Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 83 / Friday, April 28, 2000 / Notices 24945

shoreline to inland areas will be

considered in the EIS.

Alternatives

The no-action alternative must be

evaluated and retained throughout the

study. Additionally, the Barataria Basin

portion of the recommended plan from

the LDNR Barrier Shoreline Feasibility

Study will be investigated. The

recommended plan from that study

would rebuild dunes at the CaminadaMoreau Headland. The recommendation

from that study for the Plaquemines

shoreline from Grand Terre to east of

Sandy Point is to recreate a dune and

marsh platform stabilized with a rock

revetment along the gulf shoreline. In

addition, another alternative to be

evaluated in detail is expected to be

developed during the scoping process.

Need for Action

The focus for initial action is in the

Barataria Basin (in Lafourche, Jefferson,

and Plaquemines parishes), Louisiana,

one of nine basins delineated in the

Coast 2050 Plan. The Barataria Basin

has a very high rate of wetland loss,

estimated at about 11 square miles per

year from 1978–1990 (Fuller et al.

1995). The area also has tremendous

potential for restoration because of

nearby sediment in coastal bays, the

Mississippi River, and in Federal and

state waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

While the ultimate goal for coastal

restoration under the Coast 2050 plan is

to implement strategies throughout

coastal Louisiana, the Barataria Basin is

in dire need of immediate attention.

While most Barataria Basin strategies

are dependent on the overall input,

movement, and circulation of water,

sediment, and nutrients in the basin,

there are several strategies that can be

implemented largely independent of

these considerations. The barrier

shoreline restoration strategy is one of

those strategies. Restoration of barrier

islands, headlands, and shoreline can be

applied as a separable activity,

independent of other strategies in the

Barataria Basin and coastal Louisiana.

The barrier shoreline system in

Barataria Basin begins about 45 miles

northwest of the mouth of the

Mississippi River and forms a concave

arch of about 53 miles along the Gulf of

Mexico at the southern end of the

Barataria Basin. Barrier islands,

headlands, and shoreline can offer

unique ecological characteristics with

an assemblage of intertidal bottoms,

beaches, dunes, shrub thickets, and salt

marshes not found in interior wetlands.

The assemblage of plants and animals is

different than in any other area of the

basin. Some of the species are endemic

to barrier areas. A variety of seabirds,

wading birds, and shore birds such as

black skimmer, reddish egret, the

threatened piping plover, and least tern

can utilize barrier islands. The islands

can serve as a protection zone for many

species of fish, resting areas for

migrating birds, nesting locations for

birds such as the endangered brown

pelican, and nesting beaches for

threatened and endangered sea turtles.

The barrier areas in Barataria Basin

from Bayou Lafourche to Sandy Point

have undergone significant movement

and reduction in size during the past

100 years. While some lateral movement

of barrier areas is expected as sand is

reworked in the nearshore environment,

the Barataria Basin barrier areas have

retreated and narrowed rapidly,

symptoms of a sediment-poor system.

Tidal passes that have opened in the

islands during the passage of storms do

not reseal in fair weather (Levin 1993).

Islands have diminished in size

(narrowed) to the point that they are

likely to vanish in the near future. For

example, it is predicted that Grand

Terre Island may be gone by 2008

(McBride et al. 1992). Overall, the

Barataria barrier islands decreased in

area by 47 percent from the 1890s to

1988 (Fuller et al. 1995).

The Caminada-Moreau Headland,

forming the western portion of the

Barataria barrier system, has

experienced some of the highest rates of

shoreline movement on the Louisiana or

Gulf coast. Between 1978 and 1988, the

shoreline on the Barataria coast

retreated at a rate of 45 feet/year. The

shoreline has retreated over one mile in

some locations from 1887–1988

(McBride et al. 1992). The Plaquemines

Barrier System in the eastern portion of

the system retreated at an average rate

of 33 feet/year from 1973–1988. In 1884,

Grand Terre Island was 4,198 acres with

an average width of 2,982 feet, but by

1988, it was only 1,268 acres with an

average width of 1,740 feet. Shell Island

was 314 acres with a width of 446 feet.

In 1988, it was 171 acres and 345 feet

in width (McBride et al. 1992). The

shoreline has retreated 0.5–0.75 miles

over a large part of the Plaquemines

Barrier System.

