Availability of Draft Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Impact Statement for the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway: Brazos River Floodgates and Colorado River Locks Systems Feasibility Study, Brazos and Matagorda Counties, TX, 8251-8252 [2018-03852]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 38 / Monday, February 26, 2018 / Notices
Missions/Civil-Works/Section408/) and
at https://www.regulations.gov reference
docket number COE–2018–0003.
Responses per Respondent: 1.1,
approximately.
Annual Responses: 94.
Average Burden per Response: 14.2
hours, approximately.
Annual Response Burden Hours:
1,334.
The public comment period that
began on February 5, 2018 (83 FR 5075)
is extended until April 6, 2018.
DATES:
Summary of Information Collection
The clause at DFARS 252.243–7002,
Requests for Equitable Adjustment, is
prescribed at DFARS 243.205–71 for use
in solicitations and contracts, including
solicitations and contracts using FAR
part 12 procedures for the acquisition of
commercial items that are estimated to
exceed the simplified acquisition
threshold. The clause requires
contractors to certify that requests for
equitable adjustment that exceed the
simplified acquisition threshold are
made in good faith and that the
supporting data are accurate and
complete. The clause also requires
contractors to fully disclose all facts
relevant to the requests for adjustment.
Jennifer L. Hawes,
Regulatory Control Officer, Defense
Acquisition Regulations System.
[FR Doc. 2018–03856 Filed 2–23–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001–06–P
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of
Engineers
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
DoD.
ACTION:
Extension of comment period.
On February 5, 2018, the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
published a notice announcing the
availability of a draft Engineer Circular
(EC), which is an agency policy
document, for a 30-day comment
period. This draft EC provides the
proposed policies and procedures
related to how USACE will process
certain requests by others to alter a
USACE civil works project pursuant to
Section 14 of the Rivers and Harbors Act
of 1899, as amended (more commonly
referred to as Section 408). This notice
announces the extension of the
comment period by an additional 30
days. The extension of the comment
period is a result of requests by entities
to allow more time to submit their
comments. The draft EC is available for
review on the USACE Section 408
website (https://www.usace.army.mil/
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:58 Feb 23, 2018
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Ms.
Tammy Conforti at 202–761–4649,
email HQ-Section408@usace.army.mil,
or visit https://www.usace.army.mil/
Missions/Civil-Works/Section408/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Policy and Procedural Guidance for
Processing Requests To Alter U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works
Projects Pursuant to Section 408
AGENCY:
You may submit comments
identified by docket number COE–
2018–0003 by any of the following
methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
Email: HQ-Section408@
usace.army.mil and include the docket
number COE–2018–0003 or ‘‘EC 1165–
2–220 Comments’’ in the subject line of
the message.
Mail: Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, ATTN: CECW–CE/3E62,
441 G Street NW, Washington, DC
20314–1000.
Hand Delivery/Courier: Due to
security requirements, we cannot
receive comments by hand delivery or
courier.
Instructions: Instructions for
submitting comments are provided in
the document published on February 5,
2018 (83 FR 5075). Consideration will
be given to all comments received by
April 6, 2018.
ADDRESSES:
In the
February 5, 2018 issue of the Federal
Register (83 FR 5075), the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers (USACE) published
a notice announcing the availability of
a draft Engineer Circular (EC), which is
an agency policy document, for a 30-day
comment period. This draft EC provides
the proposed policies and procedures
related to how USACE will process
certain requests by others to alter a
USACE civil works project pursuant to
Section 14 of the Rivers and Harbors Act
of 1899, as amended (more commonly
referred to as Section 408). Several
entities have requested an extension of
the comment period. USACE finds that
an extension of the comment period is
warranted. Therefore, the comment
period for the draft EC extended until
April 6, 2018.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Dated: February 20, 2018.
James C. Dalton,
Director of Civil Works.
