Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 88 / Friday, May 5, 2000 / Notices 26193

the feasibility phase, contingent upon

the execution of a Feasibility Cost

Sharing Agreement (FCSA) with a nonFederal Sponsor. An FCSA was

executed with the Louisiana Department

of Natural Resources (LADNR) on

February 18, 2000. The proposed action

focuses on wetland restoration/creation

in the Barataria Basin ecosystem due to

the very high rate of wetland loss,

estimated at about 11 square miles per

year, throughout the basin.

The proposed action also provides

additional advantages: (1) This

proposed action potentially provides a

low risk and quickly implementable

plan to address wetland loss in the

Barataria Basin; (2) the proposed action

study area is strategically placed and

could potentially yield benefits to other

coastal resources within the unique

Barataria Basin ecosystem, geologic

framework, and the human environment

infrastructure associated with

transportation, oil and gas extraction,

utilities, etc.; (3) the proposed action

could also provide additional benefits in

terms of protection of important

landscape structural features that

function as important hydrological

features within the Barataria Basin; and

(4) the proposed action could be

implemented independently of the

remaining Coast 2050 Plan strategies for

the Barataria Basin.

3. Study Alternatives

a. During the Coast 2050 public

meetings conducted in 1998, two marsh

creation strategies, Strategy R2–17—

Dedicated Dredging near Caminada Bay

and Strategy R2–16—Dedicated

Dredging Along Louisiana Highway 1,

were considered as viable ecosystem

restoration strategies. Hence, these

strategies will be developed into

alternatives for the proposed action.

Other alternatives that will be

considered include: The No Action

Alternative, filling, marsh replenishing,

terracing, and the beneficial use of

dredged material from maintenance

dredging of navigation channels. In

addition, alternatives developed during

the scoping process will also be

developed and considered.

b. Wetland restoration/creation design

features will be evaluated to ensure

compliance with current Federal and

State laws and regulations. Any adverse

effects of the alternative plans will be

identified and appropriate mitigation

measures will be included in the plans.

However, because the proposed action

is ecosystem restoration, it is not the

intent to generate alternative plans that

would require mitigation. An

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

will be prepared during the feasibility

phase because of the potential for

significant direct and indirect,

secondary, and cumulative impacts on

the human and natural environment.

4. Scoping Process

An intensive public involvement

program will be initiated and

maintained throughout the study to

solicit input from affected Federal,

State, and local agencies, Indian tribes,

and interested private organizations and

individuals. Scoping is a critical

component of the overall public

involvement program. The scoping

process is designed to provide an early

and open means of determining the

scope of issues (problems, needs, and

opportunities) to be identified and

addressed in the DEIS.

5. Public Scoping Meeting

The Corps of Engineers and the

LADNR 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, agencies and other

interested parties can write comments to

the Corps of Engineers using Dr. Klein’s

mailing address shown above. In the

early summer of 2000, the Corps of

Engineers will hold at least one public

meeting in the study area to receive oral

and written comments on the proposed

action. Notices will be mailed to the

affected and interested public once the

date of the public scoping meeting has

been established. Comments received as

a result of the scoping meeting will be

compiled and analyzed; and a Scoping

Document, summarizing the results,

will be made available to all

participants.

6. Interagency Coordination

The Department of Interior, U.S. Fish

and Wildlife Service, will provide a

Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act

Report. Coordination will be maintained

with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

and the National Marine Fisheries

Service regarding threatened and

endangered species under their

respective jurisdictional

responsibilities. Coordination will be

maintained with the Natural Resources

Conservation Service regarding prime

and unique farmlands. The U.S.

Department of Agriculture will be

consulted regarding the ‘‘Swampbuster’’

provisions of the Food Security Act. We

will prepare a section 404(b)(1)

evaluation. Coordination will be

maintained with the Advisory Counsel

on Historic Preservation and the State

Historic Preservation Officer. The

Louisiana Department of Natural

Resources will be consulted regarding

consistency with the Coastal Zone

Management Act. The Louisiana

Department of Wildlife and Fisheries

will be contacted concerning potential

impacts to Natural and Scenic Streams.

Application will be made to the

Louisiana Department of Environmental

Quality for a Water Quality Certificate.

7. Availability of DEIS

It is anticipated that the Draft EIS will

be available for public review during the

spring of 2001. A 45-day review period

will be allowed so that all interested

agencies, groups, and individuals will

have an opportunity to comment on the

draft report and EIS. In addition, a

public meeting will be held during the

review period to receive comments and

address questions concerning the draft

EIS.

Dated: April 26, 2000.

Thomas F. Julich,

Colonel, U.S. Army District Engineer.

[FR Doc. 00–11296 Filed 5–4–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3710–84–P

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of

Engineers

Intent To Prepare a Supplement (SEIS)

to the 1992 Final Environmental Impact

Statement on Modified Water

Deliveries to Everglades National Park

(Mod Waters Project) to Address a

Change in Design of U.S. Highway 41

(Tamiami Trail) Originally Proposed

Modifications

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,

Department of Defense.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

SUMMARY: The congressionally

authorized Mod Waters project consists

of structural modifications and

additions to the existing C&SF Project

required for improvement of water

deliveries for ecosystem restoration in

Everglades National Park. The

authorized plan calls for only minor

modification of Tamiami Trail by

increasing the elevation of about 3,000

linear feet of the roadbed. The existing

culvert system was thought adequate to

pass the maximum desired volume of

water. Additional analysis indicates that

the existing culverts are not adequate to

do so. Therefore additional water

conveyance methods will be analyzed.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers, P.O. Box

4970, Jacksonville, FL 32232; Attn: Mr.

