Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Nassau County Back Bays Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study, 55841-55842 [2020-20031]
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 176 / Thursday, September 10, 2020 / Notices
2020. DoD proposes that OMB extend its
approval for use for three additional
years beyond the current expiration
date.
DoD will consider all comments
received by November 9, 2020.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments,
identified by OMB Control Number
0704–0446, using any of the following
methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
Email: osd.dfars@mail.mil. Include
OMB Control Number 0704–0446 in the
subject line of the message.
Mail: Defense Acquisition Regulations
System, Attn: Ms. Carrie Moore,
OUSD(A&S)DPC/DARS, 3060 Defense
Pentagon, Room 3B938, Washington, DC
20301–3060.
Comments received generally will be
posted without change to https://
www.regulations.gov, including any
personal information provided.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
Carrie Moore, at 571–372–6093.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title and
OMB Number: Defense Federal
Acquisition Regulation Supplement
(DFARS): Evaluation Factor for Use of
Members of the Armed Forces Selected
Reserve; OMB Control Number 0704–
0446.
Affected Public: Businesses or other
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Respondent’s Obligation: Required to
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Type of Request: Revision.
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Responses per Respondent: 1.
Annual Responses: 13.
Average Burden per Response:
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Annual Burden Hours: 620.
Reporting Frequency: On occasion.
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prescribes the use of the provision at
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Factor for Employing or Subcontracting
with Members of the Selected Reserve,
in solicitations that include an
evaluation factor to provide a preference
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members will be utilized in the
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information collection implements a
requirement of section 819 of the
National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2006 (Pub. L. 109–163).
For solicitations that include the
provision at DFARS 252.215–7005, the
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DATES:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:38 Sep 09, 2020
Jkt 250001
provision requires offerors to include
documentation with their proposal that
supports their intent to use employees
or individual subcontractors who are
members of the Selected Reserve in
order to receive a preference under the
associated evaluation factor. Such
documentation may include, but is not
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documentation indicating the names of
the Selected Reserve members who are
currently employed by the company, or
a statement that positions will be set
aside to be filled by Selected Reserve
members, along with verifying
documentation.
Jennifer Lee Hawes,
Regulatory Control Officer, Defense
Acquisition Regulations System.
[FR Doc. 2020–19980 Filed 9–9–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001–06–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of
Engineers
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Nassau County Back Bays Coastal
Storm Risk Management Feasibility
Study
AGENCY:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
DoD.
ACTION:
Notice of intent.
Pursuant to the requirements
of the National Environmental Policy
Act, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(Corps) plans to prepare an integrated
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for the proposed Nassau County Back
Bays (NCBB) Coastal Storm Risk
Management (CSRM) Feasibility Study.
The EIS will evaluate environmental
impacts from reasonable project
alternatives designed to reduce future
flood risk in ways that support the longterm resilience and sustainability of the
coastal ecosystem and surrounding
communities due to sea level rise, local
subsidence and storms; and to reduce
the economic costs and risks associated
with large scale flood and storm events
in the area known as the Atlantic Coast
of New York, the Nassau County Back
Bays.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments and
suggestions concerning the scope of
issues to be evaluated within the EIS to
Scott Sanderson, Project Manager, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia
District, Planning Division—Coastal
Section, (CENAP–PL–PC), 100 Penn
Square East, Wanamaker Building,
Philadelphia, PA 19107–3390,
scott.a.sanderson@usace.army.mil or
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00030
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
55841
via email to Angela Sowers, NEPA
coordinator, angela.sowers@
usace.army.mil.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions about the overall NCBB
CSRM Feasibility Study should be
directed to Scott Sanderson at
scott.a.sanderson@usace.army.mil or
(215) 656–6571.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Background
As a result of Hurricane Sandy in
October 2012, Congress passed Public
Law 113–2, which authorized
supplemental appropriations to Federal
agencies for expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Sandy. The
Corps is investigating measures to
reduce future flood risk in ways that
support the long-term resilience and
sustainability of the coastal ecosystem
and surrounding communities, and
reduce the economic costs and risks
associated with flood and storm events.
In support of this goal, the Corps
completed the North Atlantic Coast
Comprehensive Study (NAACS), which
identified nine high risk areas on the
Atlantic Coast for further analysis based
on preliminary findings. The NCBB area
was identified as one of the nine areas
of high risk, or Focus Areas, that
warrants an in-depth investigation into
potential CSRM measures. During
Hurricane Sandy, the study area
communities were severely affected
with large areas subjected to erosion,
storm surge, and wave damage along the
Atlantic Ocean shoreline, and flooding
of communities within and surrounding
bays. Along the Atlantic Ocean, surge
and waves inundated low lying areas,
and contributed to the flooding along
the shoreline of the interior of the bays.
