Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Clarke County Water Supply Project, Clarke County, Iowa, 23963-23966 [2024-07291]
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 67 / Friday, April 5, 2024 / Notices
i. Ability to fully express my ideas
and thoughts about work
j. Support and empowerment in
advancing my career
k. Personal Issues
l. Other (50 characters)
26. If you selected ‘‘Other’’ to the
previous question, please provide
your description here.
OMB Control Number for this notice.
All comments received will be posted
without change to https://
www.regulations.gov, including any
personal information provided.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Curt
Alt, 202 690–4784, Podadmin@
usda.gov.
Final Comments
1. Where should leadership focus its
attention over the next year to
continue to build culture? (500
characters)
Title: Regional Agricultural
Promotion Program.
OMB Number: 0551–0049.
Expiration Date of Approval: August
31, 2025.
Type of Request: Revision of a
currently approved information
collection.
Abstract: Under the Regional
Agricultural Promotion Program
(RAPP), information will be gathered
from applicants to the program and from
existing program participants that have
been approved to conduct market
promotion activities that promote U.S.
agricultural commodities in foreign
markets, including activities that
address existing or potential non-tariff
barriers to trade. The information
collected will be used primarily by FAS
to manage, plan, evaluate, and account
for government resources. This revision
is necessary to update the burden
estimate to account for new applications
being received under RAPP.
Estimate of Burden: The public
reporting burden for each respondent
resulting from information collected
under the RAPP varies in direct relation
to the number and type of agreements
entered into by such respondents. The
estimated average reporting burden for
the RAPP is 16 hours per response.
Type of Respondents: Nonprofit U.S.
agricultural trade organizations,
nonprofit state regional trade groups,
U.S. agricultural cooperatives, and state
agencies.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 70
per annum.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: 55 per annum.
Estimated Total Annual Burden of
Respondents: 55,029 hours.
Copies of this information collection
can be obtained from Dacia Rogers, the
Agency Information Collection
Coordinator, at Dacia.Rogers@usda.gov.
Request for Comments: Send
comments regarding (a) whether the
proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of
the functions of the agency, including
whether the information will have
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of the burden of the
collection of information including
validity of the methodology and
assumption used; (c) ways to enhance
[FR Doc. 2024–07240 Filed 4–4–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6116–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Foreign Agricultural Service
Commodity Credit Corporation
Notice of Request for Revision of
Currently Approved Information
Collection
Foreign Agricultural Service,
Commodity Credit Corporation, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice announces the Foreign
Agricultural Service’s (FAS) intention
and Commodity Credit Corporation’s
(CCC) intention to request on behalf of
the Commodity Credit Corporation
(CCC) a revision from the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for a
currently approved information
collection process in support of the
USDA’s Regional Agricultural
Promotion Program.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be
received by June 4, 2024 to be assured
of consideration.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments,
identified by OMB Control Number
0551–0049, by any of the following
methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal:
https://www.regulations.gov. This portal
enables respondents to enter short
comments or attach a file containing
lengthier comments.
• Email: PODadmin@usda.gov.
Include OMB Control Number 0551–
0049 in the subject line of the message.
• Mail, Courier, or Hand Delivery:
Curt Alt, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural
Service, 1400 Independence Avenue
SW, Room 6512, Washington, DC 20250.
Instructions: All submissions received
must include the agency names and
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SUMMARY:
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SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (d)
ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who
are to respond, including through the
use of automated, electronic,
mechanical, or other technological
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology.
All comments received in response to
this notice, including names and
addresses when provided, will be a
matter of public record. Comments will
be available without change, including
any personal information provided, for
inspection online at https://
www.regulations.gov and at the mail
address listed above between 8:00 a.m.
and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except holidays.
Comments will be summarized and
included in the submission for OMB
approval.
Persons with disabilities who require
an alternative means for communication
of information (Braille, large print,
audiotape, etc.) should contact
RARequest@usda.gov.
Zach Ducheneaux,
Executive Vice President, Commodity Credit
Corporation.
Daniel Whitley,
Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.
[FR Doc. 2024–07204 Filed 4–4–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–10–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Natural Resources Conservation
Service
[Docket No. NRCS–2024–0002]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Clarke County Water Supply
Project, Clarke County, Iowa
Natural Resources
Conservation Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare
an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS).
AGENCY:
The Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS) Iowa State
Office announces its intent to prepare a
watershed plan for the Clarke County
Water Supply project, which is located
approximately 27.2 miles upstream of
the confluence with the South River in
the proximity of Osceola, Iowa. The
proposed watershed plan will examine
alternative solutions to the limited
availability of a reliable water supply.
