[Federal Register: October 25, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 206)]
[Notices]
[Page 60665]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25oc07-67]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Draft and Final Second Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement for Reach 1 on the Herbert Hoover Dike
Major Rehabilitation Project, Martin and Palm Beach Counties
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The purpose of the project is to reconstruct and rehabilitate
Reach 1 of the Herbert Hoover Dike to prevent catastrophic failure of
the system to retain the waters of Lake Okeechobee. On July 8, 2005,
the Jacksonville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) issued
a Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) for the
Major Rehabilitation actions proposed for Herbert Hoover Dike (HHD),
Reach One. Herbert Hoover Dike is the levee that completely surrounds
Lake Okeechobee. On September 23, 2005, a Record of Decision was signed
adopting the preferred alternative as the Selected Plan for Reach One.
As plans and specifications were developed for Reach 1, it became
apparent that the cut-off wall with seepage berm alternative would not
work for all of Reach 1. The alternative for Reach 1 will be a
combination of one or more of the following features dependent on the
geology and adjacent land factors with the cut-off wall: Seepage Berm,
Relief Trench, Soil Replacement Wedge, Relief Wells, Drainage Feature
and Sand Columns. Reach 1 of the HHD extends for approximately 22.5
miles within Martin and Palm Beach Counties, from the St. Lucie Canal
at Port Mayaca, south to the Hillsboro Canal at Belle Glade, FL. This
study is a cooperative effort between the Corps and the South Florida
Water Management District (SFWMD).
ADDRESSES: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Planning Division,
Environmental Branch, P.O. Box 4970, Jacksonville, FL 32232-0019.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Nancy Allen at (904) 232-3206 or
e-mail at nancy.p.allen@usace.army.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
a. The proposed action will be the selected plan described in the
July 2005 Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) with the
additional action of implementing the landslide rehabilitation features
as needed based on geology and adjacent land factors. The proposed
action will not affect the Regulation Schedule for Lake Okeechobee.
Land may have to be acquired outside of the existing right-of-way (ROW)
and this EIS will account for any impacts that result due to
acquisition of additional real estate.
b. Alternatives to be considered separately for each subdivision of
Reach 1 are dependent upon the geology and adjacent land factors with
the cut-off wall. Reach 1 is divided into Subreaches A, B, C and D. The
alternatives to be implemented include one or more of the following
features: Seepage Berm, Relief Trench, Soil Replacement Wedge, Relief
Wells, Sand Column and Drainage Feature.
c. A scoping letter 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. The
scoping letter will be sent out in October 2007. A scoping meeting is
not anticipated.
d. A public meeting will be held after release of the Draft Second
Supplemental EIS. The public meeting is anticipated to be held in July
2008 in Clewiston, FL. The exact location, date, and times will be
announced in a public notice and local newspapers.
e. A Major Rehabilitation Evaluation Report (MRR) was approved by
Congress in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) 2000 that
addressed the need to repair the aging dike.
Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 07-5278 Filed 10-24-07; 8:45 am]
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