[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 224 (Thursday, November 20, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65450-65451]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-29010]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for a 
Flood Damage Reduction Study, Missouri River Levees System Units L-455 
and R 471-460, Buchanan County, MO and Doniphan County, KS

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District (KCD), 
intends to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and 
Feasibility Study of flood damage reduction measures for property 
currently afforded flood protection by the Missouri River Levee System 
(MRLS) Units L-455 and R 471-460, in Buchanan County, Missouri and 
Doniphan County, Kansas. The purpose of this DEIS is to consider the 
economic, environmental, and social impacts that may occur as a result 
of various alternatives being considered in a flood damage reduction 
study, concerning flood protection provided by the existing MRLS Units 
L-455 and R 471-460. The study would determine the existing level of 
flood protection as well as possible flood damage reduction measures 
beyond what currently exists, under the authority of Section 216 of the 
1970 Flood Control Act.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Maria Chastain-Brand, Formulation 
Section, Planning Branch, ATTN: CENWK-PM-PF, U.S. Army Engineer 
District, Kansas City, 601 East 12th Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-
2896, Phone 816-983-3107 or Maria E. [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, KCD, intends to prepare a DEIS 
and Feasibility Study of flood damage reduction measures for property 
currently afforded flood protection by the MRLS Units L-455 and R 471-
460, in Buchanan County, Missouri and Doniphan County, Kansas. The 
purpose of this DEIS is to consider the economic, environmental, and 
social impacts that may occur as a result of various alternatives being 
considered in a flood damage reduction study. The Study would determine 
the existing level of flood protection as well as possible flood damage 
reduction measures beyond what currently exists, under the authority of 
Section 216 of the Flood Control Act.

[[Page 65451]]

    2. The MRLS Units L-455 and R 471-460, are existing flood damage 
reduction projects which provide local flood protection for 
agricultural needs, the metropolitan area of St. Joseph, Missouri and 
the communities of Wathena and Elwood in Kansas. The two levees units 
are located on opposite sites of the Missouri River.
    Levee unit L-455 is located on the left bank of the Missouri River 
in Buchanan County, Missouri, and connects to high ground in the 
southwestern part of St. Joseph, Missouri. The levee unit extends from 
Missouri River mile 447.3 downstream to mile 437.3 and then upstream 
along Contrary Creek. Levee unit L-455 is 15.6 miles long, averages 13 
feet in height, and protects approximately 7,500 acres of urban and 
rural areas from flooding. Rural lands consist of about 6,500 acres. 
Urban lands include industrial, commercial, and residential areas of 
the city of St. Joseph, Missouri, including the residential and 
recreational development in the Lake Contrary area.
    Levee unit R 471-460 is located on the right bank of the Missouri 
River between river mile 441.7 and 456.6 in eastern Doniphan County, 
Kansas, and a portion of western Buchanan County, Missouri. This levee 
unit is 13.8 miles long, averages 14.8 feet in height and protects 
approximately 13,500 acres of rural and urban areas from flooding. 
Rural lands consist of about 10,000 acres. Urban lands include the 
communities of Elwood and Wathena, Kansas. It also includes the area 
within an oxbow, which is a part of St. Joseph, Missouri and contains 
the Rosecrans Memorial Air National Guard Base.
    3. KCD's study will evaluate the no action alternative as well as 
various structural and non-structural alternatives to determine:
    a. Flood damage reduction costs and benefits;
    b. Regional social and economic impacts; and
    c. Environmental impacts and mitigation measures.
    Reasonable alternatives KCD will examine include the feasibility of 
various structural and non-structural measures to reduce flood damage 
within areas protected by the existing MRLS Units L-455 and R 471-460. 
Structural alternatives may include reinforcing the existing 
structures, raising the existing levee with earth fill, floodwalls with 
a corresponding rise of appurtenances, or other change to the existing 
levee systems. Non-structural measures may include the development of 
contingency plans.
    4. Scoping Process
    a. A public workshop/scoping meeting will be held in the spring of 
2004 in St. Joseph, MO area. The exact date, time, and location of the 
scoping meeting will be announced when the details are finalized. 
Additional workshops and meetings will be held as the study progresses 
to keep the public informed. Coordination meetings will be held as 
needed with the affected/concerned local, State, and Federal 
governmental entities, and tribes. These workshops and meetings, as 
well as any meetings which were previously held regarding this project, 
will serve as the collective scoping process for the preparation of the 
DEIS. Draft documents forthcoming from the study will be distributed to 
Federal, State, and local agencies, as well as interested members of 
the general public, for review and comment.
    b. Potential issues to be analyzed in depth include evaluations of:
    (1) Level of flood protection provided by the existing flood 
protection project and need for increased level of protection;
    (2) Costs and benefits associated with alternatives that increase 
the flood protection level of the existing flood protection project;
    (3) Fish and wildlife resources;
    (4) Recreation;
    (5) Cultural resources.
    c. Environmental consultation and review will be conducted in 
accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969, as per regulations of the Council of Environmental Quality 
(code of Federal Regulations Parts 40 CFR 1500-1508), and other 
applicable laws, regulations, and guidelines.
    5. The anticipated date of availability of the DEIS for public 
review is late 2004.

Luz D. Ortiz,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-29010 Filed 11-19-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-KN-M