[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 5 (Monday, January 8, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 555]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-191]



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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Corps of Engineers


Intent to Prepare a Draft Supplemental Revised Environmental 
Impact Statement for a Proposed Sauquoit Creek at Whitesboro, New York 
Flood Control Project

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: Description of Proposed Action. The New York District office 
of the Corps of Engineers proposes to provide flood protection for the 
town of Whitestown through modification of Sauquoit Creek and 
construction of a high-flow diversion channel. The Corps has identified 
a history of frequent and serious flooding along the Sauquoit Creek in 
the town of Whitestown. The flooding is caused by both fluvial and ice-
jam related events. The project extends from the entrance ramp to 5A to 
the confluence of Sauquoit Creek with the Mohawk River. The total 
length of the channel modification is approximately 1 mile ending in a 
3,200-foot, high-flow diversion channel. The high-flow diversion 
channel will take the place of widening and deepening the last 1750 
feet of Sauquoit Creek prior to its confluence with the Mohawk River, 
an undeveloped, well vegetated reach. The diversion channel allows 
water and ice, backed up from jams in the meandering existing channel 
downstream of the project, to flow out of the damage areas. Under non-
flood conditions, the diversion would carry no flow and low flows would 
continue to flow down the exciting Sauquoit Creek channel. The plan 
prevents damages from fluvial events up to the 25-year level and from 
ice jam events up to the 8-year level. For combined conditions, the 
level of protection is estimated to be 5-year.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Project Manager, Joseph Redican (ATTN: 
CENAN-PL-FF) at (212) 264-1060 or EIS Coordinator, Karen Vanderwall 
(ATTN: CENAN-PL-ES) at (212) 264-1275, New York District Corps of 
Engineers, 26 Federal Plaza, New York, NY 10278-0090.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Reasonable Alternatives

    Various alternative flood control designs were considered prior to 
the development of the original 1986 EIS. The preferred design from a 
flood control perspective included widening and deepening of the 
Sauquoit Creek from the Oriskany Boulevard bridge to its confluence 
with the Mohawk River. Based on environmental concerns expressed at 
that time, a design alternative that reduced environmental impacts was 
chosen. The final recommended design includes a high-flow diversion 
channel in the lowest 3,200 feet of the project running parallel to 
Sauquoit Creek. This diversion channel takes the place of modifying 
high quality stream habitat that exists in the lower reaches of the 
project area.

2. Scoping Process

    a. Public Involvement. A full scale scoping process was conducted 
for the original EIS including 3 coordination meetings with local 
agencies and a town meeting attended by 150 people. A notice of intent 
and the draft EIS were filed in the Federal Register after which 
comments were received from the following agencies: U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. 
Soil Conservation Service, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. 
Department of Housing and Urban Development, Advisory Council On 
Historic Preservation, New York State Office of Parks Recreation and 
Historic Preservation, New York State Department of Environmental 
Conservation, New York Governors Office, and Oneida County 
Environmental Management Council. Any interested party is encouraged to 
comment on the supplemental draft EIS when a notice of availability is 
published in the Federal Register.
    b. Significant Issues Requiring In-depth Analysis. This office 
intends to develop a draft supplemental environmental impact statement 
to amend an original statement completed in June, 1986. This action is 
needed to re-assess the impacts resulting from the flood control 
project in order to comply with current federal and state regulations 
and policies. In addition, current habitat restoration techniques can 
be utilized.

3. Significant Issues

    The Significant issues to be addressed include:
    a. Wetland mitigation,
    b. In-stream and stream bank habitat restoration,
    c. Re-vegetation of stream banks and channel diversion, and
    d. Incorporation of bioengineering techniques along stream banks.

4. Scoping Meeting

    Scoping meeting will not be held. Several scoping meetings were 
held at the time of the original environmental assessment for this 
project and significant environmental issues related to the project 
were identified. The project design has not been changed, therefore, a 
scoping meeting will not take place.

5. Estimated Date of Statement Availability

    February 5, 1996.
Juanita H. Maberry,
Alternate, Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 96-191 Filed 1-5-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-06-M