Intent To Prepare a Draft NEPA Document for the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam Disposition Study, Hennepin County, Minnesota, 34381-34382 [2019-15298]

Agencies

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

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 138 (Thursday, July 18, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34381-34382]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-15298]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft NEPA Document for the Upper St. Anthony 
Falls Lock and Dam Disposition Study, Hennepin County, Minnesota

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent to initiate public scoping and prepare an 
Environmental Assessment (EA).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The St. Paul District, Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is 
conducting a study regarding the disposition of the Upper St. Anthony 
Falls Lock and Dam (USAF) located at river mile 853.9 on the Upper 
Mississippi River, in Hennepin County, Minnesota. The study will 
include an environmental assessment and consider modifications that 
could improve the overall quality of the environment in the public 
interest, including removal of federally-owned facilities. The study 
will evaluate three types of alternatives: (1) No action; (2) de-
authorization and disposal of all federally-owned and operated 
facilities; and (3) partial de-authorization and disposal of features 
or separable elements not required for flood mitigation operations. The 
study will also explore opportunities to improve the overall quality 
and health of the environment and/or enhance recreation. It is 
anticipated that a preliminary draft report of the integrated 
Disposition Study and Environmental Assessment (EA) will be available 
for a minimum 30-day public comment period in the Spring of 2020. The 
St. Paul District of the Army Corps of Engineers is soliciting public 
comments on the scope of the proposed study and significant issues that 
should be analyzed in the EA.

DATES: 
    Scoping Meetings: The Corps will hold public scoping meetings at 
the following times and locations during the scoping period:
    [ssquf] Tuesday, August 13th, 2019 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at 
the Mill City Museum, 704 South Second Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 
55401.
    [ssquf] Monday, August 19th, 2019 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at 
the Michael Dowling School, 3900 West River Parkway, Minneapolis, 
Minnesota 55406.
    At the scoping meetings, the public is encouraged to submit 
resource information, and identify topics to be considered in the 
development of the EA. Public meetings will include a presentation and 
question and answer session. The Corps will require formal comments to 
be provided in writing, which will be accepted at the meetings or may 
be submitted at any time during the comment period.
    Comments: The Corps will accept comments received or postmarked on 
or before October 20, 2019. Any comments received after the closing 
date may not be considered.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted by one of the following methods:
    Email--Written comments should be sent to: 
[email protected].
    Mail/Courier--Written comments should be sent to: District 
Engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, ATTN: 
Regional Planning and Environment Division North, 180 Fifth Street 
East, Suite 700, St. Paul, Minnesota 55101-1678
    Comment Card--Comment cards provided as part of the public meetings 
will be collected at the end of the meeting or can be mailed to the 
address in the MAIL/COURIER section above.
    If submitting comments by email, the following should be included 
in the subject line or first line of the message ``USAF Disposition 
Study Comments''.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To have your name added to a mailing 
list for notices related to the preliminary draft report and EA or 
additional public meetings, submit an email request to 
[email protected]. General questions about the study 
may be directed to Nan Bischoff, Project Manager, U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, St. Paul District, 180 Fifth Street East, Suite 700, St. 
Paul, MN 55101-1678; telephone (651) 290-5426; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Corps operates USAF, located on the 
Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Section 2010 of the Water 
Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014, Public Law 113-121, 
directed the Corps to close the lock to navigation operations but to 
continue to carry out emergency operations necessary to mitigate flood 
damages. Navigation at the lock ceased on June 9th, 2015. Prior to the 
closure of USAF, the lock operated as part of a system to support 
navigation on the upper reaches of the Mississippi River 9-foot 
navigation channel. With the lock at USAF now closed to navigation, the 
demand for both commercial and recreational lockage has decreased at 
Lower St. Anthony Falls Dam (LSAF) and Lock and Dam 1 (LD 1). A 
disposition study for LSAF and LD 1 will be conducted separately from 
the disposition study for USAF, and will follow a similar public 
scoping procedure. The LSAF and LD 1 disposition study is scheduled to 
begin in early 2021.
    Section 216 of the Flood Control Act of 1970 authorizes the 
Secretary of the Army to review operations of completed projects, when 
found advisable due to changed physical, economic, or environmental 
conditions. Disposition studies are a specific type of Section 216 
study with the intent to determine whether a water resources 
development project operated and maintained by the Corps of Engineers 
should be de-authorized and the associated real property and 
Government-owned improvements disposed of. An Initial Appraisal (IA) 
was conducted by the Corps in 2015 to determine if conditions exist 
which may warrant further analysis on a completed project as authorized 
by Section 216. The IA recommended investigation under this authority 
regarding the future use or disposition of USAF as well as LSAF and LD 
1.
    The Corps began a disposition study for USAF, LSAF, and LD 1 in 
early 2018 with the intent that all three sites would be studied and 
presented in one report. Public scoping meetings for a combined study 
were held in July 2018. The combined disposition study was put on hold 
following the enactment of the Water Resources Development Act of 2018 
(WRDA 2018). WRDA 2018 contains two sections pertinent to the scope and 
timing of the disposition studies: Section 1168, entitled ``Disposition 
of Projects'' and Section 1225, entitled ``Upper Mississippi River 
protection''. The full version of the WRDA 2018 may be found here: 
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/3021/.
    Following enactment of WRDA 2018, the Corps of Engineers solicited 
input and published implementation guidance for WRDA 2018, Sections 
1168 and 1225. Input was provided by U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and 
Tina Smith of Minnesota, the National Park Service, the Friends of the 
Lock and

