[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 164 (Wednesday, August 23, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51298-51299]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-21447]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for the Arkansas River Navigation Study, Arkansas and Oklahoma

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Defense.

[[Page 51299]]


ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD, Little Rock District will prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Arkansas River Navigation 
Study.
    The purpose of the EIS will be to present alternatives and assess 
the impacts associated with the Arkansas River Navigation Study. Under 
direction of the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
(USACE) is conducting a study of the Arkansas River Basin in Arkansas 
and Oklahoma. The study purpose is to develop and evaluate alternatives 
for implementing solutions to problems resulting from sustained high 
flows on the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System (MKARNS). 
These high flows have resulted in decreased navigation traffic, 
flooding, losses to recreation use, and other adverse conditions. 
Proposed improvements resulting from the study could impact (positively 
or negatively) agriculture, hydropower, recreation, flood control, and 
fish and wildlife along the MKARNS.
    The EIS will evaluate potential impacts (positive and negative) to 
the natural, physical, and human environment as a result of 
implementing any of the proposed project alternatives. Proposed 
alternatives are currently being developed and include structural and 
non-structural measures for reducing sustained high flows on the 
MKARNS.
    Elements of the structural alternatives identified to date include:
    1. Removal of channel restrictions,
    2. Construction of high flow relief structures (e.g. spillways) 
along the MKARNS for navigation flow management,
    3. Construction of additional levees along the MKARNS for 
navigation flow management,
    4. In-stream modification/alteration of existing navigation 
structures,
    5. Restoration/enhancement of aquatic and riparian habitats along 
the MKARNS.
    Elements of the non-structural alternatives identified to date 
include:
    1. Operational changes to MKARNS reservoirs resulting in changes in 
the flow regime within the Arkansas River,
    2. Adjustments/increases in flowage easements.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions or comments concerning the 
proposed action should be addressed to: Mr. Jim Ellis, Environmental 
Team Leader, Planning Branch, P.O. Box 867, Little Rock, Arkansas 
72203-0867, Telephone 501-324-5033, e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:   

1. MKARNS

    The McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System consists of a 
series of 18 locks and dams (17 existing and 1 currently under 
construction) and provides navigation from the Mississippi River to the 
Port of Catoosa near Tulsa, Oklahoma. River flow in the Arkansas River 
is modified primarily by 11 reservoirs in Oklahoma. The reservoirs are: 
Keystone, Oologah, Pensacola, Hudson, Fort Gibson, Tenkiller Ferry, 
Eufaula, Kaw, Hulah, Copan, and Wister. These lakes provide flood 
control, water supply, hydropower, fish & wildlife, water quality, 
recreation, and other benefits.

2. Study History

    The Arkansas River Navigation Study is being undertaken by USACE 
Little Rock and Tulsa Districts under the direction of the U.S. 
Congress. The study includes major hydraulics investigations, economics 
analyses, alternatives development and related analyses in addition to 
the EIS. Throughout May and June of 2000 the USACE conducted public 
information meetings at locations throughout Arkansas and Oklahoma to 
inform the public of the Arkansas River Navigation Study and solicit 
information regarding the study.

3. Comments/Scoping Meeting

    Interested parties are requested to express their views concerning 
the proposed activity. The public is encouraged to provide written 
comments in addition to or in lieu of, oral comments at the scoping 
meeting. To be most helpful, scoping comments should clearly describe 
specific environmental topics or issues, which the commentator believes 
the document should address. Oral and written comments receive equal 
consideration.
    Scoping meetings will be held with government agencies and with the 
public. Public Scoping Meetings will be held in the fall of 2000 in 
Pine Bluff Arkansas, Fort Smith Arkansas, and Tulsa Oklahoma. The 
location, time, and date will be published at least 14 days prior to 
each scoping meeting. Comments received as a result of this notice and 
the news releases will be used to assist the Districts in identifying 
potential impacts to the quality of the human or natural environment. 
Affected local, state, or Federal agencies, affected Indian Tribes, and 
other interested private organizations and parties may participate in 
the Scoping process by forwarding written comments to the above noted 
address. Interested parties may also request to be included on the 
mailing list for public distribution of meeting announcements and 
documents.

4. Alternatives/Issues

    The EIS will evaluate the effects of structural and non-structural 
alternatives of the authorized project and other identified concerns. 
Specific project alternatives will incorporate the elements previously 
identified in this notice. Anticipated significant issues identified to 
date and to be addressed in the EIS include: (1) Impacts on navigation, 
(2) impacts on flood control, (3) impacts on hydropower, (4) impacts on 
recreation and recreation facilities, (5) impacts on river hydraulics, 
(6) impacts on fish and wildlife resources and habitats, and (7) other 
impacts identified by the Public, agencies or USACE studies.

5. Availability of the Draft EIS

    The Draft Environmental Impact Statement is anticipated to be 
available for public review in the spring of 2002 subject to the 
receipt of federal funding.

6. Authority

    The River and Harbor Act of 1946 authorized the development of the 
Arkansas River and its tributaries for the purposes of navigation, 
flood control, hydropower, water supply, recreation, and fish and 
wildlife. Public Law 91-649 stated that the project would be known as 
the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System. The Arkansas River 
Navigation Study began as a Fiscal Year (FY99) Congressional Add to 
investigate flooding problems along the Arkansas River in Crawford and 
Sebastian Counties in the vicinity of Fort Smith, Arkansas.

Thomas A. Holden, Jr.,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 00-21447 Filed 8-22-00; 8:45 am]
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