[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 131 (Friday, July 10, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33217-33218]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-16344]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Notice of Intent To Terminate the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for the Potable Water Supply for Washington Parish 
Reservoir Project

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

[[Page 33218]]


ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Vicksburg District, Corps of Engineers, is issuing this 
notice to advise the public that the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) process for the proposed Potable Water Supply Project 
for Washington Parish, Louisiana, is terminated. The original Notice of 
Intent for this EIS process was published in the Federal Register on 
March 28, 2008 (73 FR 16653).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Dove-Jackson at (601) 631-7136, 
Vicksburg District, Corps of Engineers, 4155 Clay Street, CEMVK-OD-FE, 
Vicksburg, MS 39183-3435.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg 
District, has terminated the EIS process begun in March 2008, for the 
proposed potable water supply project located in Washington Parish.
    1. The Washington Parish Reservoir Commission completed a site 
selection study (January 2005) to determine a recommended best source 
of future potable water for Washington Parish. The study concluded that 
the creation of a surface water reservoir by damming Bogalusa Creek was 
the most desirable alternative. The Washington Parish Reservoir 
Commission subsequently completed a preliminary engineering report 
(December 2006) that presented preliminary design, planning level costs 
estimates, and preliminary construction plans for a water supply 
reservoir. Based upon review of the information submitted with the 
permit application, the Corps concluded that the proposed project had 
the potential for significant impacts to the human and natural 
environment. The proposed project would impact approximately 826 acres 
of waters of the United States, including wetlands, which are regulated 
by the Corps, and require a Department of the Army permit to comply 
with section 404 of the Clean Water Act. The proposed project would 
also impact cultural resources, threatened and endangered species, and 
65 property owners.
    2. A public scoping meeting was held on April 10, 2008. Public 
notice was given for the time and place of the meeting, and 
approximately 65 people were in attendance. Coordination with Federal, 
State and local agencies, and private organizations and citizens was 
initiated, to ensure that the full range of issues related to the 
proposed action would be addressed and all issues identified.
    3. Due to substantial modifications to the originally submitted 
application for a Department of the Army section 404 permit, and 
significant changes to the scope of the proposed project, the permit 
application has been withdrawn and the EIS process has been terminated.

    Dated: July 1, 2009.
Michael C. Wehr,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Commander.
[FR Doc. E9-16344 Filed 7-9-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P