[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 119 (Friday, June 20, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 36974]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-15578]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Arkansas White River Cutoff Study

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 (USACE), DOD, Little Rock District will 
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Arkansas White 
River (Ark-White) Cutoff Study.
    The purpose of the EIS will be to present alternatives and assess 
the impacts associated with implementation of environmentally 
sustainable solutions for reducing headcutting and scouring in the Ark-
White Cutoff area. The two rivers are attempting to join in this area 
and are strongly influenced by high water in the Mississippi River. The 
study area includes the Lower Arkansas River below Dam 2, the 
lower 5-10 miles of the White River in Arkansas, and any adjacent 
landmasses that are presently being impacted or could be potentially 
impacted by the alternatives. There are numerous public and private 
entities that have a variety of interests within the study area. 
Headcutting and scouring in the study area has resulted in adverse 
impacts to navigation and the environment. Solutions will focus on 
decreasing erosion on the white river containment structure, reducing 
degradation of the landmass separating the White and Arkansas River, 
and other required features to ensure navigation on the McClellan-Kerr 
Arkansas River Navigation System (McKARNS) is maintained. Proposed 
improvements resulting from the study could impact (positively or 
negatively) navigation, agriculture, silviculture, hydropower, 
recreation, flood control, fish and wildlife. 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, PO Box 867, Little Rock, AR 
72203-0867, telephone (501) 324-5032, e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. McKARNS: The McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System 
consists of a series of 18 locks and dams (17 existing and 1 currently 
under construction) and provides navigation from the Mississippi River 
to the Port of Catoosa near Tulsa, OK. River flow in the Arkansas River 
is modified primarily by 11 reservoirs in Oklahoma.
    2. Study History: Studies in the area have occurred since the mid-
1960's. Structures were placed along the White River and between the 
White and Arkansas River to regulate hydrologic flow between the two 
systems in the 1960's, 1970's and late 1980's.
    3. Comments/Scoping Meeting: Interested parties are requested to 
express their views concerning the proposed activity. The public is 
encouraged to provide written comments in addition to or in lieu of, 
oral comments at scoping meetings. To be most helpful, scoping comments 
should clearly describe specific environmental topics or issues, which 
the commentator believes the document should address. Oral and written 
comments receive equal consideration.
    Scoping meetings will be held with government agencies and the 
public. Public scoping meetings will be held in the summer of 2003 in 
Pine Bluff, AR. The location, time, and date will be published at least 
14 days prior to the scoping meeting. 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/Issues: The EIS will evaluate the effects of 
structural and non-structural solutions to regulate hydrologic flow 
between the two river systems. Anticipated significant issues to be 
addressed in the EIS include impacts on: (1) Navigation; (2) flooding; 
(3) recreation; (4) river hydraulics; (5) fish and wildlife resources 
and habitats; (6) wetlands; (7) timber and forestry management; and (8) 
other impacts identified by the public, agencies or USACE studies.
    5. Availability of the Draft EIS: The Draft EIS is anticipated to 
be available for public review in the fall of 2004 subject to the 
receipt of Federal funding.
    6. Authority: The River and Harbor Act of 1946 authorized the 
development of the Arkansas River and its tributaries for the purposes 
of navigation, flood control, hydropower, water supply, recreation, 
fish and wildlife. Public Law 91-649 stated that the project would be 
known as the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System.

Luz D. Ortiz,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-15578 Filed 6-19-03; 8:45 am]
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