[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 59 (Monday, March 27, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16190-16191]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-7392]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement 
(SEIS) for Modifications to Operation and Maintenance Dredging 
Activities on the Black Warrior and Tombigbee Rivers, Alabama

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Mobile District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers intends to 
prepare a SEIS. Operation and maintenance (O&M) dredging needs on the 
Black Warrior and Tombigbee Rivers (BWT Waterway) have been dynamic 
over time as has sediment transport. Removal of sediment deposited in 
the navigation channel has resulted in the need for additional within-
bank and upland disposal areas. Diminishing disposal area capacity 
primarily in upland disposal areas, has begun to impact operation and 
maintenance dredging activities at several locations along the BWT 
Waterway. Rock formations have also been identified that are impacting 
the navigation channel. The Mobile District will evaluate dredging and 
disposal area needs, develop and evaluate alternatives for long-term 
operation and maintenance dredging on the BWT Waterway and recommend an 
environmentally and economically sound plan.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the SEIS can be 
answered by: Mr. Steve Hrabovsky; Inland Environment Section; U.S. Army 
Engineer District-Mobile; Post Office Box 2288; Mobile, Alabama 36628-
0001; Telephone (334) 690-2872; Fax (334) 694-3815. Mr. Hrabovsky can 
also be reached by e-mail (steven.l.hrabovsky@sam. usace.army.mil).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Black Warrior and Tombigbee Rivers 
Project was authorized by Congress in various River and Harbor Acts 
from 1884-1986 for the primary purpose of navigation. Construction of 
the project was completed to existing channel dimensions in 1938. Other 
project purposes include hydroelectric power, public recreation, 
regulation of stream flow, water quality, fish and wildlife 
conservation and fish and wildlife mitigation. O&M dredging activities 
on the BWT Waterway have been discussed in two environmental impact 
statements (EISs) prepared by the Corps: (1) Final EIS Black Warrior 
and Tombigbee Rivers (Maintenance), Alabama, filed with the Council on 
Environmental Quality on April 16, 1976; and (2) Final Supplement to 
the Final EIS Black Warrior and Tombigbee Rivers, Alabama 
(Maintenance), filed with the Council on Environmental Quality on April 
13, 1987. However, the dynamics of the river system have forced more 
changes to meet current O&M needs. The Mobile District has identified 
additional within-bank disposal areas that are required due to changing 
sedimentation patterns; additional upland disposal areas required to 
supplement existing upland sites or establish disposal area capacity in 
other portions of the BWT Waterway; and changes to the list of small 
boat access channels to potentially be dredged. These changes to the 
small boat access channel list consist primarily of corrections/updates 
in name and river mile number, as well as, dredging quantities and 
frequency. In

[[Page 16191]]

addition to the items listed above the Mobile District proposes to use 
blasting as an O&M tool to remove rock from the navigation channel at 
various locations along the BWT Waterway, which would constitute a 
change to current dredging practices.

Proposed Action and Alternatives

    The Mobile District will formulate and evaluate alternatives to 
address long-term operation and maintenance dredging needs on the BWT 
Waterway. The ``no action'' alternative evaluation will consist of 
continuation of the ``status quo'' operation and maintenance dredging 
activities. Another alternative that the Corps will evaluate is hauling 
of dredged material from the existing disposal sites for beneficial or 
other potential commercial uses. This could potentially negate or 
reduce the need to obtain additional upland disposal areas.

Scoping

    The Mobile District will conduct public scoping meetings at Jackson 
and Tuscaloosa, Alabama during the month of April 2000. As soon as 
dates of the public scoping meetings have been established, they will 
be published in local newspapers serving the various cities along the 
Waterway. The purpose of the meetings will be to gather information 
from the public about the issues they would like to see addressed in 
the SEIS. Comments may be made orally or in writing at the meetings, or 
they may be sent to the Mobile District at the address listed above. 
Potentially significant issues that will be analyzed in depth in the 
SEIS include environmental and economic impacts of various dredging and 
disposal alternatives (e.g., within-bank disposal areas, upland 
disposal areas, rock removal via blasting, and small boat access 
channels) on fisheries, waterfowl, water quality, endangered and 
threatened species, wetlands, cultural resources and wildlife habitat. 
The evaluation will consider potential direct and indirect effects of 
these options on the BWT Waterway.

Environmental Review and Consultation Requirements

    Coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be 
accomplished in compliance with Section 7 of the Endangered Species 
Act. Coordination required by other laws and regulations will also be 
conducted.

SEIS Preparation

    The Mobile District estimates that the draft SEIS will be available 
for public review in July 2000.

Gregory D. Showalter,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 00-7392 Filed 3-24-00; 8:45 am]
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