### 29218 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 98 / Friday, May 20, 2011 / Notices

However, the exact number of acres needed to be constructed and maintained is uncertain at this time. Based on the analysis in the PEIS, the impacts of the larger alternatives (3, 2 and 1) are deemed to be moderate to high. The Corps has chosen a maximum construction ceiling of Alternative 3.5 (4,370 acres) at this time. Impacts of lesser alternatives (3.5, 4 and 5) are deemed to be moderate to low. This checkpoint of Alternative 3.5 is proposed because it represents a midrange of habitat available at a time when the birds were productive (biological metric), and it is anticipated that a positive, sustainable biological response will be met before fully implementing up to Alternative 3.5. If Alternative 3.5 is fully implemented and the birds are not meeting biological metrics, the Corps can consider continuing to higher acreage alternatives or look at other methodologies. Appropriate coordination and disclosure would be pursued if Alternative 3.5 was exceeded (potential amended Record of Decision or additional NEPA).

2. Document Availability. The Emergent Sandbar Habitat Programmatic EIS is available online at http:// www.moriverrecovery.org/mrrp/MRRP

_ PUB

_DEV.download

_ documentation

_ peis, or see the **ADDRESSES** section. For more information about the Emergent Sandbar Habitat program, please visit http://www.moriverrecovery.org under

‘‘BiOp/Mit Efforts. ’’

Dated: May 9, 2011. Kayla Eckert Uptmor, Chief Planning Branch, Omaha District.
[FR Doc. 2011–12511 Filed 5–19–11; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 3720–58–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE**

**Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers** 

**Availability of a Final Environmental Impact Statement To Consider**  **Issuance of a Department of the Army Permit Pursuant to Section 404 of the**  **Clean Water Act for the Sabine Mining Company’s Proposal To Construct,**  **Operate, and Reclaim the Rusk Permit Area, Rusk, Panola, and Harrison**  **Counties, TX (USACE Project No. SWF–2007–00560)** 

**AGENCY :**  Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

**ACTION :**  Notice of availability.

**SUMMARY :**  In accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Fort Worth District has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). This FEIS evaluates project alternatives and potential impacts to the natural, physical and human environment as a result of the Sabine Mining Company’s proposal to construct, operate and reclaim the Rusk Permit Area. The USACE regulates this proposed project pursuant to Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. The proposed activity would involve the discharge of dredged and fill material into waters of the United States associated with the proposed construction, operation and reclamation of the Rusk Permit Area.

**DATES :**  Submit comments no later than 60 days from the date of publication of this notice.

**ADDRESSES :**  Send written comments and suggestions concerning this proposal to Mr. Darvin Messer, Regulatory Project Manager, Regulatory Branch, CESWF– PER–R, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District, P.O. Box 17300,Fort Worth, TX 76102–0300 or via email: Darvin.Messer@usace.army.mil

.

Requests to be placed on the mailing list should also be sent to this address. Please reference USACE Project No. SWF–2007–00560.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Mr. Darvin Messer, Regulatory ProjectManager at (817) 886–1744 or via email: Darvin.Messer@usace.army.mil.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  Discharges of fill material into waters of the United States are regulated under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, with the permitting responsibility administered by the USACE. The proposed project must also address environmental impacts relative to the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (FWCA). In accordance with the NEPA, the FEIS evaluates practicable alternatives for the USACE’s decision making process. As required by NEPA, the USACE also analyzes the ‘‘no action’’ alternative as a baseline for gauging potential impacts.

Written comments should be sent to Mr. Darvin Messer (see **ADDRESSES** ). The comments are due no later than 60 days from the date of publication of this notice. Copies of the FEIS may be obtained by contacting USACE Fort Worth District Regulatory Branch at (817) 886–1731 or downloaded/printed from the Fort Worth District USACE Internet Web site at: http:// www.swf.usace.army.mil/pubdata/ environ/regulatory/permitting/rusk.asp. Copies of the FEIS are also available for inspection at the locations identified below:

(1) Tatum Public Library, 335 Hood Street, Tatum, TX 75691.

(2) Sammie Brown Library, 522 West College Street, Carthage, TX 75633.

(3) Longview Public Library, 222 West Cotton Street, Longview, TX 75601.

(4) Rusk County Library, 106 East Main St., Henderson, TX 75652.

(5) Marshall Public Library, 300 South Alamo Boulevard, Marshall, TX 75670.

(6) Henderson City Hall, 400 West Main Street, Henderson, TX 75652.

(7) Tatum City Hall, 680 Crystal Farms Road, Tatum, TX 75691.

(8) Longview City Hall, 300 West Cotton Street, Longview, TX 75601.

(9) Carthage City Hall, 812 West Panola Street, Carthage, TX 75633.

(10) Marshall City Hall, 401 South Alamo Boulevard, Marshall, TX 75785.

After the public comment period ends, the USACE will consider all comments received, revise the FEIS as appropriate, and issue a Final Environmental Impact Statement.

