Environmental Impact Statement Withdrawal and Availability of an Environmental Assessment for the Souris River Basin Flood Risk Management Feasibility Study, Ward County, North Dakota, 49600-49601 [2017-23318]
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 206 / Thursday, October 26, 2017 / Notices
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[FR Doc. 2017–23262 Filed 10–25–17; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of
Engineers
Environmental Impact Statement
Withdrawal and Availability of an
Environmental Assessment for the
Souris River Basin Flood Risk
Management Feasibility Study, Ward
County, North Dakota
AGENCY:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
DoD.
Notice of withdrawal of an
environmental impact statement; notice
of availability of an environmental
assessment.
ACTION:
In accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), on September 18, 2016, the St.
Paul District, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (Corps) initiated the
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
process to identify and analyze potential
impacts associated with flood risk
management measures evaluated within
a Federal feasibility study for the Souris
River Basin within the continental
United States. Currently, the Corps has
identified a Tentatively Selected Plan
(TSP) that includes a high-flow
diversion and a 1200-ft long levee.
However, preliminary analysis of the
TSP indicate no significant impacts are
expected, therefore the Corps is
terminating the EIS process and is
withdrawing the Notice of Intent
published in the Thursday, September
18, 2016 issue of the Federal Register.
In its place, a draft integrated Feasibility
Report and Environmental Assessment
(FR/EA) will be available for a 30-day
public comment period beginning
October 30, 2017.
DATES: Comments on the draft FR/EA
may be submitted starting October 30,
2017 through November 30, 2017. If
comments are provided by mail, they
must be received at the address below
no later than November 30, 2017.
ADDRESSES: The draft FR/EA can be
viewed online starting October 30, 2017
at https://www.mvp.usace.army.mil/
Home/Public-Notices/.
Comments may be submitted on the
draft FR/EA using any of the following
methods:
• Mail: Attn: David F. Potter,
Regional Planning and Environment
Division North, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, 180 Fifth Street East, Suite
700, St. Paul, MN 55101–1678.
• Email: david.f.potter@
usace.army.mil.
Instructions: Direct your comments to
Corps of Engineers St. Paul District.
Comment letters should include the
SUMMARY:
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commenter’s physical mailing address
and the project title in the subject line.
Please ensure that your comments are
submitted within the specified comment
period. Comments received after the
closing date will be marked ‘‘late,’’ and
may only be considered if time permits.
Please note that comments may be part
of the public record.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions regarding this action can be
addressed to Mr. David F. Potter,
Regional Planning & Environment
Division North, by phone: (651) 290–
5713, by fax: (651) 290–5805, by email:
david.f.potter@usace.army.mil, or by
mail: Regional Planning and
Environment Division North, U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, 180 Fifth Street
East, Suite 700, St. Paul, MN 55101–
1678.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Souris River Basin Flood Risk
Management Feasibility Study
(Feasibility Study) is being developed
by the Corps in partnership with the
Souris River Joint Water Resources
Board (SRJB). The purpose of this study
is to collect and evaluate pertinent
engineering, economic, social, and
environmental information in order to
assess the potential for a federal flood
risk management project within the
basin. The study objective is to define
a feasible and implementable project to
reduce flood risk which is relatively
high within the basin. Due to the
potentially significant environmental
effects associated with the project, the
Corps issued a Notice of Intent to
Prepare an EIS (76 FR 336) on
September 18, 2016.
The Feasibility Study is
complementary to the SRJB’s local plan,
the Mouse River Enhanced Flood
Protection Plan (MREFPP). Because of
its influence on an existing federal flood
project, this non-federal effort has
requested permission from the Corps of
Engineers to pursue actions under 33
U.S.C. 408 (frequently referred to as
Section 408). A separate Notice of Intent
was published (FR Doc. 2015–17670
Filed July 16, 2015) for an EIS
associated with the Corps of Engineers’
decision on the Section 408 request.
Additional details on the local, nonfederal flood MREFPP can be found at
mouseriverplan.com. During this
Feasibility Study, many of the initial
flood risk management measures were
screened out from further consideration.
Major features of the TSP include a
high-flow diversion and a 1200-ft long
levee. Preliminary analysis indicate that
the environmental effects of the TSP are
less than significant. For this reason, an
EIS is no longer being pursued in favor
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 206 / Thursday, October 26, 2017 / Notices
of an EA in accordance with Corps
regulations at 33 CFR part 230,
Appendix C(2).
We are advising the public that a draft
integrated FR/EA for the Feasibility
Study has been prepared and is
available for public review and
comment. The FR/EA considers the
effects of, and alternatives to, the TSP.
Dated: October 12, 2017.
Terry J. Birkenstock,
Deputy Chief, Regional Planning and
Environment Division North.
