[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 33 (Friday, February 16, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10671-10672]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-3847]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 
for the Proposed King Cove to Cold Bay Transportation Access Project 
Located in the Aleutians East Borough, Near the Terminus of the Alaska 
Peninsula, Alaska

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

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Alaska District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), 
intends to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to 
address the potential impacts associated with the construction of the 
proposed King Cove to Cold Bay Transportation Access Project to be 
located between King Cove, Alaska and Cold Bay, Alaska. The Corps will 
be evaluating a permit application for the work under the authority of 
Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act and Section 404 of the Clean 
Water Act. The EIS will be used as a basis for the permit decision and 
to ensure compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and the DEIS should be addressed to Ms. Kathleen Kuna, Regulatory 
Branch, phone (907) 753-2712, in Alaska 1-800-478-2712, Fax (907) 753-
5567, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, CO-R, Post Office Box 898, 
Anchorage, Alaska 99506-0898.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. The permit applicant is proposing to construct a year-round 
transportation system between the cities of King Cove and Cold Bay, 
Alaska. The route would include the construction of a 17.9 mile one 
lane gravel all-weather road and a marine hovercraft link to transport

[[Page 10672]]

people and supplies across Cold Bay. This action would involve the 
placement of fill material in both wetlands and waters of the US for 
the construction of the road and the hovercraft terminal and ramps. 
Funds for the proposed project were allocated by Congress in the Fiscal 
Year 1999 Omnibus Appropriations Act.
    2. The proposed road and hovercraft terminal is located on lands 
owned by the King Cove Village Corporation. A section of the road and 
the terminal are sited within the boundaries of the Izembek National 
Wildlife Refuge on Section 22(g) Native owned lands.
    3. Additional alternatives to the applicant's proposal include the 
following: alternate hovercraft terminal sites; two ferryboat 
alternatives with various harbor locations within Cold Bay; a ferry or 
smaller heavy weather capable boat out of Lenard Harbor or King Cove; 
upgrading the existing King Cove airport; development of a new jet or 
general aviation airport and the use of a helicopter service. In 
addition, there are three variations of an overland route: the Native 
Lands road which would be located on King Cove Corporation lands and 
would use an elevated road and bridges to cross the mouth of Kinzarof 
Lagoon; a road and railroad combination using the Native Lands route; 
and the Isthmus road which would follow the same route as the Native 
Lands road until it reached the head of the bay, then would go behind 
Kinzarof Lagoon through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge and 
Wilderness to connect with existing roads and trails. All overland 
alternatives must cross AK Peninsula Refuge lands at the northwest 
corner of Cold Bay. This list of alternatives is preliminary and 
contains suggestions from many individuals and organizations. Some may 
be dropped and others added through the scoping process. Certain 
alternative proposals conflict with existing laws. The selected 
alternatives will be further analyzed as part of the EIS process.
    4. Scoping: a. The Corps invites full public participation to 
promote open communication on the issues surrounding the proposal. All 
Federal, State, local agencies, and other persons or organizations that 
have an interest are urged to participate in the NEPA scoping process. 
Public meetings will be held to receive public input on the purpose and 
need of the project, to identify significant issues and to discuss 
proposed alternatives. The scoping process will help to further explain 
the purpose and need plus the alternatives to be reviewed in the DEIS.
    b. The DEIS will analyze the potential social, economic, and 
environmental impacts to the local area and the Izembek National 
Wildlife Refuge resulting from the proposed project. The following 
major issues will be analyzed in depth in the DEIS: transportation 
systems; essential fish habitat and other marine mammal habitat; 
threatened and endangered species including their critical habitat; 
migratory birds including the threatened Steller's eider, Emperor goose 
and Pacific brant; resident and migratory mammals; impacts to the 
wilderness area; cultural resources; alternatives; secondary and 
cumulative impacts; and socioeconomics.
    c. The Corps will serve as the lead Federal agency in the 
preparation of the DEIS. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is 
participating as a cooperating agency.
    d. Some of these alternatives may require additional federal 
approvals such as a compatibility determination from the FWS.
    5. The scoping meetings are tentatively planned for the following 
dates and locations. Specific dates will be further announced by local 
media. Further information about these public meetings will be 
published locally and can be obtained by contacting the Corps office.

Anchorage, Alaska--April 2, 2001
Sand Point, Alaska--April 3, 2001
Cold Bay, Alaska--April 4, 2001
King Cove, Alaska--April 5, 2001

    6. It is anticipated that the DEIS will be made available for 
public review in fall 2001.

Larry L. Reeder,
Branch Chief, Regulatory Branch.
[FR Doc. 01-3847 Filed 2-15-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-NL-P