The Clarke County Water Supply project
includes the cities of Osceola, Murray,
and Woodburn, Iowa, and the Clarke
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 67 / Friday, April 5, 2024 / Notices
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County rural service area. NRCS is
requesting comments to identify
significant issues, potential alternatives,
information, and analyses relevant to
the proposed action from all interested
individuals, Federal and State agencies,
and Tribes.
DATES: We will consider comments that
we receive by May 6, 2024. We will
consider comments received after close
of the comment period to the extent
possible.
ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit
comments in response to this notice.
You may submit your comments
through one of the methods below:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov and search
for docket ID NRCS–2024–0002. Follow
the online instructions for submitting
comments; or
• Mail or Hand Delivery: Jon Hubbert,
State Conservationist, Natural Resources
Conservation Service, 210 Walnut Street
Room 693, Des Moines, IA 50309. In
your comments, specify the docket ID
NRCS–2024–0002.
All comments received will be posted
without change and made publicly
available on www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jon
Hubbert; telephone: (515) 284–4769;
email: jon.hubbert@usda.gov.
Individuals who require alternative
means for communication should
contact the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) Target Center at
(202) 720–2600 (voice and text
telephone (TTY)) or dial 711 for
Telecommunications Relay service (both
voice and text telephone users can
initiate this call from any telephone).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need
The primary purpose of the watershed
plan is to provide a reliable drinking
water supply to meet current and future
demands in Clarke County, Iowa.
Watershed planning is authorized under
the Watershed Protection and Flood
Prevention Act of 1954 (Pub. L. 83–566),
as amended, and the Flood Control Act
of 1944 (Pub. L. 78–534). The
sponsoring local organization (SLO) is
the Clarke County Reservoir
Commission (CCRC) whose members are
the cities of Osceola, Murray, and
Woodburn, Iowa; Clarke County, Iowa;
Osceola Water Works Board of Trustees;
and Southern Iowa Rural Water
Association (SIRWA).
The study area includes all of Clarke
County where the water supply is
provided by the existing West Lake
Reservoir. Osceola Water Works treats
raw water from West Lake, which is the
sole water supply source reservoir.
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SIRWA purchases potable water from
Osceola Water Works and distributes it
to other users in Clarke County.
This action is needed to address
deficiencies in the agricultural water
delivery system, which are having
negative impacts on current public
health and economic growth. Limited
water supply can impact public health
and safety due to the lack of safe
drinking water and the lack of water
supply for other public needs, such as
firefighting. Quality of life for residents
is impacted due to the potential for
water use restrictions during droughts.
Economic growth has been limited in
the area because the supply is too
limited to support new businesses.
Additionally, future water demands are
anticipated to grow, and the current
supply will be increasingly insufficient.
The reservoir at West Lake has
insufficient storage during moderate to
severe droughts. The reservoir has gone
through substantial draw down during
four drought periods over the last 40
years requiring various degrees of water
restrictions. West Lake is in its third
year with lake levels below the spillway
and Clarke County remains in a
moderate to severe drought. The
remaining water supply in West Lake
was estimated to be less than a year in
October 2023. The water conservation
ordinance has been increased to Section
3—Water Emergency.
To meet the purpose of agricultural
water supply for the Clarke County
service area, a safe and reliable water
supply with an average daily capacity of
2.0 million gallons per day is being
requested. There is a long history of
water supply investigations in Clarke
County. The city of Osceola
commissioned a study by an
engineering firm in 1990 to evaluate
West Lake. The result of the study
showed that West Lake would not meet
the projected water supply demand. At
the request of local officials, USDA Soil
Conservation Service conducted a study
of six potential sites and published the
results in a report titled,
‘‘Reconnaissance Report: Potential
Water Supply Reservoirs, City of
Osceola and Rural Users, Clarke County,
Iowa’’ (1991). Local sponsors made
requests for PL–566 planning assistance
in 1992 and 1996, however funding for
pre-authorization planning activities
was not available on either occasion.
Two other studies, one in 1996 and the
other in 1999, were conducted
evaluating alternative water supply
sources and the potential for increasing
yield from West Lake. In 2002, the
Osceola Water Board of Trustees, rural
users, and other sponsoring bodies
organized and formed a 28E
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organization to become the CCRC. The
CCRC requested planning assistance
from NRCS in 2003 which was
authorized late in 2004.
Estimated federal funds required for
the construction of the proposed action
may exceed $25 million and the
proposed action will, therefore, require
congressional approval per the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018
amended funding threshold. In
accordance with the regulation in 7 CFR
650.7(a)(2), an EIS is required for
projects requiring congressional
approval.
