[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 6, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4419-4420]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-2381]



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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army
Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 
for the Rodman Dam/Ocklawaha River Restoration Project, Putnam and 
Marion Counties, FL

AGENCY: Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Jacksonville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, along 
with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, intends to 
prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the feasibility of 
implementing a plan for 

[[Page 4420]]
the Rodman Dam/Ocklawaha River Restoration Project in Putnam and Marion 
Counties, Florida.

ADDRESSES: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, P.O. 
Box 4970, Jacksonville, Florida 32232-0019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Therese Fretwell, 904-232-3271.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: a. The Water Resources Development Act of 
1990 (Public Law 101-640) required the U.S. Corps of Engineers to 
transfers all lands, facilities and management responsibilities 
associated with Cross Florida Barge Canal Project to the State of 
Florida. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) is 
now in the process of developing the Rodman Dam/Ocklawaha River 
Restoration project for restoring a portion of the Cross Florida Canal 
to its historic condition. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
participation will include permitting activities for Section 9 and 
Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act and Section 404 of the Clean 
Water Act and NEPA documentation of this project. The FDEP application 
for a Department of the Army permit includes four alternative plans for 
dealing with management of the Rodman Dam. These include: Complete 
Restoration of the Ocklawaha River, Partial Restoration of the 
Ocklawaha River, Total Retention of the Rodman Reservoir and Partial 
Retention of the Rodman Reservoir. The FDEP has chosen the Partial 
Restoration of the Ocklawaha River as its preferred alternative for the 
Rodman Dam/Ocklawaha River Restoration Project. This plan will be an 
eleven part process that will restore river hydrology and floodplain 
function to historic conditions through breaching of the dam, with 
limited removal and/or alteration of structures and topographical 
manipulation and allowing for maximum restoration from natural 
processes to occur. The magnitude and duration of the project is such 
that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers determined that an EIS should be 
prepared for the entire project pursuant to the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA).
    b. Scoping: The scoping process as outlined by the Council on 
Environmental Quality will be utilized to involve Federal, State, and 
local agencies; and other interested persons and organizations. A 
scoping letter will be sent to interested Federal, State, local 
agencies and interested parties requesting their comments and concerns 
regarding the issues they think should be included in the EIS. 
Interested persons and organizations wishing to participate in the 
scoping process should contact the Corps of Engineers at the above 
mentioned address. Environmental considerations will include potential 
presence of historical or archeological resources, aesthetics, 
recreation demand, water quality, flood control, water supply, land 
use, wetlands, endangered and threatened species, and fish and wildlife 
habitats and values. Public meetings may be held in the future, exact 
dates, times and locations will be published in local papers.
    c. It is estimated that the DEIS will be available to the public by 
mid-1996.
Gregory D. Showalter,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 96-2381 Filed 2-5-96; 8:45 am]
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