[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 72 (Tuesday, April 15, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 18335]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-9653]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Intent to Prepare a Draft Revised Final Supplement to the
Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS) for the St. Johns Bayou and New
Madrid Floodway Project, East Prairie Phase
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Defense.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The purpose of this reevaluation is to develop a plan that
provides flood control in the St. Johns Bayou and New Madrid Floodway
Basins, Missouri. This project was authorized for construction by the
Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (P.L. 99-662), Section 401(a).
The authorized project is based on the Report of the Chief of
Engineers, dated January 4, 1983, which is part of the Phase I General
Design Memorandum (GDM) documents prepared in response to Section
101(a) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1976 (P.L. 94-587).
The Phase II GDM is based on the Phase I GDM project recommendations,
and it was prepared under the Chief's authority for continuing planning
and engineering studies on a viable project while awaiting project
authorization.
Revisions were made in the Phase II GDM to indicate the non-Federal
cost sharing requirements reflected in the authorizing Act PL 99-662.
The original EIS was filed with the Council of Environmental Quality in
1976, and the supplement was filed in 1981. The purpose of this DSEIS
is to revise and supplement previous environmental documentation. The
recent designation of East Prairie, Missouri, as an Enterprise
Community by the President has provided the momentum to move the East
Prairie Phase of the overall project toward implementation.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Eddie Belk, telephone (901) 544-3798, CELMM-DD-PM, 167 North Main
Street B-202, Memphis, TN 38103-1894. Questions regarding the DSEIS may
be directed to Mr. John Rumancik, telephone (901) 544-3975, CELMM-PD-R.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Proposed Action
The St. Johns Bayou Basin and New Madrid Floodway are located in
southeast Missouri and include all or portions of New Madrid, Scott and
Mississippi Counties. The basis are adjacent to the Mississippi River,
extending from the vicinity of Commerce, Missouri, to New Madrid,
Missouri. The recommended plan of improvement for the East Prairie
Phase work, which this DSEIS will address, includes about 28 miles of
channel modification, a 1,000 cfs pumping station for the St. Johns
Bayou area, a 1,500 cfs pumping station for the New Madrid Floodway
area, and a 1,500 foot closure levee at the southern end of the New
Madrid Floodway.
2. Alternatives
Alternatives were evaluated in the previous EIS. The purpose of
this DSEIS is to evaluate and provide updated documentation and
coordination for the selected plan for flood control and compare it to
the No Action alternative.
3. Scoping Process
An intensive public involvement program has been set up to (1)
Solicit input from individuals and interested parties so that problems,
needs, and opportunities within the project area can be properly
identified and addressed and (2) provide status updates to concerned
organizations and the public. Meetings with the local sponsor, public
coordination meetings, interagency environmental meetings, and public
project briefings/presentations have been conducted. A public scoping
meeting will be scheduled for May 1997, and interagency environmental
meetings will continue to be held as needed. Significant issues being
analyzed include potential project impacts (negative and positive) to
fisheries, water quality, wetlands, waterfowl, endangered species, and
cultural resources. It is anticipated that the DSEIS will be available
for public review early 1998. A public meeting will be held during the
review period to receive comments and address questions concerning the
DSEIS.
Dated: April 4, 1997.
Gregory G. Bean,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 97-9653 Filed 4-14-97; 8:45 am]
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