53776 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 175 / Monday, September 12, 2005 / Notices 

environmental impact statement are not 

needed for this project. 

The project purpose is to maintain the 

current level of flood damage reduction 

by rehabilitating the existing North Fork 

Dam. Dam rehabilitation will bring 

North Fork Dam into compliance with 

current dam design, performance and 

safety criteria and extend its service life 

by 100 years. The planned works of 

improvement include raising the top of 

dam about 8 feet, stabilizing the existing 

auxiliary spillway, lining the principal 

spillway outlet pool with riprap, 

refurbishing the existing principal 

spillway and installing a graded filter of 

drainfill along the toe of the dam. 

The Notice of a Finding of No 

Significant Impact (FONSI) has been 

forwarded to the Environmental 

Protection Agency and other interested 

parties. A limited number of copies of 

the FONSI are available to fill single 

copy requests at the above address. 

Basic data developed during the 

environmental assessment are on file 

and may be reviewed by contacting 

Robin E. Heard. 

No administrative action on 

implementation of the proposal will be 

taken until 30 days after the date of this 

publication in the Federal Register. 

Dated: August 30, 2005. 

Robin E. Heard, 

State Conservationist. 

(This activity is listed in the Catalog of 

Federal Domestic Assistance under No. 

10.916—Watershed Rehabilitation Program—

and is subject to the provisions of Executive 

Order 12372, which requires 

intergovernmental consultation with State 

and local officials.) 

[FR Doc. 05–17966 Filed 9–9–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–16–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Natural Resources Conservation 

Service 

South River Watershed Structures 

Numbers 23, 25 and 26, Augusta 

County, VA 

AGENCY: Natural Resources 

Conservation Service. 

ACTION: Notice of a Finding of No 

Significant Impact. 

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102[2][c] 

of the National Environmental Policy 

Act of 1969, the Council on 

Environmental Quality Regulations [40 

CFR part 1500]; and the Natural 

Resources Conservation Service 

Regulations [7 CFR part 650]; the 

Natural Resources Conservation Service, 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, gives 

notice that an environmental impact 

statement is not being prepared for 

South River Watershed Dams Numbers 

23, 25 and 26, Augusta County, Virginia. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Denise Doetzer, State Conservationist, 

Natural Resources Conservation Service, 

1606 Santa Rosa Road, Suite 209, 

Richmond, Virginia 23229. Telephone 

(804) 287–1691, E-Mail 

Denise.Doetzer@va.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Environmental Assessment of this 

federally assisted action indicates that 

the project will not cause significant 

local, regional, or national impacts on 

the environment. As a result of these 

findings, Denise Doetzer, State 

Conservationist, has determined that the 

preparation and review of an 

environmental impact statement is not 

needed for this project. 

The project purpose is continued 

flood prevention. The planned works of 

improvement include upgrading three 

existing floodwater retarding structures. 

The Notice of a Finding of No 

Significant Impact [FONSI] has been 

forwarded to the U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency and to various 

Federal, State, and local agencies and 

interested parties. A limited number of 

the FONSI are available to fill single 

copy requests at the above address. 

Basic data developed during the 

environmental assessment are on file 

and may be reviewed by contacting 

Denise Doetzer at the above number. 

No administrative action on 

implementation of the proposal will be 

taken until 30 days after the date of this 

publication in the Federal Register. 

M. Denise Doetzer, 

State Conservationist. 

[This activity is listed in the Catalog of 

Federal Domestic Assistance under 10.904, 

Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention, 

and is subject to the provisions of Executive 

Order 12372, which requires intergovernment consultation with State and local 

officials]. 

Introduction 

The South River Watershed 

Rehabilitation Project is a federally 

assisted action authorized for planning 

under Public Law 106–472, the Small 

Watershed Rehabilitation Act, which 

amends Public Law 83–566, the 

Watershed Protection and Flood 

Prevention Act. An environmental 

assessment was undertaken in 

conjunction with development of the 

supplemental watershed plan. This 

assessment was conducted in 

consultation with local, State, and 

Federal agencies as well as with 

interested organizations and 

individuals. Data developed during the 

assessment are available for public 

review at the following location: U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Natural 

Resources Conservation Service, 1606 

Santa Rosa Road, Suite 209, Richmond, 

Virginia 23229–5014. 

