[Federal Register: October 31, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 212)]
[Notices]
[Page 64926-64927]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr31oc08-53]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement To
Permit Construction of Dam and Reservoir along Murder Creek, Conecuh
County, AL
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The Mobile District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps)
intends to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to
address the potential impacts associated with permitting construction
of a dam and reservoir along Murder Creek in Conecuh County, AL.
Evaluation of the proposed project via an EIS will proceed in
compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Upon
completion of the EIS, the Corps will evaluate a permit application for
the proposed work under the authority of Section 404 of the Clean Water
Act.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action,
the NEPA process and the Draft EIS should be addressed to Mr. Chuck
Sumner, Planning and Environmental Division, phone (251) 694-3857 or e-
mail at lewis.c.sumner@usace.army.mil, Mobile District, U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, P.O. Box 2288, Mobile, AL 36628-0001.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. The applicant for the permit is the Conecuh County Commission.
The permit application proposes construction of a dam and the creation
of an estimated 2,650 acre lake on Murder Creek in central Conecuh
County, AL, approximately three miles northwest of the City of
Evergreen. The lake is proposed to be used as a source of irrigation
for local agriculture and a water source for the anticipated bio-fuel
[[Page 64927]]
industry expected to move into the local area. Construction of the
proposed lake will require an approximately 2,000 feet long dam across
Murder Creek.
2. Alternatives to the applicants' proposal may exist which would
reduce impacts to the surrounding environment. These could include, but
are not restricted to, reducing the surface elevation of the lake,
thereby building a smaller lake, considering alternate site locations
for the lake, pursuing alternate site layouts that may have less impact
on the environment, or pursuing alternate sources of water for
irrigation and the bio-fuels industry, or combinations of these or
other alternatives. A determination of these or other alternatives to
be evaluated will be developed during the scoping and evaluation phase
of the EIS.
3. Scoping: a. The Corps invites full public participation to
promote open communication on the issues surrounding the proposal. All
Federal, State, and local agencies, native American tribes, and other
persons or organizations that have an interest are urged to participate
in the NEPA scoping process. A public scoping meeting will be held to
help identify significant issues and to receive public input and
comment. The location and time for the public scoping meeting will be
advertised through various media outlets at least 30 days prior to the
meeting date.
b. The Draft EIS will analyze the potential social, economic, and
environmental impacts to the local area resulting from the proposed
project and alternatives. Specifically, the following major issues will
be analyzed in the Draft EIS: hydrologic and hydraulic regimes,
threatened and endangered species, fish and wildlife habitat, wetlands,
essential fish habitat and other marine habitat, air quality, cultural
resources, wastewater treatment capacities and discharges, drainage
discharges, transportation systems, alternatives, secondary and
cumulative impacts, socioeconomic impacts, environmental justice
(effect on minorities and low-income groups) (Executive Order 12898),
and protection of children (Executive Order 13045).
c. The Corps will serve as the lead Federal agency in the
preparation of the Draft EIS. The Corps intends to coordinate and/or
consult with an interagency team of Federal and State agencies during
scoping and preparation of the Draft EIS. A decision will be made
during the scoping process whether other agencies will serve in an
official role as cooperating agencies.
4. It is anticipated that the DEIS will be made available for
public review in December 2009.
Byron G. Jorns,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Commander.
[FR Doc. E8-25986 Filed 10-30-08; 8:45 am]
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