Preliminary Proposed Action and
Alternatives
The EIS objective is to formulate and
evaluate alternatives for the agricultural
water supply in the Clarke County
service area. The EIS is expected to
evaluate three alternatives: two action
alternatives, and one no action
alternative. The alternatives that may be
considered for detailed analysis include:
• Alternative 1—Proposed Action—
Water Supply Reservoir: The proposed
action is to evaluate a water supply
reservoir developed with a dam at site
4B, which would include an earthfill
embankment dam with reinforced
concrete pressure pipe spillway and
vegetated auxiliary spillway. The
proposed project would also include a
6-mile water supply pipeline to
transport water from the reservoir to the
water treatment plant. The dam
construction and inundated area would
require the relocation of a segment of a
local road (Truro Pavement). The
normal pool (at 1001 foot elevation)
would inundate 790 acres. The
maximum height of the dam would be
58 feet. The reservoir has 11,030 acrefeet of storage and a design withdrawal
capacity of 2.0 million gallons per day
on an average daily basis during drought
conditions, which would meet the need
of the project.
• Alternative 2—Proposed Action—
Single Purpose Water Supply Pipeline:
The proposed action would evaluate
purchasing water from Des Moines
Water Works. This alternative would
require a one-time construction cost to
install of 20-inch diameter pipeline 38.5
miles long from the Des Moines
Waterworks to the City of Osceola, and
a booster station in between. A buy-in
fee would be part of the start-up cost for
service. Monthly rates and fees for
treated water use would apply over the
life of the project. The proposed action
would be able to provide 2.0 million
gallons per day on an average daily
basis during drought conditions which
would meet the need of the project.
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• Alternative 3—No Action
Alternative: Taking no action would
consist of activities conducted if no
federal action or funding were provided.
If the No Action Alternative is selected
water supply limitations would
continue to impact residents of Clarke
County quality of life, public health and
safety, and future economic growth. No
federal action or funding would be
associated with the No Action
Alternative.
Summary of Expected Impacts
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As mentioned above, the estimated
Federal contribution to construction
cost will exceed $25 million. The EIS
will be prepared as required by section
102(2)(C) of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA); the Council
on Environmental Quality Regulations
(40 CFR parts 1500–1508); and NRCS
regulations that implement NEPA in 7
CFR part 650.
CCRC and NRCS evaluated the
current relevant project conditions with
early scoping and a preliminary
conceptual design, which indicates that
the proposed alternatives may have
local, regional, or national impacts on
the environment. The impacts may
include: dam structure and inundation
from the reservoir; temporary and
adverse impacts from construction
activities; and permanent beneficial
impacts from adequate drinking water
supply. NRCS will coordinate with the
appropriate federal agencies throughout
the planning process to minimize
impacts, and consider mitigation.
Potential effects include the
following:
• soils;
• prime and unique farmland;
• land use;
• water resources, including
wetlands, streams, and water quality;
• floodplains;
• terrestrial and aquatic wildlife,
including threatened and endangered
species and those included under the
Migratory Bird Treaty Act;
• cultural resources and historic
properties;
• public health, safety, and
transportation; and
• social and economic conditions.
Long-term beneficial effects would
occur with an increase in agricultural
water supply.
Anticipated Permits and Authorizations
The following permits and
authorizations are anticipated to be
required:
• Clean Water Act (CWA) and
National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES). The
project would require water quality
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certification under Section 401 of the
CWA, permitting under Section 402 of
the NPDES, and Section 404 of the CWA
for potential wetland impacts.
• Endangered Species Act Section 7.
NRCS and CCRC are currently
developing a Biological Assessment
(BA) to support ESA Section 7
consultation with the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service.
• National Historic Preservation Act
(NHPA) Section 106. Consultation with
Tribal Nations and interested parties
would be conducted as required by the
NHPA.
• National Flood Insurance Program.
A Letter of Map Revision/Conditional
Letter of Map Revision would be
required from the Federal Emergency
Management Agency.
• Dam Safety and Floodplain Permit.
Local dam safety and floodplain permits
will be required for construction and
operation of the dam from the Iowa
Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)
as required in Iowa Administrative Code
(IAC) 567.
• IAC, Environmental Protection
Commission 567, Chapter 43, Water
Supplies—Design and Operation. Water
Supply Storage, Water Use, and
Construction Permits must be obtained
from IDNR Water Supply Engineering
Section for the Reservoir, Intake and
Pipeline. Requirements must be met for
the Water Allocation and Use program,
including a Water Use Permit.
