Intent To Prepare a Draft Integrated Feasibility Report-Environmental Impact Statement for the Memphis Metropolitan Stormwater Management Project: North DeSoto County, Mississippi Feasibility Study, 39264-39266 [2019-17129]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
39264
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 154 / Friday, August 9, 2019 / Notices
TABLE 1—AUTHORIZED TAKE AMOUNT BY SPECIES
Species
Level A
Harbor seal ..................................................................................................................................
California sea lion ........................................................................................................................
Northern elephant seal ................................................................................................................
Killer whale (West coast transient) ..............................................................................................
Steller sea lion .............................................................................................................................
Gray whale ...................................................................................................................................
Humpback whale .........................................................................................................................
Dall’s porpoise .............................................................................................................................
Harbor porpoise ...........................................................................................................................
Minke whale .................................................................................................................................
Bottlenose dolphin .......................................................................................................................
Long-beaked common dolphin ....................................................................................................
khammond on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
A description of the methods and
inputs used to estimate take anticipated
to occur and, ultimately, the take that
was authorized is found in the previous
documents referenced above. The
methods of estimating take are identical
to those used in the previous IHA, as is
the density of marine mammals. NMFS
has reviewed recent Stock Assessment
Reports, information on relevant
Unusual Mortality Events, and recent
scientific literature, and determined that
no new information affects our original
analysis of impacts or take estimate
under the original IHA.
We refer to the documents related to
the previously issued IHA, which
include the Federal Register notice of
the issuance of the 2018 IHA for
WSDOT’s construction work (83 FR
43849), WSDOT’s application, the
Federal Register notice of the proposed
IHA (83 FR 30421, June 28, 2018), and
all associated references and
documents.
Determinations
WSDOT will conduct activities
identical to those analyzed in the
previous 2018 IHA. As described above,
the number of authorized takes of the
same species and stocks of marine
mammals are identical to the numbers
that were found to meet the negligible
impact and small numbers standards
and authorized under the 2018 IHA and
no new information has emerged that
would change those findings. The reissued 2019 IHA includes identical
required mitigation, monitoring, and
reporting measures as the 2018 IHA, and
there is no new information suggesting
that our analysis or findings should
change.
Based on the information contained
here and in the referenced documents,
NMFS has determined the following: (1)
The required mitigation measures will
effect the least practicable impact on
marine mammal species or stocks and
their habitat; (2) the authorized takes
will have a negligible impact on the
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:34 Aug 08, 2019
Jkt 247001
affected marine mammal species or
stocks; (3) the authorized takes
represent small numbers of marine
mammals relative to the affected stock
abundances; and (4) WSDOT’s activities
will not have an unmitigable adverse
impact on taking for subsistence
purposes as no relevant subsistence uses
of marine mammals are implicated by
this action.
National Environmental Policy Act
To comply with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and
NOAA Administrative Order (NAO)
216–6A, NMFS must review our
proposed action with respect to
environmental consequences on the
human environment.
Accordingly, NMFS has determined
that the issuance of the IHA qualifies to
be categorically excluded from further
NEPA review. This action is consistent
with categories of activities identified in
CE B4 of the Companion Manual for
NOAA Administrative Order 216–6A,
which do not individually or
cumulatively have the potential for
significant impacts on the quality of the
human environment and for which we
have not identified any extraordinary
circumstances that would preclude this
categorical exclusion.
Endangered Species Act (ESA)
Section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 (ESA: 16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.) requires that each Federal
agency insure that any action it
authorizes, funds, or carries out is not
likely to jeopardize the continued
existence of any endangered or
threatened species or result in the
destruction or adverse modification of
designated critical habitat. To ensure
ESA compliance for the issuance of
IHAs, NMFS consults internally, in this
case with the West Coast Region
Protected Resources Division, whenever
we propose to authorize take for
endangered or threatened species. The
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Level B
93
0
0
0
0
0
0
39
39
0
0
0
Total take
1,860
868
7
19
154
2
6
163
784
7
49
49
1,953
868
7
19
154
2
6
202
823
7
49
49
effects of this proposed federal action
were adequately analyzed in NMFS’
Biological Opinion for the Mukilteo
Multimodal Project, dated August 1,
2017, which concluded that the take
NMFS proposes to authorize through
this IHA would not jeopardize the
continued existence of any endangered
or threatened species or destroy or
adversely modify any designated critical
habitat.
