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
58950 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 211 / Friday, October 31, 1997 / Notices

affected Federal, state, and local

agencies, and other organizations and

entities to participate in this study.

8. A public scoping workshop will be

held on 6 November 1997 from 7–9 p.m.

at Largo High School in Upper

Marlboro, Maryland. The purpose of the

meeting is to solicit public concerns and

comments on the study area and the

study process.

9. The DEIS is tentatively scheduled

to be available for public review in July

of 1999.

Gregory D. Showalter,

Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.

[FR Doc. 97–28878 Filed 10–30–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3710–41–M

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy

Notice of an Additional Public Hearing

In Manteo, NC for the Draft

Environmental Impact Statement

(DEIS) for Realignment of F/A–18

Aircraft and Operational Functions

from Naval Air Station (NAS) Cecil

Field, Florida to Other East Coast

Installations

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2) of

the National Environmental Policy Act

(NEPA) of 1969 as implemented by the

Council on Environmental Quality

regulations (40 CFR 1500–1508), the

Department of the Navy has prepared

and filed with the U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency a Draft

Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)

to evaluate the realignment of F/A–18

aircraft and operational functions from

Naval Air Station (NAS) Cecil Field,

Florida to other Navy and Marine Corps

air stations on the east coast of the

United States. In accordance with these

laws and regulations, this notice

announces the date and location of an

additional public hearing for the DEIS.

A public hearing has been scheduled for

Monday, November 17, 1997, at the

North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke

Island, Airport Road, Manteo, North

Carolina to provide information and to

receive public input on the DEIS for the

realignment of F/A–18 aircraft and

associated functions from NAS Cecil

Field, Florida to east coast installations.

On October 23, 1997, the Department of

the Navy conducted a public hearing at

the North Carolina Aquarium in

Manteo. Notice of this public hearing

was made in the Federal Register on

October 3, 1997. However, subsequent

to the October 23 hearing, the Navy

received information that indicated that

the notice of the public hearing was not

well publicized in the primary local

newspaper serving the Manteo/Dare

County area (The Virginian-Pilot, North

Carolina edition). Therefore, the

Department of the Navy has decided to

conduct an additional public hearing at

the North Carolina Aquarium on

Monday, November 17, 1997, to ensure

the public has an opportunity to obtain

information and provide comment on

the DEIS. An open information session,

which will precede the scheduled

public hearing will allow individuals to

review the data presented in the DEIS.

Navy representatives will be available

during the information session to

answer questions and/or clarify

information related to the DEIS. The

open information session is scheduled

from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., followed by

the public hearing, which will begin at

7:30 p.m.

Navy will conduct the public hearing.

Federal, state and local agencies and

interested parties are invited and urged

to be present or represented at the

hearing. Oral statements will be heard

and transcribed by a stenographer;

however, to ensure the accuracy of the

record, all statements should be

submitted in writing. All statements,

both oral and written, will become part

of the public record on the DEIS and

will be responded to in the Final

Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS).

Equal weight will be given to both oral

and written statements.

In the interest of available time and to

ensure all that wish to give an oral

statement have the opportunity to do so,

each speaker will be asked to limit

comments to three (3) minutes. If longer

statements are to be presented, they

should be summarized at the public

hearing and submitted in writing either

at the hearing or mailed or faxed to Mr.

Dan Cecchini at: Commander, Atlantic

Division, Naval Facilities Engineering

Command, Attn: Mr. J. Dan Cecchini

(Code 2032DC), 1510 Gilbert Street,

Norfolk, Virginia 23511; Fax: (757) 322–

4894.

ADDRESSES: The DEIS has been

distributed to various Federal, state, and

local agencies, as well as other

interested individuals and

organizations. In addition, copies of the

DEIS have been distributed to the

following libraries for public review:

Virginia Beach Central Library, 4100

Virginia Beach Boulevard, Virginia

Beach, Virginia; Great Neck Library,

1251 Bayne Drive, Virginia Beach,

Virginia; Chesapeake Central Library,

298 Cedar Road, Chesapeake, Virginia;

Craven County Library, 300 Miller

Boulevard, Havelock, North Carolina;

Beaufort County Library, 311 Scott

Street, Beaufort, South Carolina; Dare

County Library, 700 North U.S. 64/264,

Manteo, North Carolina; Pamlico

County Library, 603 Main Street,

Bayboro, North Carolina; Ida Hilton

Library, 1105 North Way, Darien,

Georgia. A limited number of single

copies are available upon request by

contacting Mr. J. Dan Cecchini at (757)

322–4891.

POINT OF CONTACT: Additional

information concerning this notice may

be obtained by contacting Mr. Cecchini

at (757) 322–4891.

Dated: October 29, 1997.

Darse E. Crandall,

LCDR, JAGC, USN, Federal Register Liaison

Officer.

[FR Doc. 97–29033 Filed 10–30–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3810–FF–N

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy

Notice of the Board of Advisors to the

President, Naval War College, Open

Meeting

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the provisions of

the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5

U.S.C. App. 2), notice is given that the

Board of Advisors to the President,

Naval War College, will meet from

0830–1700 on November 21, 1997 in

Conolly Hall, Naval War College, 686

Cushing Road, Newport, Rhode Island.

The meeting will be open to the public.

The purpose of the meeting is to elicit

the advice of the Board on educational,

doctrinal and research policies and

programs. The agenda will consist of

presentations and discussions on the

curriculum, programs and plans of the

college since the last meeting of the

Board on May 29 and 30, 1996. Naval

War College.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mrs.

Mary E. Estabrooks, Assistant to the

Dean of Academics, Naval War College,

686 Cushing Road, Newport, RI 02841–

1207. Telephone number (401) 841–

3589.

Dated: October 21, 1997.

Darse E. Crandall,

LCDR, JAGC, USN, Federal Register Liaison

Officer.

[FR Doc. 97–28868 Filed 10–30–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3810–FF–P