[FR Doc. 2018–03851 Filed 2–23–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720–58–P
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8251
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of
Engineers
Availability of Draft Integrated
Feasibility Report and Environmental
Impact Statement for the Gulf
Intracoastal Waterway: Brazos River
Floodgates and Colorado River Locks
Systems Feasibility Study, Brazos and
Matagorda Counties, TX
Department of the Army, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
Pursuant to the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
Galveston District (USACE) announces
the release of the Draft Integrated
Feasibility Report and Environmental
Impact Statement (DIFR–EIS) for the
Recommended Plan of the Gulf
Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW): Brazos
River Floodgates (BRFG) and Colorado
River Locks (CRL) Systems Feasibility
Study, Brazos and Matagorda Counties,
TX. The DIFR–EIS documents the
existing condition of environmental
resources in and around areas
considered for development, and
potential impacts on those resources as
a result of implementing the
alternatives.
SUMMARY:
The Galveston District will hold
a public meeting for the DIFR–EIS on
March 13, 2018 from 6:00–8:00 p.m.
USACE will accept written public
comments on the DIFR–EIS from
February 26, 2018 to April 11, 2018.
Comments on the DIFR–EIS must be
postmarked by April 11, 2018.
ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be
held at the West Columbia Civic Center,
516 E. Brazos Ave. (State Highway 35),
West Columbia, TX 77486. Comments
may be submitted at the public meeting
or mailed to the District Engineer, P.O.
Box 1229, Galveston, TX 77553.
Comments may also be sent to the
District Engineer via email at BRFG_
CRL_FeasibilityStudy@usace.army.mil.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Galveston District Public Affairs Office
at 409–766–3004 or swgpao@
usace.army.mil.
DATES:
Authority:
The lead agency for this proposed action
is USACE. This study has been prepared
in response to the provision of funds in
the Energy and Water Development
Appropriations Act of 1998, under the
authority of Section 216 of the 1970
Flood Control Act. The non-federal
sponsor is the Texas Department of
Transportation (TxDOT).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
E:\FR\FM\26FEN1.SGM
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8252
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 38 / Monday, February 26, 2018 / Notices
Background: The USACE, with input
provided by the non-federal sponsor,
TxDOT, and other Federal, State, and
local resource agencies, prepared the
GIWW BRFG/CRL DIFR–EIS. The
GIWW BRFG/CRL study was
recommended for feasibility level
analysis after completion of a 2000
reconnaissance report entitled, GIWW
Modifications, Texas Section 905(b)
Analysis, to determine federal interest.
It encompassed two locations on the
GIWW along the Texas Coast. The BRFG
is located about 7 miles southwest of
Freeport, TX, at the crossings of the
Brazos River and the GIWW in Brazoria
County. The CRL are located near
Matagorda, TX, at the intersection of the
Colorado River and the GIWW in
Matagorda County.
In 1940, six 75-foot-wide gated
structures, which were designed to
control flows and silt into the GIWW at
the Brazos and Colorado Rivers, were
completed. The gates are closed during
higher flow events, which generally
carry more sediments, thus reducing
shoaling and therefore dredging in the
GIWW. Although the structural
improvements on both rivers helped to
reduce shoaling, they created their own
set of delays to navigation. The narrow
opening of the gated structure creates an
impedance to the flow of water causing
the water to swell and rise locally,
which accelerates the water through the
structure, creating hazardous navigation
conditions. At a certain level of swell,
or head differential, navigation is
deemed too hazardous and the river
crossing is closed to navigation. The 75foot-wide opening also requires tows
that are assembled to two barges wide
to break down to single wide to traverse
the structures. The narrow gate opening
and crossing geometry create hazardous
cross currents and eddies, which when
coupled with winds and other drivers
are the cause for numerous vessel
impacts (allisions) to the structures.
These problems combine to create
massive average delays to navigation,
which became the single-most
important economic driver and decision
point for the study process. The study
process includes an in-depth
investigation of the existing practices
and conditions for navigation as well as
an extrapolation of these practices and
conditions into the future to establish a
baseline, or without-project condition,
to which all improvements, measures/
alternatives, can be measured.