Authorization
NMFS has issued an IHA to WSDOT
for in-water construction activities
associated with the Mukilteo
Multimodal Project from August 1, 2019
through July 31, 2020. All previously
described mitigation, monitoring, and
reporting requirements from the 2018
IHA are incorporated.
Dated: August 6, 2019.
Donna S. Wieting,
Director, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019–17068 Filed 8–8–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of
Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Draft Integrated
Feasibility Report-Environmental
Impact Statement for the Memphis
Metropolitan Stormwater Management
Project: North DeSoto County,
Mississippi Feasibility Study
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
Department of Defense.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
AGENCY:
Pursuant to the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE),
Memphis District, as the lead agency
intends to prepare a Draft Integrated
Feasibility Report and Environmental
Impact Statement (DIFR–EIS) for the
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\09AUN1.SGM
09AUN1
khammond on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 154 / Friday, August 9, 2019 / Notices
Memphis Metropolitan Stormwater
Management Project: North DeSoto
County, Mississippi Feasibility Study.
The DIFR–EIS seeks to evaluate the
effectiveness of existing Federal and
non-Federal improvements; to
determine the need for additional
improvements to reduce the risk of
flooding from storm water, restore
environmental resources, and improve
the quality of water entering the
Mississippi River and its tributaries; and
to determine if such improvements are
technically feasible, environmentally
acceptable, and economically justified.
DATES: This Notice of Intent commences
the formal public scoping comment
period. No later than August 16, 2019,
a scoping meeting notice announcing
the location, date, and time for a
scoping meeting will be posted on the
project website (https://
www.mvm.usace.army.mil/Missions/
Projects/North-DeSoto-CountyFeasibility-Study/) and published in
local newspapers. Initial scoping
comments should be received by
October 15, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Written comments may be
submitted: (1) To USACE at public
scoping meetings; (2) by regular U.S.
Mail mailed to: U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, ATTN: CEMVN–PDC–UDC,
167 North Main Street, Room B–202,
Memphis, Tennessee 38103–1894; and
(3) by email to: Andrea.L.Carpenter@
usace.army.mil. Please include your
name and return address on the first
page of your written comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions or comments about the
proposed action or requests to be added
to the project mailing list should be
directed to Andrea Carpenter, 167 North
Main Street, Room B202, Memphis,
Tennessee 38103, Andrea.L.Carpenter@
usace.army.mil, or (901) 544–0817. For
additional information, please visit the
following: https://
www.mvm.usace.army.mil/Missions/
Projects/North-DeSoto-CountyFeasibility-Study/.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The lead
agency for this proposed action is the
USACE. The DeSoto County
Government is the non-Federal sponsor.
Authority. The USACE is preparing
the DIFR–EIS under the authority of the
United States House of Representatives
Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure adopted a Resolution on
March 7, 1996.
Memphis Metro Area
The Secretary of the Army reviewed
the report of the Chief of Engineers on
the Wolf River and Tributaries,
Tennessee and Mississippi, published
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:34 Aug 08, 2019
Jkt 247001
as House Document Numbered 76,
Eighty-fifth Congress, and other
pertinent reports, to determine whether
any modifications of the
recommendations contained therein are
advisable at this time, with particular
reference to the need for improvements
for flood control, environmental
restoration, water quality, and related
purposes associated with storm water
runoff and management in the
metropolitan Memphis, Tennessee, area
and tributary basins including Shelby,
Tipton, and Fayette counties,
Tennessee, and DeSoto and Marshall
counties, Mississippi. This area
includes the Hatchie River,
Loosahatchie River, Wolf River,
Nonconnah Creek, Horn Lake Creek,
and Coldwater River basins. The review
shall evaluate the effectiveness of
existing Federal and non-Federal
improvements and determine the need
for additional improvements to reduce
the risk of flooding from storm water, to
restore environmental resources, and to
improve the quality of water entering
the Mississippi River and its tributaries.
