Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 166 / Friday, August 26, 2011 / Notices 53423 

Act (NEPA) coverage for the proposed 

action. 

The ROD discusses each alternative 

considered for the proposed action and 

those that are environmentally 

preferable. The Corps has identified an 

Adaptive Management Implementation 

Process (AMIP), with a construction 

ceiling of Alternative 3.5 (approximately 

4,370 acres), as the selected plan. The 

key aspect of the AMIP is that, rather 

than selecting a specific acreage 

alternative, actions would be 

progressively implemented and 

monitored until the desired biological 

response of terns and plovers is attained 

and sustained. The Corps recognizes 

that alternative methods such as 

vegetation removal, while relatively 

untested, provide the potential to 

decrease impacts and costs, and could 

be incorporated if proven successful. 

The FPEIS describes the potential 

environmental consequences of the 

alternatives considered in detail. During 

analysis, impacts of the larger 

alternatives (3, 2 and 1) were deemed to 

be moderate to high and impacts of 

lesser alternatives (3.5, 4 and 5) were 

deemed to be moderate to low. 

Alternative 3.5 represents a midrange of 

habitat available at a time when the 

birds were productive, and it is 

anticipated that biological metrics will 

be met before fully implementing up to 

Alternative 3.5. If Alternative 3.5 is fully 

implemented and biological metrics are 

not met, the Corps can consider 

continuing to higher acreage alternatives 

or other methodologies, in which case 

appropriate coordination and disclosure 

would be pursued (potential amended 

ROD or additional NEPA). 

The AMIP allows for flexibility to 

provide habitat up to a point of meeting 

population goals, and to minimize 

impacts through approaches such as 

monitoring, redistributing acreage 

targets among segments if needed, 

avoiding sensitive resources, using lessimpactful or costly construction 

methodologies as they become available, 

and avoiding over-construction of 

habitat. 

Implementing the selected alternative 

will provide the most effective means 

for the Corps to meet its obligations, 

including avoiding jeopardy to the bird 

species, while managing the river for all 

authorized purposes. Risk of significant 

impacts to the environment appears to 

be low to moderate as a result of 

implementation of the ESH program, 

and numerous acres of ESH would be 

created, which is considered important 

not only to protected bird species, but 

to the overall ecology of the Missouri 

River. 

Concurrently with the ROD, an errata 

sheet is also being made available, 

which provides the comments received 

on the Final PEIS along with the Corps 

response to each. Also included in the 

errata is an update regarding Tribal 

coordination and the PEIS. 

2. Document Availability. The Final 

PEIS (May 2011), the ROD, the errata 

sheet, and an updated Final PEIS which 

incorporates the ROD and the errata 

items (August 2011), are available at: 

http://www.moriverrecovery.org/mrrp/ 

f?p=MRRP:documents. 

For more information about the 

Emergent Sandbar Habitat program, 

please visit http:// 

www.moriverrecovery.org under ‘‘BiOp/ 

Mit Efforts.’’ 

Dated: August 15, 2011. 

Christopher D. Wiehl, 

Acting Chief, Planning Branch, Omaha 

District. 

[FR Doc. 2011–21894 Filed 8–25–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3720–58–P 

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 

Department of the Army; Corps of 

Engineers 

Notice of Intent To Prepare an 

Environmental Impact Statement/ 

Environmental Impact Report for the 

Section 408 Permission for the 

Southport Sacramento River Early 

Implementation Project, West 

Sacramento, CA 

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. 

Army Corps of Engineers; DoD. 

ACTION: Notice of intent. 

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as 

amended, and the California 

Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) 

intends to prepare an Environmental 

Impact Statement/Environmental 

Impact Report (EIS/EIR) under Section 

14 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 

(as amended) (33 U.S.C. 408), and 

Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 

U.S.C. 1344), for the proposed 

Southport Sacramento River Early 

Implementation Project (EIP), sponsored 

by the West Sacramento Area Flood 

Control Agency (WSAFCA). Figures of 

the project area can be viewed at 

http://www.cityofwestsacramento.org/ 

city/flood. 

