[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 127 (Tuesday, July 2, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44419-44421]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-16413]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service


Finding of No Significant Impact for Tobosofkee Creek Watershed; 
Lamar and Monroe Counties, GA, June 2002

Introduction

    The Tobosofkee Creek Watershed is a federally assisted action 
authorized for planning under Public Law 83-566, the Watershed 
Protection and Flood Prevention Act. An environmental assessment was 
undertaken in conjunction with the development of the watershed plan. 
This assessment was conducted in consultation with local, State, and 
Federal agencies as well as with interested organizations and 
individuals. Data developed during the assessment are available for 
public review at the following location: U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, 355 East Hancock 
Avenue, Athens, Georgia 30601.

Recommended Action

    This document describes a plan for watershed protection, and 
improvement

[[Page 44420]]

of water quality, and includes measures for the control of agricultural 
animal waste related pollution, and reduction of sediment from pasture 
and cropland. The plan reduces excessive animal waste, and associated 
nutrients and bacteria entering waterways from about 20 beef, 13 dairy, 
4 poultry, and 1 swine operation. The plan also provides measures to 
reduce nutrient runoff and erosion on 3,450 acres of cropland, 
sedimentation from stream banks and animal walkways will be 
substantially reduces and forage quality will be improves on 10,347 
acres of pasture. These measures will be accomplished by providing 
financial and technical assistance through a local sponsor.
    The principal project measures are to:
    1. Develop and install approximately 38 animal waste management 
systems and provide enhanced cover to 13,797 acres of cropland, 
pasture, and adjoining stream banks to reduce sedimentation, improve 
water quality improve fish and wildlife habitats, enhance crop 
productivity, and enhance forage production. These practices will 
include all or parts of the following: fencing, cross fencing with 
gates, alternative livestock water supply with piping and troughs, 
stream crossings, riparian buffers, animal waste, flush down and hose 
down systems, solid waste separators, heavy use protection areas, solid 
waste stack facilities and dead bird composters on 20 beef, 13 dairy, 4 
poultry and 1 swine operation. Conservation management, with nutrient 
and grazing land management practices, will be used when applying 
animal waste.
    2. The measures will be planned and installed by developing long-
term contracts will landowners.

Effects of Recommended Action

    Installation of animal waste management measures and grazing land 
practices will reduce offsite nutrient, bacteria, sediment and chemical 
damages, and increase utilization of nutrients onsite. The results will 
be a significant reduction in current impairments to the area's water 
quality, biological habitats, recreational opportunities, land values 
and improvement of long-term productivity and quality of pastureland in 
the watershed. Installation of the selected plan will also provide 
local and regional employment, promote rural economic development in 
the drainage area, and provide long term natural resource protection in 
the watershed.
    The project measures will reduce agricultural related nutrients, 
bacteria and sediment entering watershed streams, the Tobosofkee Creek 
and Lake Tobosofkee. The project will also minimize the impact on 
surface and ground water quality by:
     Reducing the 61,115 tons of sediment from agricultural 
lands and stream banks by 45%.
     Providing a significant reduction in the amount of 
nitrates, ammonia, and bacteria delivered annually to area waterways, 
thus improving biological habitats, recreational opportunities, and 
real estate values.
     Improving cropland and paster productivity in the 
watershed by an average of 28%.
    Grazing land practices will increase forage productivity through 
improved management and utilizing waste more efficiently. This will 
reduced stream enrichment and conserve the nutrients for plant 
production. The proposed plan will also encourage and promote the 
agricultural enterprises in the watershed through improved efficiency.
    Wildlife habitat will not be disturbed during installation of 
animal waste systems and grazing land practices. No wetlands, wildlife 
habitat, fisheries, prime farmland, or cultural resources will be 
destroyed or threatened by this project. Some 2,316 acres of wetland 
and wetland type wildlife habitat will be improved. Conversions to 
permanent vegetation will provide a more diverse upland game habitat. 
The value of woodland habitat will not decline. Fishery habitats will 
also be maintained.
    No endangered or threatened plant or animal species will be 
adversely affected by the project.
    There are no wilderness areas in the watershed.
    Scenic values will be completed with improved riparian quality and 
cover conditions resulting from the installation of conservation animal 
waste management system and grazing land practices.

