[Federal Register: August 8, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 153)]
[Notices]
[Page 47299-47300]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08au03-49]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the
Raritan and Sandy Hook Bay, Combined Erosion and Storm Damage Reduction
Project, Borough of Highlands, Monmouth County, NJ
AGENCY: Department of the Army, 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) to
ascertain compliance with and to lead to the production of a National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) document in accordance with the
President's Council of Environmental Quality (CEQ) rules and
regulations, as defined and amended in 40 CFR parts 1500-1508, Corps'
principals and guidelines as defined in Engineering Regulation (ER)
200-2-2, ER 1105-2-100, and other applicable Federal and State
environmental laws for the proposed erosion control and storm reduction
efforts in the Borough of Highlands in Monmouth County, NJ.
The Borough of Highlands is located in the northeastern section of
Monmouth County and is bounded on the north by Sandy Hook Bay and on
the east by the Shrewsbury River. The project study area consists of
approximately \1/3\ of a square mile of densely developed marine,
commercial, and residential buildings at the eastern terminus, and
extends westward approximately 11,000 feet, bounded by Sandy Hook Bay
to the south and NJ State Route 36 to the north.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Howard Ruben, Environmental
Analyst, Planning Division, Environmental Analysis Branch, U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, New York District, 26 Federal Plaza, New York, NY
10278-0090, at 212-264-0206 or at howard.ruben@usace.army.mil. Written
[[Page 47300]]
comments are to be provided to Mr. Ruben.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. The Combined Erosion Control and Storm Damage Prevention Pre-
Feasibility Study for the Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook Bay, NJ, including
the Borough of Highlands, was authorized by a resolution of the
Committee on Public Works and Transportation of the U.S. House of
Representatives adopted August 1, 1990, which states the following:
``Resolved by the Committee on Public Works and Transportation of the
United States House of Representatives, that, the Board of Engineers
for Rivers and Harbors is requested to review the report of the Chief
of Engineers on Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook Bay, New Jersey, published
as House Document No. 464, Eighty-seventh Congress, Second Session, and
other pertinent reports, to determine the advisability of modifications
to the recommendations contained therein to provide erosion control and
storm damage prevention for the Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook Bay.'' The
Water Resources Development Act of 1966 reauthorized the project,
including uncompleted construction.
2. The previously authorized Federal project for Raritan Bay and
Sandy Hook Bay, NJ, was authorized by the Flood Control Act of October
12, 1962, in accordance with House Document No. 464, Eighty-seventh
Congress, Second Session. While this project resulted in construction
of shore protection improvements within certain municipalities,
improvements in Highlands were not considered economically feasible and
therefore not recommended. It was noted in the 1962 study that
Highlands is subject to severe damage from tidal flooding and that the
problem would be further considered for development of an economically
feasible plan. The area of Highlands was again addressed in the Raritan
Bay and Sandy Hook Bay, New Jersey, Combined Flood Control and Shore
Protection Reconnaissance Study Report, dated March 1993. This
reconnaissance report covered municipalities extending westward from
Highlands to South Amboy with concentration on Port Monmouth for which
a specific plan of improvement was identified. Report findings
concluded that, within the study area, shoreline protection and flood
control projects in Highlands and five other communities appeared to be
economically viable and were recommended to go forward with further
studies. This was determined indirectly through means of a planning
evaluation matrix that compared Port Monmouth criteria to damage
mechanism and potential damage reduction benefits.
3. Two types of environmental analyses will be conducted; impacts
associated with structural storm damage reduction improvements and
analyses required for mitigation planning purposes.
4. Public scoping meetings are expected to be scheduled in
September 2003. The meetings will be held in Monmouth County at
locations not yet determined. Public notices identifying the location,
date, and time for the meetings will be announced in local area
newspapers. Results from the public scoping meetings with the District
and Federal, State, and local agency coordination will be addressed in
the scoping document. Parties interested in receiving notices of public
scoping meetings or copies of the scoping document should contact Mr.
Ruben at the above address.
5. Federal agencies interested in participating as a Cooperating
Agency are requested to submit a letter of intent to Colonel John B.
O'Dowd, District Engineer, at the above address.
6. Estimated Date of DEIS Availability: February 2005.
Leonard Houston,
Chief, Environmental Analysis Branch.
[FR Doc. 03-20265 Filed 8-7-03; 8:45 am]
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