[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 130 (Wednesday, July 8, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36888-36889]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-18028]


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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 Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook Bay, Combined Flood Control and 
Shore Protection Project, Union Beach, Monmouth County, New Jersey

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The New York District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
(Corps) is preparing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for 
proposed measures to provide flood control and storm damage protection 
in Union Beach, New Jersey. For this Notice of Intent, the Corps is 
considering protection measures to reduce damages caused by flooding 
and coastal storms. The EIS will be prepared according to the U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers procedures for implementing the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 
4332(2)(C), and consistent with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer's 
policy to facilitate

[[Page 36889]]

public understanding and scrutiny of agency proposals. This notice of 
intent is published as required by the President's Council on 
Environmental Quality regulations implementing the provisions of NEPA, 
40 CFR Parts 1500-1508.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding the action can be 
addressed to Mark H. Burlas, Project Environmental Manager, phone (212) 
264-4663, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District, Planning 
Division, 26 Federal Plaza New York, New York 10278-0090.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Authorization

    The existing Federal project was originally authorized by the Flood 
Control Act of 12 October 1962 as a dual purpose Beach Erosion Control 
and Hurricane Protection Project in accordance with House Document No. 
464, 86th Congress, Second session. This project provided for beach 
fill, groins, and levees for various sections of the study area. The 
constructed project consists of segmented sections of beach fill and 
levees surrounding various communities in Old Bridge Township and 
Keansburg and East Keansburg. The current study was authorized by a 
resolution of the Committee on Public Works and Transportation, U.S. 
House of Representatives, adopted August 1, 1990. The feasibility study 
seeks to develop improvement plans to ascertain the most suitable long-
term solution for the study area's flood and storm damage problems.

2. Location of the Proposed Action

    The study area is located in the northern portion of Monmouth 
County, New Jersey. It occupies an approximate 1.8 square mile area of 
land along the coast of the Raritan Bay. The Borough of Union Beach is 
surrounded by the Raritan Bay to the north, East Creek to the east, the 
Township of Hazlet to the south and Chigarora Creek to the west. The 
study area is largely located in low elevation regions with numerous 
small creeks providing drainage. Currently, low-lying residential and 
commercial structures in the area are experiencing flooding caused by 
coastal storm inundation. This problem has progressively worsened in 
recent years due to loss of protective beaches and increased 
urbanization in the area with structures susceptible to flooding from 
rainfall and coastal storm surges, erosion and wave attack, combined 
with restrictions to channel flow in the tidal creek.

3. Reasonable Alternative Actions

    In addition to the ``No Action'' alternative, the flood control 
component of the feasibility study will evaluate alternatives such as 
buy-outs, storm gates and floodwalls to avoid and minimize impacts to 
coastal wetlands, as well as various levee layouts and heights. The 
shore protection component will analyze alternatives such as the 
expansion of existing dunes and various improvements to existing 
beaches.

4. Significant Issues Requiring In-Depth Analysis

    1. Coastal Wetlands Impacts; 2. Impacts to Aquatic Resources; 3. 
Archaeological and Cultural Resources Impacts; 4. Hydrology Impacts; 5. 
Economic Impacts.

5. Environmental Review and Consultation

    Review will be conducted as outlined in the Council on 
Environmental Quality regulations dated November 29, 1983 (40 CFR Parts 
1500-1508) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineer regulation ER 200-2-2 dated 
March 4, 1988.

6. Public Scoping Meeting

    A public scoping meeting is tentatively scheduled for July 22, 
1998, at the Hazlet Public Library, (251 Middle Road, Union Beach, New 
Jersey 07730) at 5:30 p.m.

7. Estimated Date of DEIS Availability

    January 2000.
Gregory D. Showalter,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-18028 Filed 7-7-98; 8:45 am]
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