Many of the barrier areas in Barataria

Basin have become nothing more than

fragmented, low mounds of sand, easily

overwashed by minor storm events,

maintaining little ecological value. As

the barrier areas become narrower and

disintegrate, bays and wetlands behind

the barriers become more directly

connected with the Gulf of Mexico and

its associated wave action and higher

salinity water. The implications of these

changes for coastal industries and

communities are severe even without

the threat of hurricane surge and waves.

Action to restore barrier areas has

become critical.

Fuller, D.A., J.G. Gosselink, J. Barras, and

C.E. Sasser. 1995. Physical Setting. pp.

9–23. In: D.J. Reed (ed.) Current Status

and Historical Trends of Hydrological

Modification, Reduction in Sediment

Availability, and Habitat Loss/

Modification in the Barataria-Terrebonne

Estuarine System. BTNEP No. 20.

Barataria Terrebonne National Estuary

Program, Thibodaux, LA.

Levin, D.R. 1993. Tidal inlet evolution in the

Mississippi River delta plain. Journal of

Coastal Research 9.2:462–480.

McBride, R.A., S. Penland, M.W. Hiland, S.J.

Williams, K.A. Westphal, B.E. Jaffe, and

A.H. Sallenger, Jr. 1992. Analysis of

barrier shoreline change in Louisiana

from 1853 to 1989. pp. 36–97 In: S.J.

Williams, S. Penland, and A.H. Sallenger

(eds.) Louisiana Barrier Island Erosion

Study, Atlas of Shoreline Changes in

Louisiana from 1853 to 1989. U.S.

Geological Survey Miscellaneous

Investigations Series I–2150–A.

Scoping

The Corps of Engineers and LDNR invite

NEPA input in writing or in person

concerning the scope of the EIS, resources to

be evaluated, and alternatives to be

considered. Individuals, groups, and agencies

can write comments to the Corps of

Engineers using Mr. Martinson’s address

shown above. The Corps of Engineers and

LDNR plan to hold a scoping meeting in

Thibodaux, Louisiana on June 8, 2000 from

7–10 pm in the Century Room of the John L.

Guidry Stadium located on Audubon Drive of

Nicholls State University Campus,

Thibodaux, LA 70301. The entrance to the

Century Room is a red door under the

stadium. Additional meetings with local

interests will be held after the scoping

meeting as necessary.

A draft EIS is scheduled to be available for

public review during March of 2001. A

public meeting on the draft EIS will be

scheduled at that time.

Dale A. Knieriemen,

Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, Acting District

Engineer.

[FR Doc. 00–10640 Filed 4–27–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3710–84–U

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army: Corps of

Engineers

Intent To Prepare a Draft

Environmental Impact Statement to

Evaluate a Permit Application by the

New Jersey Turnpike Authority

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers—New York District, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

24946 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 83 / Friday, April 28, 2000 / Notices

SUMMARY: The New Jersey Turnpike

Authority of New Brunswick, New

Jersey has submitted an application for

a Department of the Army permit to

discharge fill material permanently

impacting approximately 12 acres of

waters of the United States including

wetlands, and to temporarily fill other

waters, to facilitate the construction of

a limited-access toll roadway known as

New Jersey Route 92. The discharge of

fill material into waters of the United

States requires a Department of the

Army Permit pursuant to section 404 of

the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344).

The Environmental Impact Statement

(EIS) process will assist the U.S. Army

Corps of Engineers (USACE) in

determining whether to issue or deny a

permit for the project under that

authority. This action is taking place in

accordance with the USACE procedures

for implementing the National

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 33

CFR Parts 230 and 325.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

James W. Haggerty, Chief, Eastern

Permits Section, New York District, U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers, 26 Federal

Plaza, Room 1937, New York, New York

10278–0090, e-mail

James.W.Haggerty@usace.army.mil

Telephone (212) 264–3912

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Project Description

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority

has submitted an application for a

Department of the Army permit to

discharge fill material permanently

impacting approximately 12 acres of

waters of the United States including

wetlands, and to temporarily fill other

waters, to facilitate the construction of

a limited-access toll roadway known as

New Jersey Route 92. The proposed

roadway corridor is within the Devils

Brook and Shallow Brook watersheds in

the Townships of South Brunswick,

Monroe and Plainsboro, Middlesex

County, New Jersey. The applicant has

submitted a wetlands mitigation plan

with the application, proposing creation

of approximately 57 acres of wetlands

from existing uplands and proposing

preservation activities. In total,

approximately 260 acres of mostly

forested wetlands, owned by the

applicant adjacent to the proposed

roadway corridor, would be created

and/or preserved.

