[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 79 (Monday, April 25, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22879-22880]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-9902]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Update of
the Shoreline Management Plan and Supplement to the Master Plan,
Eufaula Lake, OK
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 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is to
address alternatives and environmental impacts associated with an
update of the Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) and supplement to the
Master Plan (MP), Eufaula Lake, Oklahoma. The EIS would likewise
evaluate alternatives and environmental impacts associated with
specific proposals for recreational development facilities on Federal
lands at Eufaula Lake as identified through the SMP update and MP
supplement process.
ADDRESSES: Questions or comments concerning the proposed action should
be addressed to Mr. Stephen L. Nolen, Chief, Environmental Analysis and
Compliance Branch, Tulsa District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, CESWT-
PE-E, 1645 S. 101st E. Ave., Tulsa, OK 74128-4629.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Stephen L. Nolen, (918) 669-7660,
fax: (918) 669-7546, e-mail: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Tulsa District, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers seeks to provide an update to the existing SMP and to
supplement portions of the existing MP for Eufaula Lake, OK. Eufaula
Lake is a multi-purpose reservoir impounded by Eufaula Dam on the
Canadian River at river mile 27.0, about 12 miles east of Eufaula in
McIntosh County, OK. Land and water resources at the lake are managed
by the Tulsa District in accordance with regulations governing U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers civil works projects. At Eufaula Lake, private
shoreline uses to include private boat docks and vegetation
modification are managed under a permit system dependent upon shoreline
allocation classifications specified in the SMP in accordance with
Engineer Regulation 1130-2-406. Reviews and updates to SMPs are
periodically provided and the last update to the Eufaula Lake SMP
occurred in 1998. Similarly, land resources at Eufaula Lake are managed
in accordance with MP requirements as described in Engineer Pamphlet
1130-2-550. In the land allocation portion of the MP, all project lands
are assigned categories which are used for determination of appropriate
uses for these lands. The last update to the Eufaula Lake MP occurred
in 1977. Owing to the elapsed time since last updates, changed
conditions, and the need to assess lake-wide cumulative effects, the
Tulsa District seeks to update the Eufaula Lake SMP and supplement the
MP by updating the land allocation portion. Actions appropriate for
updating these plans and preparing the EIS for the same will occur
concurrently.
As the SMP and MP update processes involve public participation and
input, it is possible that specific proposals for recreational or other
development features involving project shorelines and/or lands may be
received by the Tulsa District. For proposals that have advanced to a
planning stage of sufficient detail to allow for proposal-specific
alternative and impact analysis, the EIS would include these analyses.
For reasonably-foreseeable development proposals that have not advanced
to the point where proposal-specific analyses are possible, these will
be assessed under cumulative impacts but will require additional
analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) prior to
their implementation at Eufaula Lake.
Reasonable alternatives to be considered include varying
combinations of allocation classifications for both project shorelines
and Federal lands at Eufaula Lake to include the no action alternative
of retaining allocations in both the SMP and MP as they currently
exist. For proposal-specific actions, alternatives would include
varying development plans and features as well as the no action
alternative.
Issues to be addressed in the EIS include but are not limited to:
(1) Socioeconomic impacts associated with allocation classifications
and specific development proposals, (2) matters pertaining to shoreline
impacts, (3)
[[Page 22880]]
potential impacts to cultural and ecological resources, (4) public
access and safety, (5) impacts to lake use, public parks and
recreation, (6) aesthetics, (7) infrastructure, (8) lake water quality,
(9) traffic patterns, (10) terrestrial and aquatic fish and wildlife
habitat, (11) Federally-listed threatened and endangered species, and
(12) cumulative impacts associated with past, current, and reasonably
foreseeable future actions at Eufaula Lake.
A public scoping meeting for the action will be conducted in early
summer 2011 in Eufaula, OK or the vicinity. In addition, public
workshops addressing updates to the SMP and MP may be held at locations
near Eufaula Lake. News releases and notices informing the public and
local, state, and Federal agencies of the proposed action and date of
the public scoping meeting will be published in local newspapers.
Comments received as a result of this notice, news releases, and the
public scoping meeting will be used to assist the Tulsa District Corps
of Engineers in identifying potential impacts to the quality of the
human or natural environment. Affected Federal, state, or local
agencies, affected Indian tribes, and other interested private
organizations and parties are encouraged to participate in the scoping
process by forwarding written comments to (see ADDRESSES) or attending
the scoping meeting.
The draft EIS will be available for public review and comment.
While the specific date for release of the draft EIS has yet to be
determined, all interested agencies, tribes, organizations and parties
expressing an interest in this action will be placed on a mailing list
for receipt of the draft EIS. In order to be considered, any comments
and suggestions should be forwarded to (see ADDRESSES) in accordance
with dates specified upon release of the draft EIS.
Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-9902 Filed 4-22-11; 8:45 am]
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