001
The DA permit and the 408
permissions are two separate processes
with different authorities analyzed by
different mission areas (including
Regulatory and Civil Works) inside the
USACE. Under Section 404 of the CWA
and Section 10 of the Rivers and
Harbors Act, the District Engineer
permits the discharge of dredged or fill
material into waters of the United States
as well as work, to include the
installation and maintenance of
structures, in navigable waters of the
U.S., if the discharge meets the
requirements of the Environmental
Protection Agency’s 404(b)(1)
guidelines, and the proposal is
determined to not be contrary to the
overall public interest. Under 33 U.S.C.
408, the Chief of Engineers grants
permission to alter, modify, or impair an
existing USACE project if it is not
injurious to the public interest and does
not impair the usefulness of such work.
The project involves structural crossings
of the Federal Mississippi River and
Tributaries (MR&T) Levee and the future
New Orleans to Venice (NOV) Hurricane
Protection Levee and could impact the
Mississippi River Navigation Channel,
Davis Pond Freshwater Diversion as
well as other Federal projects. USACE
Regulatory and Civil Works will
coordinate on all aspects of the
production of the EIS.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and
suggestions should be addressed to Mr.
Nathan Dayan at USACE, CEMVN–
PDN–CEP, P.O. Box 60267, New
Orleans, LA 70118–0267, by phone
(504) 862–2530, or by email at CEMVNMidbarataria@usace.army.mil. Request
to be placed on the mailing list should
be mailed to this address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions on the DA permit should be
directed to: Mr. Robert Tewis by phone
(504) 862–2041 or at the email above.
Questions on the 408 permissions
should be directed to: Mr. Nathan Dayan
(see ADDRESSES) or at the email above.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Authority: Section 14 of the Rivers
and Harbors Act of 1899 (33 U.S.C. 408);
Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act
of 1899 (33 U.S.C 403); Section 404 of
the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344);
and, Section 102 of the National
Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C.
4332).
2. Proposed Action. The USACE will
prepare an EIS to analyze the impacts of
diverting sediment-laden Mississippi
River water into the Mid-Barataria Basin
by CPRA. This permit request is
proposed to re-establish a connection
between the Mississippi River and the
Basin to build, sustain, and maintain
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
61843
land. CPRA is proposing to construct
the diversion intake through the levee
on the west side of the Mississippi River
at approximately river mile 60.7, in
Plaquemines Parish, LA, and the
diversion outfall through the future
NOV Hurricane Protection Levee into
the Mid-Barataria Basin to allow
sediment laden water from the
Mississippi River to flow into the
Barataria Basin.
3. Alternatives. The EIS will address
an array of alternatives to re-establish a
connection between the Mississippi
River and the Basin. Some alternatives
will be brought forward from existing
studies and projects including the
Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection
and Restoration Act (CWPPRA)
Program, Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA)
Ecosystem Restoration Study, LCA
Medium Diversion at Myrtle Grove
(MDMG) with Dedicated Dredging
Feasibility Study, the State/Nongovernmental Organization (NGO)
Myrtle Grove Delta Building Diversion
Modeling Effort in Support of LCA
Medium Diversion at Myrtle Grove with
Dedicated Dredging, the 2012 Louisiana
Coastal Master Plan, and alternatives
developed through the NEPA scoping
process.
4. Scoping. Scoping is the process
utilized for determining the range of
alternatives and significant issues to be
addressed in the EIS. The USACE
invites full public participation to
promote open communication on the
issues surrounding the proposed action.
All individuals, organizations, NGOs,
and local, state, and Federal agencies
that have an interest are urged to
participate in the NEPA scoping
process. Public scoping meeting(s) will
be held to present information to the
public and to receive comments from
the public. Public scoping meetings for
both processes will be conducted
jointly. The dates, times and locations of
the scoping meetings will be determined
in conjunction with CPRA at a later date
and announced through local media
channels as well as Regulatory public
notice Web site—https://
www.mvn.usace.army.mil/Missions/
Regulatory/PublicNotices.aspx.
5. Significant issues. The EIS will
analyze the potential social, economic,
and natural environmental impacts
resulting from the proposed project.