Recommended Plan: The
Recommended Plan includes structural
measures for both the Brazos and
Colorado River crossings. The Brazos
River crossing portion of the plan will
be in the existing channel alignment
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17:58 Feb 23, 2018
Jkt 244001
with open channel on the west side and
a gate structure (125 feet wide) on the
east side. The open channel on the west
side changes the river reactions and the
overall sediment deposit distribution
compared to the without-project
condition. Modeling has determined
that sediments will result in an increase
of 8% in dredging volumes and costs
above current levels. The current cost
estimate for construction is
approximately $147.8 million including
contingencies.
The Colorado River crossing portion
of the plan will also be in the existing
channel alignment and include gate
removal of the riverside gate structures
while retaining the outer gates, creating
a wider (125 feet) channel and much
longer forebay, reducing barge allisions
with the guidewalls. For the Colorado
crossing, full gated structures remain,
resulting in minimal changes to
sediment distribution patterns. The
current cost estimate for construction is
approximately $36.9M including
contingencies.
To quantitatively analyze and
compare alternatives, monetized
benefits of the alternatives were
estimated using a stand-along model
developed and approved for use by this
study. Benefits were compared to costs
to develop benefit-cost ratios (BCR) and
net benefits estimates. The system BCR
for the Recommended Plan is 2.5.
Project Impacts and Environmental
Compliance: The recommended plan
would result in the loss of
approximately 6.0 acres of wetlands at
the BRFG and 0.7 acre of wetlands at the
CRL, primarily due to excavation of
temporary bypass channels. The USACE
would provide onsite mitigation for the
impacted wetlands in the form of
wetland creation. The proposed project
is not expected to adversely affect
federally listed threatened or
endangered species. A net increase in
sedimentation would occur at the BRFG
as a result of the Recommended Plan,
and maintenance dredging would be
needed to prevent or reduce shoaling
due to natural sediment deposition
processes.
Potential hazardous, toxic, and
radioactive waste (HTRW) concerns may
occur at the BRFG and CRL facilities,
such as possible lead paint on the
structures and potential for
contaminants in sediment deposits in
the areas. These areas will be tested as
appropriate and, depending on the
sediment sample results, there will be
additional efforts for disposal,
treatment, or additional health and
safety requirements during construction.
The impact analysis determined there
would be only minor impacts to soils
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and waterbottoms, water quality,
turbidity, protected wildlife species
(i.e., marine mammals, bald and golden
eagles, and migratory birds), benthic
organisms, commercial and recreational
fisheries, essential fish habitat, coastal
barrier resources, air quality, and noise.
No impacts to floodplains and flood
control, salinity levels, protected/
managed lands, or historic and cultural
resources are anticipated. No impacts to
minority or low-income populations are
expected, and the proposed project
would provide a long-term economic
benefit to the shipping industry by
making travel through the BRFG and
CRL more efficient. Coordination is
ongoing with applicable Federal and
State agencies regarding potential
project impacts and environmental
compliance.
Solicitation of Comments: The
USACE is soliciting comments from the
public, Federal, State, and local
agencies and officials, Indian tribes, and
other interested parties in order to
consider and evaluate the impacts of
this proposed activity. Comments will
be used in preparation of the Final
Integrated Feasibility Report and
Environmental Impact Statement.
Document Availability: Compact disc
copies of the DIFR–EIS are available for
viewing at the following libraries:
• Brazoria Library, 620 South Brooks,
Brazoria, TX 77422
• Clute Branch Library, 215 North
Shanks Street, Clute, TX 77531
• Freeport Library, 410 Brazosport
Blvd., Freeport, TX 77541
• Lake Jackson Library, 250 Circle Way,
Lake Jackson, TX 77566
• West Columbia Branch Library, 518
East Brazos, West Columbia, TX
77486
• Bay City Public Library, 1100 7th
Street, Bay City, TX 77414
• Matagorda Branch Library, 800 Fisher
Street, Matagorda, TX 77457
The document can also be viewed and
downloaded from the Galveston District
website: https://
www.swg.usace.army.mil/BusinessWith-Us/Planning-EnvironmentalBranch/Documents-for-Public-Review/.
