58948 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 211 / Friday, October 31, 1997 / Notices

allocation formulas. The EISs may also

serve as supporting documents for

future decisions related to the

management of the basins.

e. The completion schedule for these

EISs is coordinated with the legislated

timelines mandated by the compact

agreements.

The State Commissioners must agree

on proposed allocation formulas by

December 31, 1998, unless they agree on

an extension. Following approval of an

allocation formula by the State

Commissioners, the Federal

Commissioner must make a concurrence

decision within 255 days thereafter.

This timeline specified in the pending

compacts warrants immediate

commencement of the EISs, even though

the allocation formulas have not yet

been developed. The initial EIS work

will include completion of field studies,

gathering of environmental,

socioeconomic and hydrologic baseline

information. The public involvement

process will be initiated as well.

f. The EISs will display the range of

flows experienced by current water

management operations, compared to a

foreseeable range of reasonable

alternative flows which may result from

proposed allocation formulas. The

alternative ranges of flows, along with

the associated environmental impacts,

will create the framework upon which

the allocation formulas may be

evaluated. Further NEPA analysis and

other documentation will be prepared,

as necessary, to address proposed

actions that may become apparent under

the allocation formulas or compacts, if

the actions are not addressed by these

EISs.

3. Cooperating Agencies

The lead responsibility for these EISs

rests with the Corps. Federal

cooperating agencies include:

Department of Interior’s Fish and

Wildlife Service, Geological Survey, and

National Park Service; Environmental

Protection Agency; Department of

Agriculture’s Natural Resource

Conservation Service and Forest

Service; Department of Commerce’s

National Ocean Service and National

Marine Fisheries Service; Department of

Energy’s Southeastern Power

Administration; and Department of

Transportation’s Maritime

Administration. Each of the cooperating

Federal agencies will provide their

expertise in compiling information and

evaluating potential impacts.

4. Scoping

a. The ACT/ACF Comprehensive

Study involved the States, stakeholders

and the public in identifying areas of

concern; collecting and developing

water resource, environmental, and

socioeconomic data; and developing

tools to assist in decisions affecting an

equitable allocation of water resources

within the two basins. Scoping for these

EISs will continue to build upon the

knowledge and information developed

during the Comprehensive Study.

Additional meetings with agencies and

stakeholders groups will continue to

identify significant issues and data gaps,

and focus on the alternatives to be

evaluated.

b. A significant component of the

scoping process will be development

and distribution of a Scoping Brochure/

Questionnaire, and review of responses

to the questionnaire. The Scoping

Brochure/Questionnaire invites

comments and participation in the

scoping process by the public; Federal,

State, and local agencies and officials;

affected Indian tribes; and other

interested parties.

c. An Internet Web Page has been

established, to provide for public access

to information related to the ACT and

ACF Water Allocation Formulas

development and the EIS evaluation

process. The Scoping Brochure/

Questionnaire, in addition to mail

distribution, is located on the Web Page,

and allows for receipt of public

comments at any point during the NEPA

process. Current information on the

associated Comprehensive Basin Study

results or Interstate Compact

developments will also be presented on

the Web Page.

5. Environmental Review and

Consultation Requirements

Coordination with the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service will be accomplished

in compliance with the Endangered

Species Act and the Fish and Wildlife

Coordination Act. Coordination

required by other laws and regulations

will also be conducted.

Gregory D. Showalter,

Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.

[FR Doc. 97–28879 Filed 10–30–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3710–CR–M

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of

Engineers

Intent To Prepare Draft Supplement II

to a Final Environmental Impact

Statement (EIS) for Proposed

Construction of a Water Supply

Reservoir on Sugar Creek in

Williamson and Johnson Counties, IL

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,

DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Engineer

District, Louisville Corps of Engineers is

initiating the preparation of Draft

Supplement II to a Final EIS for a

regulatory permit application from the

City of Marion, IL. The proposed action

by the City of Marion is the construction

of a water supply reservoir on Sugar

Creek in Williamson and Johnson

Counties, Illinois. The Draft Supplement

II will address combinations of

alternative actions, including separable

alternatives, to provide water to the City

of Marion, IL and Lake of Egypt Water

District from various sources in

southern Illinois.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Questions or comments concerning the

preparation of this Draft Supplement II

to the Final EIS should be addressed to

Mr. Terry Siemsen, U.S. Army Engineer

District, Louisville, Corps of Engineers,

CELRL–PD–R, P.O. Box 59, Louisville,

Kentucky 40201–0059 or phone (502)

582–5550.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Louisville District prepared a Draft and

Final EIS (Final EIS completed July

1995) for this permit application as well

as a Draft and Final Supplement I to the

Final EIS (Final Supplement I

completed May 1996). A Record of

Decision was prepared and a

Department of the Army permit was

issued (July 1996) to the City of Marion

for placement of material in Sugar Creek

as part of the construction of their

proposed water supply reservoir.

The Department of the Army permit

was contested in the U.S. District Court

for the Southern District of Illinois and

the issuance of the permit was upheld

(December 1996). The Department of the

Army permit was vacated, however, by

order of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals

on July 14, 1997. The 7th Circuit Court

of Appeals indicated that alternatives of

supplying the water needs of the City of

Marion, IL and Lake of Egypt Water

District from separate sources were not

sufficiently described in the completed

Final EIS and Final Supplement I to the

Final EIS.
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 211 / Friday, October 31, 1997 / Notices 58949

The City of Marion has reinstated

their application for a Department of the

Army permit that will be needed to

construct the proposed water supply

reservoir. Because of the request by the

City of Marion, the Draft Supplement II

to the Final EIS will be prepared and

will address separate water source

options.

