[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 125 (Friday, June 28, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 43591]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-16381]



[[Page 43591]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare Supplement 1 to the Dallas Floodway Extension 
Environmental Impact Statement To Address Cumulative Impacts of 
Reasonably Foreseeable Similar Projects in the Geographic Area of the 
Authorized Dallas Floodway Extension, Trinity River, City of Dallas, 
Dallas County, TX

AGENCY: Department of the Army, United States Army Corps of Engineers, 
DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Dallas Floodway Extension was authorized for construction 
as one of five local flood protection projects by section 301 of the 
Rivers and Harbors Act (Pub. L. 89-298), approved on October 12, 1965. 
Ecosystem restoration was authorized for this project by Water 
Resources Development Act 1999. A General Reevaluation Report and 
Integrated Environmental Impact Statement was circulated for review in 
1998 and 1999 and a Record of Decision was signed on December 1, 1999. 
Subsequent to that action, a coalition of eleven local groups 
challenged the legal sufficiency of the document to meet requirements 
of the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Administrative 
Procedures Act. Several specific allegations by the plaintiffs were 
made including that the document failed to fully disclose, discuss and 
consider the cumulative impacts of the various components of the 
Trinity River Corridor Project in the Dallas area including: The 
Trinity Parkway, the Woodall Rogers Bridge, the Elm Fork Levee and the 
Chain of Lakes. A summary decision was issued on April 10, 2002 that 
agreed with the plaintiffs' allegation that the document failed to 
adequately address cumulative impacts of other similar, reasonably 
foreseeable projects within the geographic area of the Dallas Floodway 
Extension Project. No further construction of the Dallas Floodway 
Extension Project may be pursued until the Corps of Engineers has 
completed further consideration of the cumulative impacts.
    The Supplement to the Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) will 
focus on the determination of similar projects in or affecting the 
geographic area and assessing cumulative impacts of those projects in 
relationship to the approved Dallas Floodway Extension project. The 
study area will include portions of the West Fork, Elm Fork and main 
stem Trinity Rivers and their floodplains within Dallas County.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions pertaining to the proposed 
action and SEIS can be answered by: Mr. Gene T. Rice, Jr., CESWF-PM-C, 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District, PO Box 17300, Fort 
Worth, TX 76102-0300, (817) 886-1374.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The approved plan for the Dallas Floodway 
Extension includes construction of earthen fill levees on each side of 
the Trinity River downstream of the existing Dallas Floodway, 
construction of a chain of wetlands on the flood plain and realignment 
of a portion of the Trinity River underneath Interstate Highway 45. The 
plan would provide Standard Flood Protection for the area adjacent to 
the levees, and improve flood damage reduction benefits of the existing 
Dallas Floodway Project. In addition, the Chain of wetlands provides 
ecosystem restoration benefits to the study area. Recreational features 
in the approved project include trails and access points.
    The public will be invited to participate in the scoping process, 
invited to attend public meetings, and given the opportunity to review 
the draft SEIS. A public meeting will be on Tuesday, July 16, 2002 at 
the Ramada Plaza Hotel, Magnolia Ballroom, 1011 South Akard Street, 
Dallas, Texas from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Subsequent public meetings, if 
deemed necessary, will be announced in the local news media. Release of 
the Draft SEIS for public comment is scheduled for late Summer 2002. 
The exact release date, once established, will be announced in the 
local news media.
    Coordinated with other agencies in addition to the announced public 
scoping will be conducted to ensure full and open participation and aid 
in the development of the SEIS. All affected Federal, state, and local 
agencies, municipalities, affected Indian tribes, and other interested 
private organizations and parties are hereby invited to participate.

    Dated: June 21, 2002.
Gordon M. Wells,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers, Commanding.
[FR Doc. 02-16381 Filed 6-27-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-20-M