Engineers Corps July 11, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Jacksonville District, will be receiving a permit application for a Department of the Army permit under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act from the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) to construct Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs) on parcels of land identified as Compartments B and C of the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) (Proposed Action). As part of the permit process, the Corps is evaluating the environmental effects associated with construction of STAs on these parcels in order to provide additional treatment to assist the existing STAs in the overall goal of improving the quality of water delivered and to be delivered to the Everglades Protection Area (EPA) in order to prevent further environmental degradation. The primary federal involvement associated with the Proposed Action is the discharge of fill material (including permanent inundation) within federal jurisdictional areas and Waters of the United States. In addition, the Proposed Action could have potential significant effects on the human environment. Therefore, the Corps will prepare an EIS in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to render a final decision on the SFWMD's permit application. The Corps' decision will be to either issue or deny a Department of the Army permit for the Proposed Action. The Draft EIS is intended to be sufficient in scope to address federal, state, and local requirements and environmental issues concerning the Proposed Action and permit reviews.