Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Little Otter Creek Watershed Plan, Caldwell County, Missouri, 77417-77418 [2013-30388]
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Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 78, No. 246
Monday, December 23, 2013
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER
contains documents other than rules or
proposed rules that are applicable to the
public. Notices of hearings and investigations,
committee meetings, agency decisions and
rulings, delegations of authority, filing of
petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are
examples of documents appearing in this
section.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Natural Resources Conservation
Service
[Docket No. NRCS–2013–0007]
Notice of Intent To Prepare a
Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement for the Little Otter Creek
Watershed Plan, Caldwell County,
Missouri
Natural Resources
Conservation Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
AGENCY:
Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c)
of the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969 (NEPA); as amended (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Natural
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS),
U.S. Department of Agriculture, as lead
federal agency, will prepare a
Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement (SEIS) for the Little Otter
Creek Watershed Plan (LOCWP),
Caldwell County, Missouri, involving
the proposed construction of a multipurpose reservoir. The purpose of this
supplement is to address changes which
have occurred since the NRCS prepared
the Little Otter Creek Watershed Plan
and Environmental Impact Statement in
2003. The SEIS will update the original
EIS with more recent relevant
environmental information and expand
the alternatives analysis beyond those
previously considered. The SEIS will
evaluate reasonable and practicable
alternatives and their expected
environmental impacts.
ADDRESSES: To be included on the
mailing list for review of the SEIS, all
requests should be submitted to Mr.
Harold Deckerd, USDA-Natural
Resources Conservation Service,
Parkade Center Suite 250, 601 Business
Loop 70 West, Columbia, Missouri
65203–2585.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Harold Deckerd, NRCS Missouri State
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:12 Dec 20, 2013
Jkt 232001
Office, by email: harold.deckerd@
mo.usda.gov, by regular mail (see
ADDRESSES), or by telephone: 573–876–
0912.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NRCS
in cooperation with the Caldwell
County Commission, Caldwell County
Soil and Water Conservation District,
and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(Corps) will prepare an SEIS for the
Little Otter Creek Watershed Plan in
Caldwell County, Missouri authorized
pursuant to the Watershed Protection
and Flood Prevention Act, Public Law
83–566, (16 U.S.C. 1001–1008). The
NRCS has determined that additional
analysis is required and that the
purposes of the National Environmental
Policy Act would be furthered through
the preparation of the SEIS. The Corps
will be a cooperating agency in the
preparation of the SEIS. The SEIS will
consider all reasonable and practicable
alternatives to meet the purpose and
need for the federal action. The SEIS
will assess the potential social,
economic, and environmental impacts
of the project, and will address Federal,
state, and local regulatory requirements
along with pertinent environmental and
socio-economic issues. The SEIS will
analyze the direct, indirect, and
cumulative effects of the proposed
action. The Federal SEIS process begins
with the publication of this Notice of
Intent.
1. Background: The 6,323-acre Little
Otter Creek Watershed is located two
miles east of Hamilton in Caldwell
County in northwest Missouri. It is a
tributary to Otter Creek which drains to
Shoal Creek; the Grand River, and the
Missouri River.
Engineering reports dating back
nearly fifty years document water
supply problems in Caldwell County.
Underlying geologic formations severely
limit groundwater quality and
availability. The Missouri Drought Plan
places Caldwell County in a region
classified as having ‘‘severe surface and
groundwater supply drought
vulnerability.’’ Digital models estimate
that existing water sources could supply
only 37 percent of the county’s demand
during the drought of record. In
addition, the LOCWP documented
annual flood damages to crop and
pasture land, fences, roads and bridges.
The LOCWP also identified the need for
additional recreational opportunities in
the surrounding area.
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
At the request of the Caldwell County
Commission and the Caldwell County
Soil and Water Conservation District,
the NRCS began watershed planning
activities in July 2000 under the
authority of the Watershed Protection
and Flood Prevention Act of 1954,
Public Law 83–566, as amended (16
U.S.C. 1001–1008). NRCS issued a
Notice of Intent to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement in July
of 2002. On August 6, 2002, the voters
of Caldwell County approved a one-half
percent sales tax to assist in funding the
local match for project installation.
NRCS completed the Little Otter Creek
Watershed Plan and Environmental
Impact Statement in March 2003 and
announced a Record of Decision to
proceed with installation in May 2003.
The project has not been installed
because sufficient funding has not been
available. Installation of the proposed
action will result in temporary and
permanent impacts to jurisdictional
waters of the United States requiring a
Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 404
permit. The Corps has not issued a
Section 404 permit for this project.