Hurricane Sandy illustrated the need to
re-evaluate the entire back-bay area as a
system, when considering risk
management measures.
The original Notice of Intent (NOI) to
prepare an EIS was published in the
Federal Register on Friday, April 21,
2017 (82 FR 18746), but was withdrawn
by publication in the Federal Register
on June 8, 2020 (85 FR 35801). The
original NOI was withdrawn in order to
align the rescoped study schedule with
Executive Order (E.O.) 13807, ‘‘One
Federal Decision Framework for the
Environmental Review and
Authorization Process for Major
Infrastructure Projects under E.O.
13807.’’
The purpose of the study is to
determine the feasibility of a project to
reduce the risk of coastal storm damage
in the back bays of Nassau County, New
York, while contributing to the
E:\FR\FM\10SEN1.SGM
10SEN1
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55842
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 176 / Thursday, September 10, 2020 / Notices
resilience of communities, critical
infrastructure, and the natural
environment. The study is needed
because the study area experiences
frequent flooding from high tides, spring
tides, sunny day flooding, and coastal
storms; is considered at high risk to
coastal storm flooding with an
associated threat to life safety; includes
a degraded back bay ecosystem; and is
susceptible to relative sea level change.
On 5 February 2020, the NCBB CSRM
Feasibility Study was granted an
exemption from the requirement to
complete the feasibility study within 3
years; required in Section 1001(a) of the
Water Resources Reform and
Development Act of 2014. The
exemption was contingent on re-scoping
the study to focus on critical
infrastructure and highly vulnerable
areas outside of Coastal Barrier
Resources Act units. As a result, storm
surge barriers are no longer under
consideration at any of the inlets to the
back bays from the Atlantic Ocean. The
original NOI was withdrawn on June 8,
2020 (85 FR 35801) due to the need to
re-scope and align updated schedules
consistent with E.O. 13807. The NEPA
coordination/review schedule for the rescoped study is being aligned and
coordinated with the appropriate
Federal and state resource agencies, as
required by E.O. 13807. This includes
cooperating agencies that have statutory
jurisdiction over the review process for
any action being contemplated in the
course of the feasibility study and
development of the EIS.
Acknowledging the complex analyses
required to comprehensively reevaluate
the study area considering the influence
of the Atlantic Ocean shorefront
conditions on the back-bay system and
the potential for large-scale marine
construction to implement flood
protection measures, an EIS will be
prepared. The EIS will build upon the
extensive Atlantic shoreline alternatives
analysis and environmental and
technical studies and outreach
conducted to date. The scope of analysis
will be appropriate to the level of detail
necessary for an EIS and will receive
input from the public and reviewing
agencies. The analysis will provide the
basis for the alternatives to problems
associated with storm surge and wave
damage along the back-bays. Public,
agency and stakeholder comments and
feedback will continue to be accepted at
any time during the feasibility study
and preparation of the EIS.
2. Study Area
The study area includes all of the
tidally influenced bays and estuaries
within Nassau County, New York,
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:38 Sep 09, 2020
Jkt 250001
located on Long Island, NY, that are
hydraulically connected to the south
shore of Nassau County, directly east of
Queens County and west of Suffolk
County for approximately 98 square
miles.
3. Corps Decision Making
As required by Council on
Environmental Quality’s Principles,
Requirements and Guidelines for Water
and Land Related Resources
Implementation Studies (2013),
alternatives to the proposed Federal
action that meet the purpose and need
will be considered in the EIS. These
alternatives will include no action and
a range of reasonable alternatives for
managing flood risk within the Nassau
County Back Bays Area. The measures
to be evaluated will consider applicable
public stakeholders and agency
coordination received since the study
commenced in 2017, and through future
outreach efforts. Coordination early in
the process identified concerns and
potential impacts, relevant effects of
past actions, and possible alternative
actions that were pivotal in defining the
re-scoped study. The decision making
approach will allow time to address
agency policy issues and build
consensus among cooperating agencies
and the public.
4. Scoping/Public Participation
Prior scoping meetings were held in
May 2017 and June 2019. At this time,
additional scoping meetings are not
scheduled. However, input can be
provided to the contacts identified here
within, at any time during the feasibility
study and preparation of the EIS. Public
meetings will be conducted during the
public review period of the draft EIS.
5. Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The Corps is the lead federal agency
and the New York Department of
Environmental Conservation (in
partnership with Nassau County, NY) is
the nonfederal sponsor for the study and
the preparation of the EIS in meeting the
requirements of the NEPA and its
Implementing Regulations of the
President’s Council on Environmental
Quality (40 CFR 1500–1508). The U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), the Federal
Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA), and the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) have been
identified as cooperating agencies. The
preparation of the EIS will be
coordinated with New York State and
Nassau County offices with
discretionary authority relative to the
proposed actions. The Draft Integrated
PO 00000
Frm 00031
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Feasibility Report/EIS is currently
scheduled for distribution to the public
in 2021.
Dated: September 4, 2020.
Karen J. Baker,
Programs Director, North Atlantic Division.
[FR Doc. 2020–20031 Filed 9–9–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720–58–P
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of
Engineers
Withdrawal of the Notice of Intent To
Prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement for the Upper Susquehanna
River Basin, New York, Comprehensive
Flood Damage Reduction Feasibility
Study
Department of the Army, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent; withdrawal.
AGENCY:
The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District,
is notifying interested parties that it has
withdrawn the notice of intent (NOI) to
develop an EIS for the proposed Upper
Susquehanna River Basin, New York,
Comprehensive Flood Damage
Reduction Feasibility Study.
DATES: The notice of intent to prepare
an EIS published in the Federal Register
on April 4, 2016 (81 FR 76936), is
withdrawn as of September 10, 2020.
ADDRESSES: U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Baltimore District, Planning
Division, Civil Project Development
Branch (CENAB–PL–CPD), 2 Hopkins
Plaza, Baltimore, MD, 21201.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions regarding the withdrawal of
this NOI should be addressed to Mr.
Charles Leasure, telephone 410–962–
5175; email address: charles.w.leasure@
usace.army.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The study
was authorized by a Resolution of the
House Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure, on 24 September
2008. The USACE undertook the study
in partnership with the New York State
Department of Environmental
Conservation (NYSDEC). The study
investigated structural and nonstructural flood-risk management (FRM)
strategies and projects to reduce flood
risk. The study resulted in no viable
flood risk management economically
justified alternatives that could be
implemented through federal policies.
Based on these findings, USACE has
concluded that construction of a federal
FRM project by USACE is not
recommended under this study
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\10SEN1.SGM
10SEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 176 (Thursday, September 10, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55841-55842]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-20031]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Nassau County Back Bays Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility
Study
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the requirements of the National Environmental
Policy Act, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) plans to prepare
an integrated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed
Nassau County Back Bays (NCBB) Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM)
Feasibility Study. The EIS will evaluate environmental impacts from
reasonable project alternatives designed to reduce future flood risk in
ways that support the long-term resilience and sustainability of the
coastal ecosystem and surrounding communities due to sea level rise,
local subsidence and storms; and to reduce the economic costs and risks
associated with large scale flood and storm events in the area known as
the Atlantic Coast of New York, the Nassau County Back Bays.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments and suggestions concerning the scope
of issues to be evaluated within the EIS to Scott Sanderson, Project
Manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia District, Planning
Division--Coastal Section, (CENAP-PL-PC), 100 Penn Square East,
Wanamaker Building, Philadelphia, PA 19107-3390,
[email protected] or via email to Angela Sowers, NEPA
coordinator, [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the overall NCBB CSRM
Feasibility Study should be directed to Scott Sanderson at
[email protected] or (215) 656-6571.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Background
As a result of Hurricane Sandy in October 2012, Congress passed
Public Law 113-2, which authorized supplemental appropriations to
Federal agencies for expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane
Sandy. The Corps is investigating measures to reduce future flood risk
in ways that support the long-term resilience and sustainability of the
coastal ecosystem and surrounding communities, and reduce the economic
costs and risks associated with flood and storm events. In support of
this goal, the Corps completed the North Atlantic Coast Comprehensive
Study (NAACS), which identified nine high risk areas on the Atlantic
Coast for further analysis based on preliminary findings. The NCBB area
was identified as one of the nine areas of high risk, or Focus Areas,
that warrants an in-depth investigation into potential CSRM measures.
During Hurricane Sandy, the study area communities were severely
affected with large areas subjected to erosion, storm surge, and wave
damage along the Atlantic Ocean shoreline, and flooding of communities
within and surrounding bays. Along the Atlantic Ocean, surge and waves
inundated low lying areas, and contributed to the flooding along the
shoreline of the interior of the bays. Hurricane Sandy illustrated the
need to re-evaluate the entire back-bay area as a system, when
considering risk management measures.
