Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for The Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility Study, 18601-18602 [2016-07283]
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 62 / Thursday, March 31, 2016 / Notices
ACTION:
Notice of Intent.
The Los Angeles District of
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(Corps) and the City of Long Beach
intend to prepare a draft Environmental
Impact Statement/Environmental
Impact Report (EIS/EIR) for the East San
Pedro Bay Ecosystem Restoration
Feasibility Study, Los Angeles County,
California. The components of the EIS/
EIR will be contained in an Integrated
Feasibility Report (IFR) that also
includes a Feasibility Report.
DATES: Two public scoping meetings
will be held on April 7, 2016, at 2:00
p.m. and at 6:00 p.m. Submit written
comments concerning this notice no
later than May 7, 2016.
ADDRESSES: The location for the scoping
meetings is: Bixby Park Community
Center, 130 Cherry Avenue, Long Beach,
CA 90802.
Mail written comments, suggestions,
and/or request to be placed on the
mailing list for announcements to:
Naeem A. Siddiqui, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Los Angeles District, CESPL–
PDR–N, 915 Wilshire Blvd., Los
Angeles, CA 90017–3401 or by email to:
Naeem.A.Siddiqui@usace.army.mil.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Naeem A. Siddiqui, Project
Environmental Coordinator, 213–452–
3852, Naeem.A.Siddiqui@
usace.army.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Feasibility Study is being conducted as
a partial response to Senate Resolution,
dated June 25, 1969, reading in part:
SUMMARY:
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Resolved by the Committee on Public
Works of the United States Senate, that the
Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors,
created under Section 3 of the River and
Harbor Act, approved June 13, 1902, be, and
is hereby requested to review the report of the
Chief of Engineers on the Los Angeles and
San Gabriel Rivers and Ballona Creek,
California, published as House Document
Numbered 838, Seventy-sixth Congress, and
other pertinent reports, with a view to
determining whether any modifications
contained herein are advisable at the present
time, in the resources in the Los Angeles
County Drainage Area. . . .
The study area is located offshore of
the City of Long Beach, California, in
the easternmost part of San Pedro Bay.
It includes the area between the Long
Beach shoreline, the Long Beach
Breakwater and the Los Angeles River
estuary.
The Corps is the lead agency in
preparing the EIS in accordance with
the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA). The City of Long Beach is the
non-Federal sponsor of the Feasibility
Study and the lead agency in preparing
the EIR in accordance with the
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California Environmental Quality Act.
The Corps and City of Long Beach have
agreed to jointly prepare an IFR
including EIS/EIR to optimize efficiency
and avoid duplication.
1. Description. The study will
evaluate opportunities to restore aquatic
habitat such as kelp, rocky reef, coastal
wetlands and other types of sufficient
quality and quantity to support diverse
resident and migratory species, and to
improve water circulation sufficient to
support and sustain aquatic habitat,
within East San Pedro Bay, California.
Recreational opportunities will also be
explored, although the primary
objective will be ecosystem restoration.
The Corps completed a
Reconnaissance Report in August 2010
which identified a federal interest in
addressing issues such as loss of historic
coastal wetlands, lack of rocky reef/hard
bottom habitat, loss of kelp habitat, poor
water circulation and tidal action, and
other degraded ecosystem conditions.
The study is now entering the feasibility
phase in which alternatives will be
developed, a tentatively selected plan
and ultimately a proposed project will
be identified, and environmental
documentation will be completed.
2. Alternatives. Potential measures
that would meet the objectives of the
study are currently being developed and
may include the addition of rocks out
side of navigational channels to create
underwater rocky reef and form a base
for kelp beds; creation of sandy islands
to provide suitable habitat for eelgrass;
and various modifications to the Long
Beach Breakwater such as removal and/
or notching to improve water
circulation. Measures will be grouped
into discrete alternatives and analyzed
in the IFR. In addition, the study will
also evaluate the No Action alternative
pursuant to NEPA.