Comments received during the EIS
process suggested that a larger number
of reasonable and practicable
alternatives be considered. Potential
impacts of all reasonable and
practicable alternatives will be updated
and analyzed in the SEIS in compliance
with Section 404(b)(1) of the CWA. The
Corps and the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (USEPA) completed
an Approved Jurisdictional
Determination in March 2010.
2. Proposed Action: The proposed
federal action as presented in the 2003
EIS includes one approximately 362acre multiple-purpose reservoir on Little
Otter Creek, a water intake structure, a
raw water line, fish and wildlife habitat
enhancement and recreational facilities.
The purpose of the proposed federal
action is to: Provide approximately 1.24
million gallons per day of locallycontrolled raw water supply to meet the
projected 50-year usage demand for
Caldwell County; provide
approximately 60,000 annual
recreational user-days and provide an
approximate 96% reduction in annual
flood damages in the 3.8-miles of Little
Otter Creek between the reservoir and
the confluence with Otter Creek.
3. Alternatives: The SEIS will evaluate
environmental impacts of the following
E:\FR\FM\23DEN1.SGM
23DEN1
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
77418
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 246 / Monday, December 23, 2013 / Notices
alternatives and any other action
alternatives identified that may be
reasonable and practicable: (1) Creation
of a multi-purpose reservoir; (2) a
combination of independent purpose
alternatives to meet the overall project
purposes and needs; and (3) the noaction alternative. The SEIS will
identify the National Economic
Development (NED) alternative, which
is the alternative with the greatest net
economic benefit consistent with
protecting the Nation’s environment and
document the estimated direct, indirect
and cumulative impacts of the proposed
action and alternatives on the
environment.
4. Scoping: In developing the LOCWP,
numerous scoping meetings were held
to gather public input and keep the
community informed on the status of
project planning activities. Several
community surveys and interviews were
conducted to gather information, and
periodic news articles were published to
update local citizens. The Caldwell
County Lake Project Steering Committee
was formed to further insure public
input into the planning process. NEPA
procedures do not require additional
public scoping meetings for the
development of a SEIS and none are
planned at this time. Comments
received from Federal, State or local
agencies, Native American Tribes, nongovernmental organizations, and
interested citizens will be used to assist
in the development of the Draft and
Final SEIS (See ADDRESSES: above to
submit comments).
5. Public Involvement: The NRCS
invites full public participation to
promote open communication and
better decision-making. All persons and
organizations with an interest in the
LOCWP are urged to comment. Public
comments are welcomed and
opportunities for public participation
include submitting comments to the
NRCS: (1) During the development of
the Draft SEIS, (2) during the review and
comment period upon publishing the
Draft SEIS; and (3) for 30 days after
publication of the Final SEIS.
Distribution of the comments received
will be included in the Administrative
Record without change and may include
any personal information provided,
unless the commenter indicates that the
comment includes information claimed
to be confidential business information.
6. Other Environmental Review and
Coordination Requirements: The Corps
will be a cooperating agency in the
preparation of the SEIS. The NRCS as
the lead federal agency will continue to
coordinate with other agencies and
entities throughout the NEPA process
including: Caldwell County
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:12 Dec 20, 2013
Jkt 232001
Commission, Missouri Department of
Natural Resources, Missouri Department
of Conservation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, and USEPA. The Draft SEIS
will address project compliance with
applicable laws and regulations,
including NEPA, CWA, Endangered
Species Act, and the National Historic
Preservation Act.
7. Permits or Licenses Required: The
proposed federal action would require a
CWA Section 404 permit from the
Corps. The project would also require
certification by the State of Missouri,
Department of Natural Resources, under
Section 401 of the CWA, that the project
would not violate state water quality
standards. A land disturbance permit
issued by the Missouri Department of
Natural Resources under Section 402 of
the CWA (National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System Permit) would be
required. Construction and Safety
Permits issued by the Missouri Dam and
Reservoir Safety Program would also be
required.
8. Availability of Draft SEIS: The draft
SEIS is estimated to be complete and
available for public review in 2014.
(This activity is listed in the Catalog of
Federal Domestic Assistance under No.
10.904, Watershed Protection and Flood
Prevention, and is subject to the provisions
of Executive Order 12372, which requires
intergovernmental consultation with State
and local officials.)
Dated: December 10, 2013.
J.R. Flores,
State Conservationist, Natural Resources
Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2013–30388 Filed 12–20–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–16–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Notice of Request for Revision of a
Currently Approved Information
Collection
Rural Business-Cooperative
Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice
announces the Rural BusinessCooperative Service intention to request
a revision to a currently approved
information collection for the Advanced
Biofuel Payment Program.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be
received by February 21, 2014 to be
assured of consideration.
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS:
Contact Lisa Noty, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, 511 W. 7th Street, Atlantic,
IA 50022, email:
lisa.noty@wdc.usda.gov, phone (712)
243–2107 ×116, fax (855) 251–2238.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Advanced Biofuel Payment
Program.
