Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 224 / Thursday, November 20, 1997 / Notices 62019

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army

Corps of Engineers

Intent To Prepare a Draft

Environmental Impact Statement

(DEIS), Skagit River Flood Damage

Reduction Study, Skagit County

Washington

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,

DoD.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

SUMMARY: Seattle District, U.S. Army

Corps of Engineers is proposing to

prepare an Environmental Impact

Statement (EIS) for the Skagit River

Flood Damage Reduction Study. This

study was requested by Skagit County,

Washington because of significant

flooding on the Skagit River. Skagit

County will provide fifty percent of the

funding for this study. An EIS is being

prepared because of the potential for

impacts on environmental resources,

particularly salmonid habitat, and the

intense public interest already

demonstrated in addressing the flooding

problems of the Skagit River. The study

is expected to take approximately four

years to complete.

DATES: Persons or organizations wishing

to submit scoping comments should do

so by December 30, 1997. Public

comment may also be made at the

scoping meeting (date and location to be

announced later). Notification of

scoping meetings times and locations

will be sent to all agencies,

organizations and individuals on the

project mailing list.

ADDRESSES: Requests for inclusion on

the mailing list, future documents, and

all comments on the proposed project

should be sent to: Michael Scuderi,

NEPA Coordinator, Seattle District, U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers, P.O. 3755,

Seattle, Washington 98124–2255,

ATTN: CENWS–EN–PL–ER, telephone

(206) 764–3479, FAX (206) 764–4470, or

e-mail

Michael.R.Scuderi@usace.army.mil.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Contact General questions concerning

the proposed action and the Draft EIS

can be directed to: Michael Scuderi,

Study Environmental Coordinator (see

address above) or Forest Brooks, Project

Manager, Seattle District, U.S. Army

Corps of Engineers, P.O. 3755, Seattle,

Washington 98124–2255, ATTN:

CENWS–EN–PL–CP, telephone (206)

764–3456, FAX (206) 764–4470, or email Forest.C.Brooks@usace.army.mil.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The purpose of the Skagit River

Feasibility Flood Control study is better

identify the Skagit River flood problems

and opportunities that exist to relieve

flooding and reduce flood damages, and

to develop a flood damage reduction

plan that fits Federal law and policy,

and is within the capability of the local

sponsor to support their required share

of the project costs. The Skagit River

Basin is located in northwestern

Washington state and encompasses

3,140 square miles. The major cities on

the Skagit River delta, Mt. Vernon,

Burlington, and Sedro Woolley, lie

about 60 miles north of Seattle. The

study area for the feasibility study will

be the Skagit River floodplain

downstream of Concrete (river mile 54),

with prime emphasis on the Skagit

River delta west of Sedro Woolley (river

mile 22). Authority for this study is

contained in Section 209 of the 1962

Flood Control Act, Pub. L. 87–874. That

section authorized a comprehensive

study of Puget Sound, Washington and

adjacent Waters, including tributaries,

in the interest of flood control,

navigation, and other water uses and

related land resources.

Alternatives

In the reconnaissance phase for the

Skagit Study, the Corps identified two

alternative courses of action for further

analysis in the feasibility study:

(1) No Action. Allow the current levee

system to remain in place without a

major system wide upgrade. Individual

diking districts would continue to

operate, maintain, and repair the

existing levee system.

(2) Construct a coordinated levee

improvement project that would

provide a higher level of flood

protection (100-year or greater) for the

Burlington and Mt. Vernon urban areas

through a system of new and raised

levees with overflow sections at critical

locations in rural areas designed to

overtop without failure (during 25-year

or greater events). Sections of the rural

levees would also be upgraded to

provide a uniform level of protection in

rural areas.

Variations to alternative 2 will be

examined in detail during the feasibility

study and additional alternatives may

be created for comparison purposes.

The study could be expanded to

include environmental restoration

opportunities if a suitable non-Federal

sponsor wished to provide funding for

considering these elements as part of the

Skagit Study.

Scoping

Public involvement will be sought

during scoping, plan formulation, and

preparation of the EIS in accordance

with NEPA procedures. A public

scoping process has been started: (1) to

clarify which issues appear to be major

public concerns, (2) to identify any

information sources that might be

available to analyze and evaluate

impacts, and (3) to obtain public input

on the range and acceptability of

alternatives. This Notice of Intent

formally commences the scoping

process under NEPA. As part of the

scoping process, all affected Federal,

State and local agencies, Indian Tribes,

and other interested private

organizations, including environmental

groups, are invited to comment on the

scope of the EIS. Comments are

requested concerning issues of concern,

project alternatives, potential mitigation

measures, probable significant

environmental impacts, and permits or

other approval that may be required by

any project.

The following key areas have been

identified so far to be analyzed in depth

in the draft EIS:

(1) Flooding Characteristics (existing

and with any project)

(2) Impacts to Fish Habitat

(3) Impacts to Riparian Habitat

(4) Impacts to Wetlands

(5) Impacts to Cultural Resources

Scoping Meeting

Opportunity to comment on the

planned study will also be available at

the study scoping meeting which has

yet to be scheduled. Details of the

meeting time and location will be

announced in the local media. Notices

will be sent to all agencies,

organizations and individuals on the

mailing list.

Availability of Draft EIS

The Corps expects to complete

preparation of the draft EIS and have

review copies of its available by May

2001.

James M. Rigsby,

Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Engineer.

[FR Doc. 97–30489 Filed 11–19–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3710–ER–M

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy, DOD

Notice of Intent To Grant Exclusive

Patent License; Prime Capital Group,

Inc.

SUMMARY: The Department of the Navy

hereby gives notice of its intent to grant