3. Scoping and Analysis. a. The Corps
intends to hold a public scoping
meeting for the Draft IFR to aid in the
determination of significant
environmental issues associated with
the proposed project, and to assist with
alternative development. Affected
federal, state and local resource
agencies, Native American groups and
concerned interest groups/individuals
are invited to participate in the scoping
process. Public participation is critical
in defining the scope of analysis in the
Draft IFR, identifying significant
environmental issues in the Draft IFR,
providing useful information such as
published and unpublished data,
sharing knowledge about relevant
issues, and recommending potential
measures or alternatives that may be
considered for the purpose of meeting
study objectives.
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18601
b. Potential impacts associated with
the proposed project will be fully
evaluated during the feasibility study.
Identified planning constraints and
considerations such as navigational
operations, existing major utilities and
infrastructure, minimizing flood risks
will be considered. Resource categories
that will be analyzed include: Physical
environment, geology, biological
resources, navigation/land use, air
quality, water quality, recreational
usage, aesthetics, cultural resources,
transportation, noise, hazardous waste,
socioeconomics and safety.
c. Throughout the feasibility study,
the Corps and the City of Long Beach
will coordinate and, or consult with
other State and Federal regulatory and
permitting agencies to ensure
compliance with environmental laws
and regulations including but not
limited to the Coastal Zone Management
Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered
Species Act, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Coordination Act, Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Management and Conservation
Act, as amended, National Historic
Preservation Act, and the Clean Air Act.
4. Public Scoping Meetings: The
Corps and City of Long Beach will
jointly conduct two public scoping
meetings at the date and address
indicated above. The purpose of the
scoping meeting is to gather information
from the general public or interested
organizations about issues and concerns
that they would like to see addressed in
the Draft IFR. Comments may be
delivered in writing or verbally at the
meeting. All comments will be entered
into the public record.
5. Availability of the Draft IFR: The
Draft IFR including Draft EIS/EIR is
anticipated to be available for public
review and comment in the spring or
summer of 2017.
Dated: March 23, 2016.
Kirk E. Gibbs,
Colonel, U.S. Army, Commander and District
Engineer.
[FR Doc. 2016–07284 Filed 3–30–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720–58–P
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of
Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement for
The Coastal Texas Protection and
Restoration Feasibility Study
Department of the Army, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
AGENCY:
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18602
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 62 / Thursday, March 31, 2016 / Notices
The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE) intends to prepare a
Draft Integrated Feasibility Report and
Environmental Impact Statement (DIFR–
EIS) for the Coastal Texas Protection
and Restoration Feasibility Study. This
study will identify and evaluate the
feasibility of developing a
comprehensive plan for flood risk
management, hurricane and storm risk
management, and ecosystem restoration
for the coastal areas of the State of
Texas. The study will focus on
providing for the protection,
conservation, and restoration of
wetlands, barrier islands, shorelines,
and related lands and features that
protect critical resources, habitat, and
infrastructure from the impacts of
coastal storms, hurricanes, erosion, and
subsidence. This notice announces the
USACE’s intent to determine the scope
of the issues to be addressed and for
identifying the significant resources
related to a proposed action.
DATES: Comments on the scope of the
DIFR–EIS will be accepted through May
9, 2016.
ADDRESSES: Scoping comments may be
sent by electronic mail to:
CoastalTexas@usace.army.mil.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Galveston District Public Affairs Office
at 409–766–3004 or swgpao@
usace.army.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Authority. The Coastal Texas
Protection and Restoration Feasibility
Study is authorized under Section 4091,
Water Resources Development Act
(WRDA) of 2007, Public Law 110–114,
to develop a comprehensive plan to
determine the feasibility of carrying out
projects for flood risk management,
hurricane and storm risk management,
and ecosystem restoration in the coastal
areas of the State of Texas.
