[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 139 (Friday, July 19, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 47527]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-18272]


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

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Lake Okeechobee Aquifer Storage and Recovery Pilot Project at Three 
Sites Adjacent to Lake Okeechobee, With Components in Martin, 
Okeechobee, and Glades Counties, FL

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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

SUMMARY: The Jacksonville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
(Corps), intends to prepare an integrated Pilot Project Design Report 
and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Lake Okeechobee 
Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) Pilot 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. One of the recommendations of the final report of the 
Central & South Florida (C&SF) Comprehensive Review Study (Restudy) was 
the Lake Okeechobee ASR Pilot Project. This project will determine the 
feasibility of using ASR technology for water storage and the treatment 
regimes needed for an operational ASR well system. It will also collect 
scientific data to address the uncertainties associated with the ASR 
technology and for future optimization and design studies.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Rebecca Weiss, U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, Planning Division, Environmental Branch, P.O. Box 4970, 
Jacksonville, FL 32232-0019, telephone (904) 899-5025.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    a. Authorization: Section 101(a)(16) of the Water Resources 
Development Act of 1999 (WRDA 1999) (Pub. L. 106-53) authorized 
construction of two pilot projects, Lake Okeechobee ASR and Hillsboro 
ASR. Although these two pilot projects were authorized separate from 
the Central and Southern Florida Project, they are also integral 
elements of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) as 
authorized in Title VI of WRDA 2000 (Pub. L. 105-541, Section 601). 
Therefore, these two projects were included in the CERP Design 
Agreement between the Corps and the local sponsor, SFWMD, and required 
design studies are now proceeding.
    b. Project Scope: The Pilot project will determine the feasibility 
of ASR technology for water storage at each site, the water quality 
characteristics of source waters, native subsurface waters and 
recovered waters, appropriate water treatment requirements, and 
recommend operational goals for a full scale ASR project at Lake 
Okeechobee. As proposed, the pilot project would include construction 
at 3 locations of one ASR well, a surface water intake and discharge 
system, pre-injection and post recovery water treatment facilities, and 
other associated piping, treatment systems, and surface facilities. 
Each ASR well will be used to store and recover freshwater in the upper 
Floridian Aquifer System. After preliminary analysis of collected data, 
one site will be chosen for construction of 2 additional ASR wells and 
associated pumps, piping, water treatment facilities and monitoring 
wells, in order to test the effects of a multi-well facility.
    Operational plans for the test pilot are to collect surface water 
from adjacent canal or tributaries, treat collected water to applicable 
drinking water quality standards, and inject water into the Floridian 
Aquifer System for a minimum of two cycle tests. Each cycle test 
includes a period of water storage followed by a period of recovery and 
discharge. Recovered water will be monitored and treated, if needed, to 
insure compliance with appropriate water quality standards prior to 
discharge into surface water or canal.
    c. Preliminary Alternatives: Formulation of alternative plans will 
involve the selection of the most suitable site for the ASR wells, 
surface water collection system configuration, water treatment 
technologies, investigation of intake and discharge sites, and 
investigation of best configuration of surface facilities of the 
project. The DEIS will include an evaluation of adverse environmental 
impacts, including but not limited to, water quality, socio-economic, 
archaeological and biological. In addition to adverse impacts, the 
evaluation will also focus on how well the plans perform with regard to 
specific technologic performance measures.
    d. Issues: The DEIS will consider impacts on water quality, 
ecosystem habitat, threatened and endangered species, health and 
safety, aesthetics and recreation, fish and wildlife resources, 
cultural resources, water availability, flood protection, and other 
potential impacts identified through scoping, public involvement, and 
interagency coordination.
    e. Scoping: An initial public workshop was held in West Palm Beach 
on January 2001 to introduce the Lake Okeechobee pilot project plan and 
gather comments. In addition, a public workshop was held in West Palm 
Beach on January 2002 to identify public concerns related to ASR 
technology and regional implementation. A scoping letter will be issued 
in July 2002 to interested parties. All parties are invited to 
participate in the scoping process by identifying any additional 
concern on issues, studies needed, alternatives, procedures, and other 
matters related to the scoping process. At this time, there is no plan 
for a public scoping meeting.
    f. Public Involvement: We invite the participation of affected 
Federal, state and local agencies, affected Indian tribes, and other 
interested private organizations and parties.
    g. Coordination: The proposed action is being coordinated with the 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries 
Service under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, with the FWS 
under the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, and with the State 
Historic Preservation Officer.
    h. Other Environmental Review and Consultation: The proposed action 
would involve evaluation for compliance with guidelines pursuant to 
Section 404(b) of the Clean Water Act; certification of state lands, 
easements and right of ways, and determination of Coastal Zone 
Management Act consistency.
    i. Agency Role: As the cooperating agency, non-Federal sponsor, and 
leading local expert, SFWMD will provide information and assistance on 
the resources to be impacted and alternatives.
    j. DEIS Preparation: The integrated Pilot Project Design Report, 
including a DEIS, is currently estimated for publication in November 
2003.

    Dated: July 10, 2002.
James C. Duck,
Chief, Planning Division.
[FR Doc. 02-18272 Filed 7-18-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-AJ-M