[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 104 (Tuesday, June 1, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29290-29291]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-13733]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare Integrated Feasibility Report(s)/Environmental
Impact Statement(s) (EIS) for Structural and Non-Structural Flood
Control and Environmental Restoration, Lower Platte River and
Tributaries, Nebraska
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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[[Page 29291]]
SUMMARY: Congress authorized the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps)
by resolution of the Committee on Public Works and Transportation on
September 28, 1994 to conduct a reconnaissance study along the Lower
Platte River and Tributaries, Nebraska in the interest of flood
control, environmental restoration, and other purposes. Based on the
information and conclusions reached in the reconnaissance report,
sufficient water resource problems and needs of national significance
in the study area were found to exist to warrant a Federal interest in
further study. It was also found that non-Federal sponsors were
interested in participating in a cost-shared feasibility study that
would address both structural and non-structural flood control
measures, and environmental restoration opportunities.
Non-Federal sponsors include the Nebraska Natural Resources
Commission, the Lower Platte South Natural Resources District, the
Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District, and the Lower Platte
North Natural Resources District. The Lower Platte River Corridor
Alliance is participating in study activities.
Five specific locations are being studied in detail for potential
structural flood control measures. They include: Clear Creek Levee and
Western Sarpy County Levee areas from U.S. Highway 6 upstream to the
Douglas/Sarpy County line; the Union Dike area downstream of Fremont,
Nebraska; the Sand Creek tributary near Wahoo, Nebraska; and the south
Fremont area. Non-structural measures being examined include: flood
insurance, flood proofing, flood warning, flood plain zoning, and
evacuation and relocation of buildings. In addition, the study is also
examining environmental restoration opportunities in the Lower Platte
River basin. Each of the five specific locations being studied in
detail involve a plan formulation phase in which various flood control
alternative plans are given consideration, including non-structural
solutions. The ``no Corps action'' alternative will also be considered.
The Sand Creek tributary element of the study will be accomplished
in a separate integrated feasibility report/EIS because of its
relationship to a proposed redesign of U.S. Highway 77 scheduled for
construction in 2002. An earlier Federal Register notice addressing
this study element was published on April 8, 1999 and a public scoping
meeting was conducted on May 4, 1999 in Wahoo, Nebraska.
The remaining elements of study will either be accomplished in a
comprehensive feasibility report/EIS, or also in individual feasibility
reports/EISs if the need is warranted. Some environmental restoration
study elements may be accomplished in an environmental restoration
report/environmental assessment format.
Scoping/public information meetings to discuss the Lower Platte
River and Tributaries studies will be held July 6, 1999 at Mahoney
State Park, Sapp Riverview Lodge; July 7, 1999 at the Papio-Missouri
River Natural Resources District, 8901 S. 154th Street, Omaha; and July
8, 1999 at the North Bend Civic Auditorium, Main Street, North Bend.
All three meetings will be from 6:30-8 p.m. Scoping comments will also
be accepted by mail, phone, or email during the preparation of any and
all draft reports. Draft reports will be circulated for review and
comment.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the study elements
should be directed to Robert S. Nebel, Environmental Resources
Specialist, Environmental and Economics Section, Planning Branch, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, 215 North 17th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68102-
4978, phone: (402) 221-4621, email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Environmental restoration needs and
opportunities will be investigated that specifically fit the Corps'
authorities--ones that restore degraded conditions caused by existing
Corps projects (section 1135 of the Water Resources Development Act
(WRDA) of 1986); or ones that restore aquatic ecosystem structure and
function (section 206 of WRDA 1996) (no relationship to an existing
Corps project is required); ones that usually include manipulation of
the hydrology in and along bodies of water, including wetlands and
riparian areas (section 206 of WRDA 1996); or ones that restore
degraded streams, rivers, wetlands and other waterbodies to their
natural condition as a means to control flooding, excessive erosion,
and sedimentation (section 503 of WRDA 1996).
Candace M. Thomas,
Chief, Environmental and Economics Section Planning Branch.
[FR Doc. 99-13733 Filed 5-28-99; 8:45 am]
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