[FR Doc. 2017–23318 Filed 10–25–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720–58–P
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of
Engineers
Notice of Availability of a Draft
Integrated General Reevaluation
Report and Environmental Assessment
and Draft Finding of No Significant
Impact for the Proposed Lower Pajaro
River Flood Risk Management Project,
Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, CA
Department of the Army, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE), San Francisco
District, announces the availability for
review and comment of the draft
integrated General Reevaluation Report
and Environmental Assessment (GRR/
EA) and the draft Finding of No
Significant Impact (FONSI) for the
proposed Pajaro River Flood Risk
Management Project, Monterey and
Santa Cruz Counties, CA., USACE
Procedures for Implementing [the
National Environmental Policy Act]
NEPA, notice of the availability of this
draft GRR/EA and draft FONSI for
review and comment is being provided
to agencies, organizations, and the
interested public.
DATES: Comments on the draft GRR/EA
and draft FONSI may be submitted
starting October 31, 2017, through
November 30, 2017. If comments are
provided by mail, they must be received
at the address below no later than
November 30, 2017.
ADDRESSES: The draft GRR/EA can be
viewed online starting October 31, 2017,
at: https://www.spn.usace.army.mil/
Missions/Projects-and-Programs/
Projects-by-Category/Projects-for-FloodRisk-Management/Pajaro-RiverWatsonville/. Comments may be
submitted on the draft GRR/EA using
any of the following methods:
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SUMMARY:
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• Mail: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
San Francisco District, ATTN: CESPN–
ET–PB-Pajaro River, 1455 Market Street,
San Francisco, CA 94103–1398.
• Email: CESPN-ET-PB@
usace.army.mil.
• Comment letters should include the
commenter’s physical mailing address
and include ‘‘Pajaro River’’ in the
subject line.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Christopher Eng, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, San Francisco District, 1455
Market Street, San Francisco, CA
94103–1398. Telephone: (415) 503–
6868. Email: CESPN-ET-PB@
usace.army.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Proposed Action. USACE and the
non-Federal study partners, Monterey
and Santa Cruz Counties, propose to
reduce flood risk to the City of
Watsonville and the town of Pajaro by
implementing a combination of
structural measures along the lower
Pajaro River, Salsipuedes Creek, and
Corralitos Creek. These measures
include: Improving existing levees;
constructing new levees, including
setback levees; and constructing new
floodwalls. The draft GRR/EA presents
the draft findings of the General
Reevaluation Study and identifies and
describes the benefits, costs, and
environmental effects of alternatives
plans to reduce flood risk to the city of
Watsonville, town of Pajaro, and
surrounding area. Based on the
evaluation, USACE has identified a
Federal interest in at least one
alternative plan, the Tentatively
Selected Plan (TSP), to reduce the risk
of flooding while minimizing adverse
environmental effects. The TSP is the
National Economic Development Plan
(NED). The environmental review
conducted as part of this study has
initially concluded that, with
mitigation, the proposed alternatives
would not result in any significant
environmental effects. This review and
its findings are documented in the draft
GRR/EA.
2. Alternatives. Ten project
alternatives, including the no action
alternative, have been evaluated in
detail in the draft GRR/EA in
accordance with NEPA (33 CFR part 230
(USACE NEPA Regulations) and 33 CFR
part 325, Appendix B (NEPA
Implementation Procedures for USACE
Regulatory Projects).
3. Changes Since Publication of the
Notice of Intent (NOI). An NOI was
published in the Federal Register on
June 8, 2001, (66 FR 30894) to advise
the interested public and agencies that
USACE planned to prepare a combined
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49601
EIS/EIR for the Pajaro River Flood Risk
Management Study. Since publication
of the NOI, USACE and Monterey and
Santa Cruz Counties have worked with
stakeholders to identify and incorporate
measures to avoid, minimize, and
compensate for adverse environmental
effects. As a result, the environmental
review conducted as part of this study
has initially concluded that, with
mitigation, the proposed alternatives
would not result in any significant
environmental effects. Therefore, an EA
has been prepared instead of an EIS.
Also, USACE now requires water
resources planning and NEPA
documents to be integrated into a single
document, in this case, an integrated
GRR/EA. The California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA) document for the
study is being prepared separately by
Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties as
the CEQA lead agencies.
c. USACE is consulting with the State
Historic Preservation Officer and with
Native American Tribes to comply with
the National Historic Preservation Act,
and with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service and National Marine Fisheries
Service to comply with the Endangered
Species Act. USACE is also coordinating
with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
to comply with the Fish and Wildlife
Coordination Act.
4. Availability of the Draft EA. The
draft GRR/EA and draft FONSI are
available for public review and
comment 30 days beginning October 31,
2017 and ending November 30, 2017.