Construction standards for public water
supplies must be met as set forth under
IAC 567, Chapter 43.
• Review and acceptance of Final
Engineering Plans and Specifications.
The final design and construction
drawings and specifications must be
reviewed and approved by IDNR and
NRCS prior to implementation. Using
the NRCS National Operation and
Maintenance Manual (O&M), an O&M
plan will be prepared.
• Development—Conditional Use
Permit, Grading Permit, Utility Permit,
and Entrance Permit. These are all local
permits that must be obtained from
Clarke County.
Schedule of Decision-Making Process
A Draft EIS (DEIS) will be prepared
and circulated for review and comment
by agencies, Tribes, consulting parties,
and the public for 45 days as required
by the regulations in 40 CFR 1503.1,
1502.20, 1506.11, and 1502.17, and 7
CFR 650.13. The DEIS is anticipated to
be published in the Federal Register,
approximately 6 months after
publication of this NOI. A Final EIS is
anticipated to be published within 6
months of completion of the public
comment period for the DEIS.
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23965
NRCS will decide whether to
implement one of the action alternatives
as evaluated in the EIS. A Record of
Decision will be completed after the
required 30-day waiting period and will
be publicly available. The responsible
Federal official and decision maker for
the NRCS is the Iowa NRCS State
Conservationist.
Public Scoping Process
A public scoping meeting was held on
August 19, 2021. Comments received,
including the names and addresses of
those who commented, were part of the
public record. Scoping meeting
presentation materials were available for
review and comment for 30 days from
Thursday, August 19, 2021, through
Saturday, September 18, 2021.
Federal, State, Tribal, local agencies
and representatives, and the public were
invited to take part in the watershed
plan scoping period through which
coordination sought input on issues of
economic, environmental, cultural, and
social importance in the watershed.
CCRC and NRCS organized the public
scoping meeting to provide an
opportunity to review and evaluate the
project alternatives, express concern or
support, and gain further information
regarding the project. To determine the
most viable alternatives to carry forward
to the EIS, the CCRC used input
obtained during public scoping
discussions to focus on relevant
resource concerns and issues and
eliminated those that were not relevant
from further detailed study.
Identification of Potential Alternatives,
Information, and Analyses
NRCS invites agencies, Tribes,
consulting parties, and individuals who
have special expertise, legal
jurisdiction, or interest in the Clarke
County Water Supply project to provide
comments concerning the scope of the
analysis and identification of potential
alternatives, information, and analyses
relevant to the Proposed Action.
NRCS will coordinate the scoping
process to correspond with any required
NHPA processes, as allowed in the
regulations in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3) and
800.8 (54 U.S.C. 306108). The
information about historic and cultural
resources within the area potentially
affected by the proposed project will
assist NRCS in identifying and
evaluating impacts to such resources in
the context of both NEPA and NHPA.
NRCS will consult with Native
American tribes on a government-togovernment basis in accordance with
the regulations in 36 CFR 800.2 and
800.3, Executive Order 13175, and other
policies. Tribal concerns, including
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 67 / Friday, April 5, 2024 / Notices
impacts on Indian trust assets and
potential impacts to cultural resources
and historic properties, will be given
due consideration.
Authorities
This document is published as
specified by the NEPA regulations
regarding publication of an NOI to issue
an EIS (40 CFR 1501.9(d)). Watershed
planning is authorized under the
Watershed Protection and Flood
Prevention Act of 1954, as amended,
and the Flood Control Act of 1944.
Federal Assistance Programs
The title and number of the Federal
Assistance Program as found in the
Assistance Listing 1 to which this
document applies is 10.904, Watershed
Protection and Flood Prevention.
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Executive Order 12372
Executive Order 12372,
‘‘Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs,’’ requires consultation with
State and local officials that would be
directly affected by proposed Federal
financial assistance. The objectives of
the Executive order are to foster an
intergovernmental partnership and a
strengthened federalism, by relying on
State and local processes for State and
local government coordination and
review of proposed Federal financial
assistance and direct Federal
development. This project is subject to
the provisions of Executive Order
12372, which requires
intergovernmental consultation with
State and local officials.
USDA Non-Discrimination Policy
In accordance with Federal civil
rights law and USDA civil rights
regulations and policies, USDA, its
agencies, offices, and employees, and
institutions participating in or
administering USDA programs are
prohibited from discriminating based on
race, color, national origin, religion, sex,
gender identity (including gender
expression), sexual orientation,
disability, age, marital status, family or
parental status, income derived from a
public assistance program, political
beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior
civil rights activity, in any program or
activity conducted or funded by USDA
(not all bases apply to all programs).
