Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Lake Okeechobee Watershed Project, Okeechobee, Highlands, Charlotte, Glades, Martin and St. Lucie Counties, Florida, 46659 [2016-16920]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
• Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 137 (Monday, July 18, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 46659]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-16920]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Lake 
Okeechobee Watershed Project, Okeechobee, Highlands, Charlotte, Glades, 
Martin and St. Lucie Counties, Florida

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Jacksonville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
(Corps) is beginning preparation of a National Environmental Policy Act 
assessment for the Lake Okeechobee Watershed Project (LOWP). The 
Everglades ecosystem, including Lake Okeechobee, encompasses a system 
of diverse wetland landscapes that are hydrologically and ecologically 
connected across more than 200 miles from north to south and across 
18,000 square miles of southern Florida. In 2000, the U.S. Congress 
authorized the Federal government, in partnership with the State of 
Florida, to embark upon a multi-decade, multi-billion dollar 
Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) to further protect and 
restore the remaining Everglades ecosystem while providing for other 
water-related needs of the region. CERP involves modification of the 
existing network of drainage canals and levees that make up the Central 
and Southern Florida Flood Control Project. One of the next steps for 
implementation of CERP is to identify opportunities to restore the 
quantity, quality, timing and distribution of flows into Lake 
Okeechobee. The LOW Project preliminary project area, where placement 
of features will be considered, covers a large portion of the Lake 
Okeechobee Watershed north of the lake. Water inflows into Lake 
Okeechobee greatly exceed outflow capacity, thus many times there is 
too much water within Lake Okeechobee that needs to be released in 
order to ensure integrity of the Herbert Hoover Dike. At other times, 
there may be too little water within Lake Okeechobee. Lake levels that 
are too high or too low, and inappropriate recession and ascension 
rates, can adversely affect native vegetation, and fish and wildlife 
species that depend upon the lake for foraging and reproduction. The 
volume and frequency of undesirable freshwater releases to the east and 
west lowers salinity in the estuaries, severely impacting oysters, sea 
grasses, and fish. Additionally, high nutrient levels adversely affect 
in-lake water quality, estuary habitat, and habitat throughout the 
Greater Everglades. The objectives of the LOW Project are to improve 
the quality, quantity, timing and distribution of water entering Lake 
Okeechobee, provide for better management of lake water levels, reduce 
damaging releases to the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries 
downstream of the lake and improve system-wide operational flexibility.

ADDRESSES: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Planning and Policy Division, 
Environmental Branch, P.O. Box 4970, Jacksonville, FL 32232-0019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gretchen Ehlinger at 904-232-1682 or 
email at gretchen.s.ehlinger@usace.army.mil. Additional information is 
also available at https://bit.ly/LakeOWatershed.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    a. Since 2000, much progress has been made on CERP projects. 
Construction has begun on the first generation of CERP project 
modifications already authorized by Congress. These include the 
Picayune Strand Restoration, the Indian River Lagoon South and Site 1 
Impoundment Projects. Congressional authorization has been received for 
the second generation of CERP projects, including Biscayne Bay Coastal 
Wetlands-Phase 1, the Broward County Water Preserve Areas, the 
Caloosahatchee River (C-43) West Basin Storage Reservoir, and the C-111 
Spreader Canal Western Project which are already under construction or 
are operational, and the Broward County Water Preserve Areas which is 
currently being designed. The Central Everglades Planning Project is 
currently awaiting congressional authorization. All of these CERP 
projects contribute significant ecological benefits to the system and 
the specific regional habitats in which they are located.
    b. The objectives of the LOWP are to improve the quality, quantity, 
timing and distribution of water entering Lake Okeechobee, provide for 
better management of lake water levels, reduce damaging releases to the 
Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries downstream of the lake and 
improve system-wide operational flexibility.
    c. A scoping letter will be used to invite comments from Federal, 
State, and local agencies, affected Indian Tribes, and other interested 
private organizations and individuals.
    d. A scoping meeting will be held July 26th, 2016 from 6:00 to 8:00 
p.m. at the Okeechobee Auditorium, 3800 NW., 16th Boulevard, Suite A, 
Okeechobee, FL 34972.
    e. All alternative plans will be reviewed under provisions of 
appropriate laws and regulations, including the Endangered Species Act, 
Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, Clean Water Act, and Farmland 
Protection Policy Act.
    f. The Draft Environmental Impact Assessment is expected to be 
available for public review in late 2017.

    Dated: July 7, 2016.
Eric P. Summa,
Chief, Planning and Policy Division.
[FR Doc. 2016-16920 Filed 7-15-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3720-58-P