36888 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 130 /Wednesday, July 8, 1998 / Notices

of baseline data, construction of the

project, and long-term monitoring.

The project was recoordinated with

the resource agencies in accordance

with the Fish and Wildlife Coordination

Act (FWCA), and the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service (USFWS) issued a Draft

FWCA Report for the project dated

August 1994. The Service’s position is,

‘‘The project not proceed as formulated

due to unmitigable impacts to important

fish and wildlife resources. Other

alternatives, such as desalinization,

effluent reclamation, and water

blending, should be evaluated and

incorporated into a limited project that

meets the water requirements of the

basin. Control of chlorides at Areas IV,

XIII, and XIV should not be pursued as

proposed due to their anticipated

significant contribution to impacts to:

(1) the Red River aquatic community; (2)

the Lake Texoma sport fishery; (3) the

Sandy Sanders Wildlife Management

Area; (4) Federally-listed species; and

(5) migratory birds and other resources

from selenium contamination at the

proposed brine storage sites. In July

1996, the USFWS furnished an Interim

Final Supplemental FWCA report for

the project. The Service’s position with

respect to the project remains

unchanged.

Timothy L. Sanford,

Colonel, U.S. Army District Engineer.

[FR Doc. 98–18020 Filed 7–7–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3710–39–M

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of

Engineers

Intent To Prepare a Draft

Environmental Impact Statement

(DEIS) for the South River, Raritan

River Basin, Combined Flood Control

and Environmental Restoration

Project, Middlesex County, New Jersey

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,

DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

SUMMARY: The New York District of the

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is

preparing a Draft Environmental Impact

Statement (DEIS) for proposed measures

to provide flood control protection and

environmental restoration in the South

River, Raritan River Basin, New Jersey.

For this Notice of Intent, the Corps is

considering protection measures to

reduce damages caused by flooding and

coastal storms. The EIS will be prepared

according to the U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers procedures for implementing

the National Environmental Policy Act

of 1969, as amended, (NEPA), 42 U.S.C.

4332(2)(C), and consistent with the U.S.

Army Corps of Engineer’s policy to

facilitate public understanding and

scrutiny of agency proposals. This

notice of intent is published as required

by the President’s Council on

Environmental Quality regulations

implementing the provisions of NEPA,

40 CFR Parts 1500–1508.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Questions regarding the action can be

addressed to Mark H. Burlas, Project

Environmental Manager, phone (212)

264–4663, U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers, New York District, Planning

Division, 26 Federal Plaza New York,

New York 10278–0090.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Authorization

This study is authorized by a U.S.

House of Representatives resolution

dated May 13, 1993. The reconnaissance

report, completed in May 1995,

identified a potential plan of

improvement that consists of two

levees, each approximately 10,000 feet

long along opposite banks of the South

River. The levees would protect the

communities of South River and

Sayerville from a 100-year flood.

For environmental restoration, we

identified a plan of improvement to

restore the quality of the salt marsh near

the Washington Canal. The plan would

involve the replacement of low quality

vegetation in 250 acres of wetlands to

restore an important habitat.

2. Location of the Proposed Action

This study area is located within the

lower Raritan River Basin in Middlesex

County, New Jersey. The South River is

the first major tributary of the Raritan

River, located approximately 8.3 miles

upstream of the Raritan River’s mouth at

the Raritan Bay.

The South River is formed by the

confluence of Matchaponix and

Manalapan Brooks, just above Duhernal

Lake, and flows northward from

Duhernal Lake Dam for a distance of

approximately seven miles, at which

point it splits into the old South River

and the Washington Canal. It flows

through the Townships of East

Brunswick and Old Bridge, and the

Boroughs of South River and Sayerville.

3. Reasonable Alternative Actions

In addition to the ‘‘No Action’’

alternative, the flood control component

of the feasibility study will evaluate

alternatives such as buy-outs, storm

gates and flood walls to avoid and

minimize impacts to coastal wetlands,

as well as various levee layouts and

heights. The environmental restoration

component will analyze alternatives to

restore degraded coastal marshes and

tidal ecosystems.

4. Significant Issues Requiring In-Depth

Analysis

1. Coastal Wetlands Impacts; 2.

Impacts to Aquatic Resources; 3.

Archaeological and Cultural Resources

Impacts; 4. Hydrology Impacts; 5.

Economic Impacts.

5. Environmental Review and

Consultation

Review will be conducted as outlined

in the Council on Environmental

Quality regulations dated November 29,

1983 (40 CFR Parts 1500–1508) and U.S.

Army Corps of Engineer regulation ER

200–2–2 dated March 4, 1988.

6. Public Scoping Meeting

A public scoping meeting is

tentatively scheduled for July 16, 1998,

at the South River Public Library, (55

Appleby Avenue, South River, New

Jersey 08816) from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00

p.m.

7. Estimated Date of DEIS Availability

February 2000.

Gregory D. Showalter,

Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.

[FR Doc. 98–18027 Filed 7–7–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3710–06–M

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of

Engineers

Intent To Prepare a Draft

Environmental Impact Statement

(DEIS) for the Raritan Bay and Sandy

Hook Bay, Combined Flood Control

and Shore Protection Project, Union

Beach, Monmouth County, New Jersey

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,

DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

SUMMARY: The New York District of the

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is

preparing a Draft Environmental Impact

Statement (DEIS) for proposed measures

to provide flood control and storm

damage protection in Union Beach, New

Jersey. For this Notice of Intent, the

Corps is considering protection

measures to reduce damages caused by

flooding and coastal storms. The EIS

will be prepared according to the U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers procedures for

implementing the National

Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as

amended, (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C),

and consistent with the U.S. Army

Corps of Engineer’s policy to facilitate
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 130 /Wednesday, July 8, 1998 / Notices 36889

public understanding and scrutiny of

agency proposals. This notice of intent

is published as required by the

President’s Council on Environmental

Quality regulations implementing the

provisions of NEPA, 40 CFR Parts 1500–

1508.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Questions regarding the action can be

addressed to Mark H. Burlas, Project

Environmental Manager, phone (212)

264–4663, U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers, New York District, Planning

Division, 26 Federal Plaza New York,

New York 10278–0090.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Authorization

The existing Federal project was

originally authorized by the Flood

Control Act of 12 October 1962 as a dual

purpose Beach Erosion Control and

Hurricane Protection Project in

accordance with House Document No.

