[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 188 (Monday, September 29, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55949-55950]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-24614]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Proposed Development by Cooper Land Development, Inc. in Baldwin 
County, AL

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District (Corps) 
intends to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to 
address the potential impacts associated with the construction of the 
Cooper Land Development project located near Stockton in Baldwin 
County, Alabama. The Corps will be evaluating a permit application for 
the work under the authority of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. The 
environmental impact statement will be used as a basis for the permit 
decision and to ensure compliance with the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA).

DATES: A scoping meeting will be held on October 28, 2003, at the Bay 
Minette Civic Center, 301 D'Olive Street, Bay Minette, Alabama 36507 
beginning at 6:30 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and the DEIS should be addressed to Dr. Diane Findley ([email protected]), phone 251-694-3857 or Munther Sahawneh 
([email protected]), phone 251-694-3782. Mailing 
address for Dr. Findley and Mr. Sahawneh is U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, P.O. Box 2288, Mobile, AL 36628-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. The permit applicant (Department of Army 
permit application number AL03-00285-H) is proposing a residential

[[Page 55950]]

development that will result in filling/impacting approximately 349.3 
acres of wetlands and approximately 7.05 linear miles of streams. The 
project site contains approximately 845 acres of jurisdictional 
wetlands and 14.53 miles of streambeds. This residential development 
project is comprised of approximately 5,024 acres and is located near 
the Stockton Community in Baldwin County. The proposed project will 
consist of the construction of six lakes, three 18-hole golf courses, 
roadways, and approximately 9,000 low to medium density single-family 
residential home sites. The lakes will be created as impoundments 
through the construction of dams across existing stream segments and 
bottomlands. In addition to their use for recreation, the lakes will be 
used to supply irrigation water to the development. It is anticipated 
that the proposed development will occur in at least three (3) phases 
over a period of approximately 15 years.
    2. Alternatives to the applicant's proposal may exist which would 
reduce the impacts. These could include alternative site layouts sites 
or alternate site locations.
    3. Scoping:
    a. The Corps invites full public participation to promote open 
communication on the issues surrounding the proposal. All Federal, 
State, and local agencies, and other persons or organizations that have 
an interest are urged to participate in the NEPA scoping process. A 
public meeting will be held to help identify significant issues and to 
receive public input and comment (see DATES).
    b. The DEIS will analyze the potential social, economic, and 
environmental impacts to the local area resulting from the proposed 
project. Specifically, the following major issues will be analyzed in 
depth in the DEIS alternatives: hydrologic and hydraulic regimes, 
wetlands, streams, cultural resources, utilities, socioeconomic 
characteristics, biological resources, threatened and endangered 
species, transportation systems, secondary impacts, cumulative impacts, 
environmental justice (effect on minorities and low income groups), and 
protection of children (E.O. 13045).
    c. The Corps will serve as the lead Federal agency in the 
preparation of the DEIS. It is anticipated that the following agencies 
will be invited and will accept cooperating agency status for the 
preparation of the DEIS: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. 
Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service; Alabama 
Department of Environmental Management; Alabama Department of 
Conservation and Natural Resources; Alabama State Historic Preservation 
Officer; Alabama Department of Transportation; South Alabama Regional 
Planning Commission; Baldwin County; and the City of Bay Minette.
    4. It is anticipated that the DEIS will be made available for 
public review in August 2004.

Ronald A. Krizman,
Chief, Regulatory Branch.
[FR Doc. 03-24614 Filed 9-26-03; 8:45 am]
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