[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 36 (Friday, February 22, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8234-8235]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-4183]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent to Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 
for the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Storage Reservoirs--Phase 1 
Project, Central and Southern Florida (C&SF) Project, Comprehensive 
Review Study

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Jacksonville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
(Corps), intends to prepare an integrated Project Implementation Report 
(PIR) and DEIS for the EAA Storage Reservoirs Project. The study is a 
cooperative effort between the Corps and the South Florida Water 
Management District (SFWMD), which is also a cooperating agency for 
this DEIS. The lack of water storage in the Everglades system, 
particularly during wet periods, has led to ecological damage of Lake 
Okeechobee's littoral zone and damaging regulatory releases to the St. 
Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries. Conversely, in dry periods, this 
lack of storage has led to water supply shortages for both the human 
and natural environment. The EAA Storage Reservoirs--Phase 1 is one of 
the initially authorized projects of the C&SF Comprehensive Review 
Study (Restudy). The integrated PIR will evaluate providing 240,000 
acre-feet of storage on existing Federally-and State-owned lands and 
increasing the canal conveyance of the Miami, North New River, Bolles, 
and Cross Canals.

[[Page 8235]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Planning 
Division, Environmental Branch, PO Box 4970, Jacksonville, Florida 
32232-0019; Attn: Ms. Janete Cushing, or by telephone at 904-232-2259.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: a. Authorization: Section 601 of the Water 
Resources Development Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-541) authorizes the 
implementation of the EAA Storage Reservoirs--Phase 1 Project.
    b. Study Area: The study area is the Everglades Agricultural Area, 
approximately 500,000 acres immediately south of Lake Okeechobee, and 
within sections of Palm Beach and Hendry Counties.
    c. Project Scope: The scope includes conducting a watershed 
assessment of the study area and developing alternative plans for 
optimizing the design of water storage reservoirs and increasing the 
canal conveyance of the Miami, North New River, Bolles, and Cross 
Canals. The watershed assessment will refine the Restudy water budgets 
for the project components and provide peak flows for canal conveyance 
improvement requirements. The evaluation of the alternative and 
selection of a recommended plan will be documented in the PIR. The 
alternative plans will be reviewed under provisions of appropriate laws 
and regulations, including the Endangered Species Act, Fish and 
Wildlife Coordination Act, Clean Water Act, and Farmland Protection 
Policy Act.
    d. Preliminary Alternatives: The Talisman and Woerner land 
acquisition, composed of 3 parcels totaling approximately 49,900 acres, 
and the design of Stormwater Treatment Area-\3/4\ determine the 
footprint of the reservoirs. Further plan formulation will determine 
the configuration and sizing of the reservoirs, as well as the design 
of the levees and pump stations.
    e. Issues: The EIS will address the following issues: impacts to 
aquatic, wetland, and upland ecosystems; water flows; socio-economic 
impacts on agriculture and other water supply dependent business; 
hazardous and toxic waste; water quality; flood protection; the impacts 
of land acquisition on the tax base; aesthetics and recreation; fish 
and wildlife resources, including protected species; cultural 
resources; and other impacts identified through scoping, public 
involvement, and interagency coordination.
    f. Scoping: A scoping letter and multiple public workshops will be 
used to invite comments on alternatives and issues from Federal, State, 
and local agencies, affected Indian tribes, and other interested 
private organizations and individuals.
    g. DEIS Preparation: The integrated PIR, including a DEIS, is 
currently scheduled for publication in November 2003.

    Dated: February 6, 2002.
George M. Strain,
Chief, Planning Division.
[FR Doc. 02-4183 Filed 2-21-02; 8:45 am]
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