[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 113 (Tuesday, June 13, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34078-34079]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-5336]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent to Prepare a Supplement to the Final Environmental 
Statement for the Area VI (Elm Fork of the North Fork of the Red River) 
Portion of the Red River Chloride Control Project, Texas and Oklahoma

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of the Supplement to the Final Environmental 
Statement (SFES) is to address alternatives and modifications to the 
authorized plan for chloride control at Area VI on the Elm Fork of the 
North Fork of the Red River, OK.

ADDRESSES: Questions or comments concerning the proposed action should 
be addressed to Mr. Stephen L. Nolen, Chief, Environmental Analysis and 
Compliance Branch, Tulsa District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, CESWT-
PE-E, 1645 S. 101st E. Ave, Tulsa, OK 74128-4629.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Stephen L. Nolen, (918) 669-7660, 
fax: (918) 669-7546, e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Area VI portion was authorized as part 
of a

[[Page 34079]]

larger chloride control project by the Flood Control Act of 1966, 
approved November 7, 1966, (Pub. L. 89-789), SD 110; as modified by the 
Flood Control Act approved December 31, 1970, (Pub. L. 91-611); as 
amended by the Water Resources Development Acts of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-
251) and 1976 (Pub. L. 94-587). Section 1107 of the Water Resources 
Development Act of 1986 amended the above authorization to separate the 
overall project into the Arkansas River Basin and the Red River Basin 
and authorized the Red River Basin for construction subject to a 
favorable report by a review panel on the performance of Area VIII. The 
review panel submitted a favorable report to the Public Works Committee 
of the House and Senate in August 1988 indicating that Area VIII was 
performing as designed. The portion of the authorized project on the 
Elm Fork of the North Fork of the Red River in southwestern Oklahoma 
consists of Area VI. The authorized plan consisted of collection of 
brines emitted from three box canyons flowing to the Elm Fork of the 
North Fork of the Red River and transport of these brines via pipeline 
to a brine storage surface impoundment.
    Reasonable alternatives to be considered include various 
combinations of plans for deep well injection, collection facilities, 
size and locations of brine storage surface impoundment(s), pipeline 
sizes and routes, and no action.
    Significant issues to be addressed in the SFES include: (1) 
Hydrological, biological, and water quality issues concerning fish, 
aquatic invertebrates, algae, aquatic macrophytes, wetland/riparian 
ecosystem of the Elm Fork of the North Fork and North Fork of the Red 
River, and Red River above Lake Texoma to the confluence of the North 
Fork of the Red River; (2) a Lake Texoma component including chloride/
turbidity relationships, chloride/fish reproduction issues, chloride/
plankton community issues, chloride/nutrient dynamic issues, and 
associated impacts on lake sport fishes and recreation; (3) a selenium 
(Se) component addressing Se concentrations and impacts on biota; (4) 
cumulative effects related to portions of the Red River Chloride 
Control Project (RRCCP) already constructed and those approved for 
construction in the Wichita River Basin of Texas; (5) habitat 
mitigation issues; (6) Section 401 water quality issues; (7) impacts on 
the commercial bait fishery of the upper Red River; (8) Federally-
listed threatened and endangered species; (9) cultural resources; and 
(10) unquantifiable/undefined impacts.
    Scoping meetings for the project are anticipated to be conducted in 
late summer, 2006. News releases informing the public and local, state, 
and Federal agencies of the proposed action will be published in local 
newspapers. Comments received as a result of this notice and the news 
releases will be used to assist the Tulsa District in identifying 
potential impacts to the quality of the human or natural environment. 
Affected Federal, State, or local agencies, affected Indian tribes, and 
other interested private organizations and parties may participate in 
the scoping process by forwarding written comments to (see ADDRESSES) 
or attending the scoping meetings.
    The draft SFES is expected to be available for public review and 
comment sometime in 2009. In order to be considered, any comments and 
suggestions should be forwarded to (see ADDRESSES) in accordance with 
dates specified upon release of the draft SFES.

    Dated: May 30, 2006.
Miroslav P. Kurka,
Colonel, U.S. Army, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 06-5336 Filed 6-12-06; 8:45 am]
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