[Federal Register: November 6, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 214)]
[Notices]
[Page 62634-62635]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06no07-38]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Notice of Availability of a Supplement to the Draft Environmental
Impact Statement (SDEIS) for the Proposed Potash Corporation of
Saskatchewan Phosphate Mine Continuation Near Aurora, in Beaufort
County, NC
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE), Wilmington District,
Regulatory Division has been reviewing the request for Department of
the Army authorization, pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act
and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act, from Potash Corporation
of Saskatchewan Phosphate Division (PCS) for the continuation of its
phosphate mining operation near Aurora, Beaufort County, NC. PCS
proposes to expand its existing open pit phosphate mining operation
into a 3,412 acre tract immediately adjacent to the current mine. This
expansion would impact 2,408 acres of waters of the U.S. including
wetlands adjacent to the Pamlico River and South Creek. The Notice of
Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for this
action was published in the Federal Register on Friday, October 20,
2006 (71 FR 61962).
DATES: Written comments on this SDEIS will be received until December
21, 3007.
ADDRESSES: Comments and questions regarding the SDEIS may be addressed
to: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District, Regulatory
Division, ATTN: File Number 2001-10096, Post Office Box 1890,
Wilmington, NC 28402-1890. Copies of the Draft EIS can be reviewed on
the Wilmington District Regulatory homepage at, http://www.saw.usace.army.mil/wetlands/regtour.htm
, or contact Ms. Alex Rhodes
at (910) 251-4633, to receive written or CD copies of the SDEIS.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action
and SDEIS can be directed to Mr. Tom Walker, Project Manager,
Regulatory Division, telephone: (828) 271-7980 extension 222.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Corps, on October 20, 2006, released a
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) evaluating the proposed
project and alternatives to the proposed project. Simultaneously, the
Corps released a
[[Page 62635]]
public notice requesting comment on the DEIS and the applicant's
proposed action. Due to the complexity of this project, the comment
period was originally set at three months and subsequently extended an
additional 2 weeks. A public hearing was held on December 14, 2006. The
DEIS contained no designation of an agency preferred alternative.
Since release of the DEIS, the Corps has reviewed comments and
further discussed economic practicability with the applicant. As a
result of this evaluation the Corps finds it necessary to evaluate an
additional alternative, Alternative ``L.'' PCS, on its own initiative,
has developed a second additional alternative, Alternative ``M,'' and
has requested it be evaluated as well. Both these alternatives are
contained within the project area established in the DEIS.
In order to provide the information necessary to objectively
evaluate both alternatives ``L'' and ``M'' and to compare these
alternatives to the alternatives introduced in the DEIS the Corps is
releasing this Supplement to the DEIS (SDEIS). The decision whether to
issue a Department of the Army Clean Water Act Section 404 permit will
be made after completing the required 404(b)(1) analysis and public
interest review including full consideration of all comments.
Dated: October 30, 2007.
John E. Pulliam, Jr.,
Colonel, U.S. Army, District Commander.
[FR Doc. 07-5523 Filed 11-5-07; 8:45 am]
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