Important resources and issues that will
be evaluated in the EIS could include
but would not be limited to effects on
tidal wetlands and other waters of the
U.S.; aquatic resources; commercial and
recreational fisheries; wildlife resources;
essential fish habitat; water quality;
cultural resources; geology and soils
including agricultural and prime/unique
E:\FR\FM\04OCN1.SGM
04OCN1
61844
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 193 / Friday, October 4, 2013 / Notices
farmland; hydrology and hydraulic; air
quality; threatened and endangered
species and critical habitat.
Socioeconomic issues include
navigation; induced flooding; land use;
property values, tax revenues;
population and housing, community
and regional growth; environmental
justice (effect on minorities and low
income populations), community
cohesion; public services, recreation,
transportation and traffic, utilities and
community service systems and
cumulative effects of related projects in
the study area.
6. Environmental Consultation and
Review. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (Service) will assist in
documenting existing conditions and
assessing effects of project alternatives
through the Fish and Wildlife
Coordination Act consultation
procedures. Consultation will be
accomplished with the USFWS and the
National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS) concerning threatened and
endangered species and their critical
habitat per the Endangered Species Act.
The NMFS will be consulted regarding
the effects of this proposed action on
Essential Fish Habitat per the
Magnuson-Stevens Act. The USACE
will consult with the State Historic
Preservation Officer per the National
Historic Preservation Act.
7. Availability. The draft EIS is
estimated to be available for public
review and comment no sooner than the
spring of 2015. At that time a 45-day
public review period will be provided
for individuals and agencies to review
and comment on the DEIS. All
interested parties are encouraged to
respond to this notice and provide a
current address if they wish to be
notified of the DEIS circulation.
Dated: September 26, 2013.
Richard L. Hansen,
Colonel, U.S. Army District Commander.
[FR Doc. 2013–24234 Filed 10–3–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720–58–P
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of
Engineers
pmangrum on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
North Atlantic Coast Comprehensive
Study
Department of the Army, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE) is requesting peer
reviewed information that would be
useful in the preparation of the North
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
14:46 Oct 03, 2013
Jkt 232001
Atlantic Coast Comprehensive Study
(Hurricane Sandy). The USACE is
preparing a report that will be submitted
to Congress in 2015. The goals of the
North Atlantic Coast Comprehensive
Study authorized under the Disaster
Relief Appropriations Act, Public Law
113–2 are to (1) provide risk reduction
strategies to reduce risk to which
vulnerable coastal populations are
subject, and (2) promote coastal resilient
communities to ensure a sustainable
and robust coastal landscape system,
considering future sea level rise and
climate change scenarios, to reduce risk
to vulnerable population, property,
infrastructure and ecosystems.
DATES: The USACE will accept data and
literature in response to this request
until December 31, 2013.
ADDRESSES: Methods for submission
include: Email: Send information by
electronic mail to: NACCS@
usace.army.mil. Please include your
name and contact information in the
body of your email. Fax: Fax
information to: (410–962–4698), ATTN:
Mr. David Robbins. Mail: Send
information by mail to: Mr. David
Robbins, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
10 South Howard Street Baltimore
Maryland 21201, ATTN: North Atlantic
Coast Comprehensive Study.
Electronic files should avoid the use
of special characters, any form of
encryption, and be free of any defects or
viruses. Information on a CD ROM
should be formatted as a MS Word, Rich
Text, or Adobe Acrobat PDF file.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
further information, please contact: Mr.
David Robbins, Project Manager, at
David.W.Robbins@usace.army.mil, or by
telephone at (410) 962–0685.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Congressional response to the
devastation in the wake of Hurricane
Sandy included a mandate to address as
a regional system the vulnerability of
populations at risk in the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers (USACE) North
Atlantic Division. The draft analyses of
the Comprehensive Study will be
coordinated amongst interagency
stakeholders in early 2014 and a report
will be submitted to Congress in 2015.
The USACE would appreciate
receiving information from the public to
facilitate the preparation of the Study.
