[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 211 (Friday, October 31, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58947-58948]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-28879]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Corps of Engineers; Department of the Army


Intent To Prepare Draft Environmental Impact Statements for the 
Evaluation of Water Allocation Formulas for the Alabama-Coosa-
Tallapoosa (ACT) and Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River 
Basins, located in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Mobile District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), in 
cooperation with several Federal cooperating agencies, intends to 
prepare Draft Environmental Impact Statements (EISs), to address 
proposed water allocation formulas for the equitable apportionment of 
water in the ACT and ACF River Basins. The formulas will be developed 
by the States of Alabama and Georgia for the ACT basin; and by the 
States of Alabama, Florida and Georgia for the ACF basin. The States 
will develop these formulas, in conjunction with the United States, and 
subject to concurrence by a federal Commissioner. A separate EIS will 
be prepared to evaluate the formulas for each basin: ACT Basin and ACF 
Basin.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about these EISs or the NEPA 
process can be answered by: Ms. Joanne Brandt (ACF) or Mr. Michael J. 
Eubanks (ACT), Inland Environment Section, U. S. Army Engineer 
District-Mobile, Post Office Box 2288, Mobile, Alabama 36628-0001; 
Telephone (334) 690-3260 or (334) 694-3861, respectively. Electronic 
mail may be addressed to:

[email protected]
      or
[email protected]

    Also, brief messages may be left on a toll-free line answering 
machine at 1-800-421-7637, or delivered by electronic facsimile at 
(334) 694-3815. For current information, you may also visit the Mobile 
District Web Page:

http://www.sam.usace.army.mil/sam/pd/actacfeis

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Public Participation

    a. The Corps invites full public participation to promote open 
communication and better decision making. All persons and organizations 
that have an interest in the water allocation formulas, including 
minority, low-income, disadvantaged and native American Groups, are 
urged to participate in this National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 
environmental analysis process. Assistance will be provided upon 
request to anyone having difficulty with learning how to participate.
    b. Public comments are welcomed anytime throughout the NEPA 
process. Formal opportunities for public participation include:
    (1) Response to the Scoping Brochure/Questionnaire--Anytime during 
the NEPA process.
    (2) Review and Comment on the Draft EISs--Oct-Nov 1998.
    (3) Comments/Presentation on the draft EISs at Public Workshops--
Nov 1998.
    (4) Review of the Final EISs--Summer 1999.
    c. Precise schedules and locations will be announced in the local 
news media. You may also request to be included on the mailing list for 
public distribution of meeting announcements and documents.

2. Background

    a. The States of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, in conjunction with 
the United States, will soon be developing water allocation formulas 
for the ACT and ACF River Basins, in accordance with interstate water 
compacts. The States have ratified the compacts and implementing 
provisions are currently being developed in consent legislation before 
Congress. The purpose of the compacts would be to promote interstate 
comity, remove causes of present and future controversies, equitably 
apportion surface waters of the ACT and ACF Basins, engage in water 
planning, and develop and share common data bases.
    b. Pursuant to the ACT and ACF interstate compacts, allocation 
formulas would be developed by Commissions established for each basin. 
A Federal Commissioner will be appointed as a non-voting advisory 
member for each compact Commission. The compacts would provide for 
approval of allocation formulas by unanimous vote of the State 
Commissioners and concurrence of the Federal Commissioner. Federal 
agency evaluations and these EISs will form the basis for the Federal 
Commissioner's decision to concur or nonconcur with the water 
allocation formulas developed in accordance with the compacts.
    c. The Corps, in partnership with the States of Alabama, Florida, 
and Georgia, is currently conducting a Comprehensive Study of the ACT 
and ACF river basins. The Comprehensive Study was initiated in January 
1992, under a Memorandum of Agreement among the three States and the 
U.S. Department of the Army. The Comprehensive Study has developed 
substantial data and predictive models useful for the development of 
water allocation formulas. The Comprehensive Study partners have also 
recommended development of interstate compacts as the mechanisms for 
coordinated management of the basins.
    d. The Corps, in conjunction with the Federal cooperating agencies, 
will prepare separate EISs to evaluate the environmental and 
socioeconomic impacts of the proposed allocation formula for each 
basin. In addition to information available from the Comprehensive 
Study, a preliminary scope of evaluations necessary to assist the 
Federal Commissioner in a decision has been identified in a Federal 
Interagency Management Plan. Agency evaluations will be incorporated 
into the completed EISs, which may be used as supporting documentation 
for a decision by the Federal Commissioner on the acceptability of the 
water