[[Page 34382]]

Dam and the city of Minneapolis. The implementation guidance to 
Sections 1168 and 1225 of WRDA 2018 may be found here: https://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Project-Planning/Legislative-Links/wrda_2018/wrda2018_impguide/.
    The USAF Disposition Study will analyze three types of alternatives 
at the USAF site: (1) The no action; (2) complete de-authorization by 
Congress of the Federal missions at the site and disposal of the 
properties; and (3) partial de-authorization and disposal. In addition, 
the study will examine opportunities to augment these three 
alternatives by considering measures which: (1) Preserve recreational 
opportunities; (2) enhance recreational opportunities; (3) preserve the 
health of the ecosystem; (4) enhance the health of the ecosystem; (5) 
maintain the benefits to the natural ecosystem; and (6) maintain the 
benefits to the human environment. The partial disposition alternative 
will maintain the flood control capability of the structure. If the 
Corps determines that Federal interest no longer exists, it must 
consider, and may recommend, removal of the project or separable 
elements of the project under existing authorities.
    In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(NEPA), an Environmental Assessment (EA) for this study is anticipated 
and will be prepared by the St. Paul District. The Corps is soliciting 
public comments on the scope of the EA and significant issues that 
should be addressed. The Corps will also accept comments related to 
potential new ownership and management measures.
    The Disposition Study ends when the final report is transmitted to 
the Corps of Engineers' Headquarters Office for review and processing 
of recommendations. Complete and partial de-authorization would require 
Congressional Approval.
    Two public scoping meetings are planned as discussed in the DATES 
section above. The purpose of these meetings is to discuss background 
of the study, identify the properties and structures that are the 
subject of the study, discuss the Federal disposal process, instruct 
parties on how to document their interest in future ownership, provide 
an opportunity to submit comments, and identify issues that should be 
addressed in the anticipated EA. While comments and questions will be 
entertained at the public meetings, the meetings will not be recorded 
nor minutes prepared. All formal comments will be requested to be 
provided in writing. Written comments will be accepted at the meetings. 
Comments can also be submitted by the methods listed in the ADDRESSES 
section. Once the draft EA is complete and made available for review, 
there will be additional opportunity for public comment through the 
NEPA process.
    Persons needing reasonable accommodations in order to attend and 
participate in the public scoping meetings should contact the person 
listed under the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section as soon as 
possible. In order to allow sufficient time to process requests, please 
make contact no later than one week before the public meeting.
    Written comments, including email comments, should be sent to the 
Corps at the address given in the ADDRESSES section of this Notice. 
Comments should be specific and pertain only to the issues relating to 
the action and the anticipated EA. The Corps will include all comments 
in the project record.
    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information- will be publicly available. While you can ask us in your 
comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public 
review, the Corps cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
    All submissions from organizations or businesses and from 
individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of 
organizations or businesses will be available for public review to the 
extent consistent with applicable law.

    Dated: July 2, 2019.
Kari Hauck,
Acting Deputy Chief, Regional Planning and Environment Division North.
[FR Doc. 2019-15298 Filed 7-17-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P