[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 130 (Wednesday, July 8, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36888-36889]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-18028]
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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 Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook Bay, Combined Flood Control and
Shore Protection Project, Union Beach, Monmouth County, New Jersey
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The New York District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(Corps) is preparing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for
proposed measures to provide flood control and storm damage protection
in Union Beach, New Jersey. For this Notice of Intent, the Corps is
considering protection measures to reduce damages caused by flooding
and coastal storms. The EIS will be prepared according to the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers procedures for implementing the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, (NEPA), 42 U.S.C.
4332(2)(C), and consistent with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer's
policy to facilitate
[[Page 36889]]
public understanding and scrutiny of agency proposals. This notice of
intent is published as required by the President's Council on
Environmental Quality regulations implementing the provisions of NEPA,
40 CFR Parts 1500-1508.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding the action can be
addressed to Mark H. Burlas, Project Environmental Manager, phone (212)
264-4663, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District, Planning
Division, 26 Federal Plaza New York, New York 10278-0090.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Authorization
The existing Federal project was originally authorized by the Flood
Control Act of 12 October 1962 as a dual purpose Beach Erosion Control
and Hurricane Protection Project in accordance with House Document No.
464, 86th Congress, Second session. This project provided for beach
fill, groins, and levees for various sections of the study area. The
constructed project consists of segmented sections of beach fill and
levees surrounding various communities in Old Bridge Township and
Keansburg and East Keansburg. The current study was authorized by a
resolution of the Committee on Public Works and Transportation, U.S.
House of Representatives, adopted August 1, 1990. The feasibility study
seeks to develop improvement plans to ascertain the most suitable long-
term solution for the study area's flood and storm damage problems.
2. Location of the Proposed Action
The study area is located in the northern portion of Monmouth
County, New Jersey. It occupies an approximate 1.8 square mile area of
land along the coast of the Raritan Bay. The Borough of Union Beach is
surrounded by the Raritan Bay to the north, East Creek to the east, the
Township of Hazlet to the south and Chigarora Creek to the west. The
study area is largely located in low elevation regions with numerous
small creeks providing drainage. Currently, low-lying residential and
commercial structures in the area are experiencing flooding caused by
coastal storm inundation. This problem has progressively worsened in
recent years due to loss of protective beaches and increased
urbanization in the area with structures susceptible to flooding from
rainfall and coastal storm surges, erosion and wave attack, combined
with restrictions to channel flow in the tidal creek.
3. Reasonable Alternative Actions
In addition to the ``No Action'' alternative, the flood control
component of the feasibility study will evaluate alternatives such as
buy-outs, storm gates and floodwalls to avoid and minimize impacts to
coastal wetlands, as well as various levee layouts and heights. The
shore protection component will analyze alternatives such as the
expansion of existing dunes and various improvements to existing
beaches.
4. Significant Issues Requiring In-Depth Analysis
1. Coastal Wetlands Impacts; 2. Impacts to Aquatic Resources; 3.
Archaeological and Cultural Resources Impacts; 4. Hydrology Impacts; 5.
Economic Impacts.
5. Environmental Review and Consultation
Review will be conducted as outlined in the Council on
Environmental Quality regulations dated November 29, 1983 (40 CFR Parts
1500-1508) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineer regulation ER 200-2-2 dated
March 4, 1988.
6. Public Scoping Meeting
A public scoping meeting is tentatively scheduled for July 22,
1998, at the Hazlet Public Library, (251 Middle Road, Union Beach, New
Jersey 07730) at 5:30 p.m.
7. Estimated Date of DEIS Availability
January 2000.
Gregory D. Showalter,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-18028 Filed 7-7-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-06-M
