Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Mobile District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) intends to prepare a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS) to address the potential impacts associated with improving the Mobile Harbor Federal Navigation Channel in Mobile County, AL. The DSEIS will be used as a basis for ensuring compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and evaluating alternative plans including the ``No Action.'' The proposed alternatives identified in the Alternatives Milestone analysis will be evaluated including widening and deepening of selected areas of the navigation channel within the currently authorized dimensions.

The purpose of this notice is to initiate the scoping process for the preparation of an Integrated General Reevaluation Report and Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) for channel modification opportunities to Unit 2, 3 and 4 of the Corte Madera Creek Flood Control Project in Marin County, CA.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is amending existing regulations for an existing restricted area near Ketchikan, Alaska to correct inaccuracies in regards to flashing beacon light descriptions, point of contact changes, and restrictive area distances for small craft.

The Department of the Army is publishing this notice to announce the following Federal advisory committee meeting of the Chief of Engineers, Environmental Advisory Board (EAB). This meeting is open to the public. For additional information about the EAB, please visit the committee's Web site at https://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Environmental/ EnvironmentalAdvisoryBoard.aspx.

The Department of the Army is publishing this notice to announce the following Federal advisory committee meeting of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Inland Waterways Users Board (Board). This meeting is open to the public. For additional information about the Board, please visit the committee's Web site at https:// www.iwr.usace.army.mil/Missions/Navigation/ InlandWaterwaysUsersBoard.aspx.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District (Corps), intends to prepare a draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the general reevaluation of the Sacramento River Flood Control Project, California. The Corps will serve as the lead agency for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The general reevaluation is assessing opportunities to restore ecosystem function along the Sacramento River and improve flood risk reduction capabilities of the flood conveyance system originally constructed in 1917. The system is located along the Sacramento River, from Elder Creek near Tehama to its confluence with the San Joaquin River in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta near Collinsville. System features are also located along a number of tributaries, sloughs, and bypass channels, including the Feather River, American River, Sutter Bypass, and Yolo Bypass.

The comment period for the Final Integrated Feasibility Report (Feasibility Study/Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report), Los Angeles River Ecosystem Restoration Study, City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA published in the Federal Register on Friday, September 25, 2015 (80 FR 57795) and required comments be submitted by October 24, 2015. The comment period has been extended to November 1, 2015.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Omaha District, has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze the direct, indirect and cumulative effects of a proposed Nebraska State Highway project, Nebraska Highway 12 Niobrara East and West Project by the Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR). The Applied-for Project is the relocation and elevation (including additional bridges) of two segments of existing Nebraska Highway 12 (N-12) that are frequently flooded and have incurred damage due to high water levels associated with the Missouri River.

The purpose of the feasibility study is to improve navigation in San Juan Harbor.

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District (USACE), has released the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and will conduct open house style meetings and accept comments on the Draft DEIS for the update of the Apalachicola- Chattahoochee-Flint Basin (ACF) Water Control Master Manual (Master Manual).

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) in conjunction with the City of Los Angeles (City) announces the availability of a Final Integrated Feasibility Report (IFR), which includes a Final Feasibility Study (FS) and Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) for the Los Angeles River Ecosystem Restoration Study, Los Angeles County, CA, for public review and comment. The study evaluates alternatives for the purpose of restoring 11 miles of the Los Angeles River from approximately Griffith Park to downtown Los Angeles while maintaining existing levels of flood risk management. Restoration measures include creation and re-establishment of historic riparian and freshwater marsh habitat to support increased populations of wildlife and enhance habitat connectivity within the study area, as well as to provide opportunities for regional connectivity to ecological zones such as the Santa Monica Mountains, Verdugo Hills, Elysian Hills, and San Gabriel Mountains. Restoration also includes the re-introduction of ecological and fluvial processes through a more natural hydrologic regime, which reconnects the river to historic floodplains and tributaries, reduces flow velocities, increases infiltration, and improves natural sediment processes. The study also evaluates opportunities for passive recreation that is compatible with the restored environment. The study evaluated the No Action Alternative and five action alternatives, named Alternative 10, 13, 13v, 16, and 20. The recommended plan for restoration in the study area is Alternative 20, the locally preferred plan (LPP), which includes compatible recreation features. The recommended plan includes restoration of habitat within 719 acres of the study area through the following measures and features: riparian habitat corridor restoration throughout the 11 miles; restoration of the Arroyo Seco confluence; restoration of the Verdugo Wash confluence; restoration of riparian habitat, a historic wash and its braided channels in the Los Angeles Trailer and Container (LATC) intermodal facility site; removal of channel concrete and riverbed restoration for 0.75 miles; restoration of freshwater marsh in the Los Angeles State Historic Park; restoration of riparian habitat and reconnection to the historic floodplain in Taylor Yard; river widening in 2 reaches; restoration of 13 minor tributaries through stream daylighting; establishment of side channels; and removal of invasive vegetation throughout the project area. A Notice of Intent for the EIS/EIR was published on November 28, 2008 (73 FR 72455). A Notice of Availability for the Draft IFR was published on October 4, 2013 (78 FR 57624). The public review period for the Draft IFR occurred from September 20, 2013 to November 18, 2013.

