[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 171 (Thursday, September 4, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46740-46741]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-23401]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY


Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and Notice of 
Scoping Meeting

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined 
the need to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the 
Tampa Water Resource Recovery Project. This action is taken pursuant to 
40 CFR 1501.7 and section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA). EPA intends to prepare this EIS in cooperation with 
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District. This effort 
will be coordinated closely with the ongoing multi-agency ecosystem 
team permitting now underway for this project.

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Administrative History

    Congress provided funds through the FY 95 Appropriations Act for 
local area water supply related projects. One of these projects 
involves the granting of funds to the City of Tampa for the Tampa Water 
Resource Recovery Project (TWRRP). Region 4 awarded grant No. XP994689-
95-0 to the City of Tampa on March 1, 1995 in the amount of 
$18,712,000.
    The TWRRP grant involves investigating, designing and constructing 
a project for the recovery of between 15 and 50 million gallons of 
advanced wastewater treated effluent to supplement area water supplies. 
The water would be recovered from the City of Tampa's Howard F. Curren 
treatment plant for use as water supplies for the Tampa area. The 
effluent would be further treated and then transported from the Curren 
plant to the middle pool of the Tampa Bypass Canal, a flood control 
project built by the Corps of Engineers and managed by the Southwest 
Florida Water Management District. Water would then either be pumped 
from the Harney canal into the Hillsborough River Reservoir, the City's 
water supply source, or be withdrawn by a series of linear wells 
adjacent to the Tampa Bypass Canal. The raw water would be treated as 
needed and used for municipal drinking water for the Tampa area.
    The State of Florida with cooperation and participation from the 
City of Tampa and federal, state, regional and local agencies has 
initiated a cooperative permitting effort for this project. This 
``Ecosystem Team Permitting'' is designed to result in a more 
coordinated and efficient

[[Page 46741]]

permitting process with a resulting net ecosystem benefit. EPA is a 
party in this team permitting process. The permitting process is 
projected to be completed in the winter of 1998.
    EPA has identified the need to prepare an environmental impact 
statement (EIS) for this grant award. The potential for impact and 
controversy were considered as part of this determination. The intent 
of the EPA is to assure the requirements of the National Environmental 
Policy Act are fully met. EPA intends to coordinate the preparation on 
the EIS with the Ecosystem Team Permitting process as much as possible. 
Available information and materials produced by the applicant and other 
materials generated by the team permitting process will be used for 
preparing the EIS.

Alternatives

    The EIS will address alternatives for the project and their 
potential impacts. Potential impacts to water quality, public health 
and area water resources will be given special attention.

Role of the Public

    Participation in the EIS process is invited from individuals, 
organizations, and all governmental agencies. EPA will hold a public 
scoping meeting in concert with an ecosystem permitting team public 
meeting on September 17, 1997 at 6:00 pm. The meeting will be held at 
the Tampa Convention Center, Room 18. Both oral and written comments 
will be accepted. Comments and questions are encouraged, and relevant 
issues identified in the scoping process will be addressed in the EIS. 
Following the scoping meeting, EPA, State of Florida and City of Tampa 
officials will be on hand to answer questions the public may have 
regarding this project, the NEPA process or the team permitting 
process.
    Persons who do not attend the scoping meeting and wish to comment 
on the issues and scope of the project are invited to respond in 
writing to this Agency. Comments received will be addressed in the EIS. 
Comments provided through the ecosystem permitting process will also be 
considered for the EIS. For more information, or to be placed on the 
mailing list, write or call Robert B. Howard, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Region 4, Water Management Division, 61 Forsyth St. 
SW, Atlanta, GA 30303, (404)562-9370, FAX (404)562 9343.
    Responsible Official: John H. Hankinson, Jr., Regional 
Administrator.

    Dated: August 28, 1997.
Richard E. Sanderson,
Director, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 97-23401 Filed 9-3-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5483-07-P