[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 38 (Friday, February 26, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9484-9485]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-4847]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Notice of Floodplain/Wetland Involvement; Construction and 
Operation of The 8 GeV Fixed Target Facility at The Fermilab Booster 
and The Booster Neutrino Detectors at Fermi National Accelerator 
Laboratory (Fermilab), Batavia, Illinois

AGENCY: Chicago Operations Office, DOE.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: DOE proposes to construct an 8 GeV Fixed Target Facility at 
the Fermilab Booster and the Booster Neutrino Detectors at Fermi 
National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab). The 8 GeV Fixed Target 
Facility would be located within a small area of existing wetland/
floodplain at the point where Indian Creek crosses over the proposed 
beamline enclosure within the western portion of the Fermilab site 
which is located in Kane County, Illinois. The detectors would be 
constructed outside of, and have no impact on, floodplain or wetland.
    In accordance with DOE Regulations for Compliance with Floodplains/
Wetlands Environmental Review Requirements (10 CFR part 1022), DOE will 
prepare a floodplain/wetland assessment and will perform this proposed 
action in a manner which avoids or minimizes potential harm to the 
affected floodplain/wetland.
    A summary of the floodplain/wetland assessment will be included in 
the Environmental Assessment (EA-1267) prepared for the proposed 
project in accordance with the requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act. Should the evaluation of environmental 
impacts in the EA support a finding of no significant impact (FONSI), 
the floodplain/wetland statement of findings shall be included. In the 
event an environmental impact statement (EIS) is needed, the 
floodplain/wetland statement of findings will be contained in the 
record of decision (ROD).

DATES: Comments are due to the address below on or before March 12, 
1999.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Robert C. Wunderlich, Acting 
Manager, Fermi Group, U.S. Department of Energy, P.O. Box 2000, 
Batavia, Illinois 60510.


[[Page 9485]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS PROPOSED ACTION, CONTACT: Robert C. 
Wunderlich, Acting Manager, Fermi Group, U.S. Department of Energy, 
P.O. Box 2000, Batavia, Illinois 60510, Phone: (630) 840-3281, Fax: 
(630) 840-3285.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON GENERAL DOE FLOODPLAIN ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW 
REQUIREMENTS, CONTACT: Dr. W. Sedgefield White, Chicago Operations 
Office, U.S. Department of Energy, 9800 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, 
Illinois 60439, Phone: (630) 252-2101, Fax: (630) 252-2835.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The major part of the proposed action would 
be outside of the 100-year floodplain or jurisdictional wetland; 
however, the beamline enclosure would cross under Indian Creek at the 
edge of a floodplain/wetland. Construction of the beamline enclosure 
underground would require temporary diversion of the creek. The design 
of the creek diversion will keep the floodplain area well removed from 
the 8 GeV Fixed Target Facility.
    The impacted wetland was delineated and described by qualified 
experts for an earlier project proposed for this general area (DOE/EA 
1198, Neutrino Beams at the Main Injector Project). Since construction 
of that project involved tunneling far beneath the wetland, the wetland 
assessment identified no potential for construction impacts on the 
wetland. However, construction of the underground beamline for the 8 
GeV Fixed Target Facility would be performed with excavation, not 
tunneling, techniques, and would require temporary diversion of Indian 
Creek. Therefore, the effects of this proposed action on the 
jurisdictional wetlands must be assessed, and measures must be analyzed 
which can avoid or mitigate impacts to wetland habitats, in accordance 
with Federal and State regulations. Consultation with the Illinois 
Environmental Protection Agency, the Illinois Office of Water 
Resources, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers also will be initiated 
to determine requirements for the permits prior to starting the 
project.

    Issued in Argonne, Illinois on 18th day of February 1999.
John P. Kennedy,
Acting Manager, Chicago Operations Office.
[FR Doc. 99-4847 Filed 2-25-99; 8:45 am]
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