Remedies and complaint filing
deadlines vary by program or incident.
Individuals who require alternative
means of communication for program
information (for example, braille, large
print, audiotape, American Sign
Language, etc.) should contact the
1 See
https://sam.gov/content/assistance-listings.
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responsible Agency or the USDA
TARGET Center at (202) 720–2600
(voice and telephone) or dial 711 for
Telecommunications Relay Service
(both voice and text telephone users can
initiate this call from any phone).
Additionally, program information may
be made available in languages other
than English.
To file a program discrimination
complaint, complete the USDA Program
Discrimination Complaint Form, AD–
3027, found online at: https://
www.usda.gov/oascr/how-to-file-aprogram-discrimination-complaint and
at any USDA office or write a letter
addressed to USDA and provide in the
letter all the information requested in
the form. To request a copy of the
complaint form, call (866) 632–9992.
Submit your completed form or letter to
USDA by: (1) mail to: U.S. Department
of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant
Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400
Independence Avenue SW, Washington,
DC 20250–9410; (2) fax: (202) 690–7442;
or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.
USDA is an equal opportunity
provider, employer, and lender.
Jon Hubbert,
Iowa State Conservationist, Natural Resources
Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2024–07291 Filed 4–4–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–16–P
COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS
Notice of Public Meeting of the Puerto
Rico Advisory Committee to the U.S.
Commission on Civil Rights
Commission on Civil Rights.
Announcement of meeting.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Notice is hereby given,
pursuant to the provisions of the rules
and regulations of the U.S. Commission
on Civil Rights (Commission), and the
Federal Advisory Committee Act
(FACA), that a meeting of the Puerto
Rico Advisory Committee to the
Commission will convene by virtual
web conference on Wednesday, April
24, 2024, at 3:30 p.m. Atlantic Time/
Eastern Time. The purpose is to
continue discussion on their project on
the civil rights impacts of the Insular
Cases in Puerto Rico.
DATES: April 24, 2024, Wednesday, at
3:30 p.m. Atlantic Time (3:30 p.m. ET).
ADDRESSES: Meeting will be held via
Zoom.
Registration Link (Audio/Visual):
https://tinyurl.com/bdvhsw2h; Passcode,
if needed: USCCR–PR.
Join by Phone (Audio Only): 1–833
435 1820 USA Toll Free; Meeting ID:
161 817 5885#.
SUMMARY:
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Email Victoria Moreno, Designated
Federal Officer at vmoreno@usccr.gov,
or by phone at 434–515–0204.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
meeting will take place in Spanish with
English interpretation. This committee
meeting is available to the public
through the registration link above. Any
interested member of the public may
listen to the meeting. An open comment
period will be provided to allow
members of the public to make a
statement as time allows. Per the
Federal Advisory Committee Act, public
minutes of the meeting will include a
list of persons who are present at the
meeting. If joining via phone, callers can
expect to incur regular charges for calls
they initiate over wireless lines,
according to their wireless plan. The
Commission will not refund any
incurred charges. Callers will incur no
charge for calls they initiate over landline connections to the toll-free
telephone number. Closed captioning
will be available for individuals who are
deaf, hard of hearing, or who have
certain cognitive or learning
impairments. To request additional
accommodations, please email ebohor@
usccr.gov at least 10 business days prior
to the meeting.
Members of the public are entitled to
submit written comments; the
comments must be received in the
regional office within 30 days following
the meeting. Written comments may be
emailed to Victoria Moreno at
vmoreno@usccr.gov. Persons who desire
additional information may contact the
Regional Programs Coordination Unit at
1–312–353–8311.
Records generated from this meeting
may be inspected and reproduced at the
Regional Programs Coordination Unit
Office, as they become available, both
before and after the meeting. Records of
the meetings will be available via
www.facadatabase.gov under the
Commission on Civil Rights, Puerto
Rico Advisory Committee link. Persons
interested in the work of this Committee
are directed to the Commission’s
website, https://www.usccr.gov, or may
contact the Regional Programs
Coordination Unit at ebohor@usccr.gov.