WSAFCA is planning the Southport 

Sacramento River EIP to implement 

flood-risk reduction measures along the 

Sacramento River South Levee in the 

City of West Sacramento, Yolo County, 

CA. The project reach extends along the 

right bank of the Sacramento River 

south of the barge canal, downstream 

approximately 6.4 miles to the South 

Cross Levee, protecting the Southport 

community of West Sacramento. The 

3.3-square mile study area encompasses 

the area of levee improvement along the 

river corridor and the potential soil 

borrow sites. In order to implement the 

project, the sponsor must acquire 

permission from USACE to alter the 

Federal project under Section 14 of the 

Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (as 

amended) (33 U.S.C. 408 or, Section 

408). USACE also has authority under 

Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 

U.S.C. 1344) over activities involving 

the discharge of dredged or fill material 

to waters of the United States, which are 

known to be in the project area. The 

project would bring the levee up to 

standard with Federal and state flood 

protection criteria, as well as providing 

opportunities for ecosystem restoration 

and public recreation. USACE, acting as 

the federal lead agency under NEPA, 

and WSAFCA, acting as the state lead 

agency under the CEQA in coordination 

with the Central Valley Flood Protection 

Board, have determined that an EIS/EIR 

should be prepared to describe 

alternatives, potential environmental 

effects, and mitigation measures. 

DATES: Public scoping meetings will be 

held on Thursday, September 15, 2011 

at 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at the West 

Sacramento Recreation Center, 2801 

Jefferson Boulevard, West Sacramento, 

CA. Send written comments by 

September 26, 2011 (see ADDRESSES). 

ADDRESSES: Written comments and 

suggestions concerning the scope and 

content of the environmental 

information may be submitted to Mr. 

John Suazo, U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers, Sacramento District, Attn: 

Planning Division (CESPK–PD–R), 1325 

J Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. 

Requests to be placed on the mailing list 

also should be sent to this address. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Questions about the proposed actions 

and environmental review process 

should be addressed to John Suazo at 

(916) 557–6719, e-mail: 

john.suazo@usace.army.mil (see 

ADDRESSES). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

1. Proposed Action. WSAFCA is 

proposing a project along the 

Sacramento River west levee under the 

California DWR’s Early Implementation 

Program to expeditiously complete 

flood-risk reduction measures. Known 

as the Southport Sacramento River EIP, 

the project proposes implementation of 

flood-risk reduction measures 


emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES
53424 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 166 / Friday, August 26, 2011 / Notices 

(measures) along a 6.4-mile long reach 

between the barge canal downstream to 

the South Cross Levee. Primary 

deficiencies of the levee include 

through-seepage, under-seepage, and 

embankment instability (e.g., overly 

steepened slopes). As part of the project, 

an EIS/EIR is being prepared. USACE 

has authority under Section 14 of the 

Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (as 

amended) (33 U.S.C. 408), over 

alterations to federal flood control 

project levees and any such alterations 

as proposed by WSAFCA are subject to 

approval by USACE. USACE also has 

authority under Section 404 of the Clean 

Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344) over 

activities involving the discharge of 

dredged or fill material to waters of the 

United States, which are known to be in 

the project area. Under Section 10 of the 

Rives and Harbors Act, the District 

Engineer may permit activities which do 

not affect navigable waters. Due to these 

authorities, USACE is acting as the lead 

agency for the EIS pursuant to NEPA. 

WSAFCA will be acting as the lead 

agency for the EIR according to CEQA 

as the public agency that has the 

principal responsibility for carrying out 

and approving the project. 

2. Alternatives. The EIS/EIR will 

consider several alternatives for 

reducing flood damage. Each alternative 

analyzed during the investigation will 

consist of a combination of several 

measures to reduce the risk of flooding. 

These measures include, but are not 

limited to, installing slurry cutoff walls, 

constructing seepage or stability berms, 

relief wells, rock slope protection, slope 

flattening, and potential new levee 

alignments (setback or adjacent levees). 

3. Scoping Process. 

a. Public scoping meetings will be 

held on September 15, 2011, to present 

information to the public and to receive 

comments from the public on the 

project. These meetings are intended to 

initiate the process to involve concerned 

individuals, and local, State, and 

Federal agencies. 

b. Significant issues to be analyzed in 

depth in the environmental documents 

include effects on hydraulics, wetlands 

and other waters of the U.S., vegetation 

and wildlife resources, special-status 

species, aesthetics, cultural resources, 

recreation, land use, fisheries, 

agricultural resources, water quality, air 

quality, transportation, and 

socioeconomics; and cumulative effects 

of related projects in the study area. 

c. USACE is consulting with the State 

Historic Preservation Officer to comply 

with the National Historic Preservation 

Act and with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service and National Marine Fisheries 

Service to comply with the Endangered 

Species Act. USACE also is coordinating 

with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

to comply with the Fish and Wildlife 

Coordination Act. 

d. A 45-day public review period will 

be provided for individuals and 

agencies to review and comment on the 

draft environmental document. All 

interested parties are encouraged to 

respond to this notice and provide a 

current address if they wish to be 

notified of the draft EIS/EIR circulation. 