OMB Number: OMB No. 0570–0063.
Expiration Date of Approval: March
13, 2014.
Type of Request: Extension and
revision of a currently approved
information collection.
Abstract: The Advanced Biofuel
Payment Program was authorized under
section 9005 of Title IX of the Food,
Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008
(2008 Farm Bill). It authorizes the
Agency to enter into contracts to make
payments to eligible entities to support
and ensure an expanding production of
advanced biofuels. Entities eligible to
receive payments under the Program are
producers of advanced biofuels that
meet all of the requirements of the
Program.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting
burden for this collection of information
is estimated to average 1.14 hours per
response.
Respondents: The respondents are the
advanced biofuel producers and Agency
staff who process applications and
quarterly payment requests.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
275 advanced biofuel producers.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: 13.
Estimate Number of Responses: 1178.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on
Respondents: 1,349 hours.
Comments are invited on: (1) Whether
the proposed collection of information
is necessary for the proper performance
of the functions of the agency, including
whether the information will have
practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information
including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (3)
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and (4) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on those who are to respond, including
the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
Comments may be sent to Jeanne Jacobs,
Regulations and Paperwork
Management Branch, U.S. Department
of Agriculture, Rural Development, Stop
0742, 1400 Independence Ave. SW.,
Washington, DC 20250. All comments
E:\FR\FM\23DEN1.SGM
23DEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 246 (Monday, December 23, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77417-77418]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-30388]
========================================================================
Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
========================================================================
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 246 / Monday, December 23, 2013 /
Notices
[[Page 77417]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Natural Resources Conservation Service
[Docket No. NRCS-2013-0007]
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement for the Little Otter Creek Watershed Plan, Caldwell County,
Missouri
AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA); as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), U.S. Department of
Agriculture, as lead federal agency, will prepare a Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the Little Otter Creek
Watershed Plan (LOCWP), Caldwell County, Missouri, involving the
proposed construction of a multi-purpose reservoir. The purpose of this
supplement is to address changes which have occurred since the NRCS
prepared the Little Otter Creek Watershed Plan and Environmental Impact
Statement in 2003. The SEIS will update the original EIS with more
recent relevant environmental information and expand the alternatives
analysis beyond those previously considered. The SEIS will evaluate
reasonable and practicable alternatives and their expected
environmental impacts.
ADDRESSES: To be included on the mailing list for review of the SEIS,
all requests should be submitted to Mr. Harold Deckerd, USDA-Natural
Resources Conservation Service, Parkade Center Suite 250, 601 Business
Loop 70 West, Columbia, Missouri 65203-2585.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Harold Deckerd, NRCS Missouri
State Office, by email: harold.deckerd@mo.usda.gov, by regular mail
(see ADDRESSES), or by telephone: 573-876-0912.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NRCS in cooperation with the Caldwell
County Commission, Caldwell County Soil and Water Conservation
District, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) will prepare an
SEIS for the Little Otter Creek Watershed Plan in Caldwell County,
Missouri authorized pursuant to the Watershed Protection and Flood
Prevention Act, Public Law 83-566, (16 U.S.C. 1001-1008). The NRCS has
determined that additional analysis is required and that the purposes
of the National Environmental Policy Act would be furthered through the
preparation of the SEIS. The Corps will be a cooperating agency in the
preparation of the SEIS. The SEIS will consider all reasonable and
practicable alternatives to meet the purpose and need for the federal
action. The SEIS will assess the potential social, economic, and
environmental impacts of the project, and will address Federal, state,
and local regulatory requirements along with pertinent environmental
and socio-economic issues. The SEIS will analyze the direct, indirect,
and cumulative effects of the proposed action. The Federal SEIS process
begins with the publication of this Notice of Intent.
1. Background: The 6,323-acre Little Otter Creek Watershed is
located two miles east of Hamilton in Caldwell County in northwest
Missouri. It is a tributary to Otter Creek which drains to Shoal Creek;
the Grand River, and the Missouri River.
Engineering reports dating back nearly fifty years document water
supply problems in Caldwell County. Underlying geologic formations
severely limit groundwater quality and availability. The Missouri
Drought Plan places Caldwell County in a region classified as having
``severe surface and groundwater supply drought vulnerability.''
Digital models estimate that existing water sources could supply only
37 percent of the county's demand during the drought of record. In
addition, the LOCWP documented annual flood damages to crop and pasture
land, fences, roads and bridges. The LOCWP also identified the need for
additional recreational opportunities in the surrounding area.
