[Federal Register: May 19, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 96)]
[Notices]
[Page 28921-28923]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19my05-54]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army
Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the
Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA)--Louisiana, Caminada Headland and Shell
Island Restoration Feasibility Study
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: This notice of intent (NOI) for the Louisiana Coastal Area
(LCA)--Louisiana, Caminada Headland and Shell Island Restoration
Feasibility Study (LCA Caminada-Shell Island Study) supersedes the
notices of intent for the Barrier Shoreline Restoration in Lafourche,
Jefferson, and Plaquemines Parishes, Louisiana, a Component of the
Louisiana Coastal Area, Louisiana--Ecosystem Restoration, Barrier
Island Restoration, Marsh Creation, and River Diversion, Barataria
Basin Feasibility Study (Barrier Shoreline Restoration Study); and the
Wetland Restoration and/or Creation in the Barataria Basin, Louisiana,
a Component of the Louisiana Coastal Area, Louisiana--Ecosystem
Restoration, Barrier Island Restoration, Marsh Creation, and River
Diversion, Barataria Basin Feasibility Study (LCA Wetland Restoration
Study). This notice of intent addresses the Caminada Headland and Shell
Island reaches of the Barataria barrier shoreline that is presently
addressed in the NOI for the Barrier Shoreline Restoration Study and
also addresses the Chenier Unit marsh creation feature that is
presently addressed in the NOI for the Wetland Restoration Study.
DATES: Scoping meetings will be conducted during the 30-day scoping
meeting comment period so that scoping meeting comments will be
accepted up to 10 days following the final scoping meeting.
ADDRESSES: Scoping comments regarding the Draft EIS (DEIS) for the
[[Page 28922]]
LCA Caminada Headland and Shell Island Restoration Feasibility Study
may be provided orally or in writing at the scoping meetings; sent via
email to LCACSI@mvn02.usace.army.mil; sent via the Worldwide Web at
http://www.LCA.gov; or sent via letter postmarked not later than the
close of the scoping comment period to Dr. William P. Klein, Jr.,
CEMVN-PM-RS, P.O. Box 60267, New Orleans, LA 70160-0267. Comments will
not be accepted if submitted by facsimile (fax).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. William P. Klein, Jr., (504) 862-
2540.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Background: On April 28, 2000 a NOI was published in the Federal
Register (65 FR 24944) for preparing an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for the Barrier Shoreline Restoration in Lafourche, Jefferson,
and Plaquemines Parishes, Louisiana, a Component of the Louisiana
Coastal Area, Louisiana--Ecosystem Restoration, Barrier Island
Restoration, Marsh Creation, and River Diversion, Barataria Basin
Feasibility Study (LCA Barrier Shoreline Restoration Study). On May 5,
2000 a notice of intent was published in the Federal Register (65 FR
26192) for preparing an EIS for the Wetland Restoration and/or Creation
in the Barataria Basin, Louisiana, a Component of the Louisiana Coastal
Area, Louisiana--Ecosystem Restoration, Barrier Island Restoration,
Marsh Creation, and River Diversion, Barataria Basin Feasibility Study
(LCA Wetland Creation Study). Investigation of these studies was
temporarily suspended pending completion of the near-term Louisiana
Coastal Area (LCA), Louisiana Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study
(LCA Ecosystem Restoration Study). A final programmatic EIS for the LCA
Ecosystem Restoration Study was released for public comment in November
2004, completed in December 2004, and the related Chief of Engineers
Report was signed on January 31, 2005. The programmatic findings
specify recommendations that refocus and advance planning, scientific,
and restoration efforts that are already underway. The Corps believes
these findings have influenced the purpose and need for action and the
scope of the analysis of the LCA Caminada Headland and Shell Island
Restoration Feasibility Study. Hence, the Corps proposes to prepare a
draft EIS for the LCA Caminada Headland and Shell Island Restoration
Feasibility Study.
The EIS will document the NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act
of 1969) process identifying and assessing reasonable alternatives to
proposed actions that will avoid or minimize adverse effects of these
actions upon the quality of the human environment. Specifically, the
EIS will analyze the potential direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts
of implementing barrier shoreline restoration and wetland restoration
in Lafourche, Plaquemines, and portions of Jefferson Parishes,
Louisiana. The LCA Caminada-Shell Island Restoration Study, as stated
in the January 2005 Chiefs Report, is one of 15 near-term features of
the LCA Ecosystem Restoration Plan. Each of the 15 LCA projects will
address critical near-term, site-specific restoration actions across
the Louisiana coast. The study investigating the Caminada Headland and
Shell Island reaches of the Barataria Barrier Shoreline initiates
detailed feasibility-level plan formulation and environmental impacts
analysis.