Pursuant to the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321-4370, as implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) plans to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) to evaluate environmental impacts from reasonable project alternatives and to determine the potential for significant impacts related to improvements to the Norfolk Harbor Channels. If the USACE determines that there is a potential for a significant environmental impact, the USACE will issue a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement in the Federal Register. Federal, state, and local agencies, Indian tribes, and the public are invited to provide scoping comments to identify issues, alternatives, and potentially significant effects to be considered in the analysis.

The National Wetland Plant List (NWPL) is used to delineate wetlands for purposes of the Clean Water Act and the Wetland Conservation Provisions of the Food Security Act. Other applications of the list include wetland restoration, establishment, and enhancement projects. To update the NWPL, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), as part of an interagency effort with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), is announcing the availability of the draft National Wetland Plant List (NWPL) 2015 and its Web address to solicit public comments. The public will now be provided the opportunity to comment and vote on the proposed update of wetland indicator status ratings for 186 plants species in select Corps wetland regions.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE), Wilmington District, Wilmington Regulatory Field Office has received a request for Department of the Army authorization, pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act, from Figure Eight Beach Homeowners' Association Inc. (HOA) to install a terminal groin structure along Rich Inlet and to conduct a supplemental beach nourishment on approximately 4,500 linear feet of oceanfront beach and 1,400 linear feet of back barrier shoreline to protect residential homes and infrastructures along the central and northern sections of Figure Eight Island. The terminal groin structure will be placed perpendicular on the northern tip of the island along the shoulder of Rich Inlet; and the proposed source of the material for the nourishment will be dredged from an area within Nixon Channel, a back barrier channel, that has been previously used for past beach nourishment projects. In case the quantity of material from Nixon Channel is not sufficient, material pumped from (3) nearby upland disposal islands will be used to supplement the nourishment needs. The majority of the material will be disposed within the fillet area, or down shore, of the groin. Pending storm events and shoreline changes, maintenance, or periodic nourishment, of the beach is proposed a maximum of once every five years, or potential 6 separate events over the 30-year study period. Nixon Channel and the upland disposal islands are the proposed material sources for the periodic maintenance, or renourishment, events.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District (Corps) in partnership with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) as the non-federal sponsor, is preparing an integrated Feasibility Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in accordance with Council on Environmental Quality's NEPA regulations; Corps' principles and guidelines as defined in Engineering Regulations (ER) 1105-2-100, Planning Guidance Notebook, and ER 200-2-2, Procedures for Implementing NEPA; and other applicable Federal and State environmental laws for the proposed Rahway River Basin Flood Risk Management Feasibility Study. The study is assessing the feasibility of flood risk management alternatives to be implemented within the congressionally authorized study area with a specific emphasis on the Township of Cranford and the City of Rahway in Union County, New Jersey. The District was authorized under U.S. House of Representatives Resolution Docket 2548, dated March 24, 1998 to identify recommendations in the interest of water resources development.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) are publishing a final rule defining the scope of waters protected under the Clean Water Act (CWA or the Act), in light of the statute, science, Supreme Court decisions in U.S. v. Riverside Bayview Homes, Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (SWANCC), and Rapanos v. United States (Rapanos), and the agencies' experience and technical expertise. This final rule reflects consideration of the extensive public comments received on the proposed rule. The rule will ensure protection for the nation's public health and aquatic resources, and increase CWA program predictability and consistency by clarifying the scope of ``waters of the United States'' protected under the Act.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is proposing to amend existing regulations for an existing restricted area near Ketchikan, Alaska to correct inaccuracies in regards to flashing beacon light descriptions, point of contact changes, and restrictive area distances for small craft.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Omaha District has prepared a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze the direct, indirect, and cumulative effects of a water supply project called the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP or Project) in Larimer County and Weld County, CO. The purpose of the project is to provide the project participants with approximately 40,000 acre-feet (AF) of new, reliable municipal water supply annually through a regional project coordinated by the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District (District). The participants in NISP requested new firm yield to meet a portion of their projected demand through 2060. The requests for new firm yield are based on the participants' analyses of their projected needs, the potential future demands as modeled by the District and verified by the Corps. NISP would result in direct impacts to jurisdictional waters of the United States (U.S.), including wetlands. The placement of fill material in these waters of the U.S. for the construction of water storage and distribution facilities associated with developing additional water supplies requires authorization from the Corps under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. The District is the Permittee and Applicant, acting on behalf of the project participants. The Supplemental Draft EIS was prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Corps' regulations for NEPA implementation (33 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] Parts 230 and 325, Appendices B and C). The Corps, Omaha District, Denver Regulatory Office is the lead federal agency responsible for the Supplemental Draft EIS. Information contained in the EIS serves as the basis for a decision regarding issuance of a Section 404 Permit. It also provides information for local and state agencies having jurisdictional responsibility for affected resources.