4. Availability. The draft EIS/EIR for 

the Southport Sacramento River EIP is 

scheduled to be available for public 

review and comment in mid-2012. 

Dated: August 17, 2011. 

William J. Leady, 

COL, EN, Commanding. 

[FR Doc. 2011–21878 Filed 8–25–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3720–58–P 

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 

Department of the Army; Corps of 

Engineers 

Intent To Prepare a Draft Supplemental 

Environmental Impact Statement for 

the Larose to Golden Meadow 

Hurricane Protection Project, PostAuthorization Change Study, in 

Lafourche Parish, LA 

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. 

Army Corps of Engineers, DoD. 

ACTION: Notice of intent. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers (USACE) intends to prepare a 

supplemental environmental impact 

statement (SEIS) for the Larose to 

Golden Meadow Hurricane Protection 

Project, Post-Authorization Change 

(PAC) Study. This project was originally 

authorized in 1965. Construction began 

in 1972 and is still underway. The PAC 

Study was initiated to identify and 

evaluate modifications needed to ensure 

that completion of project features, 

designed and constructed before 

development of the post-Katrina 

Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk 

Reduction System (HSDRRS) Design 

Guidelines, are in compliance with 

these new guidelines. 

The subject SEIS will supplement the 

original environmental impact 

statement (EIS) prepared for the project 

as authorized in 1965. The Statement of 

Findings for the original EIS was signed 

on April 4, 1975. An SEIS was 

subsequently prepared to address 

proposed modifications to the 

authorized plan. The Record of Decision 

for this first SEIS was signed on May 20, 

1985. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Questions concerning the draft SEIS 

should be addressed to Charlene 

Carmack, Rock Island District, Corps of 

Engineers, CEMVP–PD–C, Clock Tower 

Building, P.O. Box 2004, Rock Island, IL 

61204–2004; telephone (309) 794–5570; 

fax (309) 794–5157; or be e-mail: 

Charlene.Carmack@usace.army.mil. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

1. Authority. This SEIS will be the 

second supplement to the EIS originally 

prepared for the Larose to Golden 

Meadow Hurricane Protection Project. 

This project was authorized by the 

Flood Control Act of 27 October 1965, 

House Document No. 184, 89th 

Congress (Pub. L. 89–298), which 

authorized the project ‘‘hurricane-flood 

protection at Grand Isle and Vicinity, 

Louisiana’’ to provide protection in 

accordance with the recommendation of 

the Chief of Engineers in his report 

entitled ‘‘Grand Isle and Vicinity, La.’’, 

and contained in House Document No. 

184, Eighty-ninth Congress, 1st Session. 

The authorized project is a ring levee 

system with associated control 

structures that provides hurricane and 

storm damage risk reduction to 

communities located along both sides of 

Bayou Lafourche in Lafourche Parish, 

Louisiana. The overall levee system is 

approximately 43 miles long, extending 

from Larose to a point 2 miles south of 

Golden Meadow, Louisiana. Roughly 

25,000 people live in the communities 

of Larose, Galliano, Cutoff, and Golden 

Meadow, which are located within the 

ring levee system. 

2. Alternatives. Alternatives currently 

being evaluated in the PAC Study 

include: (1) Stabilize the existing levee 

using current criteria for still-water 

elevations, which would complete the 

project without exceeding the 1965 

authorized elevation listed in the Grand 

Isle, Louisiana, and Vicinity General 

Design Memorandum (with datum 

adjustments), and meet the current 

approved design guidelines excluding 

the Post-Hurricane Katrina hydrology 

and hydraulics design guidelines; (2) 

modify the 1965 design to complete the 

project providing a level of risk 

reduction based on the 1965 storm surge 

design elevations (with datum 

adjustments) using the current HSDRRS 

Design Guidelines to include the PostHurricane Katrina surge models; (3) 

complete the existing levee system in 

general conformance with the 

previously authorized design. These 

alternatives will be further formulated 

and developed during the scoping 

process and an appropriate range of 

alternatives will be considered in the 

new SEIS. These may include 


emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES