[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 75 (Tuesday, April 18, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 20807]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-9693]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Withdrawal of Preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS) for the Upper North Branch Potomac Environmental 
Resources Study Draft Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental 
Impact Statement

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

ACTION:  Notice of withdrawal.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District (Corps), 
is withdrawing its intent to prepare a DEIS for environmental 
restoration in the Upper North Branch Potomac watershed, Garrett 
County, Maryland, and portions of Grant and Mineral Counties, West 
Virginia. The Corps'' environmental analyses have not identified any 
significant impacts associated with the proposed action, therefore, 
intent to prepare a DEIS is hereby terminated. The Corps is preparing a 
draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed environmental 
restoration. The draft EA will evaluate environmental effects of 
restoring riverine, wetland, and riparian habitat at three sites in the 
Upper North Branch Potomac watershed. The Maryland Department of the 
Environment is the cost-sharing partner and is participating in the 
Environmental Restoration Report and draft EA development. The West 
Virginia sponsors have decided to withdraw from the study at this time. 
The goal of this project is to provide site specific restoration 
measures to enhance, preserve, and restore portions of the watershed 
that have been degraded by abandoned mine lands. Formulation of the 
restoration measures focuses on examining existing conditions and 
determining the feasibility of restoring portions of degraded ecosystem 
structure, function, and dynamic processes to a less degraded 
condition.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the termination of the 
DEIS can be addressed to Mr. Peter Noy, Study Manager, Baltimore 
District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: CENAB-PL-P, PO Box 1715, 
Baltimore, Maryland 21203-1715, telephone (410) 962-6100. E-mail 
address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A DEIS was in the process of being prepared 
by the Corps. During the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 
process, it became apparent that the set of alternatives chosen as the 
final restoration plan for the sites within Maryland did not produce 
any significant, long-term, or adverse impacts to the environment or 
its surroundings. Therefore, the DEIS process has been terminated. A 
draft feasibility report and draft EA have been prepared, and will be 
available for public review and comment.

John A. Hall,
Alternate Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 00-9693 Filed 4-17-00; 8:45 am]
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