[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 6, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4419-4420]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-2381]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army
Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)
for the Rodman Dam/Ocklawaha River Restoration Project, Putnam and
Marion Counties, FL
AGENCY: Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The Jacksonville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, along
with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, intends to
prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the feasibility of
implementing a plan for
[[Page 4420]]
the Rodman Dam/Ocklawaha River Restoration Project in Putnam and Marion
Counties, Florida.
ADDRESSES: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, P.O.
Box 4970, Jacksonville, Florida 32232-0019.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Therese Fretwell, 904-232-3271.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: a. The Water Resources Development Act of
1990 (Public Law 101-640) required the U.S. Corps of Engineers to
transfers all lands, facilities and management responsibilities
associated with Cross Florida Barge Canal Project to the State of
Florida. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) is
now in the process of developing the Rodman Dam/Ocklawaha River
Restoration project for restoring a portion of the Cross Florida Canal
to its historic condition. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
participation will include permitting activities for Section 9 and
Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act and Section 404 of the Clean
Water Act and NEPA documentation of this project. The FDEP application
for a Department of the Army permit includes four alternative plans for
dealing with management of the Rodman Dam. These include: Complete
Restoration of the Ocklawaha River, Partial Restoration of the
Ocklawaha River, Total Retention of the Rodman Reservoir and Partial
Retention of the Rodman Reservoir. The FDEP has chosen the Partial
Restoration of the Ocklawaha River as its preferred alternative for the
Rodman Dam/Ocklawaha River Restoration Project. This plan will be an
eleven part process that will restore river hydrology and floodplain
function to historic conditions through breaching of the dam, with
limited removal and/or alteration of structures and topographical
manipulation and allowing for maximum restoration from natural
processes to occur. The magnitude and duration of the project is such
that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers determined that an EIS should be
prepared for the entire project pursuant to the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA).
b. Scoping: The scoping process as outlined by the Council on
Environmental Quality will be utilized to involve Federal, State, and
local agencies; and other interested persons and organizations. A
scoping letter will be sent to interested Federal, State, local
agencies and interested parties requesting their comments and concerns
regarding the issues they think should be included in the EIS.
Interested persons and organizations wishing to participate in the
scoping process should contact the Corps of Engineers at the above
mentioned address. Environmental considerations will include potential
presence of historical or archeological resources, aesthetics,
recreation demand, water quality, flood control, water supply, land
use, wetlands, endangered and threatened species, and fish and wildlife
habitats and values. Public meetings may be held in the future, exact
dates, times and locations will be published in local papers.
c. It is estimated that the DEIS will be available to the public by
mid-1996.
Gregory D. Showalter,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 96-2381 Filed 2-5-96; 8:45 am]
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