Arnold R. Newman,
Acting Director, Regional Planning and
Environmental Center.
[FR Doc. 2018–03852 Filed 2–23–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720–58–P
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 38 (Monday, February 26, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8251-8252]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-03852]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Availability of Draft Integrated Feasibility Report and
Environmental Impact Statement for the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway:
Brazos River Floodgates and Colorado River Locks Systems Feasibility
Study, Brazos and Matagorda Counties, TX
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District (USACE) announces the
release of the Draft Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental
Impact Statement (DIFR-EIS) for the Recommended Plan of the Gulf
Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW): Brazos River Floodgates (BRFG) and
Colorado River Locks (CRL) Systems Feasibility Study, Brazos and
Matagorda Counties, TX. The DIFR-EIS documents the existing condition
of environmental resources in and around areas considered for
development, and potential impacts on those resources as a result of
implementing the alternatives.
DATES: The Galveston District will hold a public meeting for the DIFR-
EIS on March 13, 2018 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. USACE will accept written
public comments on the DIFR-EIS from February 26, 2018 to April 11,
2018. Comments on the DIFR-EIS must be postmarked by April 11, 2018.
ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the West Columbia Civic
Center, 516 E. Brazos Ave. (State Highway 35), West Columbia, TX 77486.
Comments may be submitted at the public meeting or mailed to the
District Engineer, P.O. Box 1229, Galveston, TX 77553. Comments may
also be sent to the District Engineer via email at
[email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Galveston District Public Affairs
Office at 409-766-3004 or [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Authority: The lead agency for this proposed
action is USACE. This study has been prepared in response to the
provision of funds in the Energy and Water Development Appropriations
Act of 1998, under the authority of Section 216 of the 1970 Flood
Control Act. The non-federal sponsor is the Texas Department of
Transportation (TxDOT).
[[Page 8252]]
Background: The USACE, with input provided by the non-federal
sponsor, TxDOT, and other Federal, State, and local resource agencies,
prepared the GIWW BRFG/CRL DIFR-EIS. The GIWW BRFG/CRL study was
recommended for feasibility level analysis after completion of a 2000
reconnaissance report entitled, GIWW Modifications, Texas Section
905(b) Analysis, to determine federal interest. It encompassed two
locations on the GIWW along the Texas Coast. The BRFG is located about
7 miles southwest of Freeport, TX, at the crossings of the Brazos River
and the GIWW in Brazoria County. The CRL are located near Matagorda,
TX, at the intersection of the Colorado River and the GIWW in Matagorda
County.
In 1940, six 75-foot-wide gated structures, which were designed to
control flows and silt into the GIWW at the Brazos and Colorado Rivers,
were completed. The gates are closed during higher flow events, which
generally carry more sediments, thus reducing shoaling and therefore
dredging in the GIWW. Although the structural improvements on both
rivers helped to reduce shoaling, they created their own set of delays
to navigation. The narrow opening of the gated structure creates an
impedance to the flow of water causing the water to swell and rise
locally, which accelerates the water through the structure, creating
hazardous navigation conditions. At a certain level of swell, or head
differential, navigation is deemed too hazardous and the river crossing
is closed to navigation. The 75-foot-wide opening also requires tows
that are assembled to two barges wide to break down to single wide to
traverse the structures. The narrow gate opening and crossing geometry
create hazardous cross currents and eddies, which when coupled with
winds and other drivers are the cause for numerous vessel impacts
(allisions) to the structures.
These problems combine to create massive average delays to
navigation, which became the single-most important economic driver and
decision point for the study process. The study process includes an in-
depth investigation of the existing practices and conditions for
navigation as well as an extrapolation of these practices and
conditions into the future to establish a baseline, or without-project
condition, to which all improvements, measures/alternatives, can be
measured.