1. Background. Flooding within
DeSoto County, Mississippi, has been an
issue of concern and repeated study
since at least 1971 with the Soil
Conservation Service Watershed Report
and continuing through the present. The
Horn Lake Creek and Tributaries,
Tennessee and Mississippi Project was
constructed in 1998. Construction of the
1986 authorized project (as revised per
the 1988 General Design Memorandum)
was completed in 1998 per a Project
Cooperation Agreement between the
Horn Lake Creek Drainage District
Commission and the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers. The completed project
included: 3.5 miles of selective channel
clearing on Horn Lake Creek from Mile
16.75 downstream to Stateline Road,
Mile 13.25; 2.75 miles of vegetative
clearing on upper Horn Lake Creek
between Mile 16.75 and 19.50 (Highway
51); vegetative clearing on the lower
0.62 miles of Cow Pen Creek; 1.85 miles
of channel enlargement on Cow Pen
Creek between Mile 0.62 and 2.47,
requiring a 35-foot bottom width
channel enlargement; 2.1 miles of
vegetative clearing on the lower end of
Rocky Creek downstream to the mouth.
The constructed project provided a 25year level of protection to existing
development along Cow Pen Creek; a
1.1-year level of protection along Horn
Lake Creek; and a 1.1 to 2- year level of
protection along Rocky Creek. Although
hiking/biking trails were proposed along
Rocky Creek and Cow Pen Creek, these
trails have not been constructed to date.
More recently, damaging floods
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
39265
occurred in the area in May 2010, May
2011, September 2014, and March 2016.
The area received a Presidential Disaster
Declaration in 2011. In DeSoto County,
the U.S. Small Business Administration
provided federal assistance in the area
after the 2014 flood. Flooding inundates
major transportation corridors and
several neighborhoods, isolates
communities, damages public
infrastructure and development
(residential, commercial and industrial),
and threatens life safety. In the area,
unstable channels, lack of suitable
riparian cover, altered flow regime, and
loss of wetlands and floodplains all
degrade habitat in the area. Commercial
and residential development has
reduced floodplain and aquatic habitat.
Wetland habitat and bottomland
hardwoods have been isolated and
degraded. Increased runoff is causing
channel instability, scouring and
degradation of aquatic habitat.
2. Alternatives: The USACE will
evaluate a range of alternatives for the
proposed action including structural
and nonstructural measures within
Horn Lake Creek and Tributaries,
Hurricane Creek Basin, Johnson Creek
Basin, and Coldwater River and
Tributaries. Retention and/or detention
structures to reduce the flood peak and
floodplain restoration in critical reaches
are being examined along with other
features. Recreation features such as
biking and hiking trails will be
considered as appropriate.
The USACE will fully evaluate the
reasonable and practicable alternatives,
including the no action alternative.
Alternatives may necessitate avoidance,
minimization, and/or compensatory
mitigation measures to reduce or offset
any impacts. The DIFR–EIS seeks to
evaluate the effectiveness of existing
Federal and non-Federal improvements
and determine the need for additional
improvements to reduce the risk of
flooding from storm water, to restore
environmental resources, and to
improve the quality of water entering
the Mississippi River and its tributaries
and if such improvements are
technically feasible, environmentally
acceptable, and economically justified.
The study will also consider other levels
of risk reduction. The significant issues
that are likely to be analyzed in depth
in the DIFR–EIS include, but are not
limited to, the direct, indirect, and
cumulative effects on socioeconomics;
environmental justice; threatened and
endangered species and their critical
habitat; other protected species of
concern; wildlife resources; air and
water quality; prime and unique
farmlands; geology and soils; hydrology
and hydraulics; cultural resources;
E:\FR\FM\09AUN1.SGM
09AUN1
khammond on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
39266
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 154 / Friday, August 9, 2019 / Notices
recreation; aesthetics and visual
resources; and hazardous, toxic and
radioactive waste. USACE will also
consider issues identified and
comments made throughout scoping,
public involvement, and interagency
coordination.
