[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 211 (Friday, October 31, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58947-58948]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-28879]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Corps of Engineers; Department of the Army
Intent To Prepare Draft Environmental Impact Statements for the
Evaluation of Water Allocation Formulas for the Alabama-Coosa-
Tallapoosa (ACT) and Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River
Basins, located in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The Mobile District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), in
cooperation with several Federal cooperating agencies, intends to
prepare Draft Environmental Impact Statements (EISs), to address
proposed water allocation formulas for the equitable apportionment of
water in the ACT and ACF River Basins. The formulas will be developed
by the States of Alabama and Georgia for the ACT basin; and by the
States of Alabama, Florida and Georgia for the ACF basin. The States
will develop these formulas, in conjunction with the United States, and
subject to concurrence by a federal Commissioner. A separate EIS will
be prepared to evaluate the formulas for each basin: ACT Basin and ACF
Basin.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about these EISs or the NEPA
process can be answered by: Ms. Joanne Brandt (ACF) or Mr. Michael J.
Eubanks (ACT), Inland Environment Section, U. S. Army Engineer
District-Mobile, Post Office Box 2288, Mobile, Alabama 36628-0001;
Telephone (334) 690-3260 or (334) 694-3861, respectively. Electronic
mail may be addressed to:
michael.j.eubanks@sam.usace.army.mil
or
joanne.u.brandt@sam.usace.army.mil
Also, brief messages may be left on a toll-free line answering
machine at 1-800-421-7637, or delivered by electronic facsimile at
(334) 694-3815. For current information, you may also visit the Mobile
District Web Page:
http://www.sam.usace.army.mil/sam/pd/actacfeis
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Public Participation
a. The Corps invites full public participation to promote open
communication and better decision making. All persons and organizations
that have an interest in the water allocation formulas, including
minority, low-income, disadvantaged and native American Groups, are
urged to participate in this National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
environmental analysis process. Assistance will be provided upon
request to anyone having difficulty with learning how to participate.
b. Public comments are welcomed anytime throughout the NEPA
process. Formal opportunities for public participation include:
(1) Response to the Scoping Brochure/Questionnaire--Anytime during
the NEPA process.
(2) Review and Comment on the Draft EISs--Oct-Nov 1998.
(3) Comments/Presentation on the draft EISs at Public Workshops--
Nov 1998.
(4) Review of the Final EISs--Summer 1999.
c. Precise schedules and locations will be announced in the local
news media. You may also request to be included on the mailing list for
public distribution of meeting announcements and documents.
2. Background
a. The States of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, in conjunction with
the United States, will soon be developing water allocation formulas
for the ACT and ACF River Basins, in accordance with interstate water
compacts. The States have ratified the compacts and implementing
provisions are currently being developed in consent legislation before
Congress. The purpose of the compacts would be to promote interstate
comity, remove causes of present and future controversies, equitably
apportion surface waters of the ACT and ACF Basins, engage in water
planning, and develop and share common data bases.
b. Pursuant to the ACT and ACF interstate compacts, allocation
formulas would be developed by Commissions established for each basin.
A Federal Commissioner will be appointed as a non-voting advisory
member for each compact Commission. The compacts would provide for
approval of allocation formulas by unanimous vote of the State
Commissioners and concurrence of the Federal Commissioner. Federal
agency evaluations and these EISs will form the basis for the Federal
Commissioner's decision to concur or nonconcur with the water
allocation formulas developed in accordance with the compacts.
c. The Corps, in partnership with the States of Alabama, Florida,
and Georgia, is currently conducting a Comprehensive Study of the ACT
and ACF river basins. The Comprehensive Study was initiated in January
1992, under a Memorandum of Agreement among the three States and the
U.S. Department of the Army. The Comprehensive Study has developed
substantial data and predictive models useful for the development of
water allocation formulas. The Comprehensive Study partners have also
recommended development of interstate compacts as the mechanisms for
coordinated management of the basins.
d. The Corps, in conjunction with the Federal cooperating agencies,
will prepare separate EISs to evaluate the environmental and
socioeconomic impacts of the proposed allocation formula for each
basin. In addition to information available from the Comprehensive
Study, a preliminary scope of evaluations necessary to assist the
Federal Commissioner in a decision has been identified in a Federal
Interagency Management Plan. Agency evaluations will be incorporated
into the completed EISs, which may be used as supporting documentation
for a decision by the Federal Commissioner on the acceptability of the
water
[[Page 58948]]
allocation formulas. The EISs may also serve as supporting documents
for future decisions related to the management of the basins.
e. The completion schedule for these EISs is coordinated with the
legislated timelines mandated by the compact agreements.
The State Commissioners must agree on proposed allocation formulas
by December 31, 1998, unless they agree on an extension. Following
approval of an allocation formula by the State Commissioners, the
Federal Commissioner must make a concurrence decision within 255 days
thereafter. This timeline specified in the pending compacts warrants
immediate commencement of the EISs, even though the allocation formulas
have not yet been developed. The initial EIS work will include
completion of field studies, gathering of environmental, socioeconomic
and hydrologic baseline information. The public involvement process
will be initiated as well.
f. The EISs will display the range of flows experienced by current
water management operations, compared to a foreseeable range of
reasonable alternative flows which may result from proposed allocation
formulas. The alternative ranges of flows, along with the associated
environmental impacts, will create the framework upon which the
allocation formulas may be evaluated. Further NEPA analysis and other
documentation will be prepared, as necessary, to address proposed
actions that may become apparent under the allocation formulas or
compacts, if the actions are not addressed by these EISs.
3. Cooperating Agencies
The lead responsibility for these EISs rests with the Corps.
Federal cooperating agencies include:
Department of Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service, Geological
Survey, and National Park Service; Environmental Protection Agency;
Department of Agriculture's Natural Resource Conservation Service and
Forest Service; Department of Commerce's National Ocean Service and
National Marine Fisheries Service; Department of Energy's Southeastern
Power Administration; and Department of Transportation's Maritime
Administration. Each of the cooperating Federal agencies will provide
their expertise in compiling information and evaluating potential
impacts.
4. Scoping
a. The ACT/ACF Comprehensive Study involved the States,
stakeholders and the public in identifying areas of concern; collecting
and developing water resource, environmental, and socioeconomic data;
and developing tools to assist in decisions affecting an equitable
allocation of water resources within the two basins. Scoping for these
EISs will continue to build upon the knowledge and information
developed during the Comprehensive Study. Additional meetings with
agencies and stakeholders groups will continue to identify significant
issues and data gaps, and focus on the alternatives to be evaluated.
b. A significant component of the scoping process will be
development and distribution of a Scoping Brochure/Questionnaire, and
review of responses to the questionnaire. The Scoping Brochure/
Questionnaire invites comments and participation in the scoping process
by the public; Federal, State, and local agencies and officials;
affected Indian tribes; and other interested parties.
c. An Internet Web Page has been established, to provide for public
access to information related to the ACT and ACF Water Allocation
Formulas development and the EIS evaluation process. The Scoping
Brochure/Questionnaire, in addition to mail distribution, is located on
the Web Page, and allows for receipt of public comments at any point
during the NEPA process. Current information on the associated
Comprehensive Basin Study results or Interstate Compact developments
will also be presented on the Web Page.
5. Environmental Review and Consultation Requirements
Coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be
accomplished in compliance with the Endangered Species Act and the Fish
and Wildlife Coordination Act. Coordination required by other laws and
regulations will also be conducted.
Gregory D. Showalter,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 97-28879 Filed 10-30-97; 8:45 am]
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