Gregory D. Showalter,

Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.

[FR Doc. 97–28875 Filed 10–30–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3710–JB–M

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Corps of Engineers; Department of the

Army

Intent to Prepare an Environmental

Impact Statement (EIS) for the Western

Branch, Patuxent River, Water

Resources Feasibility Study in Prince

George’s County, Maryland and Hold a

Public Scoping Workshop

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,

DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

National Environmental Policy Act

(NEPA), the Baltimore District, U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers is initiating

the Western Branch, Patuxent River,

Water Resources Feasibility Study. The

riparian and aquatic environmental

integrity of the Western Branch

watershed has been severely degraded

by urbanization, inadequate

infrastructure and industrial

encroachment. Potential environmental

restoration of streambanks, wetlands

and forest buffers could restore riparian

and aquatic habitat, improve water

quality through habitat restoration,

restore stream channel stability, and

reduce erosion and sedimentation. An

EIS will be integrated into the feasibility

study to document existing conditions,

project actions, and project effects and

products. Prince George’s County and

the Maryland Department of the

Environment are the non-Federal

sponsors for the project.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Questions

about the proposed action and DEIS can

be addressed to Ms. Michele A. Bistany,

Study Manager, Baltimore District, U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers, Attn:

CENAB–PL–P, P.O. Box 1715,

Baltimore, Maryland 21203–1715,

telephone (410) 962–4934, E-mail

address:

michele.a.bistany@usace.army.mil

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. The Patuxent River Water

Resources Reconnaissance Study was

authorized by a resolution of the

Committee on Public Works and

Transportation of the United States

House of Representatives, adopted 28

September 1994.

2. The area proposed for

environmental restoration is known as

the Western Branch, Patuxent River

watershed. The most significant

problems in the Western Branch

watershed are the loss of aquatic and

riparian habitat and the instability of the

streambeds and channels. This

excessive degradation includes: rapid

stormwater flows that cause streambank

erosion and sedimentation,

encroachment of development which

limits riparian habitat and wetlands,

and polluted runoff which contributes

to poor water quality. These factors

negatively impact the present aquatic

and riparian environment and will

continue to cause further degradation in

the future.

3. On 24 July 1997, the Baltimore

District and Prince George’s County

executed a feasibility cost-sharing

agreement to prepare a study on the

Western Branch watershed. This

watershed study is being conducted to

investigate the feasibility of restoring

habitat and the environmental integrity

of the watershed. The purpose of this

study is to better define problems

within the watershed including

sedimentation and erosion, reduction of

aquatic and riparian habitat, and

degradation of wetland habitat and to

determine solutions to these problems.

The goal of this study is to improve the

aquatic and riparian ecosystem, and

reduce sedimentation and erosion

within the Western Branch watershed.

To achieve this goal, the Corps will

further define the problems, needs, and

opportunities in the watershed; analyze

and forecast environmental resource

conditions; formulate, evaluate, and

compare alternative concept plans for

numerous sites within the watershed;

develop detailed designs and costs for

the selected concepts; and recommend a

cost effective overall plan for the

watershed.

4. Throughout the feasibility study,

potential restoration sites within the

watershed will be identified, evaluated,

and selected. To achieve the proposed

watershed restoration, the alternatives

to be evaluated will include

stabilization of eroding stream channels,

creation and enhancement of wetlands,

restoration of floodplains, construction

of or improvements to stormwater

detention ponds, and construction of

fish passage structures. Fish habitat

structures would also be installed, if

necessary, to restore aquatic habitat and

provide added cover for spawning.

Stream restoration alternatives may

include stabilization techniques, such as

plantings, and placement of geotextile

tubes or natural materials.

5. The decision to implement these

actions will be based on an evaluation

of the probable impact of the proposed

activities on the public interest,

reflecting the national concern for both

protection and utilization of important

resources. The benefit that reasonably

may be expected to accrue from the

proposal will be balanced against its

reasonably foreseeable costs. The

Baltimore District is preparing an EIS

that will describe the impacts of the

proposed projects on environmental and

cultural resources in the study area and

the overall public interest. The EIS will

be in accordance with NEPA and will

document all factors that may be

relevant to the proposal, including the

cumulative effects thereof. Among these

factors are conservation, economics,

aesthetics, general environmental

concerns, wetlands, cultural and

historic values, fish and wildlife values,

threatened and endangered species,

flood hazards, floodplain values, land

use, recreation, water supply and

conservation, water quality, air quality,

hazardous and toxic substances, safety,

and the general needs and welfare of the

people. If applicable, the EIS will also

apply guidelines issued by the

Environmental Protection Agency,

under the authority of Section 404(b)(1)

of the Clean Water Act of 1977 (Public

Law 95–217).

6. The public involvement program

will include public workshops,

meetings, and other coordination with

interested private individuals and

organizations, as well as with concerned

Federal, state and local agencies.

Coordination letters and newsletters

have been sent to appropriate agencies,

organizations, and individuals on an

extensive mailing list. Additional public

information will be provided through

print media, mailings, and radio and

television announcements.

7. In addition to the Corps, Prince

George’s County, and the Maryland

Department of the Environment, other

participants that will be involved in the

study and EIS process include the

following: U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency; U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service; U.S. Forest Service;

U.S. Geological Survey; National Marine

Fisheries Service; Natural Resource

Conservation Service; and the Maryland

Department of Natural Resources. The

Baltimore District invites potentially