5. A public meeting to discuss the
status of the study, present the draft
results of the GRR/EA, and receive
questions and comments will be held on
November 8, 2017, from 6:00 p.m. to
8:00 p.m. at the Watsonville Civic Plaza
Community Room, 275 Main Street, 4th
Floor, Watsonville, California 95076–
5133.
Dated: October 18, 2017.
Travis J. Rayfield,
Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, District
Commander.
[FR Doc. 2017–23276 Filed 10–25–17; 8:45 am]
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 206 (Thursday, October 26, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49600-49601]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-23318]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Environmental Impact Statement Withdrawal and Availability of an
Environmental Assessment for the Souris River Basin Flood Risk
Management Feasibility Study, Ward County, North Dakota
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of withdrawal of an environmental impact statement;
notice of availability of an environmental assessment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), on September 18, 2016, the St. Paul District, U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers (Corps) initiated the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
process to identify and analyze potential impacts associated with flood
risk management measures evaluated within a Federal feasibility study
for the Souris River Basin within the continental United States.
Currently, the Corps has identified a Tentatively Selected Plan (TSP)
that includes a high-flow diversion and a 1200-ft long levee. However,
preliminary analysis of the TSP indicate no significant impacts are
expected, therefore the Corps is terminating the EIS process and is
withdrawing the Notice of Intent published in the Thursday, September
18, 2016 issue of the Federal Register. In its place, a draft
integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Assessment (FR/EA) will
be available for a 30-day public comment period beginning October 30,
2017.
DATES: Comments on the draft FR/EA may be submitted starting October
30, 2017 through November 30, 2017. If comments are provided by mail,
they must be received at the address below no later than November 30,
2017.
ADDRESSES: The draft FR/EA can be viewed online starting October 30,
2017 at https://www.mvp.usace.army.mil/Home/Public-Notices/.
Comments may be submitted on the draft FR/EA using any of the
following methods:
Mail: Attn: David F. Potter, Regional Planning and
Environment Division North, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 180 Fifth
Street East, Suite 700, St. Paul, MN 55101-1678.
Email: [email protected].
Instructions: Direct your comments to Corps of Engineers St. Paul
District. Comment letters should include the commenter's physical
mailing address and the project title in the subject line. Please
ensure that your comments are submitted within the specified comment
period. Comments received after the closing date will be marked
``late,'' and may only be considered if time permits. Please note that
comments may be part of the public record.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding this action can be
addressed to Mr. David F. Potter, Regional Planning & Environment
Division North, by phone: (651) 290-5713, by fax: (651) 290-5805, by
email: [email protected], or by mail: Regional Planning and
Environment Division North, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 180 Fifth
Street East, Suite 700, St. Paul, MN 55101-1678.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Souris River Basin Flood Risk Management
Feasibility Study (Feasibility Study) is being developed by the Corps
in partnership with the Souris River Joint Water Resources Board
(SRJB). The purpose of this study is to collect and evaluate pertinent
engineering, economic, social, and environmental information in order
to assess the potential for a federal flood risk management project
within the basin. The study objective is to define a feasible and
implementable project to reduce flood risk which is relatively high
within the basin. Due to the potentially significant environmental
effects associated with the project, the Corps issued a Notice of
Intent to Prepare an EIS (76 FR 336) on September 18, 2016.
The Feasibility Study is complementary to the SRJB's local plan,
the Mouse River Enhanced Flood Protection Plan (MREFPP). Because of its
influence on an existing federal flood project, this non-federal effort
has requested permission from the Corps of Engineers to pursue actions
under 33 U.S.C. 408 (frequently referred to as Section 408). A separate
Notice of Intent was published (FR Doc. 2015-17670 Filed July 16, 2015)
for an EIS associated with the Corps of Engineers' decision on the
Section 408 request. Additional details on the local, non-federal flood
MREFPP can be found at mouseriverplan.com. During this Feasibility
Study, many of the initial flood risk management measures were screened
out from further consideration. Major features of the TSP include a
high-flow diversion and a 1200-ft long levee. Preliminary analysis
indicate that the environmental effects of the TSP are less than
significant. For this reason, an EIS is no longer being pursued in
favor
[[Page 49601]]
of an EA in accordance with Corps regulations at 33 CFR part 230,
Appendix C(2).
We are advising the public that a draft integrated FR/EA for the
Feasibility Study has been prepared and is available for public review
and comment. The FR/EA considers the effects of, and alternatives to,
the TSP.
Dated: October 12, 2017.
Terry J. Birkenstock,
Deputy Chief, Regional Planning and Environment Division North.
[FR Doc. 2017-23318 Filed 10-25-17; 8:45 am]
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