[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 7 (Wednesday, January 10, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1961-1962]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-766]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 
for a Proposed Green Book Flood Control Project, Upper Portion of the 
Green Brook SubBasin of the Raritan River Basin Middlesex, Somerset and 
Union Counties, State of New Jersey

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), New York District, 
announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), in accordance 
with the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations for 
Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA and the Department of 
the Army, USACE Procedures for Implementing NEPA of New Jersey. Flood 
protection methods for the three study areas of the Green Brook Sub-
basin; the Upper Portion, the Lower Portion and the Stony Brook 
Portion; were previously evaluated in the USACE 1980 Environmental 
Impact Statement and the USACE May 1997 Final General Reevaluation 
Report and Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. Action within 
the Upper Portion of the Sub-basin was deferred until this time based 
on a degree of public concern regarding previously proposed flood 
control plans for the Upper Portion. The USACE has initiated a 
Reformulation Study to evaluate reasonable solutions to flooding 
problems in the Upper Portion previously identified in the May 1977 
GRR. In accordance with USACE policies, the Reformulation Study will 
evaluate a range of alternatives including nonstructural measures, 
channel modifications, flood control tunnels, surface diversions, and 
detention structures.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and draft EIS can be answered by Ms. Megan B. Grubb, (212) 264-5759, 
U.S. Army Engineer District, New York Planning Division, Attn: CENAN-
PL-EA, 26 Federal Plaza, New York, NY 10278-0090.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Green Book Sub-basin of the Raritan River Basin has been 
subject to frequently severe and sometimes

[[Page 1962]]

devastating flooding from storms ranging from local thunderstorms to 
tropical storms. After devastating flood events in 1971 and 1973, a 
basin wide flood protection study was initiated. The basin wide study 
led to the development of the USACE 1980 Feasibility Report and Final 
Environmental Impact Statement for Flood Control, Green Brook Sub-
basin. These USACE documents evaluated flood control plans for three 
areas of the basin, Lower Portion, Upper Portion and Stony Brook 
Portion. The Water Resources Development Act of 1986 ``adopted and 
authorized to be prosecuted by the Secretary (of the Army) * * * '' 
Plan A of the 1980 Feasibility Study, which provided basin-wide flood 
protection with a 500-year level of protection. The USACE prepared a 
May 1997 Final General Reevaluation Report and Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) [Federal Register: October 9, 
1997 (Volume 62, Number 196)] which affirmed that the authorization 
remained appropriate for the Green Brook Sub-basin based on current 
problems, needs, and planning and design criteria. During the public 
coordination process for the May SEIS, concern was expressed over 
potential environmental and social impacts of the proposed plan in the 
Upper Portion of the basin. As a result, the USACE and the project's 
local sponsor agreed to proceed with construction in the Lower and 
Stony Brook Portions of the basin, but to defer action on the Upper 
Portion of the basin. The USACE has initiated a Reformulation Study to 
evaluate reasonable solutions to flooding problems in the Upper Portion 
previously identified in the May 1997 GRR. In accordance with USACE 
policies, the Reformulation Study will evaluate a range of alternatives 
including nonstructural measures, channel modifications, flood control 
tunnels, surface diversions, and detention structures.

EIS Scope

    The intended EIS will evaluate the potential environmental impacts 
associated with the proposed flood control alternatives for the Upper 
Portion of the Green Brook Sub-basin of the Raritan River Basin, 
Middlesex, Somerset and Union Counties, State of New Jersey.

Public Involvement

    The USACE intends to schedule an interagency meeting in February 
2001 to discuss the scope of the EIS and data gaps. Two public scoping 
meetings are anticipated to be scheduled in March 2001. Scoping 
documents will be made available at least one month before scheduled 
public scoping meeting dates at the following locations:

Berkley Heights Public Library, 290 Plainfield Avenue, Berkley Heights, 
New Jersey.
Fanwood Public Library, North Avenue and Tilloston road, Fanwood, New 
Jersey.
North Plainfield Library, 6 Rockview Avenue, North Plainfield, New 
Jersey.
Plainfield Public Library, 8th and Park Avenue, Plainfield, New Jersey.
Scotch Plains Public Library, 1927 Bartle Avenue, Scotch Plains, New 
Jersey.
South Plainfield Public Library, 2840 Plainfield Avenue, South 
Plainfield, New Jersey.
Watchung Public Library, 12 Stirling Road, Watchung, New Jersey.

    The public will have an opportunity to provide written and oral 
comments at the public scoping meetings. Public scoping meeting places, 
dates and times will be advertised in advance in local newspapers, and 
meeting announcement letters will be sent to interested parties. 
Written comments may also be submitted via mail and should be directed 
to Ms. Megan B. Grubb at the address listed above in the FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT section. The USACE plans to issue the draft EIS in 
the Spring of 2002. The USACE will announce availability of the draft 
in the Federal Register and other media, and will provide the public, 
organizations, and agencies with an opportunity submit comments, which 
will be addressed in the final EIS.

John A. Hall,
Alternate Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 01-766 Filed 1-9-01; 8:45 am]
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