[[Page 58948]]

allocation formulas. The EISs may also serve as supporting documents 
for future decisions related to the management of the basins.
    e. The completion schedule for these EISs is coordinated with the 
legislated timelines mandated by the compact agreements.
    The State Commissioners must agree on proposed allocation formulas 
by December 31, 1998, unless they agree on an extension. Following 
approval of an allocation formula by the State Commissioners, the 
Federal Commissioner must make a concurrence decision within 255 days 
thereafter. This timeline specified in the pending compacts warrants 
immediate commencement of the EISs, even though the allocation formulas 
have not yet been developed. The initial EIS work will include 
completion of field studies, gathering of environmental, socioeconomic 
and hydrologic baseline information. The public involvement process 
will be initiated as well.
    f. The EISs will display the range of flows experienced by current 
water management operations, compared to a foreseeable range of 
reasonable alternative flows which may result from proposed allocation 
formulas. The alternative ranges of flows, along with the associated 
environmental impacts, will create the framework upon which the 
allocation formulas may be evaluated. Further NEPA analysis and other 
documentation will be prepared, as necessary, to address proposed 
actions that may become apparent under the allocation formulas or 
compacts, if the actions are not addressed by these EISs.

3. Cooperating Agencies

    The lead responsibility for these EISs rests with the Corps. 
Federal cooperating agencies include:
    Department of Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service, Geological 
Survey, and National Park Service; Environmental Protection Agency; 
Department of Agriculture's Natural Resource Conservation Service and 
Forest Service; Department of Commerce's National Ocean Service and 
National Marine Fisheries Service; Department of Energy's Southeastern 
Power Administration; and Department of Transportation's Maritime 
Administration. Each of the cooperating Federal agencies will provide 
their expertise in compiling information and evaluating potential 
impacts.

4. Scoping

    a. The ACT/ACF Comprehensive Study involved the States, 
stakeholders and the public in identifying areas of concern; collecting 
and developing water resource, environmental, and socioeconomic data; 
and developing tools to assist in decisions affecting an equitable 
allocation of water resources within the two basins. Scoping for these 
EISs will continue to build upon the knowledge and information 
developed during the Comprehensive Study. Additional meetings with 
agencies and stakeholders groups will continue to identify significant 
issues and data gaps, and focus on the alternatives to be evaluated.
    b. A significant component of the scoping process will be 
development and distribution of a Scoping Brochure/Questionnaire, and 
review of responses to the questionnaire. The Scoping Brochure/
Questionnaire invites comments and participation in the scoping process 
by the public; Federal, State, and local agencies and officials; 
affected Indian tribes; and other interested parties.
    c. An Internet Web Page has been established, to provide for public 
access to information related to the ACT and ACF Water Allocation 
Formulas development and the EIS evaluation process. The Scoping 
Brochure/Questionnaire, in addition to mail distribution, is located on 
the Web Page, and allows for receipt of public comments at any point 
during the NEPA process. Current information on the associated 
Comprehensive Basin Study results or Interstate Compact developments 
will also be presented on the Web Page.

5. Environmental Review and Consultation Requirements

    Coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be 
accomplished in compliance with the Endangered Species Act and the Fish 
and Wildlife Coordination Act. Coordination required by other laws and 
regulations will also be conducted.
Gregory D. Showalter,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 97-28879 Filed 10-30-97; 8:45 am]
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