3. Public Involvement: Public
involvement, an essential part of the
NEPA process, is integral to assessing
the environmental consequences of the
proposed action and improving the
quality of the environmental decision
making. The public includes affected
and interested Federal, state, and local
agencies; Indian tribes; concerned
citizens; stakeholders; and other
interested parties. Public participation
in the NEPA process will be strongly
encouraged, both formally and
informally, to enhance the probability of
a more technically accurate,
economically feasible, and socially
acceptable EIS. Public involvement will
include, but is not limited to:
information dissemination;
identification of problems, needs and
opportunities; idea generation; public
education; problem solving; providing
feedback on proposals; evaluation of
alternatives; conflict resolution; public
and scoping notices and meetings;
public, stakeholder and advisory groups
consultation and meetings; and making
the EIS and supporting information
readily available in conveniently
located places, such as libraries and on
the world wide web at https://
www.mvm.usace.army.mil/Missions/
Projects/North-DeSoto-CountyFeasibility-Study/.
4. Scoping: Scoping, is the NEPA
process utilized for determining the
range of alternative and significant
issues to be addressed in the EIS.
Scoping is used to: (a) Identify the
affected public and agency concerns; (b)
facilitate an efficient EIS preparation
process; (c) define the issues and
alternatives that will be examined in
detail in the EIS; and (d) save time in
the overall process by helping to ensure
that the draft EIS adequately addresses
relevant issues. USACE invites full
public participation to promote open
communication on the issues
surrounding the proposed action. The
public will be involved in the scoping
and evaluation process through
advertisements, notices, and other
means. A Scoping Meeting Notice
announcing the locations, dates and
times for scoping meetings is
anticipated to be posted on the project
website, and published in the local
newspapers no later than 15 days prior
to the meeting dates. Notices of the
public scoping meetings will be sent by
USACE through email distribution lists,
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:34 Aug 08, 2019
Jkt 247001
posted on the Project website, and
mailed to public libraries, government
agencies, and interested groups and
individuals. Interested parties unable to
attend the scoping meetings can access
additional information on DIFR–EIS at:
https://www.mvm.usace.army.mil/
Missions/Projects/North-DeSoto-CountyFeasibility-Study/.
5. Coordination: The USACE will
serve as the lead Federal agency in the
preparation of the EIS. Other federal
and/or state agencies may participate as
cooperating and/or commenting
agencies throughout the EIS process.
In accordance with Executive Order
13807, referred to as One Federal
Decision (OFD), the USACE and other
agencies with environmental review,
authorization, or consultation
responsibilities for major infrastructure
projects should develop a single EIS for
such projects, sign a single Record of
Decision (ROD) and issue all necessary
authorizations within 90 days thereafter,
subject to limited exceptions. An
essential element of the OFD framework
is the development of a schedule,
referred to as the ‘‘Permitting
Timetable,’’ including key milestones
critical to completion of the
environmental review and issuance of a
ROD. Cooperating agencies required by
law to develop schedules for
environmental review or authorization
processes should transmit a summary of
such schedules to the lead agency for
integration into the Permitting
Timetable.
To ensure timely completion of the
environmental review and issuance of
necessary authorizations, OMB and CEQ
recommend the Permitting Timetable
for major infrastructure projects provide
for environmental review according to
the following schedule:
(1) Formal scoping and preparation of
a Draft EIS (DEIS) within 14 months,
beginning on the date of publication of
the NOI to publish an EIS and ending
on the date of the Notice of Availability
of the DEIS;
(2) Completion of the formal public
comment period and development of
the Final EIS (FEIS) within eight months
of the date of the Notice of Availability
of the DEIS; and
(3) Publication of the final ROD
within two months of the publication of
the Notice of Availability of the FEIS.
While the actual schedule for any
given project may vary based upon the
circumstances of the project and
applicable law, agencies should
endeavor to meet the two-year goal
established in E.O. 13807.
The USACE is coordinating with the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
in documenting existing conditions and
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
assessing effects of project alternatives
through the Fish and Wildlife
Coordination Act and pursuant to
Section 7 of the Endangered Species
Act. Coordination includes the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency and
the Mississippi Department of
Environmental Quality pursuant to
Section 401 of the Clean Water Act, and
the Mississippi Department of Wildlife
Fisheries and Parks. The USACE is
coordinating with the State Historic
Preservation Officer under Section 106
of the National Historic Preservation Act
concerning properties listed, or
potentially eligible for listing.
6. Availability: The DIFR–EIS is
expected to be available for public
comment and review in January 2020.
