[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 40 (Wednesday, February 28, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7493-7494]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-4461]



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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army
Corps of Engineers


Notice of Availability (NOA) for the Proposed Wyoming Valley 
Levee Raising Project in the Vicinity of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, 
Pennsylvania

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

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, Baltimore District, is conducting the final public review of 
the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) as part 
of the public coordination effort regarding the proposed Wyoming Valley 
Levee Raising Project, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The purpose of the 
levee raising project is to modify the five existing flood protection 
projects to provide protection against reoccurrence of a flood equal to 
that caused by Tropical Storm Agnes in June 1972. The proposed project 
consists of raising the levees and floodwalls 3 to 5 feet, appurtenant 
features, and structural and non-structural mitigation measures for 
increased flood impacts. The project was authorized under Section 
401(a) of the 1986 Water Resources Development Act. Luzerne County is 
the non-Federal sponsor for this project.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions about the proposed action and Final Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) can be addressed to Mr. Richard 
Starr, Project Manager, Baltimore District, U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, ATTN: CENAB-PL-RP, P.O. Box 1715, Baltimore, Maryland 21203-
1715, telephone (410) 962-4633. E-mail address: 
[email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. The Baltimore District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has 
prepared a Final Phase II General Design Memorandum (GDM) which has 
evaluated an increased level of protection for the existing flood 
protection systems along the Susquehanna River is the Wyoming Valley of 
Luzerne County in the vicinity of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. 
Additionally, the study evaluated increased flooding due to the 
proposed project and alternative solutions for this problem in areas 
upstream and downstream in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Columbia, Montour, 
Northumberland, and Snyder Counties. A Final Supplemental Environmental 
Impact Statement (FSEIS) has been prepared. This FSEIS documents all 
study activities, including changes in the project actions, existing 
conditions and project effects since the FEIS was prepared for the 
Phase I GDM in 1981.
    2. The decision to implement the project actions was based on an 
evaluation of the probable impact of the proposed activities on the 
public interest. That decision reflects the national concern for both 
protection and utilization of important resources. The benefit which 
may reasonably be expected to accrue from the proposal was balanced 
against its reasonably foreseeable detriments. All factors which may be 
relevant to the proposal, including the cumulative effects, thereof, 
were considered; among these factors are conservation; economics; 
aesthetics; general environmental concerns; wetlands; cultural values; 
fish and wildlife values; threatened and endangered species; flood 
hazards; flood plain values; hazardous, toxic and radioactive waste; 
terrestrial resources; land use; recreation; water supply and 
conservation; water quality; energy needs; safety; food and fiber 
production; and the general needs and welfare of the people.
    3. Final evaluation of the levee raising project indicates that the 
overall quality of the study area will be maintained with exception to 
some social impacts caused by the increased flooding; environmental 
impacts to a 0.38 acre river fringe emergent wetland; and cultural 
impacts to one archeological site and two architectural structures. 
Mitigation plans have been developed for all of these impacts. Only 
minor impacts to aquatic resources are expected to occur as a result of 
limited fill activities in waters of the United States.
    4. An evaluation of the proposed actions on waters of the United 
States was performed pursuant to the guidelines promulgated by the 

[[Page 7494]]
Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, under the 
authority of Section 401 and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. The 
Section 404(b)1 evaluations and other preliminary analyses indicate 
that the proposed project will result in no significant adverse impacts 
to the aquatic ecosystem, recreation, aesthetics, flood protection or 
economic values of the waterways. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 
Baltimore District, has received a Section 401 water quality 
certification, dated 20 March 1995, from the Commonwealth of 
Pennsylvania for the levee raising project.
    5. A Public Notice (PN) and Notice of Availability (NOA) were 
published in the Federal Register on November 1, 1994, which began a 45 
day draft public review period. The NOA and draft document were sent to 
more than 500 congressional interests, state interests, federal, state 
and local agencies, public media, educational institutions, special 
interest groups, businesses, and individual interests. The Corps of 
Engineers received approximately 80 comments. Each comment was 
addressed in the Phase II GDM and FSEIS, in addition to individual 
response letters explaining how each comment was to be addressed in the 
final document. Based on the comments, it was determined that a public 
hearing was not needed. After the final public review period, a Record 
of Decision (ROD) will be signed and published in the Federal Register.
    6. The FSEIS has been submitted for final review. Any person who 
has an interest in the project may request for a copy of the final 
Phase II GDM and FSEIS. Any requests must be submitted within 30 days 
of the date of this notice to: District Engineer, ATTN: CENAB-PL-RP, 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, P.O. Box 1715, 
Baltimore, Maryland 21203-1715.
Gregory D. Showalter,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 96-4461 Filed 2-27-96; 8:45 am]
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