Alternatives

    Four alternative plans, that included 27 combinations of systems 
and practices, was considered in project planning. No significant 
adverse environmental impacts are anticipated from installation of the 
selected alternative. Also, the planned action is the most practical, 
complete and acceptable means of protecting the watershed by managing 
animal waste and stabilizing pasture and cropland.

Consultation--Public Participation

    Since the 1980's citizens within the Tobesofkee Watershed have 
recognized increasing water quality issues and potential problems 
related to agriculture. Land-owners utilized assistance through EQIP to 
address their concerns but were limited by program policy and budget 
constraints. Meetings were held to evaluate the problem and determine 
if the issues warranted application for additional federal assistance 
through the PL-566, Small Watershed Program. Based on data obtained and 
interest within the watershed the Districts (Sponsors) and NRCS agreed 
that this watershed should be targeted for special water quality 
improvement efforts. The Sponsor(s) submitted an application on 
September 27, 2001 to the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation 
Commission for NRCS planning assistance under the PL-566 authority. The 
Commission approved the application and gave it high priority.
    To facilitate consultation and public involvement in the Tobesofkee 
Creek Watershed Project, a project organizational structure was 
developed. It considered of the Project Sponsors, who were supported by 
an Interdisciplinary Planning Team, a Technical Advisory Group, and 
Stakeholder Involvement.
    NRCS developed an interdisciplinary, interagency planning team to 
work with the Sponsor, landowners, and other interested groups. The 
Technical Advisory Group was compiled of specialists from the Lamar 
County Soil and Water Conservation District; Towaliga Soil and Water 
Conservation District (SWCD); Georgia Cooperative Extension Service 
(CES), Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Environmental 
Protection Division (EPD), Water Protection Branch Georgia Department 
of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division (WRD), Game and 
Fisheries Section; Georgia Forestry Commission; USDA, Farm Services 
Agency (FSA); USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS); 
USDA, US Forest Service (FS); USDI, Fish and Wildlife Service (F&WS) to 
again insight to the magnitude of the problems and possible solutions.
    At the initiation of the planning process, meetings were held with 
key farmers and District representatives from the watershed area to 
discuss problem identification, conservation systems and PL-566 
requirements. A public meeting was held on January 24, 2002 to scope 
the problems and concerns and to explain impacts of the PL-566 program 
initiatives relative to a watershed project and discuss possible 
solutions. Notice of the meeting appeared in the local newspaper and on 
radio for several weeks prior to the date. Seventy-five landowners, 
operators, and interested citizens attended the meeting.
    Several meetings, group discussions, and interviews were held with 
local planners, individuals, government

[[Page 44421]]

officials, and other technical experts to inventory resources, identify 
cause-effect relationships, and develop--and evaluate--alternative 
plans of action to address resource concerns.
    Another public meetings was held in Redbone, Georgia on May 23, 
2002. Local operators, landowners, and citizens attended the meeting. 
The results of surveys, studies, field investigations, and alternative 
plans of actions were presented. Those attending agreed upon a 
Recommended Plan, developed by the Planning Team.
    From January 2002 to May 2002, representatives of the SWCD, NRCS, 
EPD, WRD, CES, and other officials evaluated data to determine the 
quality and quantity of resources that would be impacted by selected 
practices and to consider possible mitigation measures. It was the 
consensus of the group that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was 
not needed for this project. This agreement was based on the type of 
practices and systems planned and that each would be installed on 
previously disturbed land. With this consensus, and Environmental 
Assessment (EA) was prepared accordingly.
    Upon review of the EA, this Finding of No Significant Impact 
(FONSI) was prepared. These documents are being distributed to all 
concerned agencies, groups, and interested individuals. A Notice of 
Availability of the FONSI is being published in the Federal Register.
    Agency consolations and public participation to date has shown no 
conflicts with the implementation of the selected plan.

Conclusion

    The Environmental Assessment summarized above indicates that this 
Federal action will not cause significant adverse local, regional, or 
national impacts on the environment. Therefore, based on the above 
findings, I have determined that an environmental impact statement for 
the recommended Tobosofkee Creek Watershed Plan is not required.

    Dated: June 18, 2002.
Leonard Jordan,
State Conservationist.
[FR Doc. 02-16413 Filed 7-1-02; 8:45 am]
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