[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 174 (Friday, September 8, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 46823]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-22318]



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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 
for the Morganza, Louisiana, to the Gulf of Mexico Feasibility Study

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
(COE) will prepare a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) to 
analyze the direct and indirect beneficial and adverse impacts of 
implementing a proposed hurricane protection project in Terrebonne and 
Lafourche Parishes, Louisiana. The purposes of the proposed action are 
to provide protection to existing development from tropical storm and 
hurricane-induced tidal flooding such as that which occurred during 
Hurricane Andrew, and to protect coastal wetlands from hurricane surges 
in a portion of Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. The proposed action would 
consist of upgrading many existing forced-drainage-system levees; using 
permitted and/or installed flood-control features (e.g., floodgates); 
constructing some new levees and water-control structures; and, closing 
the water-control structures and flood gates in a coordinated manner in 
the event of tropical storm or hurricane tidal surges.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions regarding the EIS may be directed to Mr. Robert Martinson, 
CELMN-PD-RS, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, P.O. Box 60267, New Orleans, 
Louisiana 70160-0267, telephone: (504) 862-2582.
    Questions regarding the proposed action may be directed to Mr. Troy 
Constance, CELMN-PD-FB, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, P.O. Box 60267, 
New Orleans, Louisiana 70160-0267, telephone: (504) 862-2742.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A similar flood protection plan has been 
proposed by the South Terrebonne Tidewater Management and Conservation 
District (STTMCD). A Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS for the STTMCD 
plan under the COE Regulatory Program was issued on April 7, 1993 
(Federal Register, Volume 58, Number 65, pp. 18084-18085). Because the 
underlying purposes of the two proposed actions are the same, and in 
the interest of cost effectiveness, one EIS will be prepared rather 
than two.

Proposed Action

    The STTMCD proposed action would consist of upgrading many existing 
forced-drainage-system levees from near Larose at the eastern end to 
Waterproof on the western end; using permitted and/or installed flood-
control features (e.g., floodgates) in the area; constructing some new 
levees and water-control structures, particularly in the Lake gates in 
a coordinated manner in the event of tropical storm or hurricane tidal 
surges. The flood gates and water control structures would normally be 
left open for navigation and tidal ingress and egress. Several 
communities, including the City of Houma, Dulac, Chauvin, and Montegut, 
would receive protection from the proposed action.

Alternatives

    The no-action alternative must be evaluated. Additionally, several 
levee alignments around the Lake Boudreaux area will be evaluated, 
including the STTMCD plan. Non-structural solutions to protecting 
existing development will also be evaluated.
    On May 12, 1993, the COE held a formal NEPA scoping meeting at 
Houma, Louisiana, for the previously announced regulatory EIS. Fifty-
two individuals registered at the meeting. Questions and issues of 
concern were solicited at the meeting and a summary of the results was 
made available to participants on April 12, 1994. One of the main areas 
of concern brought out during the 1993 scoping was potential impacts to 
Lake Boudreaux, surrounding marshes, and associated marine organisms. 
Additional meetings with local interests from the various bayou areas 
will be held in the near future, and leadership and work group meetings 
will continue to be held to keep the public informed and involved.
    The COE does not plan to hold additional formal NEPA scoping 
meetings at this time, but meetings will continue to be held throughout 
the planning process, as discussed above.
    A draft EIS is scheduled to be available for public review during 
January 1998.
Kenneth H. Clow,
Colonel, U.S. Army, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 95-22318 Filed 9-7-95; 8:45 am]
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