On February 7, 2000, USACE

completed an analysis of the Need to

Prepare an EIS. This analysis was

prepared under the Corps of Engineers

and Council on Environmental Quality

regulations for implementing NEPA.

The analysis was prepared utilizing

information made available through the

public interest process until that date,

including the issuance of a public notice

and the conduct of a public hearing in

Plainsboro, New Jersey on March 29,

1999. The analysis concluded that

USACE will require the preparation of

an EIS to process the application.

2. Reasonable Alernatives

In addition to the no action

alternative, reasonable alternatives to be

considered include the following:

a. Preferred Alternative of New Jersey

Turnpike Authority

b. Alternatives to construction as

proposed

c. Alternate construction techniques

3. EIS Scoping

As part of the EIS scoping process,

comments on the proposed scope of the

EIS will be accepted until 45 days after

the publication of this Notice of Intent

in the Federal Register. All comments

should be addressed to the contact

person indicated above. In addition to

receiving written comments, the USACE

will receive oral comments during a

public scoping meeting to be scheduled

for the latter part of the scoping period.

Notice of the public scoping meeting

will be made through mailings and/or

the New York District’s website. (http:/

/www.nan.usace.army.mil)

4. Public Participation in the EIS

Process

The EIS process will provide

opportunities for full participation by

interested federal, state, and local

agencies, as well as other interested

organizations and the general public.

All interested parties are encouraged to

submit their names and addresses to the

contact person indicated above for

inclusion on the list for distribution of

the draft and final EIS and any related

public notices.

5. Federal Agency Participation in the

EIS Process

Federal agencies with an interest in

this EIS effort are requested to

participate as cooperating agencies

pursuant to 40 CFR part 1501.6. All

interested federal agencies are requested

to submit a letter of intent to Joseph J.

Seebode, Chief, Regulatory Branch, New

York District, U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers.

Joseph J. Seebode,

Chief, Regulatory Branch.

[FR Doc. 00–10633 Filed 4–27–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3710–06–M

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission

[Docket No. ER00–1975–000]

American Energy Savings, Inc.; Notice

of Issuance of Order

April 24, 2000.

American Energy Savings, Inc.

(American Energy) submitted for filing a

rate schedule under which American

Energy will engage in wholesale electric

power and energy transactions as a

marketer. American Energy also

requested waiver of various Commission

regulations. In particular, American

Energy requested that the Commission

grant blanket approval under 18 CFR

part 34 of all future issuances of

securities and assumptions of liability

by American Energy.

On April 21, 2000, pursuant to

delegated authority, the Director,

Division of Corporate Applications,

Office of Markets, Tariffs and Rates,

granted requests for blanket approval

under part 34, subject to the following:

Within thirty days of the date of the

order, any person desiring to be heard

or to protest the blanket approval of

issuances of securities or assumptions of

liability by American Energy should file

a motion to intervene or protest with the

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,

888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC

20426, in accordance with Rules 211

and 214 of the Commission’s Rules of

Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211

and 385.214).

Absent a request for hearing within

this period, American Energy is

authorized to issue securities and

assume obligations or liabilities as a

guarantor, indorser, surety, or otherwise

in respect of any security of another

person; provided that such issuance or

assumption is for some lawful object

within the corporate purposes of the

applicant, and compatible with the

public interest, and is reasonably

necessary or appropriate for such

purposes.

The Commission reserves the right to

require a further showing that neither

public nor private interests will be

adversely affected by continued

approval of American Energy’s

issuances of securities or assumptions of

liability.

Notice is hereby given that the

deadline for filing motions to intervene

or protests, as set forth above, is May 22,

2000.

Copies of the full text of the Order are

available from the Commission’s Public

Reference Branch, 888 First Street, NE.,