At that time, a 45-day public review
period will be provided for individuals
and agencies to review and comment.
USACE will notify all interested
agencies, organizations, and individuals
of the availability of the draft document
at that time. All interested parties are
encouraged to respond to this notice
and provide a current address if they
wish to be notified of the DIFR–EIS
circulation.
Dated: August 2, 2019. Approved by:
Zachary L. Miller,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers District
Commander.
[FR Doc. 2019–17129 Filed 8–8–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720–58–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards;
Personnel Development To Improve
Services and Results for Children With
Disabilities—Leadership Development
Programs: Increasing the Capacity of
Leaders To Improve Systems Serving
Children With Disabilities
Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The mission of the Office of
Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services (OSERS) is to improve early
childhood, educational, and
employment outcomes and raise
expectations for all people with
disabilities, their families, their
communities, and the Nation. As such,
the Department of Education
(Department) is issuing a notice inviting
applications for new awards for fiscal
year (FY) 2019 for Personnel
Development to Improve Services and
Results for Children with Disabilities—
Leadership Development Programs:
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\09AUN1.SGM
09AUN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 154 (Friday, August 9, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39264-39266]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-17129]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Draft Integrated Feasibility Report-
Environmental Impact Statement for the Memphis Metropolitan Stormwater
Management Project: North DeSoto County, Mississippi Feasibility Study
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Defense.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Memphis District, as the lead
agency intends to prepare a Draft Integrated Feasibility Report and
Environmental Impact Statement (DIFR-EIS) for the
[[Page 39265]]
Memphis Metropolitan Stormwater Management Project: North DeSoto
County, Mississippi Feasibility Study. The DIFR-EIS seeks to evaluate
the effectiveness of existing Federal and non-Federal improvements; to
determine the need for additional improvements to reduce the risk of
flooding from storm water, restore environmental resources, and improve
the quality of water entering the Mississippi River and its
tributaries; and to determine if such improvements are technically
feasible, environmentally acceptable, and economically justified.
DATES: This Notice of Intent commences the formal public scoping
comment period. No later than August 16, 2019, a scoping meeting notice
announcing the location, date, and time for a scoping meeting will be
posted on the project website (https://www.mvm.usace.army.mil/Missions/Projects/North-DeSoto-County-Feasibility-Study/) and published in local
newspapers. Initial scoping comments should be received by October 15,
2019.
ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted: (1) To USACE at public
scoping meetings; (2) by regular U.S. Mail mailed to: U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, ATTN: CEMVN-PDC-UDC, 167 North Main Street, Room B-202,
Memphis, Tennessee 38103-1894; and (3) by email to:
[email protected]. Please include your name and return
address on the first page of your written comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions or comments about the
proposed action or requests to be added to the project mailing list
should be directed to Andrea Carpenter, 167 North Main Street, Room
B202, Memphis, Tennessee 38103, [email protected], or
(901) 544-0817. For additional information, please visit the following:
https://www.mvm.usace.army.mil/Missions/Projects/North-DeSoto-County-Feasibility-Study/.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The lead agency for this proposed action is
the USACE. The DeSoto County Government is the non-Federal sponsor.
Authority. The USACE is preparing the DIFR-EIS under the authority
of the United States House of Representatives Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure adopted a Resolution on March 7,
1996.
Memphis Metro Area
The Secretary of the Army reviewed the report of the Chief of
Engineers on the Wolf River and Tributaries, Tennessee and Mississippi,
published as House Document Numbered 76, Eighty-fifth Congress, and
other pertinent reports, to determine whether any modifications of the
recommendations contained therein are advisable at this time, with
particular reference to the need for improvements for flood control,
environmental restoration, water quality, and related purposes
associated with storm water runoff and management in the metropolitan
Memphis, Tennessee, area and tributary basins including Shelby, Tipton,
and Fayette counties, Tennessee, and DeSoto and Marshall counties,
Mississippi. This area includes the Hatchie River, Loosahatchie River,
Wolf River, Nonconnah Creek, Horn Lake Creek, and Coldwater River
basins. The review shall evaluate the effectiveness of existing Federal
and non-Federal improvements and determine the need for additional
improvements to reduce the risk of flooding from storm water, to
restore environmental resources, and to improve the quality of water
entering the Mississippi River and its tributaries.