The Department of the Army is publishing this notice to announce the following Federal advisory committee meeting of the Chief of Engineers, Environmental Advisory Board (EAB). This meeting is open to the public. For additional information about the EAB, please visit the committee's Web site at https://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/ Environmental/EnvironmentalAdvisoryBoard.aspx.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Honolulu District, is issuing this notice to advise Federal, state, and local governmental agencies and the public that the Corps is withdrawing its Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Gray's Beach Restoration Project located in Waikiki on the Island of Oahu, Hawaii (Corps File No. POH-2007-00192).

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District (Corps) with (New York State Department of Environmental Conservation as local sponsor) is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in accordance with Council on Environmental Quality's NEPA regulations; Corps' principles and guidelines as defined in Engineering Regulations (ER) 1105-2-100, Planning Guidance Notebook, and ER 200-2-2, Procedures for Implementing NEPA; and other applicable Federal and State environmental laws for the proposed Atlantic Coast of New York, East Rockaway Inlet to Rockaway Inlet and Jamaica Bay Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study. The study is re-assessing the feasibility of coastal storm risk management alternatives to be implemented within the congressionally authorized project area. This overall study area includes the entire Rockaway peninsula as well as the back-bay communities surrounding Jamaica Bay. During Hurricane Sandy, both Rockaway and Jamaica Bay 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 Jamaica Bay. Along the Rockaways, the Atlantic Ocean surge and waves exceeded the island height, resulting in flow of water across the peninsula, and contributing to the flooding along the shoreline of the interior of Jamaica Bay. Hurricane Sandy illustrated the need to re-evaluate the entire peninsula and back-bay area as a system, when considering risk-management measures. Acknowledging the amount of analyses required to comprehensively reevaluate the study area considering the influence of the Atlantic Ocean shorefront conditions on the back-bay system, a single Hurricane Sandy General Reevaluation Report and EIS (GRR/EIS) will be prepared. The Corps will use a tiered process to facilitate project decision-making. The EIS will build upon the extensive Atlantic shoreline alternatives analysis and environmental and technical studies and outreach conducted to date. The proposed tiering approach will allow the study to focus on both broad overall Jamaica Bay-wide issues while simultaneously assessing site specific impacts, costs and mitigation measures for the shorefront and back-bay alternatives. The scope of analysis in the Tier 1 and Tier 2 will be appropriate to the level of detail necessary for those documents and will receive input from the public and reviewing agencies. The Tier 1 shoreline analysis will provide the basis for the alternatives to problems associated with erosion, storm surge, and wave damage along the Atlantic Ocean shoreline the relationship of the shoreline with the back-bay. The Tier 2 analysis will specifically address the flooding of communities within and surrounding Jamaica Bay.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is amending its restricted area/danger zone regulations to establish a new restricted area in the waters surrounding U.S. Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville facilities at Station Mayport, Jacksonville, Florida (Station Mayport). Station Mayport is situated on the south side of the St. Johns River which, as the primary federal navigable channel entering the Port of Jacksonville, is heavily transited by commercial and recreational vessels. This United States Coast Guard (USCG) facility maintains a high operational tempo for both routine and emergency operations. This amendment to the existing regulations is necessary to enhance the USCG's ability to counter postulated threats against their personnel, equipment, cutters and facilities by providing a stand-off buffer encompassing the waters immediately contiguous to the Station Mayport. The amendment will also serve to protect the general public from injury or property damage during routine and emergency USCG operations and provide an explosive safety arc buffer during periodic transfer of ammunitions between units, including cutters.

The Department of the Army is publishing this notice to announce the following Federal advisory committee meeting of the Board on Coastal Engineering Research. This meeting is open to the public.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of the Army (Army) are announcing the withdrawal of an interpretive document addressing the exemption from permitting provided under section 404(f)(1)(A) of the Clean Water Act (CWA).

On February 1, 2006, the Omaha District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) published a Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to jointly analyze the direct, indirect and cumulative effects of two water supply projects that were proposed collectively as the Halligan-Seaman Water Management Project. USACE has determined that the two projects will be separated and independently evaluated as the Halligan Water Supply Project EIS and the Seaman Water Supply Project EIS. Constructing the proposed Projects would impact jurisdictional waters of the United States, thereby requiring Clean Water Act Section 404 permits. The Cities of Fort Collins and Greeley (Cities) have proposed the Projects to meet existing and future water demands during droughts, more efficiently manage the Cities' existing or future water rights, provide some operational redundancy, and possibly enhance river functions. The proposed Projects involve enlarging two existing reservoirs, Halligan Reservoir and Milton Seamen Reservoir (Seaman Reservoir), which would provide approximately 56,125 acre-feet of additional storage capacity in the Cache la Poudre River Basin. The Halligan and Seaman Water Supply Projects would both be non-federal projects constructed, owned and operated by the Cities.