[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 5 (Monday, January 8, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 555]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-191]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Corps of Engineers
Intent to Prepare a Draft Supplemental Revised Environmental
Impact Statement for a Proposed Sauquoit Creek at Whitesboro, New York
Flood Control Project
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
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SUMMARY: Description of Proposed Action. The New York District office
of the Corps of Engineers proposes to provide flood protection for the
town of Whitestown through modification of Sauquoit Creek and
construction of a high-flow diversion channel. The Corps has identified
a history of frequent and serious flooding along the Sauquoit Creek in
the town of Whitestown. The flooding is caused by both fluvial and ice-
jam related events. The project extends from the entrance ramp to 5A to
the confluence of Sauquoit Creek with the Mohawk River. The total
length of the channel modification is approximately 1 mile ending in a
3,200-foot, high-flow diversion channel. The high-flow diversion
channel will take the place of widening and deepening the last 1750
feet of Sauquoit Creek prior to its confluence with the Mohawk River,
an undeveloped, well vegetated reach. The diversion channel allows
water and ice, backed up from jams in the meandering existing channel
downstream of the project, to flow out of the damage areas. Under non-
flood conditions, the diversion would carry no flow and low flows would
continue to flow down the exciting Sauquoit Creek channel. The plan
prevents damages from fluvial events up to the 25-year level and from
ice jam events up to the 8-year level. For combined conditions, the
level of protection is estimated to be 5-year.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Project Manager, Joseph Redican (ATTN:
CENAN-PL-FF) at (212) 264-1060 or EIS Coordinator, Karen Vanderwall
(ATTN: CENAN-PL-ES) at (212) 264-1275, New York District Corps of
Engineers, 26 Federal Plaza, New York, NY 10278-0090.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Reasonable Alternatives
Various alternative flood control designs were considered prior to
the development of the original 1986 EIS. The preferred design from a
flood control perspective included widening and deepening of the
Sauquoit Creek from the Oriskany Boulevard bridge to its confluence
with the Mohawk River. Based on environmental concerns expressed at
that time, a design alternative that reduced environmental impacts was
chosen. The final recommended design includes a high-flow diversion
channel in the lowest 3,200 feet of the project running parallel to
Sauquoit Creek. This diversion channel takes the place of modifying
high quality stream habitat that exists in the lower reaches of the
project area.
2. Scoping Process
a. Public Involvement. A full scale scoping process was conducted
for the original EIS including 3 coordination meetings with local
agencies and a town meeting attended by 150 people. A notice of intent
and the draft EIS were filed in the Federal Register after which
comments were received from the following agencies: U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S.
Soil Conservation Service, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development, Advisory Council On
Historic Preservation, New York State Office of Parks Recreation and
Historic Preservation, New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation, New York Governors Office, and Oneida County
Environmental Management Council. Any interested party is encouraged to
comment on the supplemental draft EIS when a notice of availability is
published in the Federal Register.
b. Significant Issues Requiring In-depth Analysis. This office
intends to develop a draft supplemental environmental impact statement
to amend an original statement completed in June, 1986. This action is
needed to re-assess the impacts resulting from the flood control
project in order to comply with current federal and state regulations
and policies. In addition, current habitat restoration techniques can
be utilized.
3. Significant Issues
The Significant issues to be addressed include:
a. Wetland mitigation,
b. In-stream and stream bank habitat restoration,
c. Re-vegetation of stream banks and channel diversion, and
d. Incorporation of bioengineering techniques along stream banks.
4. Scoping Meeting
Scoping meeting will not be held. Several scoping meetings were
held at the time of the original environmental assessment for this
project and significant environmental issues related to the project
were identified. The project design has not been changed, therefore, a
scoping meeting will not take place.
5. Estimated Date of Statement Availability
February 5, 1996.
Juanita H. Maberry,
Alternate, Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 96-191 Filed 1-5-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-06-M