Elmar Kurzbach, 904–232–2325.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

26194 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 88 / Friday, May 5, 2000 / Notices

1. Alternatives that will be evaluated

include: addition of 4 new bridges,

relocating the road (either to the north

or south) with sufficient culverts and

bridges, installation of an underground

piping system, and installation of a new

pump and ‘‘getaway’’ channel. The

bridge and underground piping system

alternatives would include alternative

upgrades of the existing roadbed ranging

from no upgrades, to raising

approximately 10 miles of roadbed up to

about 2 feet in elevation, or to an

elevation of 12 feet NGVD.

2. A scoping letter and public Scoping

Meeting will be used to invite

comments on alternatives and issues

from Federal, State, and local agencies,

affected Indian tribes, and other

interested private organizations and

individuals.

3. The Draft EIS will analyze potential

impacts to local businesses and

residents, Everglades National Park,

endangered species, wetlands,

biological resources, water quality, and

recreational fishing. Impact analysis

will be limited to issues associated with

the construction of the improvements,

only. All general Mod Waters issues

were addressed in the original

Environmental Impact Statement.

4. The alternative plans will be

reviewed under provisions of

appropriate laws and regulations,

including the Endangered Species Act,

Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, and

Clean Water Act.

5. The Draft SEIS is expected to be

available for public review during the

4th quarter of calendar year 2000.

John A. Hall,

Alternate Army Federal Register Liaison

Officer.

[FR Doc. 00–11293 Filed 5–4–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3710–AJ–M

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Intent To Prepare a Draft

Environmental Impact Statement

(DEIS) in Conjunction With Proposed

Flood Control and Ecosystem

Restoration Measures in the Kankakee

River Basin in Northeast Illinois and

Northwest Indiana

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,

DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

SUMMARY: The project involves

proposed construction of flood control

measures and ecosystem restoration

measures along the Kankakee River,

Yellow River, Iroquois River, and major

tributaries. Alternatives under

consideration include setback levees,

sediment traps, wetland restoration,

bank stabilization, vegetation buffers,

and selective dredging at locations in

several counties in northeast Illinois

and northwest Indiana.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Keith Ryder, 312/353–6400 ext. 2020;

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Suite

600, 111 North Canal Street; Chicago,

Illinois 60606–7206.

Dated: April 21, 2000.

Peter J. Rowan,

Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, District

Engineer.

[FR Doc. 00–11295 Filed 5–4–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3710–HN–M

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of

Engineers

Notice of Intent and Notice of

Preparation for a Draft Environmental

Impact Report and Environmental

Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) for a

Proposed Flood Reduction

Investigation in Yolo County, California

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,

DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

SUMMARY: The action being taken is the

development of a joint draft EIS/EIR to

identify and assess the significance of

potential measures that would reduce

flood damages to the city of Woodland,

adjacent unincorporated areas, and

agricultural lands of Yolo County, and

improve the conveyance of the

hydraulic system for the Lower Cache

Creek area. The intent of the draft EIS/

EIR is to describe and evaluate the

potential effects of the proposed

alternatives on environmental resources

in the study area.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Questions about the proposed action

and draft EIS/EIR can be answered by

Patti Johnson at (916) 557–6611 or by

mail at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,

Planning Division, ATTN: CESPK–PD–

R, 1325 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95814–

2922.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1.

Proposed Action.—The Corps in

cooperation with the non-Federal

sponsors (The Reclamation Board of the

State of California and the City of

Woodland) is conducting a cost-shared

feasibility study on alternative flood

damage reduction measures to the city

of Woodland, Yolo County, California,

adjacent unincorporated areas, and

agricultural lands. The study is

authorized by section 209 of the Flood

Control Act of 1962 (Public Law 87–

874). A reconnaissance study of

flooding problems in the westside

tributaries, including Putah and Cache

Creeks, and the Yolo Bypass was

conducted in 1993–1994 under the

authorization of the Energy and Water

Development Appropriations Act of

1993. Information resulting from this

reconnaissance report is providing some

data for the present feasibility study.

2. Alternatives.—The feasibility

study’s draft EIS/EIR will address a

combination of one or more flood

control measures including setback

levees along Cache Creek, stream

channel improvements, a north

Woodland floodway, and a no-action

alternative. Mitigation measures for any

significant adverse effects on

environmental resources will be

identified and incorporated into the

alternatives in compliance with various

Federal and State statutes.

3. Scoping Process.—a. The study

plan provides for public scoping,

meetings, and comment. The Corps has

initiated a process of involving

concerned Federal, State, and local

agencies and individuals. The City of

Woodland Task Force has held periodic

public meetings to discuss issues and

solicit public comment.

b. Public involvement during the

reconnissance phase of the study

included the ‘‘Notice of Initiation of a

Reconnaissance Study, Westside

Tributaries to Yolo Bypass, Flood

Control Investigation, California,’’ that

was sent to Federal, State, county, and

city agencies and other interested

groups and individuals in May 1993.

The Corps participated in a number of

meetings with the Yolo County Board of

Supervisors and the Yolo-Solano Flood

Control Task Force to brief participants

including other public agencies,

organizations, and interested

individuals on the proposed

alternatives. Comments received

focused on flooding along Cache Creek,

land subsidence, gravel mining, and

effects of the alternatives on the Cache

Creek Settling Basin. On April 15 and

May 6, 1996, the Corps held public

workshops in Woodland to present the

study result and discuss the procedures

to complete the reconnaissance phase

and initiate the feasibility phase of the

study.

c. Issues that will be analyzed in

depth in the draft EIS/EIR include

effects on vegetation and wildlife,

special-status species, water quality, air

quality, socio-economic conditions, and

cultural resources. Other issues may

include geology, soils, topography,

noise, esthetics, climate and recreation.