[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 72 (Tuesday, April 15, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 18335]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-9653]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent to Prepare a Draft Revised Final Supplement to the 
Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS) for the St. Johns Bayou and New 
Madrid Floodway Project, East Prairie Phase

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Defense.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of this reevaluation is to develop a plan that 
provides flood control in the St. Johns Bayou and New Madrid Floodway 
Basins, Missouri. This project was authorized for construction by the 
Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (P.L. 99-662), Section 401(a). 
The authorized project is based on the Report of the Chief of 
Engineers, dated January 4, 1983, which is part of the Phase I General 
Design Memorandum (GDM) documents prepared in response to Section 
101(a) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1976 (P.L. 94-587). 
The Phase II GDM is based on the Phase I GDM project recommendations, 
and it was prepared under the Chief's authority for continuing planning 
and engineering studies on a viable project while awaiting project 
authorization.
    Revisions were made in the Phase II GDM to indicate the non-Federal 
cost sharing requirements reflected in the authorizing Act PL 99-662. 
The original EIS was filed with the Council of Environmental Quality in 
1976, and the supplement was filed in 1981. The purpose of this DSEIS 
is to revise and supplement previous environmental documentation. The 
recent designation of East Prairie, Missouri, as an Enterprise 
Community by the President has provided the momentum to move the East 
Prairie Phase of the overall project toward implementation.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Eddie Belk, telephone (901) 544-3798, CELMM-DD-PM, 167 North Main 
Street B-202, Memphis, TN 38103-1894. Questions regarding the DSEIS may 
be directed to Mr. John Rumancik, telephone (901) 544-3975, CELMM-PD-R.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

1. Proposed Action

    The St. Johns Bayou Basin and New Madrid Floodway are located in 
southeast Missouri and include all or portions of New Madrid, Scott and 
Mississippi Counties. The basis are adjacent to the Mississippi River, 
extending from the vicinity of Commerce, Missouri, to New Madrid, 
Missouri. The recommended plan of improvement for the East Prairie 
Phase work, which this DSEIS will address, includes about 28 miles of 
channel modification, a 1,000 cfs pumping station for the St. Johns 
Bayou area, a 1,500 cfs pumping station for the New Madrid Floodway 
area, and a 1,500 foot closure levee at the southern end of the New 
Madrid Floodway.

2. Alternatives

    Alternatives were evaluated in the previous EIS. The purpose of 
this DSEIS is to evaluate and provide updated documentation and 
coordination for the selected plan for flood control and compare it to 
the No Action alternative.

3. Scoping Process

    An intensive public involvement program has been set up to (1) 
Solicit input from individuals and interested parties so that problems, 
needs, and opportunities within the project area can be properly 
identified and addressed and (2) provide status updates to concerned 
organizations and the public. Meetings with the local sponsor, public 
coordination meetings, interagency environmental meetings, and public 
project briefings/presentations have been conducted. A public scoping 
meeting will be scheduled for May 1997, and interagency environmental 
meetings will continue to be held as needed. Significant issues being 
analyzed include potential project impacts (negative and positive) to 
fisheries, water quality, wetlands, waterfowl, endangered species, and 
cultural resources. It is anticipated that the DSEIS will be available 
for public review early 1998. A public meeting will be held during the 
review period to receive comments and address questions concerning the 
DSEIS.

    Dated: April 4, 1997.
Gregory G. Bean,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 97-9653 Filed 4-14-97; 8:45 am]
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