The USACE prefers information which
has been peer reviewed. Interested
persons may provide scientific analyses,
studies, and other pertinent scientific
information, preferably information
which has undergone scientific peer
review. The USACE will consider all
submissions but will give preference to
all peer reviewed data and literature
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
sources. Please understand that not all
data and sources provided may be
reflected in the draft analyses socialized
in early 2014, but the resources will be
incorporated into the final report.
Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2013–24237 Filed 10–3–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720–58–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[ER–FRL–9011–5]
Environmental Impacts Statements;
Notice of Availability
Responsible Agency: Office of Federal
Activities, General Information (202)
564–7146 or https://www.epa.gov/
compliance/nepa/.
Weekly receipt of Environmental Impact
Statements
Filed 09/23/2013 through 09/27/2013
Pursuant to 40 CFR 1506.9.
Notice
Section 309(a) of the Clean Air Act
requires that EPA make public its
comments on EISs issued by other
Federal agencies. EPA’s comment letters
on EISs are available at: https://
www.epa.gov/compliance/nepa/
eisdata.html.
EIS No. 20130287, Final EIS, USFS, ID,
Idaho Panhandle National Forests,
Revised Land Management Plan,
Review Period Ends: 11/26/2013,
Contact: Mary Farnsworth 208–765–
7223.
The above document was
inadvertently omitted from EPA’s
Federal Register Notice Published 09/
27/2013. The review/wait period will
start 09/27/2013 and end 11/26/2013.
EIS No. 20130288, Final EIS, USACE,
TX, Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer
Project, Review Period Ends: 11/04/
2013, Contact: Jayson Hudson 409–
766–3108.
EIS No. 20130289, Draft EIS, USACE,
CA, Los Angeles River Ecosystem
Restoration Integrated Feasibility
Report, Comment Period Ends: 11/18/
2013, Contact: Erin Jones 213–300–
9723.
EIS No. 20130290, Draft EIS, NPS, CA,
Restoration of Native Species in High
Elevation Aquatic Ecosystems Plan,
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National
Parks, Comment Period Ends: 11/25/
2013, Contact: Woodrow Smeck 559–
565–3101.
EIS No. 20130291, Final EIS, BOEM, 00,
Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease
Sales: 2014 and 2016; Eastern
E:\FR\FM\04OCN1.SGM
04OCN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 193 (Friday, October 4, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61843-61844]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-24234]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement:
Department of the Army Permit Application Pursuant to the Clean Water
Act and Rivers and Harbors Act and Permissions Under the Coastal
Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana for the Mid-Barataria
Sediment Diversion, Plaquemines Parish, LA
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) intends to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to inform a decision relative to
the request for a Department of the Army (DA) permit pursuant to
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) and Section 10 of the Rivers
and Harbors Act, and permissions under 33 U.S.C. Section 408, to the
Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) for their proposed
action on the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion (MBSD). The EIS will be
used to ensure compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) and as a basis for both the permit decision and the Section 408
permissions.
The DA permit and the 408 permissions are two separate processes
with different authorities analyzed by different mission areas
(including Regulatory and Civil Works) inside the USACE. Under Section
404 of the CWA and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act, the
District Engineer permits the discharge of dredged or fill material
into waters of the United States as well as work, to include the
installation and maintenance of structures, in navigable waters of the
U.S., if the discharge meets the requirements of the Environmental
Protection Agency's 404(b)(1) guidelines, and the proposal is
determined to not be contrary to the overall public interest. Under 33
U.S.C. 408, the Chief of Engineers grants permission to alter, modify,
or impair an existing USACE project if it is not injurious to the
public interest and does not impair the usefulness of such work. The
project involves structural crossings of the Federal Mississippi River
and Tributaries (MR&T) Levee and the future New Orleans to Venice (NOV)
Hurricane Protection Levee and could impact the Mississippi River
Navigation Channel, Davis Pond Freshwater Diversion as well as other
Federal projects. USACE Regulatory and Civil Works will coordinate on
all aspects of the production of the EIS.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and suggestions should be addressed to Mr.