2. Proposed Action and Reasonable Alternatives. This restoration
feature involves mining offshore and/or riverine sediment sources to
reestablish a sustainable barrier system (e.g. barrier islands,
shorelines, and headlands) at Caminada Headland and Shell Island. The
proposed action will build upon the alternatives considered under the
LCA Barrier Shoreline Restoration Study and the LCA Wetland Creation
Study. The proposed action will consider all reasonable alternatives
for restoration of the Caminada Headland and Shell Island, including:
Consideration of offshore, nearshore, riverine, and other borrow
sources; varying widths and configurations of barrier shoreline and
dune heights; marsh restoration as a platform for barrier shoreline
rollover; as well as other recommendations from the public and
interested parties. The Caminada Headland and Shell Island reaches are
critical components of the Barataria Barrier System. The Caminada
headland protects one of the highest concentrations of near-gulf oil
and gas infrastructure in the coastal zone. This reach of the Barataria
shoreline also supports the only land-based access to the barrier
shoreline in the Deltaic Plain. The Shell Island segment has been
nearly lost, and failure to take restorative action could result in the
loss of any future options for restoration. Loss of the Shell Island
segment would result in permanent modification of the tidal hydrology
of the Barataria Basin. The Shell Island segment is the only remaining
natural barrier between the Gulf and lower Plaquemines Parish.
3. Scoping Process. The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)
regulations implementing the NEPA process directs federal agencies that
have made a decision to prepare an environmental impact statement to
engage in a public scoping process. The scoping process is designed to
provide an early and open means of determining the scope of issues
(problems, needs, and opportunities) to be identified and addressed in
the draft environmental impact assessment. Scoping is the process used
to: (a) Identify the affected public and agency concerns; (b)
facilitate an efficient EIS preparation process; (c) define the issues
and alternatives that will be examined in detail in the EIS; and (d)
save time in the overall process by helping to ensure that the draft
statements adequately address relevant issues. Scoping is a process,
not an event or a meeting. It continues throughout the planning for a
draft EIS and may involve meetings, telephone conversations, and/or
written comments.
4. Request for Scoping Comments. In June 2005, the Corps will
conduct scoping meetings to determine the scope of issues to be
addressed and for identifying the significant issues related to the
draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Louisiana Coastal
Area (LCA), Louisiana--Caminada Headland and Shell Island Restoration
Feasibility Study. Notices will be mailed to the affected and
interested public once the dates and locations of the scoping meetings
have been established. The Corps invites scoping input concerning the
following scoping focus questions: Question #1: What are the critical
natural and human environmental problems and needs that should be
addressed in the DEIS? For example, critical natural and human
ecological needs may include: barrier shoreline sustainability,
navigation, barrier shoreline habitat restoration, hurricane and flood
protection, protection of human infrastructure, and others. Question
#2: What are the significant resources that should be considered in the
DEIS? For example, significant resources may include: Barrier
shorelines, offshore sand resources, water quality, threatened and
endangered species, and others. Question #3: What are the reasonable
restoration alternatives that should be considered in the DEIS? For
example, consider alternative borrow sites from inland reaches of the
Mississippi River and outside the system, rock the entire shoreline,
use hardened structures such as break waters, re-establish the barrier
shoreline further inland, emphasize marsh creation as major component
of barrier shoreline restoration, and others. Interested parties are
encouraged to provide their input and
[[Page 28923]]
recommendations for all significant issues of the study.
Scoping comments will be compiled, analyzed, and utilized in the
plan formulation process. A Scoping Report, summarizing the comments,
will be made available to all scoping participants and published on the
Louisiana Coastal Area Web site (http://www.LCA.gov). Scoping comments
will be accepted throughout the scoping comment period (see DATES).
5. Public Involvement. Scoping is a critical component of the
overall public involvement program. An intensive public involvement
program will continue throughout the study to solicit input from
affected Federal, State, and local agencies, Indian tribes, and other
interested parties.
6. Interagency Coordination and Cooperation. Pursuant to section
1501.6 of the NEPA (30 CFR parts 1500-1508), the following agencies
have been invited to participate in the study as cooperating agencies
on the EIS: Minerals Management Service, National Marine Fisheries
Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological
Service, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, Louisiana
Department of Natural Resources, and the Louisiana Department of
Wildlife and Fisheries. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will provide
a Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act Report. Coordination will be
maintained with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National
Marine Fisheries Service regarding threatened and endangered species
under their respective jurisdictional responsibilities. Coordination
will be maintained with the National Marine Fisheries Service regarding
essential fish habitat. Coordination will be maintained with the
Natural Resources Conservation Service regarding prime and unique
farmlands. The U.S. Department of Agriculture will be consulted
regarding the ``Swampbuster'' provisions of the Food Security Act.
Coordination will be maintained with the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency concerning compliance with Executive Order 12898, ``Federal
Action to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and
Low-Income Populations.'' Coordination will be maintained with the
Advisory Counsel on Historic Preservation and the State Historic
Preservation Officer. The Louisiana Department of Natural Resources
will be consulted regarding consistency with the Coastal Zone
Management Act. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will
be contacted concerning potential impacts to Natural and Scenic
Streams.
7. Availability of Draft EIS. It is anticipated that the Draft EIS
will be available for public review during the late summer of 2005. A
45-day review period will be provided so that all interested agencies,
groups and individuals will have an opportunity to comment on the Draft
EIS. In addition, public meetings will be held during the review period
to receive comments and address questions concerning the Draft EIS.
Dated: May 9, 2005.
Peter J. Rowan,
Colonel, U.S. Army, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 05-9997 Filed 5-18-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-84-P