[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 214 (Tuesday, November 6, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62634-62635]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-5523]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Notice of Availability of a Supplement to the Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (SDEIS) for the Proposed Potash Corporation of 
Saskatchewan Phosphate Mine Continuation Near Aurora, in Beaufort 
County, NC

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE), Wilmington District, 
Regulatory Division has been reviewing the request for Department of 
the Army authorization, pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act 
and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act, from Potash Corporation 
of Saskatchewan Phosphate Division (PCS) for the continuation of its 
phosphate mining operation near Aurora, Beaufort County, NC. PCS 
proposes to expand its existing open pit phosphate mining operation 
into a 3,412 acre tract immediately adjacent to the current mine. This 
expansion would impact 2,408 acres of waters of the U.S. including 
wetlands adjacent to the Pamlico River and South Creek. The Notice of 
Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for this 
action was published in the Federal Register on Friday, October 20, 
2006 (71 FR 61962).

DATES: Written comments on this SDEIS will be received until December 
21, 3007.

ADDRESSES: Comments and questions regarding the SDEIS may be addressed 
to: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District, Regulatory 
Division, ATTN: File Number 2001-10096, Post Office Box 1890, 
Wilmington, NC 28402-1890. Copies of the Draft EIS can be reviewed on 
the Wilmington District Regulatory homepage at, http://www.saw.usace.army.mil/wetlands/regtour.htm, or contact Ms. Alex Rhodes 
at (910) 251-4633, to receive written or CD copies of the SDEIS.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and SDEIS can be directed to Mr. Tom Walker, Project Manager, 
Regulatory Division, telephone: (828) 271-7980 extension 222.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Corps, on October 20, 2006, released a 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) evaluating the proposed 
project and alternatives to the proposed project. Simultaneously, the 
Corps released a

[[Page 62635]]

public notice requesting comment on the DEIS and the applicant's 
proposed action. Due to the complexity of this project, the comment 
period was originally set at three months and subsequently extended an 
additional 2 weeks. A public hearing was held on December 14, 2006. The 
DEIS contained no designation of an agency preferred alternative.
    Since release of the DEIS, the Corps has reviewed comments and 
further discussed economic practicability with the applicant. As a 
result of this evaluation the Corps finds it necessary to evaluate an 
additional alternative, Alternative ``L.'' PCS, on its own initiative, 
has developed a second additional alternative, Alternative ``M,'' and 
has requested it be evaluated as well. Both these alternatives are 
contained within the project area established in the DEIS.
    In order to provide the information necessary to objectively 
evaluate both alternatives ``L'' and ``M'' and to compare these 
alternatives to the alternatives introduced in the DEIS the Corps is 
releasing this Supplement to the DEIS (SDEIS). The decision whether to 
issue a Department of the Army Clean Water Act Section 404 permit will 
be made after completing the required 404(b)(1) analysis and public 
interest review including full consideration of all comments.

    Dated: October 30, 2007.
John E. Pulliam, Jr.,
Colonel, U.S. Army, District Commander.
[FR Doc. 07-5523 Filed 11-5-07; 8:45 am]
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