Recommended Action 

This document describes a plan for 

upgrading three existing floodwater 

retarding structures, South River 

Watershed Dams Numbers 23, 25 and 

26, to meet current dam design and 

safety criteria in the Commonwealth of 

Virginia. The plan calls for the widening 

and/or armoring of the auxiliary 

spillways, and raising the height of the 

top of each dam 4–5 feet through the 

construction of parapet walls. Works of 

improvement will be accomplished by 

providing financial and technical 

assistance through an eligible local 

sponsor. 

The principal project measures are to: 

1. Raise the top of each dam 4–5 feet 

by installing a concrete parapet wall on 

the upstream side of the dam crest. The 

auxiliary spillways will be widened 

and/or armored with articulated 

concrete blocks. These are the major 

structural components of the project. 

There are a number of smaller 

improvements such as elevating and 

lengthening the training dikes, cleaning 

the dam toe drains, replacing the square 

risers with rectangular risers, removing 

trees from the abutments, and 

improving the access road. 

2. The measures will be planned and 

installed by developing a project 

agreement with the current operator of 

the dam. 

Effects of Recommended Action 

Making the proposed improvements 

will bring these three South River 

Watershed Dams into compliance with 

current dam design and safety criteria. 

This will essentially eliminate the risk 

to loss of life for individuals in 191 

homes, 10 commercial buildings, 2 

churches, 3 major roads and 13 

residential roads downstream. The daily 

traffic counts for the three major roads 

total about 3,700 vehicles. Additional 

effects will include continued 

protection against flooding, continued 

water quality benefits, continued fishing 

activities, continued recreational 

opportunities, protected land values, 

protected road and utility networks, and 

reduced maintenance costs for public 

infrastructure. 

Wildlife habitat will not be disturbed 

during installation activities. No 

wetlands, wildlife habitat, fisheries, 

prime farmland, or cultural resources 

will be destroyed or threatened by this 

project. About 3.75 acres of wetland and 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 175 / Monday, September 12, 2005 / Notices 53777 

wetland type wildlife habitat will be 

preserved. Fishery habitats will also be 

maintained. 

No endangered or threatened plant or 

animal species will be impacted by the 

project. 

There are no wilderness areas in the 

watershed. 

There are no planned mitigation 

requirements for the project. 

No significant adverse environmental 

impacts will result from the dam 

rehabilitation measures except for minor 

inconveniences to local residents during 

construction. 

Alternatives 

Six alternative plans of action were 

considered in project planning. No 

significant adverse environmental 

impacts are anticipated from installation 

of the selected alternative. Also, the 

planned action is the most practical, 

complete, and acceptable means of 

protecting life and property of 

downstream residents. 

Consultation and Public Participation 

Original sponsoring organizations 

include the Augusta County Board of 

Supervisors, the City of Waynesboro, 

and the Headwaters Soil and Water 

Conservation District. At the initiation 

of the planning process, meetings were 

held with representatives of the original 

sponsoring organizations to ascertain 

their interest and concerns regarding the 

South River Watershed. The Headwaters 

Soil and Water Conservation District 

agreed to serve as ‘‘lead sponsor’’ being 

responsible for leading the planning 

process with assistance from NRCS. As 

lead sponsor they also agreed to provide 

non-federal cost-share, property rights, 

operation and maintenance, and public 

participation during, and beyond, the 

planning process. Meetings with the 

project sponsors were held throughout 

the planning process. 

An Interdisciplinary Planning Team 

provided planning assistance for this 

project. Planning guidelines included 

the NRCS nine-step planning process 

and planning procedures outlined in the 

NRCS National Watershed Manual. 

Examples of tasks completed by the 

Planning Team include, but are not 

limited to, preliminary investigations, 

hydrologic analyses, reservoir 

sedimentation surveys, economic 

analyses, formulating and evaluating 

alternatives, and writing the 

Supplemental Watershed Plan—

Environmental Assessment. Data 

collected from partner agencies, 

databases, landowners, and others 

throughout the entire planning process 

were evaluated at Planning Team 

meetings. Informal discussions amongst 

Planning Team members, partner 

agencies, and landowners were 

conducted throughout the entire 

planning period. 

