[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 213 (Friday, November 4, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 67192]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-22089]



[[Page 67192]]

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INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER COMMISSION; UNITED STATES AND MEXICO


United States Section; Notice of Availability of a Final 
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for 
Alternatives for Improved Flood Control of the Hidalgo Protective Levee 
System, in the Lower Rio Grande Flood Control Project, Located in 
Hidalgo County, TX.

AGENCY: United States Section, International Boundary and Water 
Commission (USIBWC), United States and Mexico.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of Final Environmental Assessment (EA) 
and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969; the Council on Environmental Quality Final 
Regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500 through 1508); and the USIBWC's 
Operational Procedures for Implementing Section 102 of NEPA, published 
in the Federal Register September 2, 1981, (46 FR 44083); the USIBWC 
hereby gives notice that the Final Environmental Assessment and Finding 
of No Significant Impact for Alternatives for Improved Flood Control of 
the Hidalgo Protective Levee System, in the Lower Rio Grande Flood 
Control Project, located in Hidalgo County, Texas are available. A 
notice of finding of no significant impact dated June 30, 2005, 
provided a thirty (30) day comment period before making the finding 
final. The Notice was published in the Federal Register on July 8, 2005 
(70 FR 39527).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gilbert Anaya, Environmental 
Management Division; United States Section, International Boundary and 
Water Commission; 4171 N. Mesa, C-100; El Paso, Texas 79902. Telephone: 
(915) 832-4703, e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Proposed Action

    The USIBWC is considering alternatives to raise the Hidalgo 
Protective Levee System. The proposed action will take place in two 
construction phases, each covering separate geographic reaches of the 
Hidalgo Protective Levee System. Phase 1 encompasses the upstream 3.3-
mile reach of the levee system, from the Hidalgo Levee junction with 
the LRGFCP Main Floodway, to the west margin of the Hidalgo-Reynosa 
International Bridge. Phase 2, for subsequent implementation, covers 
the 1.2-mile downstream reach starting at the international bridge. The 
phased construction approach responds to the likely availability of 
early funding for Phase 1, the upstream reach of the project.
    In-place increase of levee height under the Phase 1 Footprint 
Expansion Alternative is the Proposed Action for Phase 1 of the 
project. This alternative will increase flood containment capacity by 
raising the height of the existing compacted earthen levee to meet the 
freeboard requirement indicated by the hydraulic model. Soil borrow 
easements will be used to secure levee material.
    Partial rerouting of the 1.2-mile downstream reach of the levee 
system under the Partial Levee Rerouting Alternative is the Phase 2 
Proposed Action. Levee rerouting is proposed to eliminate the need for 
construction of a floodwall in front of the Hidalgo Historic Pumphouse, 
a resource included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). 
A new levee segment, approximately 0.7 mile in length, will be built 
along the south margin of the pumphouse intake channel, and the channel 
will be crossed to tie the new structure to the existing levee system. 
Floodwall placement will be required along the Hidalgo-Reynosa 
International Bridge.
    Alternatives under consideration to improve the Hidalgo Protective 
Levee System will expand the levee footprint by lateral extension of 
the structure. Levee footprint increases toward the riverside could 
potentially extend into floodplain areas designated by the U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service as part of the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) 
National Wildlife Refuge System. Footprint increases toward the levee 
landside could extend beyond the USIBWC right-of-way.

Alternatives Considered

Phase 1 Alternative

    A Phase 1 No Action Alternative was evaluated for the 3.3-mile 
upstream reach of the levee system. This alternative would retain the 
existing configuration of the Hidalgo Protective Levee System, as 
designed over 30 years ago, and the current level of protection 
currently associated with this system. Under severe storm events, 
current containment capacity will be insufficient to fully control Rio 
Grande flooding with risks to personal safety and property.

Phase 2 Alternatives

    A Phase 2 No Action Alternative and two action alternatives to the 
Proposed Action were evaluated for Phase 2 of the levee system 
improvement project: the Footprint Expansion Alternative, and the No-
Footprint Expansion Alternative.
    Under the Phase 2 No Action Alternative, the existing Hidalgo 
Protective Levee System would be retained in its current configuration 
along levee miles 3.3 to 4.5.
    Under the Phase 2 Footprint Expansion Alternative, height of the 
existing levee would be increased with the associated lateral expansion 
of the footprint. Placement of floodwalls would be required at two 
segments where retaining walls are currently present: along the two 
spans of the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge, and along the 
Hidalgo Historic Pumphouse.
    Under the No-Footprint Expansion Alternative, a mechanically 
stabilized earth structure along the levee crown would eliminate the 
need for an expanded earthen levee and footprint expansion. Floodwall 
placement would be required both at the Hidalgo Historic Pumphouse and 
along the two spans of the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge.

Availability

    Single hard copies of the Final Environmental Assessment and final 
Finding of No Significant Impact may be obtained by request at the 
above address. Electronic copies may also be obtained from the USIBWC 
Home Page at http://www.ibwc.state.gov.

    Dated: October 24, 2005.
Susan Daniel,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 05-22089 Filed 11-3-05; 8:45 am]
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