[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 165 (Wednesday, August 26, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45518-45519]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-22863]



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INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER COMMISSION, UNITED STATES AND MEXICO


United States Section Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Lower Rio Grande Flood Control 
Project, Hidalgo, Cameron, and Willacy Counties, TX

AGENCY: United States Section, International Boundary and Water 
Commission, United States and Mexico.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that pursuant to section 
102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, 
the United States Section, International Boundary and Water Commission 
(USIBWC) proposes to gather information necessary for the preparation 
of an environmental impact statement (EIS) which will address the 
impacts of maintenance activities by the USIBWC of the existing Lower 
Rio Grande Flood Control Project (LRGFCP). The project is located in 
Hidalgo, Cameron, and Willacy counties, Texas. A public scoping meeting 
regarding this proposal will also be held. This notice is being 
provided as required by the Council on Environmental Quality 
Regulations (40 CFR 1501.7) and the USIBWC's Operational Procedures for 
Implementing Section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, published in the Federal Register September 2, 1981 (46 FR 44083-
44094) to obtain suggestions and information from other agencies and 
the public on the scope of issues to be addressed in the EIS.

DATES: The USIBWC will conduct a public scoping meeting at the Weslaco 
Public Library Auditorium, 525 South Kansas, Weslaco, Texas on 
September 10, 1998, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. CDT. Full public 
participation by interested federal, state, and local agencies as well 
as other interested organizations and the general public is encouraged 
during the scoping process which will end 60 days from the date of this 
notice. Public comments on the scope of the EIS, reasonable 
alternatives that should be considered, anticipated environmental 
problems, and actions that might be taken to address them are 
requested.

ADDRESSES: Comments will be accepted for 60-days following the date of 
this notice by Mr. Douglas Echlin, Environmental Protection Specialist, 
Environmental Management Division, USIBWC, 4171 North Mesa Street, C-
310, El Paso, Texas 79902. Telephone: 915/832-4150, extension 2, 
Facsimile: 915/832-4190. E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The USIBWC proposes to gather information 
necessary for the preparation of an EIS to be used to determine 
specific options to the maintenance of the existing Lower Rio Grande 
Flood Control Project (LRGFCP) that could be implemented to minimize, 
consistent with the law and international agreements, the impact of the 
maintenance of the flood control project on ecological and 
environmental resources in the ``Lower Rio Grande Valley of South 
Texas.''
    The EIS will discuss separately, among other laws and regulations, 
the requirements of international agreements with Mexico regarding the 
operations and maintenance of the project, the Endangered Species Act, 
and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service's Land Protection Plan. 
It will also present an analysis of the impacts of various alternative 
maintenance practices, including existing ones, as affected by changes 
in land use practices in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
    The Governments of the United States and Mexico pursuant to an 
agreement reached in 1932, developed through the Commission a 
coordinated plan for an international project for protection of the 
Lower Rio Grande Valley in both countries against flooding of the 
river.
    The United States portion of the project is operated to divert and 
convey excess floodwaters from the Rio Grande to the Gulf of Mexico 
through the river and interior floodways. Two diversion dams, Anzalduas 
and Retamal, are operated jointly by the United States and Mexico for 
flood control, with Anzalduas Dam also operated to divert water as 
required by the Treaty of February 3, 1944, ``Utilization of Waters of 
the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and of the Rio Grande'' (TS 994; 59 
Stat. 1219). Flood operations of the project also involve very close 
coordination of the United States and Mexican sections of the 
Commission in the operation of two upstream reservoirs (Amistad and 
Falcon) to control flood waters reaching the project area. The two 
Sections work closely on the division of excess flood waters diverted 
into each country. Normal operations of the project include the daily 
operation of Anzalduas Dam for division of waters between the two 
countries and inspection of the entire project to ensure flood 
readiness. Operations of the LRGFCP fall within the realm of the 
international agreements governing the project and are therefore not a 
subject of the EIS. The USIBWC does not have unilateral control of 
flood operations of the LRGFCP and thus cannot make commitments 
regarding such operations, which are international and controlled by 
the IBWC.
    Maintenance activities are divided into the following general 
categories: levees, interior floodways, river channel, and diversion 
dams. The United States portion of the project includes the following 
features for protection of the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas: (a) 
Rio Grande Floodway from Penitas to the Gulf of Mexico; (b) Anzalduas 
Diversion Dam on the Rio Grande south of Mission; (c) Retamal Diversion 
Dam on the Rio Grande south of Donna; (d) interior floodways, including 
Banker, Main, North, and Arroyo Colorado; (e) an earth weir in the 
North Floodway; (f) 270 miles of river and interior floodway levees; 
(g) 64 miles of pilot channels within the interior floodways; (h) 
approximately 600 drain and irrigation structures crossing the levees; 
and (i) 16 bridges including seven multiple box structures crossing the 
pilot channel in the off-river floodway system.
    Activities by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to 
preserve and protect what has come to be known as ``The Wildlife 
Corridor,'' and joint IBWC studies of hydraulic capabilities of the 
flood control project have necessitated a reevaluation of USIBWC 
maintenance practices.
    The EIS will consider a range of alternatives based on the issues 
and concerns associated with the project and as expressed by federal, 
state and local agencies, organizations, and individuals during the 
public scoping process. These alternatives include, continuing the 
maintenance under IBWC Minutes No. 212 and No. 238 (the No Action 
Alternative). Other alternatives may consist of modifications or 
changes in the various elements of current maintenance practices such 
as: (a) Modification of certain maintenance practices where hydraulic 
studies have shown project facilities are adequate to allow for 
establishment of wildlife corridor vegetation along the river and in 
the interior floodways; (b) raising of levees where needed to protect 
areas from flooding yet allow for establishment of wildlife corridor 
vegetation; and (c) relocation of levees in designated areas along the 
Rio Grande.
    The EIS will identify, describe, and evaluate the existing 
environmental, cultural, sociological and economical, and recreational 
resources; explain the flood protection project; describe current 
practice toward establishment of wildlife corridors throughout the 
valley

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to connect key wildlife areas with the river and other wildlife areas; 
and evaluate the impacts associated with the alternatives under 
consideration. Significant issues which have been identified to be 
addressed in the EIS include but are not limited to affects on: (a) 
Fish and wildlife; (b) terrestrial habitat; (c) endangered species; (d) 
aquatic habitats; (e) cultural resources; and (f) water quality.
    Coordination has been ongoing and will continue with the United 
States Fish and Wildlife Service to insure compliance with section 7 of 
the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. Cultural resources 
reconnaissance for the project area will be coordinated with the Texas 
State Historic Preservation Officer.
    The environmental review of this project will be conducted in 
accordance with the requirements of NEPA, CEQ Regulations (40 CFR Parts 
1500-1508), other appropriate federal regulations, and the USIBWC 
procedures for compliance with those regulations. Copies of the EIS 
will be transmitted to federal and state agencies and other interested 
parties for comments and will be filed with the Environmental 
Protection Agency in accordance with 40 CFR parts 1500-1508 and USIBWC 
procedures.
    The USIBWC anticipates the Draft EIS will be made available to the 
public by November, 1999.

    Dated: August 20, 1998.
William A. Wilcox, Jr.,
Legal Advisor.
[FR Doc. 98-22863 Filed 8-25-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-13-P