2. Proposed Action. The study will
identify critical data needs and
recommend a comprehensive strategy
for reducing coastal storm flood risk
through structural and nonstructural
measures that take advantage of natural
features like barrier islands and storm
surge storage in wetlands. Structural
alternatives to be considered include
improvements to existing systems (such
as existing hurricane protection projects
at Port Arthur, Texas City, Freeport, and
Lynchburg, and seawalls at Galveston,
Palacios, Corpus Christi, North and
South Padre Island), and the creation of
new structural plans for hurricane storm
risk management. Ecosystem restoration
alternatives to be considered include
estuarine marsh restoration, beach and
dune restoration, rookery island
restoration, oyster reef restoration, and
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SUMMARY:
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19:09 Mar 30, 2016
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seagrass bed restoration. The study will
evaluate potential benefits and impacts
of the proposed action including direct,
indirect and cumulative effects to the
human, water and natural environments
that balance the interests of flood risk
management, hurricane and storm risk
management, and ecosystem restoration
purposes for Texas and the Nation.
3. Scoping. In August, 2014, early
scoping meetings were held in League
City, Palacios, Corpus Christi, and the
City of South Padre Island, Texas.
Comments were received for 30 days
following the last scoping meeting.
Additional input from Federal, state and
local agencies, Indian tribes, and other
interested private organizations and
parties is being solicited with this
notice. The USACE requests public
scoping comments to: (a) Identify the
affected public and agency concerns; (b)
identify the scope of significant issues
to be addressed in the DIFR–EIS; (c)
identify the critical problems, needs,
and significant resources that should be
considered in the DIFR–EIS; and (d)
identify reasonable measures and
alternatives that should be considered
in the DIFR–EIS. A Scoping Notice
announcing the USACE’s request for
public scoping comments will be sent
via electronic mail to affected and
interested parties. Scoping comments
are requested to be sent by May 9, 2016.
4. Coordination. Further coordination
with environmental agencies will be
conducted under the National
Environmental Policy Act, the Fish and
Wildlife Coordination Act, the Clean
Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the
National Historic and Preservation Act,
the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act, and
the Coastal Zone Management Act
under the Texas Coastal Management
Program.
5. Availability of DIFR–EIS. The
DIFR–EIS will be available for public
review and comment in July 2018.
Dated: March 23, 2016.
Richard P. Pannell,
Colonel, U.S. Army, Commanding.
[FR Doc. 2016–07283 Filed 3–30–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720–58–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Record of Decision in re Application of
Clean Line Energy Partners LLC
Department of Energy.
Record of decision.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Section 1222 of the Energy
Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005) grants
the Secretary of Energy the authority to
SUMMARY:
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design, develop, construct, operate,
maintain, or own, or participate with
other entities in designing, developing,
constructing, operating, maintaining,
and owning new electric power
transmission facilities and related
facilities located within any state in
which the Southwestern Power
Administration (Southwestern)
operates. In response to an application
submitted by Clean Line Energy
Partners LLC on behalf of itself and
several corporate affiliates (collectively,
Clean Line or the Applicant) the
Department of Energy (DOE or the
Department) announces its decision to
participate in the development of
approximately 705 miles of ±600
kilovolt (kV) overhead, high-voltage
direct current (HVDC) electric
transmission facilities and related
facilities from western Oklahoma to the
eastern state-line of Arkansas near the
Mississippi River (the Project). This
decision implements DOE’s preferred
alternative in Oklahoma and Arkansas
as described in the Final Environmental
Impact Statement for the Plains &
Eastern Clean Line Transmission Line
Project (Final EIS) (DOE/EIS–0486).
Clean Line, acting on its own and
without the Department’s participation,
would build additional facilities that
would connect to the Project in Texas
and Tennessee.
Collectively, the facilities built by
Clean Line would have the capacity to
deliver approximately 4,000 megawatts
(MW) from renewable energy generation
facilities, located in the Oklahoma
Panhandle and potentially Texas
Panhandle regions, to the electrical grid
in Arkansas and Tennessee. The
potential environmental impacts
associated with the Project, plus the
additional facilities in Texas and
Tennessee, are analyzed in the Final
EIS. DOE’s review included
consultations in accordance with
Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act
(ESA) and Section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).
DOE’s decision requires the
implementation of mitigation measures,
and a complete list of these measures
can be found in the Mitigation Action
Plan (MAP).
