[Federal Register: August 9, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 153)]
[Notices]
[Page 44835-44836]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09au07-52]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Intent To Modify a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Water
Conservation Area 3 Decompartmentalization and Sheet-flow Enhancement
in Broward County, FL
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of intent; modification.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Jacksonville
District, previously published a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an
integrated Project Implementation Report/Environmental Impact Statement
(PIR/EIS) for the Water Conservation Area 3 Decompartmentalization and
Sheet-flow Enhancement Project (DECOMP), Part 1 on December 4, 2003 (68
FR 67841). Following publication of the NOI, the scope of this initial
part of DECOMP was altered to focus specifically on the alternatives to
reduce barriers to sheet-flow within WCA 3A. Modification of eastern
Tamiami Trail, south of WCA 3, will be considered in future efforts.
The project's collaborator, intent, authorization, plan formulation
process, and issues to be addressed remain as described in the original
NOI.
DATES: The meeting dates are:
1. August 21, 2007, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., West Palm Beach, FL.
2. August 23, 2007, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Pembroke Pines, FL.
ADDRESSES: The meeting locations are:
1. South Florida Water Management District, 3301 Gun Club Road,
West Palm Beach, FL 33406.
2. Southwest Regional Library, 16835 Sheridan Street, Pembroke
Pines, FL 33331.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Planning
Division, Environmental Branch, P.O. Box 4970, Jacksonville, FL 32232-
0019; Attn: Mr. Ernest Clarke or by telephone at 904-232-1199 or e-mail
at ernest.clarke@saj02.usace.army.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
a. Authorization: Section 601 of the Water Resources Development
Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-541) authorized the implementation of the
DECOMP Project.
b. Study Area: The study area includes the WCA 3 and the northeast
section of Everglades National Park, in Broward and Miami-Dade
Counties. While the project area and area of anticipated benefits is
located almost entirely within WCA 3A, the potential area of impacts is
broader. Therefore, the study area considered in the report will extend
from the southern end of Lake Okeechobee to the north through WCA 3A
and 3B to just south of the Tamiami Trail (US 41).
c. Project Scope: The scope includes conducting an assessment of
the study area and continuing plans for restoring sheet flow through
WCA 3A. The evaluation of the alternatives and selection of a
recommended plan will be documented in the PIR/DEIS. The alternative
plans will be reviewed under provisions of appropriate laws and
regulations, including the Endangered Species Act, Fish and Wildlife
Coordination Act, Clean Water Act, and Farmland Protection Policy Act.
d. Preliminary Alternatives: The study includes two components of
the Central & South Florida Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan:
Backfilling
[[Page 44836]]
the Miami Canal and with a simultaneous increase in the conveyance
capacity of the North New River Canal to compensate for lost flood
damage reduction and water supply capabilities. Different scales of
backfilling and alternate conveyance routes will be considered.
e. Issues: The DPIR/EIS will address the following issues: impacts
to aquatic and wetland habitats; water flows; hazardous and toxic
waste; water quality; flood damage reduction; the impacts of land
acquisition on the tax base; aesthetics and recreation; fish and
wildlife resources, including protected species; cultural resources;
and other impacts identified through scoping, public involvement and
interagency coordination.
f. Scoping: A scoping letter and multiple public workshops will be
used to invite comments on alternatives and issues from Federal, State,
and local agencies, affected Indian tribes, and other interested
private organizations and individuals. Two identical scoping meetings
are planned for this project (see DATES and ADDRESSES). Future meetings
will be announced in public notices, local newspapers, and on http://www.evergladesplan.org
.
g. PIR/EIS Preparation: The PIR/EIS is currently estimated for
publication in July 2009.
Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 07-3876 Filed 8-8-07; 8:45 am]
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