1. Background. Flooding within DeSoto County, Mississippi, has been
an issue of concern and repeated study since at least 1971 with the
Soil Conservation Service Watershed Report and continuing through the
present. The Horn Lake Creek and Tributaries, Tennessee and Mississippi
Project was constructed in 1998. Construction of the 1986 authorized
project (as revised per the 1988 General Design Memorandum) was
completed in 1998 per a Project Cooperation Agreement between the Horn
Lake Creek Drainage District Commission and the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers. The completed project included: 3.5 miles of selective
channel clearing on Horn Lake Creek from Mile 16.75 downstream to
Stateline Road, Mile 13.25; 2.75 miles of vegetative clearing on upper
Horn Lake Creek between Mile 16.75 and 19.50 (Highway 51); vegetative
clearing on the lower 0.62 miles of Cow Pen Creek; 1.85 miles of
channel enlargement on Cow Pen Creek between Mile 0.62 and 2.47,
requiring a 35-foot bottom width channel enlargement; 2.1 miles of
vegetative clearing on the lower end of Rocky Creek downstream to the
mouth. The constructed project provided a 25-year level of protection
to existing development along Cow Pen Creek; a 1.1-year level of
protection along Horn Lake Creek; and a 1.1 to 2- year level of
protection along Rocky Creek. Although hiking/biking trails were
proposed along Rocky Creek and Cow Pen Creek, these trails have not
been constructed to date. More recently, damaging floods occurred in
the area in May 2010, May 2011, September 2014, and March 2016. The
area received a Presidential Disaster Declaration in 2011. In DeSoto
County, the U.S. Small Business Administration provided federal
assistance in the area after the 2014 flood. Flooding inundates major
transportation corridors and several neighborhoods, isolates
communities, damages public infrastructure and development
(residential, commercial and industrial), and threatens life safety. In
the area, unstable channels, lack of suitable riparian cover, altered
flow regime, and loss of wetlands and floodplains all degrade habitat
in the area. Commercial and residential development has reduced
floodplain and aquatic habitat. Wetland habitat and bottomland
hardwoods have been isolated and degraded. Increased runoff is causing
channel instability, scouring and degradation of aquatic habitat.
2. Alternatives: The USACE will evaluate a range of alternatives
for the proposed action including structural and nonstructural measures
within Horn Lake Creek and Tributaries, Hurricane Creek Basin, Johnson
Creek Basin, and Coldwater River and Tributaries. Retention and/or
detention structures to reduce the flood peak and floodplain
restoration in critical reaches are being examined along with other
features. Recreation features such as biking and hiking trails will be
considered as appropriate.
The USACE will fully evaluate the reasonable and practicable
alternatives, including the no action alternative. Alternatives may
necessitate avoidance, minimization, and/or compensatory mitigation
measures to reduce or offset any impacts. The DIFR-EIS seeks to
evaluate the effectiveness of existing Federal and non-Federal
improvements and determine the need for additional improvements to
reduce the risk of flooding from storm water, to restore environmental
resources, and to improve the quality of water entering the Mississippi
River and its tributaries and if such improvements are technically
feasible, environmentally acceptable, and economically justified. The
study will also consider other levels of risk reduction. The
significant issues that are likely to be analyzed in depth in the DIFR-
EIS include, but are not limited to, the direct, indirect, and
cumulative effects on socioeconomics; environmental justice; threatened
and endangered species and their critical habitat; other protected
species of concern; wildlife resources; air and water quality; prime
and unique farmlands; geology and soils; hydrology and hydraulics;
cultural resources;
[[Page 39266]]
recreation; aesthetics and visual resources; and hazardous, toxic and
radioactive waste. USACE will also consider issues identified and
comments made throughout scoping, public involvement, and interagency
coordination.