464, 86th Congress, Second session.

This project provided for beach fill,

groins, and levees for various sections of

the study area. The constructed project

consists of segmented sections of beach

fill and levees surrounding various

communities in Old Bridge Township

and Keansburg and East Keansburg. The

current study was authorized by a

resolution of the Committee on Public

Works and Transportation, U.S. House

of Representatives, adopted August 1,

1990. The feasibility study seeks to

develop improvement plans to ascertain

the most suitable long-term solution for

the study area’s flood and storm damage

problems.

2. Location of the Proposed Action

The study area is located in the

northern portion of Monmouth County,

New Jersey. It occupies an approximate

1.8 square mile area of land along the

coast of the Raritan Bay. The Borough of

Union Beach is surrounded by the

Raritan Bay to the north, East Creek to

the east, the Township of Hazlet to the

south and Chigarora Creek to the west.

The study area is largely located in low

elevation regions with numerous small

creeks providing drainage. Currently,

low-lying residential and commercial

structures in the area are experiencing

flooding caused by coastal storm

inundation. This problem has

progressively worsened in recent years

due to loss of protective beaches and

increased urbanization in the area with

structures susceptible to flooding from

rainfall and coastal storm surges,

erosion and wave attack, combined with

restrictions to channel flow in the tidal

creek.

3. Reasonable Alternative Actions

In addition to the ‘‘No Action’’

alternative, the flood control component

of the feasibility study will evaluate

alternatives such as buy-outs, storm

gates and floodwalls to avoid and

minimize impacts to coastal wetlands,

as well as various levee layouts and

heights. The shore protection

component will analyze alternatives

such as the expansion of existing dunes

and various improvements to existing

beaches.

4. Significant Issues Requiring In-Depth

Analysis

1. Coastal Wetlands Impacts; 2.

Impacts to Aquatic Resources; 3.

Archaeological and Cultural Resources

Impacts; 4. Hydrology Impacts; 5.

Economic Impacts.

5. Environmental Review and

Consultation

Review will be conducted as outlined

in the Council on Environmental

Quality regulations dated November 29,

1983 (40 CFR Parts 1500–1508) and U.S.

Army Corps of Engineer regulation ER

200–2–2 dated March 4, 1988.

6. Public Scoping Meeting

A public scoping meeting is

tentatively scheduled for July 22, 1998,

at the Hazlet Public Library, (251

Middle Road, Union Beach, New Jersey

07730) at 5:30 p.m.

7. Estimated Date of DEIS Availability

January 2000.

Gregory D. Showalter,

Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.

[FR Doc. 98–18028 Filed 7–7–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3710–06–M

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission

[Docket No. RP98–262–000]

Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation v. CNG

Transmission Corporation; Notice of

Complaint

July 1, 1998.

Take notice that on June 29, 1998,

pursuant to Rule 206 of the Rules of

Practice and Procedure of the

Commission, 18 CFR 385.206, Cabot Oil

& Gas Corporation (COGC) tendered for

filing a complaint respectfully

requesting that the Commission: (1)

expeditiously issue an injunctive order

barring CNG Transmission Corporation

(CNGT) from forcing producers or

shippers/pool operators to purchase low

flow meters to avoid having their

service terminated on July 1, 1998; (2)

issue an order clarifying that CNGT’s

FERC Gas tariff does not provide CNGT

with the authority to unilaterally

terminate service unless a producer or

shipper/pool operator agrees to

purchase low flow meters from CNGT;

and (3) issue an order requiring CNGT

to repurchase any low flow meters that

it forced parties to purchase in violation

of its FERC Gas Tariff.

Any person desiring to be heard or to

protest said complaint should file a

motion to intervene or a protest with the

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,

888 First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C.

20426, in accordance with Rules 214

and 211 of the Commission’s Rules of

Practice and Procedure 18 CFR 385.214,

385.211. All such motions or protests

should be filed on or before July 15,

1998. Protests will be considered by the

Commission in determining the

appropriate action to be taken, but will

not serve to make protestants parties to

the proceeding. Any person wishing to

become a party must file a motion to

intervene. Copies of this filing are on

file with the Commission and are

available for public inspection. Answers

to this complaint shall be due on or

before July 15, 1998.

David P. Boergers,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 98–17999 Filed 7–7–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission

[Docket No. RP95–408–000 (Phase II)]

Columbia Gas Transmission Corp.;

Notice of Informal Settlement

Conference

July 1, 1998.

Take notice that an informal

settlement conference will be convened

in this proceeding on Thursday, July 9,

1998, at 10:00 a.m., at the offices of the

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,

888 First Street, NE, Washington, DC,

20426, for the purpose of exploring the

possible settlement of the abovereferenced docket.

Any party, as defined by 18 CFR

385.102(c), or any participant as defined

in 18 CFR 385.102(b), is invited to

attend. Persons wishing to become a

party must move to intervene and

receive intervener status pursuant to the

Commission’s regulations (18 CFR

385.214).

For additional information, please

contact Thomas J. Burgess at (202) 208–