Nathan Dayan at USACE, CEMVN-PDN-CEP, P.O. Box 60267, New Orleans, LA
70118-0267, by phone (504) 862-2530, or by email at CEMVN-Midbarataria@usace.army.mil. Request to be placed on the mailing list
should be mailed to this address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions on the DA permit should be
directed to: Mr. Robert Tewis by phone (504) 862-2041 or at the email
above. Questions on the 408 permissions should be directed to: Mr.
Nathan Dayan (see ADDRESSES) or at the email above.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Authority: Section 14 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (33
U.S.C. 408); Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (33 U.S.C
403); Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344); and, Section
102 of the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4332).
2. Proposed Action. The USACE will prepare an EIS to analyze the
impacts of diverting sediment-laden Mississippi River water into the
Mid-Barataria Basin by CPRA. This permit request is proposed to re-
establish a connection between the Mississippi River and the Basin to
build, sustain, and maintain land. CPRA is proposing to construct the
diversion intake through the levee on the west side of the Mississippi
River at approximately river mile 60.7, in Plaquemines Parish, LA, and
the diversion outfall through the future NOV Hurricane Protection Levee
into the Mid-Barataria Basin to allow sediment laden water from the
Mississippi River to flow into the Barataria Basin.
3. Alternatives. The EIS will address an array of alternatives to
re-establish a connection between the Mississippi River and the Basin.
Some alternatives will be brought forward from existing studies and
projects including the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and
Restoration Act (CWPPRA) Program, Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA)
Ecosystem Restoration Study, LCA Medium Diversion at Myrtle Grove
(MDMG) with Dedicated Dredging Feasibility Study, the State/Non-
governmental Organization (NGO) Myrtle Grove Delta Building Diversion
Modeling Effort in Support of LCA Medium Diversion at Myrtle Grove with
Dedicated Dredging, the 2012 Louisiana Coastal Master Plan, and
alternatives developed through the NEPA scoping process.
4. Scoping. Scoping is the process utilized for determining the
range of alternatives and significant issues to be addressed in the
EIS. The USACE invites full public participation to promote open
communication on the issues surrounding the proposed action. All
individuals, organizations, NGOs, and local, state, and Federal
agencies that have an interest are urged to participate in the NEPA
scoping process. Public scoping meeting(s) will be held to present
information to the public and to receive comments from the public.
Public scoping meetings for both processes will be conducted jointly.
The dates, times and locations of the scoping meetings will be
determined in conjunction with CPRA at a later date and announced
through local media channels as well as Regulatory public notice Web
site--https://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/PublicNotices.aspx.
5. Significant issues. The EIS will analyze the potential social,
economic, and natural environmental impacts resulting from the proposed
project. Important resources and issues that will be evaluated in the
EIS could include but would not be limited to effects on tidal wetlands
and other waters of the U.S.; aquatic resources; commercial and
recreational fisheries; wildlife resources; essential fish habitat;
water quality; cultural resources; geology and soils including
agricultural and prime/unique
[[Page 61844]]
farmland; hydrology and hydraulic; air quality; threatened and
endangered species and critical habitat. Socioeconomic issues include
navigation; induced flooding; land use; property values, tax revenues;
population and housing, community and regional growth; environmental
justice (effect on minorities and low income populations), community
cohesion; public services, recreation, transportation and traffic,
utilities and community service systems and cumulative effects of
related projects in the study area.
6. Environmental Consultation and Review. The U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service) will assist in documenting existing
conditions and assessing effects of project alternatives through the
Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act consultation procedures.
Consultation will be accomplished with the USFWS and the National
Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) concerning threatened and endangered
species and their critical habitat per the Endangered Species Act. The
NMFS will be consulted regarding the effects of this proposed action on
Essential Fish Habitat per the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The USACE will
consult with the State Historic Preservation Officer per the National
Historic Preservation Act.
7. Availability. The draft EIS is estimated to be available for
public review and comment no sooner than the spring of 2015. At that
time a 45-day public review period will be provided for individuals and
agencies to review and comment on the DEIS. All interested parties are
encouraged to respond to this notice and provide a current address if
they wish to be notified of the DEIS circulation.
Dated: September 26, 2013.
Richard L. Hansen,
Colonel, U.S. Army District Commander.
[FR Doc. 2013-24234 Filed 10-3-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P