ADDRESSES: Information regarding
Section 1222 of EPAct 2005 can be
found on the DOE Web site at https://
energy.gov/oe/services/electricitypolicy-coordination-andimplementation/transmission-planning/
section-1222. The determination by the
Secretary of Energy, Summary of
Findings, and Participation Agreement
are available on the DOE Web site at
https://energy.gov/oe/services/electricity-
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 62 (Thursday, March 31, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18601-18602]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-07283]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for The
Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility Study
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
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[[Page 18602]]
SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) intends to prepare a
Draft Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Impact Statement
(DIFR-EIS) for the Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility
Study. This study will identify and evaluate the feasibility of
developing a comprehensive plan for flood risk management, hurricane
and storm risk management, and ecosystem restoration for the coastal
areas of the State of Texas. The study will focus on providing for the
protection, conservation, and restoration of wetlands, barrier islands,
shorelines, and related lands and features that protect critical
resources, habitat, and infrastructure from the impacts of coastal
storms, hurricanes, erosion, and subsidence. This notice announces the
USACE's intent to determine the scope of the issues to be addressed and
for identifying the significant resources related to a proposed action.
DATES: Comments on the scope of the DIFR-EIS will be accepted through
May 9, 2016.
ADDRESSES: Scoping comments may be sent by electronic mail to:
CoastalTexas@usace.army.mil.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Galveston District Public Affairs
Office at 409-766-3004 or swgpao@usace.army.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Authority. The Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration
Feasibility Study is authorized under Section 4091, Water Resources
Development Act (WRDA) of 2007, Public Law 110-114, to develop a
comprehensive plan to determine the feasibility of carrying out
projects for flood risk management, hurricane and storm risk
management, and ecosystem restoration in the coastal areas of the State
of Texas.
2. Proposed Action. The study will identify critical data needs and
recommend a comprehensive strategy for reducing coastal storm flood
risk through structural and nonstructural measures that take advantage
of natural features like barrier islands and storm surge storage in
wetlands. Structural alternatives to be considered include improvements
to existing systems (such as existing hurricane protection projects at
Port Arthur, Texas City, Freeport, and Lynchburg, and seawalls at
Galveston, Palacios, Corpus Christi, North and South Padre Island), and
the creation of new structural plans for hurricane storm risk
management. Ecosystem restoration alternatives to be considered include
estuarine marsh restoration, beach and dune restoration, rookery island
restoration, oyster reef restoration, and seagrass bed restoration. The
study will evaluate potential benefits and impacts of the proposed
action including direct, indirect and cumulative effects to the human,
water and natural environments that balance the interests of flood risk
management, hurricane and storm risk management, and ecosystem
restoration purposes for Texas and the Nation.
3. Scoping. In August, 2014, early scoping meetings were held in
League City, Palacios, Corpus Christi, and the City of South Padre
Island, Texas. Comments were received for 30 days following the last
scoping meeting. Additional input from Federal, state and local
agencies, Indian tribes, and other interested private organizations and
parties is being solicited with this notice. The USACE requests public
scoping comments to: (a) Identify the affected public and agency
concerns; (b) identify the scope of significant issues to be addressed
in the DIFR-EIS; (c) identify the critical problems, needs, and
significant resources that should be considered in the DIFR-EIS; and
(d) identify reasonable measures and alternatives that should be
considered in the DIFR-EIS. A Scoping Notice announcing the USACE's
request for public scoping comments will be sent via electronic mail to
affected and interested parties. Scoping comments are requested to be
sent by May 9, 2016.
4. Coordination. Further coordination with environmental agencies
will be conducted under the National Environmental Policy Act, the Fish
and Wildlife Coordination Act, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act,
the National Historic and Preservation Act, the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management Act, and the Coastal Zone
Management Act under the Texas Coastal Management Program.
5. Availability of DIFR-EIS. The DIFR-EIS will be available for
public review and comment in July 2018.
Dated: March 23, 2016.
Richard P. Pannell,
Colonel, U.S. Army, Commanding.
[FR Doc. 2016-07283 Filed 3-30-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P