Stephen L Brooks, Chief, Regulatory Branch.
[FR Doc. 2011–12512 Filed 5–19–11; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 3720–58–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE**

**Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers** 

**Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Alaska**  **Department of Transportation & Public Facilities Foothills West**  **Transportation Access Project**

**AGENCY :**  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Defense.

**ACTION :**  Notice of Intent.

**SUMMARY :**  The Alaska District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) intends to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to identify and analyze the potential impacts associated with the proposed Foothills West Transportation Access Project (Foothills Project). The Corps is the lead Federal agency; the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (ADNR) are participating as cooperating agencies in the DEIS development process. The Corps will be evaluating a permit application for work under Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be used as a basis for the permit decision and to ensure


### 29219 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 98 / Friday, May 20, 2011 / Notices

compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Questions about the proposed action and the DEIS can be answered by: Ms. Melissa Riordan, Regulatory Division, telephone: (907) 474–2166, or mail: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, CEPOA–RD, 2175 University Avenue, Suite 201(E), Fairbanks, AK 99709–4927. You may also request to be added to the mailing list and find additional information at the following Web site: http:// www.foothillswesteis.com.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :** 

1. Proposed Action. The Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) is proposing to construct an all-season transportation access road from the Dalton Highway to Umiat, to increase access to potential oil and gas resources for exploration and development along the northwestern foothills of the Brooks Range, and within the National Petroleum Reserve—Alaska (NPR–A). The project is considered an important investment by the State of Alaska to further oil and gas resource exploration and development opportunities to benefit Alaska’s economy.

The proposed Foothills Project area is within the North Slope Foothills Areawide Oil and Gas Lease Sale Area between the Dalton Highway and Umiat. The project area is within the North Slope Borough; south of the Umiat baseline (principal east-west line dividing survey townships 1 north and 1 south of the Umiat Quadrangle, Alaska), west of the Dalton Highway, north of the Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, and east of the National Petroleum Reserve—Alaska.

Construction components of this project would include an all-season gravel road, associated bridges and othercrossing structures (i.e., culverts), pullouts, maintenance facilities, temporary construction camps, and material sites. The road would be designed to safely accommodate industrial traffic in arctic conditions. Although the road may be closed to the public during periods of exploration, development and production activities, the road may eventually be open to the general public. Depending upon the final route alignment, there could be up to six major river crossings. These are the Anaktuvuk, Chandler, Colville, Itkillik, Kuparuk, and Toolik rivers. Bridges and other crossing structures would be designed to accommodate industrial activities and weight loads associated with oil and gas pipelines. While subsequent efforts by industry to develop infrastructure such as oil and gas pipelines and their associated components are reasonably foreseeable, these elements are not proposed by this action.

2. Alternatives. A reasonable range of alternatives will be identified and evaluated through scoping and the EIS process. The DOT&PF has identified several possible road corridors between the Dalton Highway and Umiat within the Foothills Project area, including a preferred corridor that goes from Galbraith Lake at milepost 278 on the Dalton Highway and heads in a northerly, and then northwesterly, route to Umiat. The intent of the DOT&PF is to identify a feasible corridor that concurrently accesses areas with high oil and gas potential, minimizes the distance between the road corridor and likely exploration areas, and traverses as much state land as possible. One or more corridors will be identified through scoping. Within the corridor(s), additional analysis would be conducted to determine optimal road alignments and river crossing locations.

3. Scoping Process. The scoping period will begin on May 20, 2011 and end on July 5, 2011.

a. Public involvement. The Corps invites full public participation to promote open communication on the issues to be addressed regarding the proposed action. All Federal, state, Tribal, and local agencies, and other interested persons or organizations with an interest are urged to participate in the NEPA scoping process. Scoping meetings will be held to receive public input on the development of proposed alternatives to be reviewed in the EIS, and to identify significant issues to be analyzed.

b. Scoping meetings. The Corps plans to hold scoping meetings in Anaktuvuk Pass, Anchorage, Barrow, Fairbanks, and Nuiqsut. Information about these meetings and meeting dates will be published locally, posted at http:// www.foothillswesteis.com, or available by contacting the Corps as described above. A description of the proposed project will be posted on the project Web site prior to these meetings to help the public focus their scoping
comments.

4. Major Issues To Be Analyzed in the DEIS. The DEIS will analyze the potential social, economic, physical, and biological impacts on the affected areas. The following major issues will be analyzed in depth in the DEIS: road construction and operation and its effect on the surrounding communities; water resources; fish and wildlife; cultural and subsistence resources; hazardous materials; human health; socioeconomics; and secondary and cumulative impacts.

5. Other Environmental Review and Consultation Requirements. Other environmental review and consultation requirements include: Magnuson Stevens Act for Essential Fish Habitat identification, Executive Order 13175 Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments; Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966; Section 9 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899; and subsistence uses in accordance with Section 810 of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA).

6. Land Ownership. The lands within the Foothills Project area are mostly state lands, but also include Federal lands administered by the BLM, Arctic Slope Regional Corporation lands, and private lands.

7. Estimated Date DEIS Available to Public. It is anticipated that the DEIS will be available June 2012 for public review.

Dated: May 5, 2011. Melissa C. Riordan, Project Manager, Alaska District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
[FR Doc. 2011–12371 Filed 5–19–11; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 3720–58–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION**

**Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests** 

**AGENCY :**  Department of Education.

**ACTION :**  Comment Request.

**SUMMARY :**  The Department of Education (the Department), in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and continuing collections of information. This helps the Department assess the impact of its information collection requirements and minimize the reporting burden on the public and helps the public understand the Department’s information collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format. The Director, Information Collection Clearance Division, Privacy, Information and Records Management Services, Office of Management, invites comments on the proposed information collection requests as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

**DATES :**  Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before July 19,
2011.

**ADDRESSES :**  Comments regarding burden and/or the collection activity