01-28263. Newfound and Sandymush Creeks Watershed Project Buncombe and Madison County, NC

AGENCY:

Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA.

ACTION:

Notice 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 Guidelines (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 Newfound and Sandymush Creeks Watershed Project, Buncombe and Madison County, North Carolina.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mary K. Combs, State Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service, 4405 Bland Road, Suite 205, Raleigh, North Carolina 27609, telephone [phone].

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, Mary K. Combs, State Conservationist, has determined that the preparation and review of an environmental impact statement are not needed for this project.

The project purpose is to reduce sediment and nutrient damage. The planned works of improvement include 378 acres of Sod Rotation, 208 acres of Grassed Waterways/Field Borders, 520 acres of Cropland Conversion to Grass, 680 acres of Grassland Management and Improvement, 23 acres of Stream Protection Systems for cropland, 46 Stream Protection Systems for livestock operations, 9 Animal Waste Management Systems for dairies and 3 Animal Feed Waste Management Systems for beef operations. The project will treat 2,600 acres of cropland, improve 680 acres of grassland, stabilize 6,900 linear feet of stream bank and install 12 animal waste treatment systems.

The Notice of a Finding Of No Significant Impact (FONSI) has been forwarded to the Environmental Protection Agency and to various federal, state and local agencies and interested parties. A limited number of copies 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 Jacob Crandall, Assistant State Conservationist for Water Resources at 4405 Bland Road, Suite 205, Raleigh, North Carolina 27609.

No administrative action on implementation of the proposal will be taken until 30 days after the date of this publication in the Federal Register.

Mary K. Combs,

State Conservationist.