[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 136 (Friday, July 16, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 42695]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-16228]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare One Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Combined Phase I and Phase II Elements of the Arkansas River Navigation 
Study, AR and OK

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), Little Rock District will prepare 
one Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Arkansas River 
Navigation Study. The Arkansas River Navigation Study was originally a 
two-phase project. Phase I concentrated on river flow management 
aspects while Phase II focused on deepening and widening the Arkansas 
River navigation channel. The USACE has decided to combine the two 
phases into one proposed project to be evaluated in one EIS based on 
consideration of NEPA requirements and comments received from the 
public.
    The combined EIS will generally focus on three aspects of 
maintaining and improving commercial navigation on the MKARNS: (1) 
River flow management, (2) channel deepening, and (3) on-going channel 
maintenance disposal. The purpose of the EIS will be to present all 
viable alternatives and assess the impacts associated with each 
alternative. The USACE is conducting this study under direction of the 
U.S. Congress. The study area includes the Arkansas river Basin in 
Arkansas and Oklahoma. Proposed improvements resulting from the study 
could impact (positively or negatively) agriculture, hydropower, 
recreation, flood control, and fish and wildlife along the MKARNS. The 
EIS will evaluate potential impacts (positive and negative) 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.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments by August 16, 2004 to Mr. Johnny 
McLean, Environmental Section, Planning Branch, P.O. Box 867, Little 
Rock, AR 72203-0867.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions or comments concerning the 
proposed action should be addressed to: Mr. Johnny McLean, Telephone 
501-324-5028, e-mail: [email protected]. All comments 
received during the Phase I and Phase II scoping periods are still on 
record and will be considered for the combined EIS. There is no need to 
re-submit duplicate comments.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    1. MKARNS: 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. The reservoirs are: 
Keystone, Oologah, Pensacola, Hudson, Fort Gibson, Tenkiller Ferry, 
Eufaula, Kaw, Hulah, Copan, and Wister. These lakes provide flood 
control, water supply, hydropower, fish & wildlife, water quality, 
recreation, and other benefits.
    2. Study History: The Arkansas River Navigation Study is being 
undertaken by USACE, Little Rock and Tulsa Districts under the 
direction of the U.S. Congress. The study includes major hydraulics 
investigations, economics analyses, alternatives development and 
related analyses in addition to the EIS.
    3. Comments: 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. Comments received as a result of this notice and 
the news releases will be used to assist the Districts 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 modifying 
flow regimes, channel deepening, channel maintenance and other 
identified concerns. Anticipated significant issues to be addressed in 
the EIS include impacts on: (1) Navigation, (2) flooding, (3) 
hydropower production, (4) recreation and recreation facilities, (5) 
river hydraulics, (6) fish and wildlife resources and habitats, and (7) 
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 winter 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, and 
fish and wildlife. Public Law 91-649 stated that the project would be 
known as the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System. The 
Arkansas River Navigation Study began as a Fiscal Year (FY99) 
Congressional Add to investigate flooding problems along the Arkansas 
River in Crawford and Sebastian Counties in the vicinity of Fort Smith, 
AR.

Brenda S. Bowen,
Alternate Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 04-16228 Filed 7-15-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-57-M