[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 107 (Thursday, June 3, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31343-31344]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-12580]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service


Walnut Bayou Irrigation Project in the Red River Watershed, 
Little Rock, AR

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969; the Council on Environmental Quality Guidelines (40 
CFR part 1500); and the Natural Resources Conservation Service 
Regulations (7 CFR part 650); the Natural Resources Conservation 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, announces its intention to 
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the impacts 
of an irrigation project in the Red River Watershed in Little River 
County, Arkansas.
    The measures proposed by NRCS include the diversion of water from 
the Red River to irrigate 23,500 acres of agricultural land in the 
Walnut Bayou Irrigation District. The Draft EIS will assess the 
potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts of the NRCS proposed 
action and a range of alternatives. The Draft EIS analysis will 
incorporate mitigation measures which will minimize to the greatest 
extent practicable any potential adverse environmental or socioeconomic 
impacts.
    Public Participation: The NRCS invites full participation to 
promote open communication and better decision making. All persons and 
organizations that have an interest in the Walnut Bayou Irrigation 
Project as it affects Little River County and the environment are urged 
to participate in the NEPA environmental analysis process.
    Public comments are welcomed throughout the NEPA process. 
Opportunities for public participation include: (1) The EIS scoping 
period when comments on the NRCS proposal will be solicited through 
various media; (2) during the 45-day review and comment period for the 
published Draft EIS; and (3) for 30 days after the publication of the 
Final EIS.
    Scoping Process: NRCS is soliciting public comments indicating what 
issues and impacts the public believes should be encompassed within the 
scope of the EIS analysis, any concerns they might have about the NRCS 
proposal and alternatives, and any ideas they might have about 
addressing irrigation for the Walnut Bayou Irrigation District.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alan Rees, Biologist, Natural 
Resources Conservation Service, Room 3416, Federal Building, 700 West 
Capitol Avenue, Little Rock, Arkansas 72201-3225. Comments may also be 
submitted by sending a facsimile to (501) 301-3189, or by e-mail to 
[email protected]. Respondents should provide mailing address 
information and indicate if they wish to be included on the EIS mailing 
list. All individuals on the mailing list will receive a copy of the 
Draft EIS.
    Responsible Official: The State Conservationist, NRCS, Little Rock, 
Arkansas is the responsible official for this proposed action.
    Decisions To Be Made: The responsible NRCS official will decide 
whether to approve the proposal, an alternative to the proposal, or no 
action.
    Need for the Proposal: The proposal is needed to provide a 
dependable supply of irrigation water to cropland during the growing 
season.
    Purpose of the Proposal: The purpose of the proposal is prevention 
of crop damage due to a lack of water for the existing crop 
composition.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Walnut Bayou project area encompasses 
approximately 23,500 acres in Little River County in Southwest 
Arkansas. The project area begins at the Arkansas/Oklahoma state line 
and continues east along Walnut Bayou to its confluence with the Red 
River. The Red River is the largest source of surface water in the 
project area, and has about 48,000 square miles of drainage upstream 
from Arkansas. Corn, soybeans, pecans, grain sorghum, rice, and wheat 
are the primary crops produced within the project area.
    Preliminary Issues: Among the issues that NRCS plans to consider in 
the scope of the EIS analysis are:
     The potential impacts on endangered species;
     The potential for soil salinization;
     The economic and social impacts of the proposed action and 
alternatives;
     The potential for floodplain impacts;
     The costs and benefits of the proposed action and 
alternatives; and
     Analysis of known and foreseeable cumulative effects on 
the Red River.
    Preliminary Alternatives: The Draft EIS will assess the potential 
environmental impacts of a range of alternatives. The preliminary 
alternatives for the Draft EIS include: (1) On-farm irrigation water 
storage with no withdrawal from the Red River; (2) on-farm irrigation 
water storage with additional water withdrawn from the Red River; (3) 
on-farm conservation measures, no irrigation water storage, with water 
withdrawn from the Red River; and (4) no action. The alternatives will 
be refined and supplemented, as appropriate, based on input by the 
public and agencies during the public scoping process.
    Alternative 1--On-farm irrigation water storage with no withdrawal 
from the Red River. Under this alternative runoff from rainfall that 
falls upon the project area would be captured, stored in reservoirs, 
and used for irrigation.

[[Page 31344]]

Other on-farm water conservation practices such as tailwater recovery 
pits and pipelines would also be installed as appropriate, according to 
individual farm irrigation water management plans. No water would be 
used from the Red River and there would be no district water 
distribution system.
    Alternative 2--On-farm irrigation water storage with additional 
water withdrawn from the Red River. Under this alternative runoff from 
rainfall that falls upon the project area would be captured, stored in 
reservoirs, and used for irrigation. Other on-farm water conservation 
practices such as tailwater recovery pits and pipelines would also be 
installed as appropriate, according to individual farm irrigation water 
management plans. Water, as permitted by the Arkansas Soil and Water 
Conservation Commission, would be withdrawn from the Red River and 
distributed to farms in the project area utilizing canals, pipelines, 
and some natural channels.
    Alternative 3--On-farm conservation measures, no irrigation water 
storage, water withdrawn from the Red River. Under this alternative on-
farm water conservation practices such as tailwater recovery pits and 
pipelines would also be installed as appropriate, according to 
individual farm irrigation water management plans. Water, as permitted 
by the Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission, would be 
withdrawn from the Red River and distributed to farms in the project 
area by utilizing canals, pipelines, and some natural channels.
    Alternative 4--No Action. Federal agencies are required to evaluate 
the impacts of a No Action alternative when preparing an EIS, even 
though the alternative would not meet the agency's purpose and need.
    Permits or Licenses Required: This proposal is being planned under 
a Congressional earmark. A nonriparian use permit from the Arkansas 
Soil and Water Conservation Commission would be required to withdraw 
water from the Red River for nonriparian users. A permit would be 
required from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under the Clean Water 
Act (CWA), section 404 for any project that would impede the flow of 
waters of the U.S. or that would affect any wetlands. A FEMA floodplain 
permit from effected National Flood Insurance Program Communities may 
be needed if flood waters of a one hundred year flood are altered. 
Approval from the State Historic Preservation Office would be required 
if any National Register-eligible historic properties would be 
effected. Consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would be 
required if the proposal may effect any species listed as threatened or 
endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
    Estimated Dates for Draft EIS and Final EIS: NRCS expects to file 
the Draft EIS with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and to 
have it available for public review and comment by July 30, 2004. At 
that time, the EPA will publish a Notice of Availability (NOA) of the 
Draft EIS in the Federal Register. The public comment period on the 
Draft EIS will be a minimum of 45 days from the date the EPA published 
the NOA.
    After the comment period ends on the Draft EIS, the comments will 
be analyzed, considered, and responded to by NRCS in preparing the 
Final EIS. The Final EIS is scheduled for completion by October, 2004. 
The responsible officials will consider the comments, responses, and 
environmental consequences discussed in the Final EIS, and applicable 
laws, regulations, and policies in making a decision regarding this 
proposed action. The responsible officials will document the decision 
and reasons for the decision in a Record of Decision. That decision 
will be subject to appeal in accordance with 36 CRF part 215.

    Dated: May 20, 2004.
Kalven L. Trice,
State Conservationist.
[FR Doc. 04-12580 Filed 6-2-04; 8:45 am]
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