3. Public Involvement: Public involvement, an essential part of the
NEPA process, is integral to assessing the environmental consequences
of the proposed action and improving the quality of the environmental
decision making. The public includes affected and interested Federal,
state, and local agencies; Indian tribes; concerned citizens;
stakeholders; and other interested parties. Public participation in the
NEPA process will be strongly encouraged, both formally and informally,
to enhance the probability of a more technically accurate, economically
feasible, and socially acceptable EIS. Public involvement will include,
but is not limited to: information dissemination; identification of
problems, needs and opportunities; idea generation; public education;
problem solving; providing feedback on proposals; evaluation of
alternatives; conflict resolution; public and scoping notices and
meetings; public, stakeholder and advisory groups consultation and
meetings; and making the EIS and supporting information readily
available in conveniently located places, such as libraries and on the
world wide web at https://www.mvm.usace.army.mil/Missions/Projects/North-DeSoto-County-Feasibility-Study/.
4. Scoping: Scoping, is the NEPA process utilized for determining
the range of alternative and significant issues to be addressed in the
EIS. Scoping is used to: (a) Identify the affected public and agency
concerns; (b) facilitate an efficient EIS preparation process; (c)
define the issues and alternatives that will be examined in detail in
the EIS; and (d) save time in the overall process by helping to ensure
that the draft EIS adequately addresses relevant issues. USACE invites
full public participation to promote open communication on the issues
surrounding the proposed action. The public will be involved in the
scoping and evaluation process through advertisements, notices, and
other means. A Scoping Meeting Notice announcing the locations, dates
and times for scoping meetings is anticipated to be posted on the
project website, and published in the local newspapers no later than 15
days prior to the meeting dates. Notices of the public scoping meetings
will be sent by USACE through email distribution lists, posted on the
Project website, and mailed to public libraries, government agencies,
and interested groups and individuals. Interested parties unable to
attend the scoping meetings can access additional information on DIFR-
EIS at: https://www.mvm.usace.army.mil/Missions/Projects/North-DeSoto-County-Feasibility-Study/.
5. Coordination: The USACE will serve as the lead Federal agency in
the preparation of the EIS. Other federal and/or state agencies may
participate as cooperating and/or commenting agencies throughout the
EIS process.
In accordance with Executive Order 13807, referred to as One
Federal Decision (OFD), the USACE and other agencies with environmental
review, authorization, or consultation responsibilities for major
infrastructure projects should develop a single EIS for such projects,
sign a single Record of Decision (ROD) and issue all necessary
authorizations within 90 days thereafter, subject to limited
exceptions. An essential element of the OFD framework is the
development of a schedule, referred to as the ``Permitting Timetable,''
including key milestones critical to completion of the environmental
review and issuance of a ROD. Cooperating agencies required by law to
develop schedules for environmental review or authorization processes
should transmit a summary of such schedules to the lead agency for
integration into the Permitting Timetable.
To ensure timely completion of the environmental review and
issuance of necessary authorizations, OMB and CEQ recommend the
Permitting Timetable for major infrastructure projects provide for
environmental review according to the following schedule:
(1) Formal scoping and preparation of a Draft EIS (DEIS) within 14
months, beginning on the date of publication of the NOI to publish an
EIS and ending on the date of the Notice of Availability of the DEIS;
(2) Completion of the formal public comment period and development
of the Final EIS (FEIS) within eight months of the date of the Notice
of Availability of the DEIS; and
(3) Publication of the final ROD within two months of the
publication of the Notice of Availability of the FEIS.
While the actual schedule for any given project may vary based upon
the circumstances of the project and applicable law, agencies should
endeavor to meet the two-year goal established in E.O. 13807.
The USACE is coordinating with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(USFWS) in documenting existing conditions and assessing effects of
project alternatives through the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act and
pursuant to Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act. Coordination
includes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Mississippi
Department of Environmental Quality pursuant to Section 401 of the
Clean Water Act, and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries
and Parks. The USACE is coordinating with the State Historic
Preservation Officer under Section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act concerning properties listed, or potentially eligible
for listing.
6. Availability: The DIFR-EIS is expected to be available for
public comment and review in January 2020. At that time, a 45-day
public review period will be provided for individuals and agencies to
review and comment. USACE will notify all interested agencies,
organizations, and individuals of the availability of the draft
document at that time. All interested parties are encouraged to respond
to this notice and provide a current address if they wish to be
notified of the DIFR-EIS circulation.
Dated: August 2, 2019. Approved by:
Zachary L. Miller,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers District Commander.
[FR Doc. 2019-17129 Filed 8-8-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P
