[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 14 (Thursday, January 22, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3312-3313]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-1487]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Notice of Addendum to the Atlantic Coast of Long Island, From 
Fire Island Inlet to Montauk Point, New York (Reach 1-Fire Island Inlet 
to Moriches Inlet Interim Plan for Storm Damage Protection)

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: In previous Federal Register notice (Vol. 62, No. 228, pages 
63134-63135) Wednesday, November 26, 1997, subject notice was published 
to provide an opportunity for public comment during the public scoping 
phase of the project. Based on comments received by this office, 
certain changes are required to the document and are provided in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION paragraph.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Stephen A. Couch, Study Manager, 
(212) 264-9077; Mr. Peter M. Weppler, EIS Coordinator, (212) 264-4663; 
Planning Division, Corps of Engineers, New York District, 26 Federal 
Plaza, New York, New York 10278-0090.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On page 63134, in column 3, last paragraph, 
revise Section 1 to read:

1. Location of Proposed Action

    The project area is located entirely in Suffolk County, Long 
Island, New York, along the Atlantic and bay-shore of the towns of 
Babylon, Islip, and Bookhaven. The study area includes Great South Bay, 
which is connected to the Atlantic Ocean through Fire Island Inlet, a 
federal navigation channel. Great South Bay is connected to Moriches 
Bay by a narrow channel behind the barrier island. The westernmost 
portion of the study area, Fire Island Inlet, is located approximately 
52 miles by water east of the Battery, New York. The project area 
includes the Atlantic Ocean and Great South Bay, Fire Island, Moriches 
Inlet, barrier beaches, the mainland of Long Island fronted by Fire 
Island, as well as suitable offshore borrow areas that will supply 
material for beach construction and replenishment. The study area is 
approximately 30 miles long. The lands and waters within the proposed 
project area are owned by various interests and are subject to various 
uses. The Federal Government (Department of the Interior, National Park 
Service (NPS)) has jurisdiction over approximately 26 miles of the area 
included within the boundaries of the Fire Island National Seashore 
(FINS). The New York State government has jurisdiction over Robert 
Moses State Park (Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic 
Preservation), tidal waters (bays) (Department of Environmental 
Conservation) and submerged lands offshore to the three-mile limit 
(Department of State). The Suffolk County government (Department of 
Parks and Recreation) has jurisdiction over county parks located at 
Smith Point and Moriches Inlet. Most of the remaining land is held by 
private landowners located in Towns of Babylon, Brookhaven, and Islip 
and Villages of Ocean Beach and Saltaire. There are 17 ``exempted'' and 
3 Seashore District (non-exempted) communities within the boundaries of 
FINS. An exempted community is one that is defined by the 1964 FINS 
Enabling Legislation (Pub. L. 88-587), and described by the Federal 
Zoning Regulations, 36 CFR part 28, as falling within the boundaries of 
the Community Development District. The Seashore District is comprised 
of all portions of the lands and waters within the boundary of FINS, 
which are not included in the Community Development District, 
comprising all private and public developments. The improved private 
properties in either district are exempted from the acquisition 
authority of the Secretary of the Interior, as long as the development 
conforms to all local and federal zoning requirements at the time of 
construction. There are five NPS facilities on Fire Island under the 
jurisdiction of FINS. They are: the Lighthouse Area, Sunken Forest/
Sailors Haven, Talisman, Watch Hill, and Smith Point.
    On page 63135, in column 1, first paragraph, revise Section 2 to 
read:

2. Description of Potential Interim Alternatives

No Federal Action

    The No Federal Action alternative for this proposed project means 
that no interim measures would be taken by the Federal government to 
provide storm damage protection in the study area. Other entities 
(State and local agencies, private interests, etc.) could undertake 
measures intended to prevent or minimize further storm damage and the 
Federal Government could proceed with the Reformulation Study. For 
evaluation of the interim project, the No-Action alternative recognizes 
that the Breach Contingency Plan is in place, and that any breach of 
the barrier island that may occur within this area would be closed 
using the authority provided by the Breach Contingency Plan.

3. Non-Structural Alternatives

Buy-Out Plan/Land Use Regulations/Flood-Proofing

    A buyout plan would include the permanent evacuation of areas 
within the floodplain subject to erosion or inundation, including the 
mainland and barrier island. This would involve the acquisition of land 
and structures either by purchase or by exercising the power of eminent 
domain. Following this action, structures in the affected areas could 
be demolished or relocated. Other potential land use regulations may 
include a range of management techniques, including zoning, subdivision 
regulations, building codes, and setback ordinances. Other flood-
proofing strategies include raising structures or providing walls or 
floodshields around structures, in addition to relocations.

4. Beach Nourishment Alternatives

    Beach nourishment involves the placement of sand extracted from an 
offshore borrow source onto an eroding shoreline to restore its form 
and to provide an adequate protective beach. A beach fill plan 
typically includes a berm (that slopes to the sea floor) backed by a 
dune. Together, the dune and the berm combine to prevent erosion and 
inundation damages to leeward areas. Beach nourishment requires the 
periodic placement of sand to offset erosion of the beach fill in order 
to maintain the designed level of protection.

[[Page 3313]]

a. Modified Authorized Plan w/o Groins

    This alternative would involve widening the beaches along the 
project area to a minimum of 100 ft with an elevation of +11 ft NGVD, 
and raising the dunes to an elevation of +20 ft NGVD, with a minimum 
dune crest width of 25 ft. Certain very low zones of the project area 
will have a berm elevation of +13 ft NGVD. The proposed dune slopes are 
1V:5H, and the design berm slopes are to be 1V:15H to Mean Low Water 
(MLW), and 1V:30H below MLW.

b. Beach Nourishment (Option A)--Fill in Wilderness Area

    This alternative consists of beachfill with a minimum berm width of 
90 feet (ft) at elevation +9.5 ft NGVD, and a minimum 25-ft wide dune 
at elevation +15 ft NGVD. Proposed dune and berm slopes are 1V:5H to 
MLW, and 1V:30H below MLW. Different specifications would be required 
between Kismet and Point O'Woods and in the Federal Wilderness Area. 
The berm and dune elevations from Kismet to Point O'Woods would be 
increased to +11.5 ft. NGVD and +18 ft NGVD, respectively. These 
increased elevations would be required to provide a 44-year level of 
protection due to extremely low elevations north of the dune in these 
areas.

c. Beach Nourishment (Option B)--Feeder Beach w/Stockpile at Smith 
Point

    This alternative would require the use of a feeder beach and 
stockpiling sand at Smith Point County Park. While offering some 
protection, these measures are not likely to provide a 44-year level of 
protection.
    On page 63135, column 1, last paragraph, Section 4(b), revised the 
first two sentences to read:
    A scoping meeting was held on December 4, 1997 at the Holiday Inn 
Macarthur Airport, Ronkonkoma. If more public meetings are found to be 
needed, public notices shall be issued at a later date containing the 
dates, times and places of the scoping meetings.
    On page 63135, column 1, end of the last paragraph, Section 4(b), 
add the following sentence:
    The scoping period has been extended to 30 days from the date of 
this notice's appearance in the Federal Register.
Gregory D. Showalter,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-1487 Filed 1-21-98; 8:45 am]
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