[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 119 (Friday, June 20, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 36975]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-15577]



[[Page 36975]]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement 
for the Limited Reevaluation Report 1,750-Acre Bottomland Acquisition, 
Fourche Bayou Basin, Little Rock, AR

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD, Little Rock District will prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Limited Reevaluation 
Report (LRR) 1,750-Acre Bottomland Acquisition, Fourche Bayou Basin, 
Little Rock, AR.
    The purpose of the EIS will be to present alternatives and assess 
the impacts associated with purchase development of 1,750 acres of 
bottomland hardwoods habitat known as Fourche Bottoms as well as 
development of a nature appreciation facility. Solutions will focus on 
protecting the Fourche Bottoms from urban development in the 
surrounding area. Proposed improvements resulting from the study could 
impact (positively or negatively) recreation, flood control, and fish 
and wildlife along the Fourche Bottoms in central Arkansas. The EIS 
will evaluate potential impacts (beneficial and adverse) to the 
natural, physical, and human environment as a result of implementing 
any of the proposed project alternatives that may be developed during 
the EIS process.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions or comments concerning the 
proposed action should be addressed to: Ms. Tricia Anslow, Chief, 
Environmental Section, Planning Branch, P.O. Box 867, Little Rock, AR 
72203-0867, telephone (501) 324-5032, e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    1. Background: The Fourche Bottoms is a unique and valuable 
component to the surrounding urban environment. It serves as a natural 
filtration system, flood retention basin, and wetland habitat home to 
numerous diverse species.
    2. Study History: The congressional authority to initiate this 
study was written in Section 401(a) of the Water Resources Development 
Act of 1986. The initial EIS and Record of Decision was completed in 
1989.
    3. Comment/Scoping Meeting: Interested parties are requested to 
express their views concerning the proposed activity. The public is 
encouraged to provide written comments. To be most helpful, scoping 
comments should clearly describe specific environmental topics or 
issues, which the commentator believes the document should address. 
Comments received as a result of this notice and the news releases will 
be used to assist the preparers in identifying potential impacts to the 
quality of the human or natural environment. Affected local, state, or 
Federal agencies, affected Indian Tribes, and other interested private 
organizations and parties may participate in the scoping process by 
forwarding written comments to the above noted address. Interested 
parties may also request to be included on the mailing list for public 
distribution of meeting announcements and documents.
    4. Alternatives: Alternatives will be evaluated against the No-
Action alternative. Alternatives may include alternate location of 
facilities and trails.
    5. Availability of the Draft Supplemental EIS: The draft 
supplemental EIS is anticipated to be available for public review in 
the summer of 2003.

Luz D. Ortiz,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-15577 Filed 6-19-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-57-M