At the request of the Caldwell County Commission and the Caldwell
County Soil and Water Conservation District, the NRCS began watershed
planning activities in July 2000 under the authority of the Watershed
Protection and Flood Prevention Act of 1954, Public Law 83-566, as
amended (16 U.S.C. 1001-1008). NRCS issued a Notice of Intent to
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement in July of 2002. On August 6,
2002, the voters of Caldwell County approved a one-half percent sales
tax to assist in funding the local match for project installation. NRCS
completed the Little Otter Creek Watershed Plan and Environmental
Impact Statement in March 2003 and announced a Record of Decision to
proceed with installation in May 2003. The project has not been
installed because sufficient funding has not been available.
Installation of the proposed action will result in temporary and
permanent impacts to jurisdictional waters of the United States
requiring a Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 404 permit. The Corps has not
issued a Section 404 permit for this project. Comments received during
the EIS process suggested that a larger number of reasonable and
practicable alternatives be considered. Potential impacts of all
reasonable and practicable alternatives will be updated and analyzed in
the SEIS in compliance with Section 404(b)(1) of the CWA. The Corps and
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) completed an Approved
Jurisdictional Determination in March 2010.
2. Proposed Action: The proposed federal action as presented in the
2003 EIS includes one approximately 362-acre multiple-purpose reservoir
on Little Otter Creek, a water intake structure, a raw water line, fish
and wildlife habitat enhancement and recreational facilities. The
purpose of the proposed federal action is to: Provide approximately
1.24 million gallons per day of locally-controlled raw water supply to
meet the projected 50-year usage demand for Caldwell County; provide
approximately 60,000 annual recreational user-days and provide an
approximate 96% reduction in annual flood damages in the 3.8-miles of
Little Otter Creek between the reservoir and the confluence with Otter
Creek.
3. Alternatives: The SEIS will evaluate environmental impacts of
the following
[[Page 77418]]
alternatives and any other action alternatives identified that may be
reasonable and practicable: (1) Creation of a multi-purpose reservoir;
(2) a combination of independent purpose alternatives to meet the
overall project purposes and needs; and (3) the no-action alternative.
The SEIS will identify the National Economic Development (NED)
alternative, which is the alternative with the greatest net economic
benefit consistent with protecting the Nation's environment and
document the estimated direct, indirect and cumulative impacts of the
proposed action and alternatives on the environment.
4. Scoping: In developing the LOCWP, numerous scoping meetings were
held to gather public input and keep the community informed on the
status of project planning activities. Several community surveys and
interviews were conducted to gather information, and periodic news
articles were published to update local citizens. The Caldwell County
Lake Project Steering Committee was formed to further insure public
input into the planning process. NEPA procedures do not require
additional public scoping meetings for the development of a SEIS and
none are planned at this time. Comments received from Federal, State or
local agencies, Native American Tribes, non-governmental organizations,
and interested citizens will be used to assist in the development of
the Draft and Final SEIS (See ADDRESSES: above to submit comments).
5. Public Involvement: The NRCS invites full public participation
to promote open communication and better decision-making. All persons
and organizations with an interest in the LOCWP are urged to comment.
Public comments are welcomed and opportunities for public participation
include submitting comments to the NRCS: (1) During the development of
the Draft SEIS, (2) during the review and comment period upon
publishing the Draft SEIS; and (3) for 30 days after publication of the
Final SEIS. Distribution of the comments received will be included in
the Administrative Record without change and may include any personal
information provided, unless the commenter indicates that the comment
includes information claimed to be confidential business information.
6. Other Environmental Review and Coordination Requirements: The
Corps will be a cooperating agency in the preparation of the SEIS. The
NRCS as the lead federal agency will continue to coordinate with other
agencies and entities throughout the NEPA process including: Caldwell
County Commission, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Missouri
Department of Conservation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and USEPA.
The Draft SEIS will address project compliance with applicable laws and
regulations, including NEPA, CWA, Endangered Species Act, and the
National Historic Preservation Act.
7. Permits or Licenses Required: The proposed federal action would
require a CWA Section 404 permit from the Corps. The project would also
require certification by the State of Missouri, Department of Natural
Resources, under Section 401 of the CWA, that the project would not
violate state water quality standards. A land disturbance permit issued
by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources under Section 402 of
the CWA (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit) would
be required. Construction and Safety Permits issued by the Missouri Dam
and Reservoir Safety Program would also be required.
8. Availability of Draft SEIS: The draft SEIS is estimated to be
complete and available for public review in 2014.
(This activity is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance under No. 10.904, Watershed Protection and Flood
Prevention, and is subject to the provisions of Executive Order
12372, which requires intergovernmental consultation with State and
local officials.)
Dated: December 10, 2013.
J.R. Flores,
State Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-30388 Filed 12-20-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-16-P