Recommended Plan: The Recommended Plan includes structural measures
for both the Brazos and Colorado River crossings. The Brazos River
crossing portion of the plan will be in the existing channel alignment
with open channel on the west side and a gate structure (125 feet wide)
on the east side. The open channel on the west side changes the river
reactions and the overall sediment deposit distribution compared to the
without-project condition. Modeling has determined that sediments will
result in an increase of 8% in dredging volumes and costs above current
levels. The current cost estimate for construction is approximately
$147.8 million including contingencies.
The Colorado River crossing portion of the plan will also be in the
existing channel alignment and include gate removal of the riverside
gate structures while retaining the outer gates, creating a wider (125
feet) channel and much longer forebay, reducing barge allisions with
the guidewalls. For the Colorado crossing, full gated structures
remain, resulting in minimal changes to sediment distribution patterns.
The current cost estimate for construction is approximately $36.9M
including contingencies.
To quantitatively analyze and compare alternatives, monetized
benefits of the alternatives were estimated using a stand-along model
developed and approved for use by this study. Benefits were compared to
costs to develop benefit-cost ratios (BCR) and net benefits estimates.
The system BCR for the Recommended Plan is 2.5.
Project Impacts and Environmental Compliance: The recommended plan
would result in the loss of approximately 6.0 acres of wetlands at the
BRFG and 0.7 acre of wetlands at the CRL, primarily due to excavation
of temporary bypass channels. The USACE would provide onsite mitigation
for the impacted wetlands in the form of wetland creation. The proposed
project is not expected to adversely affect federally listed threatened
or endangered species. A net increase in sedimentation would occur at
the BRFG as a result of the Recommended Plan, and maintenance dredging
would be needed to prevent or reduce shoaling due to natural sediment
deposition processes.
Potential hazardous, toxic, and radioactive waste (HTRW) concerns
may occur at the BRFG and CRL facilities, such as possible lead paint
on the structures and potential for contaminants in sediment deposits
in the areas. These areas will be tested as appropriate and, depending
on the sediment sample results, there will be additional efforts for
disposal, treatment, or additional health and safety requirements
during construction.
The impact analysis determined there would be only minor impacts to
soils and waterbottoms, water quality, turbidity, protected wildlife
species (i.e., marine mammals, bald and golden eagles, and migratory
birds), benthic organisms, commercial and recreational fisheries,
essential fish habitat, coastal barrier resources, air quality, and
noise. No impacts to floodplains and flood control, salinity levels,
protected/managed lands, or historic and cultural resources are
anticipated. No impacts to minority or low-income populations are
expected, and the proposed project would provide a long-term economic
benefit to the shipping industry by making travel through the BRFG and
CRL more efficient. Coordination is ongoing with applicable Federal and
State agencies regarding potential project impacts and environmental
compliance.
Solicitation of Comments: The USACE is soliciting comments from the
public, Federal, State, and local agencies and officials, Indian
tribes, and other interested parties in order to consider and evaluate
the impacts of this proposed activity. Comments will be used in
preparation of the Final Integrated Feasibility Report and
Environmental Impact Statement.
Document Availability: Compact disc copies of the DIFR-EIS are
available for viewing at the following libraries:
Brazoria Library, 620 South Brooks, Brazoria, TX 77422
Clute Branch Library, 215 North Shanks Street, Clute, TX 77531
Freeport Library, 410 Brazosport Blvd., Freeport, TX 77541
Lake Jackson Library, 250 Circle Way, Lake Jackson, TX 77566
West Columbia Branch Library, 518 East Brazos, West Columbia,
TX 77486
Bay City Public Library, 1100 7th Street, Bay City, TX 77414
Matagorda Branch Library, 800 Fisher Street, Matagorda, TX
77457
The document can also be viewed and downloaded from the Galveston
District website: https://www.swg.usace.army.mil/Business-With-Us/Planning-Environmental-Branch/Documents-for-Public-Review/.
Arnold R. Newman,
Acting Director, Regional Planning and Environmental Center.
[FR Doc. 2018-03852 Filed 2-23-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P
