Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 134 / Wednesday, July 15, 2009 / Notices 34297 

Dated: July 9, 2009. 

Julia Paradis, 

Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service. 

[FR Doc. E9–16748 Filed 7–14–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–30–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Natural Resources Conservation 

Service; Little Sandy Trail Creek 

Watershed Structure No. 1: Madison 

County, GA 

AGENCY: Natural Resources 

Conservation Service. 

ACTION: Notice of Availability 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 the 

Little Sandy Trail Creek Watershed 

Structure No. 1, Madison County, 

Georgia. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cran 

Upshaw, Economist, Federal Building, 

355 East Hancock Avenue, Athens, 

Georgia 30601, Telephone (706) 546– 

2277, e-mail cran.upshaw@ga.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, James E. Tillman, Sr., 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 an 

existing floodwater retarding structure. 

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 

interest 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 Cran Upshaw 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. 

Signed in Athens, Georgia, on July 2, 2009. 

James E. Tillman, Sr. 

State Conservationist. 

(This activity is listed in the Catalog of 

Federal Domestic Assistance under 10.916, 

Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention, 

and is subject to the provisions of Executive 

Order 12372, which requires intergovernment consultation with State and local 

officials). 

Finding of No Significant Impact for 

Little Sandy Trail Creek Watershed 

Structure No. 1; Madison County, 

Georgia, July 3, 2009 

Introduction 

The Little Sandy Trail Creek 

Watershed is a federally assisted action 

authorized for planning under Public 

Law 106–472, the 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 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, 355 

East Hancock Avenue, Athens, Georgia 

30601. 

Recommended Action 

This document describes a plan for 

upgrading an existing floodwater 

retarding structure, Little Sandy Trail 

Creek Watershed Structure No. 1, to 

meet current dam safety criteria in 

Georgia. The plan calls for the 

modification of the existing vegetative 

auxiliary spillway, enlarging the 

principal spillway and raising the top of 

the dam on an existing dam. Works of 

improvement will be accomplished by 

providing financial and technical 

assistance through an eligible local 

sponsor. 

The Principal Project Measures are to: 

1. Modifying the existing vegetative 

auxiliary spillway, enlarging the 

principal spillway and raising the top of 

the dam. This construction is designed 

to bring the existing dam into 

compliance with current dam safety 

criteria in Georgia. 

2. The measures will be planned and 

installed by developing a contract with 

the current operator of the dam. 

Effects of Recommended Action 

Modifying the existing vegetative 

auxiliary spillway, enlarging the 

principal spillway and raising the top of 

the dam will bring Little Sandy Trail 

Creek Watershed Structure No. 1 into 

compliance with current dam safety 

criteria. This will essentially eliminate 

the risk to loss of life for individuals in 

6 homes and 10 roads downstream. 

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. Some 30 acres of wetland and 

wetland type wildlife habitat will be 

preserved. Fishery habitats will also be 

maintained. 

No endangered or threatened plant or 

animal species will be adversely 

affected by the project. 

There are no wilderness areas in the 

watershed. 

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—Public Participation 

Original sponsoring organizations 

include the Georgia Soil and Water 

Conservation Commission, Broad River 

Soil and Water Conservation District 

and Madison County. 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 

Little Sandy Trail Creek Watershed. The 

Georgia Soil and Water Conservation 

Commission 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 costshare, property rights, operation and 

maintenance, and public participation 

during, and beyond, the planning 

process. 

An Interdisciplinary Planning Team 

provided for the ‘‘technical’’ 

administration of this project. Technical 

administration includes tasks pursuant 

to the NRCS nine-step planning process, 

and planning procedures outlined in the 

NRCS–National Planning Procedures 

Handbook. Examples of tasks completed 


sroberts on DSKD5P82C1PROD with NOTICES
34298 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 134 / Wednesday, July 15, 2009 / Notices 

by the Planning Team include, but are 

not limited to, Preliminary 

Investigations, Hydrologic Analysis, 

Reservoir Sedimentation Surveys, 

Economic Analysis, Formulating and 

Evaluating Alternatives, and Writing the 

Watershed Plan—Environmental 

Assessment. Data collected from partner 

agencies, databases, landowners, and 

others throughout the entire planning 

process were presented at the public 

meeting on May 27, 2009. Informal 

discussions amongst planning team 

members, partner agencies, and 

landowners were conducted throughout 

the entire planning period. 

Public Participation 

A public meeting was held on May 

27, 2009 to explain the Watershed 

Rehabilitation Program and to scope 

resource problems, issues, and concerns 

of local residents associated with the 

project area. Potential alternative 

solutions to bring Little Sandy Trail 

Creek No. 1 into compliance with 

current dam safety criteria were also 

presented. Through a voting process, 

eleven meeting participants heard 

summaries of planning 

accomplishments to date, provided 

input on issues and concerns to be 

considered in the planning process, 

were made aware of results from the 

reservoir sedimentation survey, and 

identified which planning alternative 

(i.e., No Action, Decommission, 

Structural, Non-Structural) was most 

desirable. 

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 Little Sandy Trail 

Creek Watershed Structure No. 1 is not 

required. 

Dated: July 2, 2009. 

James E. Tillman, Sr., 

State Conservationist. 

[FR Doc. E9–16786 Filed 7–14–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–16–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Natural Resources Conservation 

Service 

Sandy Creek Watershed Structure No. 

23: Jackson County, GA 

AGENCY: Natural Resources 

Conservation Service, Agriculture. 

ACTION: Notice of Availability 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 the 

Sandy Creek Watershed Structure No. 

23, Jackson County, Georgia. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cran 

Upshaw, Economist, Federal Building, 

355 East Hancock Avenue, Athens, 

Georgia 30601, Telephone (706) 546– 

2277, e-mail cran.upshaw@ga.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, James E. Tillman, Sr., 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 an 

existing floodwater retarding structure. 

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 

interest 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 Cran Upshaw 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. 

Signed in Athens, Georgia, on July 2, 2009. 

James E. Tillman, Sr., 

State Conservationist. 

(This activity is listed in the Catalog of 

Federal Domestic Assistance under 10.916, 

Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention, 

and is subject to the provisions of Executive 

Order 12372, which requires intergovernment consultation with State and local 

officials). 

Finding of No Significant Impact for 

Sandy Creek Watershed Structure No. 

23, Jackson County, Georgia, July 3, 

2009 

Introduction 

The Sandy Creek Watershed is a 

Federally assisted action authorized for 

planning under Public Law 106–472, 

the 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 

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, 355 

East Hancock Avenue, Athens, Georgia 

30601. 

Recommended Action 

This document describes a plan for 

upgrading an existing floodwater 

retarding structure, Sandy Creek 

Watershed Structure No. 23, to meet 

current dam safety criteria in Georgia. 

The plan calls for the construction of a 

roller compacted concrete chute 

spillway on an existing dam. Works of 

improvement will be accomplished by 

providing financial and technical 

assistance through an eligible local 

sponsor. 

The principal project measures are to: 

1. Construction of a roller compacted 

concrete chute spillway. This 

construction is designed to bring the 

existing dam into compliance with 

current dam safety criteria in Georgia. 

2. The measures will be planned and 

installed by developing a contract with 

the current operator of the dam. 

Effects of Recommended Action 

Construction of a roller compacted 

concrete chute spillway will bring 

Sandy Creek Watershed Structure No. 

23 into compliance with current dam 

safety criteria. This will essentially 

eliminate the risk to loss of life for 

individuals in 5 homes and 1 road 

downstream. 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 


sroberts on DSKD5P82C1PROD with NOTICES