The original Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS was published
in the Federal Register on Friday, April 21, 2017 (82 FR 18746), but
was withdrawn by publication in the Federal Register on June 8, 2020
(85 FR 35801). The original NOI was withdrawn in order to align the
rescoped study schedule with Executive Order (E.O.) 13807, ``One
Federal Decision Framework for the Environmental Review and
Authorization Process for Major Infrastructure Projects under E.O.
13807.''
The purpose of the study is to determine the feasibility of a
project to reduce the risk of coastal storm damage in the back bays of
Nassau County, New York, while contributing to the
[[Page 55842]]
resilience of communities, critical infrastructure, and the natural
environment. The study is needed because the study area experiences
frequent flooding from high tides, spring tides, sunny day flooding,
and coastal storms; is considered at high risk to coastal storm
flooding with an associated threat to life safety; includes a degraded
back bay ecosystem; and is susceptible to relative sea level change.
On 5 February 2020, the NCBB CSRM Feasibility Study was granted an
exemption from the requirement to complete the feasibility study within
3 years; required in Section 1001(a) of the Water Resources Reform and
Development Act of 2014. The exemption was contingent on re-scoping the
study to focus on critical infrastructure and highly vulnerable areas
outside of Coastal Barrier Resources Act units. As a result, storm
surge barriers are no longer under consideration at any of the inlets
to the back bays from the Atlantic Ocean. The original NOI was
withdrawn on June 8, 2020 (85 FR 35801) due to the need to re-scope and
align updated schedules consistent with E.O. 13807. The NEPA
coordination/review schedule for the re-scoped study is being aligned
and coordinated with the appropriate Federal and state resource
agencies, as required by E.O. 13807. This includes cooperating agencies
that have statutory jurisdiction over the review process for any action
being contemplated in the course of the feasibility study and
development of the EIS.
Acknowledging the complex analyses required to comprehensively
reevaluate the study area considering the influence of the Atlantic
Ocean shorefront conditions on the back-bay system and the potential
for large-scale marine construction to implement flood protection
measures, an EIS will be prepared. The EIS will build upon the
extensive Atlantic shoreline alternatives analysis and environmental
and technical studies and outreach conducted to date. The scope of
analysis will be appropriate to the level of detail necessary for an
EIS and will receive input from the public and reviewing agencies. The
analysis will provide the basis for the alternatives to problems
associated with storm surge and wave damage along the back-bays.
Public, agency and stakeholder comments and feedback will continue to
be accepted at any time during the feasibility study and preparation of
the EIS.
2. Study Area
The study area includes all of the tidally influenced bays and
estuaries within Nassau County, New York, located on Long Island, NY,
that are hydraulically connected to the south shore of Nassau County,
directly east of Queens County and west of Suffolk County for
approximately 98 square miles.
3. Corps Decision Making
As required by Council on Environmental Quality's Principles,
Requirements and Guidelines for Water and Land Related Resources
Implementation Studies (2013), alternatives to the proposed Federal
action that meet the purpose and need will be considered in the EIS.
These alternatives will include no action and a range of reasonable
alternatives for managing flood risk within the Nassau County Back Bays
Area. The measures to be evaluated will consider applicable public
stakeholders and agency coordination received since the study commenced
in 2017, and through future outreach efforts. Coordination early in the
process identified concerns and potential impacts, relevant effects of
past actions, and possible alternative actions that were pivotal in
defining the re-scoped study. The decision making approach will allow
time to address agency policy issues and build consensus among
cooperating agencies and the public.
4. Scoping/Public Participation
Prior scoping meetings were held in May 2017 and June 2019. At this
time, additional scoping meetings are not scheduled. However, input can
be provided to the contacts identified here within, at any time during
the feasibility study and preparation of the EIS. Public meetings will
be conducted during the public review period of the draft EIS.
5. Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The Corps is the lead federal agency and the New York Department of
Environmental Conservation (in partnership with Nassau County, NY) is
the nonfederal sponsor for the study and the preparation of the EIS in
meeting the requirements of the NEPA and its Implementing Regulations
of the President's Council on Environmental Quality (40 CFR 1500-1508).
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have
been identified as cooperating agencies. The preparation of the EIS
will be coordinated with New York State and Nassau County offices with
discretionary authority relative to the proposed actions. The Draft
Integrated Feasibility Report/EIS is currently scheduled for
distribution to the public in 2021.
Dated: September 4, 2020.
Karen J. Baker,
Programs Director, North Atlantic Division.
[FR Doc. 2020-20031 Filed 9-9-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P