Agenda
1. Welcome & Roll Call
2. Committee Discussion on Project
Regarding the Civil Rights Impacts
of the Insular Cases in Puerto Rico
3. Next Steps
4. Public Comment
5. Other Business
6. Adjourn
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 67 (Friday, April 5, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23963-23966]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-07291]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Natural Resources Conservation Service
[Docket No. NRCS-2024-0002]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Clarke County Water Supply Project, Clarke County, Iowa
AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Iowa State
Office announces its intent to prepare a watershed plan for the Clarke
County Water Supply project, which is located approximately 27.2 miles
upstream of the confluence with the South River in the proximity of
Osceola, Iowa. The proposed watershed plan will examine alternative
solutions to the limited availability of a reliable water supply. The
Clarke County Water Supply project includes the cities of Osceola,
Murray, and Woodburn, Iowa, and the Clarke
[[Page 23964]]
County rural service area. NRCS is requesting comments to identify
significant issues, potential alternatives, information, and analyses
relevant to the proposed action from all interested individuals,
Federal and State agencies, and Tribes.
DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by May 6, 2024. We
will consider comments received after close of the comment period to
the extent possible.
ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments in response to this notice.
You may submit your comments through one of the methods below:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for docket ID NRCS-2024-0002. Follow the
online instructions for submitting comments; or
Mail or Hand Delivery: Jon Hubbert, State Conservationist,
Natural Resources Conservation Service, 210 Walnut Street Room 693, Des
Moines, IA 50309. In your comments, specify the docket ID NRCS-2024-
0002.
All comments received will be posted without change and made
publicly available on www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jon Hubbert; telephone: (515) 284-
4769; email: [email protected]. Individuals who require alternative
means for communication should contact the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) Target Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and text
telephone (TTY)) or dial 711 for Telecommunications Relay service (both
voice and text telephone users can initiate this call from any
telephone).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need
The primary purpose of the watershed plan is to provide a reliable
drinking water supply to meet current and future demands in Clarke
County, Iowa. Watershed planning is authorized under the Watershed
Protection and Flood Prevention Act of 1954 (Pub. L. 83-566), as
amended, and the Flood Control Act of 1944 (Pub. L. 78-534). The
sponsoring local organization (SLO) is the Clarke County Reservoir
Commission (CCRC) whose members are the cities of Osceola, Murray, and
Woodburn, Iowa; Clarke County, Iowa; Osceola Water Works Board of
Trustees; and Southern Iowa Rural Water Association (SIRWA).
The study area includes all of Clarke County where the water supply
is provided by the existing West Lake Reservoir. Osceola Water Works
treats raw water from West Lake, which is the sole water supply source
reservoir. SIRWA purchases potable water from Osceola Water Works and
distributes it to other users in Clarke County.
This action is needed to address deficiencies in the agricultural
water delivery system, which are having negative impacts on current
public health and economic growth. Limited water supply can impact
public health and safety due to the lack of safe drinking water and the
lack of water supply for other public needs, such as firefighting.
Quality of life for residents is impacted due to the potential for
water use restrictions during droughts. Economic growth has been
limited in the area because the supply is too limited to support new
businesses. Additionally, future water demands are anticipated to grow,
and the current supply will be increasingly insufficient.
The reservoir at West Lake has insufficient storage during moderate
to severe droughts. The reservoir has gone through substantial draw
down during four drought periods over the last 40 years requiring
various degrees of water restrictions. West Lake is in its third year
with lake levels below the spillway and Clarke County remains in a
moderate to severe drought. The remaining water supply in West Lake was
estimated to be less than a year in October 2023. The water
conservation ordinance has been increased to Section 3--Water
Emergency.
To meet the purpose of agricultural water supply for the Clarke
County service area, a safe and reliable water supply with an average
daily capacity of 2.0 million gallons per day is being requested. There
is a long history of water supply investigations in Clarke County. The
city of Osceola commissioned a study by an engineering firm in 1990 to
evaluate West Lake. The result of the study showed that West Lake would
not meet the projected water supply demand. At the request of local
officials, USDA Soil Conservation Service conducted a study of six
potential sites and published the results in a report titled,
``Reconnaissance Report: Potential Water Supply Reservoirs, City of
Osceola and Rural Users, Clarke County, Iowa'' (1991). Local sponsors
made requests for PL-566 planning assistance in 1992 and 1996, however
funding for pre-authorization planning activities was not available on
either occasion. Two other studies, one in 1996 and the other in 1999,
were conducted evaluating alternative water supply sources and the
potential for increasing yield from West Lake. In 2002, the Osceola
Water Board of Trustees, rural users, and other sponsoring bodies
organized and formed a 28E organization to become the CCRC. The CCRC
requested planning assistance from NRCS in 2003 which was authorized
late in 2004.
Estimated federal funds required for the construction of the
proposed action may exceed $25 million and the proposed action will,
therefore, require congressional approval per the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2018 amended funding threshold. In accordance with
the regulation in 7 CFR 650.7(a)(2), an EIS is required for projects
requiring congressional approval.
