[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 19 (Monday, January 29, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 2804]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-1457]



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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Jacksonville District, Jacksonville FL; Intent To Prepare a Draft 
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (DPEIS) for the Central and 
Southern Florida (C&SF) Project Comprehensive Review Study.

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Jacksonville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
(Corps), along with the South Florida Water Management District 
(SFWMD), intends to prepare a Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact 
Statement (DPEIS) for the feasibility phase of the C&SF Project 
Comprehensive Review Study. The DPEIS will be done commensurate with 
the development of a comprehensive plan that addresses the water 
resource needs of south Florida through a re-examination of the design 
of the original C&SF Project, authorized in 1948 to provide flood 
control, water supply and other purposes to central and southern 
Florida.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questiosn about the proposed action and DPEIS can be answered by: Mark 
Ziminske, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, P.O. Box 4970, Jacksonville, 
Florida 32232-0019; Telephone 904-232-1786.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

a. Authorization

    The C&SF Project Comprehensive Review Study is authorized by 
Section 309(1) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1992 and two 
resolutions of the Committee on Public Works and Transportation, United 
States House of Representatives, dated September 1992. These 
authorizations direct the Corps to re-examine the design of the C&SF 
Project to determine if modifications should be made to the project in 
the interest of improving environmental quality, water supply, and 
Everglades and Florida Bay ecosystems, while meeting the overall water 
resource needs in the study area.

b. Study Area

    The Study area includes the entire C&SF Project with the exception 
of the Upper St. Johns River Basin, which is a separate hydrologic 
basin, not part of the Everglades ecosystem. Contained within the study 
area are: All or part of Broward, Charlotte, Collier, Dade, Glades, 
Hendry, Highlands, Lee, Martin, Monroe, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, 
Palm Beach, PolK, and St. Lucie Counties, Florida.

c. Project Features and Scope

    The Comprehensive Review Study will develop an overall C&SF Project 
initial comprehensive plan and develop the tools necessary to evaluate 
the effects of this plan, with particular attention to features 
specific to Lake Okeechobee, the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA), 
the Water Conservation Areas (WCAs), Everglades National Park, Big 
Cypress National Preserve, the Lake Okeechobee Service Area, the Lower 
East Coast Service Area, and Native American tribal lands. The major 
components to be studied include: Alternatives for conveying water 
through the EAA, and modifying ground water levels to control soil 
subsidence; water storage in the Everglades headwaters to include Lake 
Okeechobee, the EAA, the WCAs, and Water Preserve Areas (WPAs); 
alternatives to reduce wildlife habitat fragmentation within natural 
areas; and alternative water regulation schedules for Lake Okeechobee 
and the WCAs. Further, concepts to capture and store excess surface 
water in WPAs located along the eastern boundary levees of the WCAs by 
backpumping surface water that is normally released to tide via the 
C&SF Project canal system will be investigated.
    There is an extensive effort by Federal, State and local 
governments in central and southern Florida to restore the natural 
Kissimmee--Lake Okeechobee--Everglades system. Much of this effort 
depends a great deal on the findings, recommendations and ultimate 
direction resulting from the Comprehensive Review Study. Therefore, it 
is envisioned that a conceptual plan will be identified early in the 
study process to provide a framework as the Corps, SFWMD, and other 
agencies and the public articulate the ultimate comprehensive plan.

d. Scoping

    The scoping process as outlined by the Council on Environmental 
Quality will be utilized to involve Federal, State, and local agencies, 
affected Indian Tribes, and other interested private organizations and 
parties. A scoping letter will be sent to interested Federal, State and 
local agencies, interested organizations and the public, requesting 
their comments and concerns regarding issues they feel should be 
addressed in the DPEIS. Interested persons and organizations wishing to 
participate in the scoping process should contact the U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers at the address above. Significant issues anticipated 
include concern for: maintenance of flood protection and water supply, 
water quality, wetlands, fish and wildlife, recreation and aesthetics, 
historical and cultural resources, groundwater recharge, and threatened 
and endangered plant and animal species. Public meetings will be held 
over the course of the study, the exact location, dates, and times will 
be announced in public notices and local newspapers.
    e. It is estimated that the DPEIS will be available to the public 
in November 1999.
George M. Strain,
Assistant Chief, Planning Division.
[FR Doc. 96-1457 Filed 1-26-96; 8:45 am]
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