A scoping meeting was held on 

February 13, 2004 to identify issues of 

economic, environmental, cultural, and 

social concerns in the watershed. 

Representatives from the Virginia 

Department of Conservation and 

Recreation’s Division of Dam Safety and 

Floodplain Management and the 

Division of Soil and Water 

Conservation, the Virginia Department 

of Emergency Management, the Virginia 

Department of Transportation, the 

Virginia Department of Environmental 

Quality, the Virginia Department of 

Forestry, the Virginia Department of 

Game and Inland Fisheries, the Augusta 

County Board of Supervisors, the City of 

Waynesboro, the Headwaters Soil and 

Water Conservation District, the U.S. 

Forest Service, the U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers, and the USDA Natural 

Resources Conservation Service 

participated in the meeting. 

A public meeting was held on October 

30, 2003 to explain the Small Watershed 

Rehabilitation Program and to scope 

resource problems, issues, and concerns 

of local residents associated with the 

South River Watershed. Potential 

alternative solutions to bring the South 

River Watershed Dams into compliance 

with current dam design and safety 

criteria were also presented. Meeting 

participants provided input on issues 

and concerns to be considered in the 

planning process. A fact sheet was 

distributed which addressed frequently 

asked questions regarding the South 

River Watershed Dams. 

A second public meeting was held on 

March 9, 2004 to discuss the need for 

landowner permission to access the 

property during the planning process. 

A third public meeting was held on 

April 12, 2005 to summarize planning 

accomplishments, convey results of the 

reservoir sedimentation surveys, and 

present various structural alternatives. 

The selected alternative was identified 

as the most complete, acceptable, 

efficient, and effective plan for the 

watershed. 

Conclusion 

The Environmental Assessment 

summarized above indicates that this 

Federal action will not cause significant 

adverse local, regional, or national 

impacts on the environment. Therefore, 

based on the above findings, I have 

determined that an environmental 

impact statement for the recommended 

plan of action on South River Watershed 

Dams Numbers 23, 25 and 26 is not 

required. 

M. Denise Doetzer, 

State Conservationist. 

[FR Doc. 05–17967 Filed 9–9–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–16–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[I.D. 081705D] 

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; 

Meeting of Atlantic Highly Migratory 

Species and Billfish Advisory Panels; 

Nominations for Atlantic Highly 

Migratory Species and Billfish 

Advisory Panels 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; advisory panel meetings; 

request for nominations. 

SUMMARY: NMFS will hold a joint three 

day Highly Migratory Species Advisory 

Panel (HMS AP) and Billfish Advisory 

Panel (Billfish AP) meeting in October 

2005. Additionally, NMFS solicits 

nominations for the HMS AP and the 

Billfish AP. The intent of these joint 

Advisory Panels meetings is to consider 

alternatives for the conservation and 

management of HMS as presented in the 

Draft Consolidated HMS Fishery 

Management Plan, Draft Environmental 

Impact Statement, and proposed rule. 

DATES: The joint HMS-Billfish AP 

meeting will be held from 1 p.m. to 5 

p.m. on Tuesday, October 11, 2005; 

from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, 

October 12, 2005; and from 8 a.m. to 5 

p.m. on Thursday, October 13, 2005. 

Nominations must be submitted on or 

before October 27, 2005. 

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at 

the Holiday Inn, 8777 Georgia Avenue 

(Rt. 97), Silver Spring, MD 20910; 

phone: 301–589–0800. 

You may submit nominations and 

requests for the AP Statement of 

Organization, Practices, and Procedures 

by any of the following methods: 

• Email: SF1.081705D@noaa.gov. 

Include in the subject line the following 

identifier: I.D. 081705D. 

• Mail: Margo Schulze-Haugen, Chief, 

Highly Migratory Species Management 

Division, NMFS, 1315 East-West 

Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. 

• Fax: 301–713–1917. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Othel Freeman or Heather Stirratt at 301 

713–2347.