Preliminary Proposed Action and Alternatives
The EIS objective is to formulate and evaluate alternatives for the
agricultural water supply in the Clarke County service area. The EIS is
expected to evaluate three alternatives: two action alternatives, and
one no action alternative. The alternatives that may be considered for
detailed analysis include:
Alternative 1--Proposed Action--Water Supply Reservoir:
The proposed action is to evaluate a water supply reservoir developed
with a dam at site 4B, which would include an earthfill embankment dam
with reinforced concrete pressure pipe spillway and vegetated auxiliary
spillway. The proposed project would also include a 6-mile water supply
pipeline to transport water from the reservoir to the water treatment
plant. The dam construction and inundated area would require the
relocation of a segment of a local road (Truro Pavement). The normal
pool (at 1001 foot elevation) would inundate 790 acres. The maximum
height of the dam would be 58 feet. The reservoir has 11,030 acre-feet
of storage and a design withdrawal capacity of 2.0 million gallons per
day on an average daily basis during drought conditions, which would
meet the need of the project.
Alternative 2--Proposed Action--Single Purpose Water
Supply Pipeline: The proposed action would evaluate purchasing water
from Des Moines Water Works. This alternative would require a one-time
construction cost to install of 20-inch diameter pipeline 38.5 miles
long from the Des Moines Waterworks to the City of Osceola, and a
booster station in between. A buy-in fee would be part of the start-up
cost for service. Monthly rates and fees for treated water use would
apply over the life of the project. The proposed action would be able
to provide 2.0 million gallons per day on an average daily basis during
drought conditions which would meet the need of the project.
[[Page 23965]]
Alternative 3--No Action Alternative: Taking no action
would consist of activities conducted if no federal action or funding
were provided. If the No Action Alternative is selected water supply
limitations would continue to impact residents of Clarke County quality
of life, public health and safety, and future economic growth. No
federal action or funding would be associated with the No Action
Alternative.
Summary of Expected Impacts
As mentioned above, the estimated Federal contribution to
construction cost will exceed $25 million. The EIS will be prepared as
required by section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act
of 1969 (NEPA); the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40
CFR parts 1500-1508); and NRCS regulations that implement NEPA in 7 CFR
part 650.
CCRC and NRCS evaluated the current relevant project conditions
with early scoping and a preliminary conceptual design, which indicates
that the proposed alternatives may have local, regional, or national
impacts on the environment. The impacts may include: dam structure and
inundation from the reservoir; temporary and adverse impacts from
construction activities; and permanent beneficial impacts from adequate
drinking water supply. NRCS will coordinate with the appropriate
federal agencies throughout the planning process to minimize impacts,
and consider mitigation.
Potential effects include the following:
soils;
prime and unique farmland;
land use;
water resources, including wetlands, streams, and water
quality;
floodplains;
terrestrial and aquatic wildlife, including threatened and
endangered species and those included under the Migratory Bird Treaty
Act;
cultural resources and historic properties;
public health, safety, and transportation; and
social and economic conditions.
Long-term beneficial effects would occur with an increase in
agricultural water supply.
Anticipated Permits and Authorizations
The following permits and authorizations are anticipated to be
required:
Clean Water Act (CWA) and National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES). The project would require water quality
certification under Section 401 of the CWA, permitting under Section
402 of the NPDES, and Section 404 of the CWA for potential wetland
impacts.
Endangered Species Act Section 7. NRCS and CCRC are
currently developing a Biological Assessment (BA) to support ESA
Section 7 consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) Section 106.
Consultation with Tribal Nations and interested parties would be
conducted as required by the NHPA.
National Flood Insurance Program. A Letter of Map
Revision/Conditional Letter of Map Revision would be required from the
Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Dam Safety and Floodplain Permit. Local dam safety and
floodplain permits will be required for construction and operation of
the dam from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) as
required in Iowa Administrative Code (IAC) 567.
IAC, Environmental Protection Commission 567, Chapter 43,
Water Supplies--Design and Operation. Water Supply Storage, Water Use,
and Construction Permits must be obtained from IDNR Water Supply
Engineering Section for the Reservoir, Intake and Pipeline.
Requirements must be met for the Water Allocation and Use program,
including a Water Use Permit. Construction standards for public water
supplies must be met as set forth under IAC 567, Chapter 43.
Review and acceptance of Final Engineering Plans and
Specifications. The final design and construction drawings and
specifications must be reviewed and approved by IDNR and NRCS prior to
implementation. Using the NRCS National Operation and Maintenance
Manual (O&M), an O&M plan will be prepared.
Development--Conditional Use Permit, Grading Permit,
Utility Permit, and Entrance Permit. These are all local permits that
must be obtained from Clarke County.
Schedule of Decision-Making Process
A Draft EIS (DEIS) will be prepared and circulated for review and
comment by agencies, Tribes, consulting parties, and the public for 45
days as required by the regulations in 40 CFR 1503.1, 1502.20, 1506.11,
and 1502.17, and 7 CFR 650.13. The DEIS is anticipated to be published
in the Federal Register, approximately 6 months after publication of
this NOI. A Final EIS is anticipated to be published within 6 months of
completion of the public comment period for the DEIS.
NRCS will decide whether to implement one of the action
alternatives as evaluated in the EIS. A Record of Decision will be
completed after the required 30-day waiting period and will be publicly
available. The responsible Federal official and decision maker for the
NRCS is the Iowa NRCS State Conservationist.
Public Scoping Process
A public scoping meeting was held on August 19, 2021. Comments
received, including the names and addresses of those who commented,
were part of the public record. Scoping meeting presentation materials
were available for review and comment for 30 days from Thursday, August
19, 2021, through Saturday, September 18, 2021.
Federal, State, Tribal, local agencies and representatives, and the
public were invited to take part in the watershed plan scoping period
through which coordination sought input on issues of economic,
environmental, cultural, and social importance in the watershed. CCRC
and NRCS organized the public scoping meeting to provide an opportunity
to review and evaluate the project alternatives, express concern or
support, and gain further information regarding the project. To
determine the most viable alternatives to carry forward to the EIS, the
CCRC used input obtained during public scoping discussions to focus on
relevant resource concerns and issues and eliminated those that were
not relevant from further detailed study.
Identification of Potential Alternatives, Information, and Analyses
NRCS invites agencies, Tribes, consulting parties, and individuals
who have special expertise, legal jurisdiction, or interest in the
Clarke County Water Supply project to provide comments concerning the
scope of the analysis and identification of potential alternatives,
information, and analyses relevant to the Proposed Action.
NRCS will coordinate the scoping process to correspond with any
required NHPA processes, as allowed in the regulations in 36 CFR
800.2(d)(3) and 800.8 (54 U.S.C. 306108). The information about
historic and cultural resources within the area potentially affected by
the proposed project will assist NRCS in identifying and evaluating
impacts to such resources in the context of both NEPA and NHPA.
NRCS will consult with Native American tribes on a government-to-
government basis in accordance with the regulations in 36 CFR 800.2 and
800.3, Executive Order 13175, and other policies. Tribal concerns,
including
[[Page 23966]]
impacts on Indian trust assets and potential impacts to cultural
resources and historic properties, will be given due consideration.
Authorities
This document is published as specified by the NEPA regulations
regarding publication of an NOI to issue an EIS (40 CFR 1501.9(d)).
Watershed planning is authorized under the Watershed Protection and
Flood Prevention Act of 1954, as amended, and the Flood Control Act of
1944.
Federal Assistance Programs
The title and number of the Federal Assistance Program as found in
the Assistance Listing \1\ to which this document applies is 10.904,
Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention.
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\1\ See https://sam.gov/content/assistance-listings.
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Executive Order 12372
Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs,'' requires consultation with State and local officials that
would be directly affected by proposed Federal financial assistance.
The objectives of the Executive order are to foster an
intergovernmental partnership and a strengthened federalism, by relying
on State and local processes for State and local government
coordination and review of proposed Federal financial assistance and
direct Federal development. This project is subject to the provisions
of Executive Order 12372, which requires intergovernmental consultation
with State and local officials.
USDA Non-Discrimination Policy
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and USDA civil rights
regulations and policies, USDA, its agencies, offices, and employees,
and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are
prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin,
religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual
orientation, disability, age, marital status, family or parental
status, income derived from a public assistance program, political
beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in
any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases
apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by
program or incident.
Individuals who require alternative means of communication for
program information (for example, braille, large print, audiotape,
American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or
the USDA TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and telephone) or dial
711 for Telecommunications Relay Service (both voice and text telephone
users can initiate this call from any phone). Additionally, program
information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA
Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at:
https://www.usda.gov/oascr/how-to-file-a-program-discrimination-complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA
and provide in the letter all the information requested in the form. To
request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your
completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail to: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-
7442; or (3) email: [email protected].
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Jon Hubbert,
Iowa State Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-07291 Filed 4-4-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-16-P
