[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 37 (Monday, February 26, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8361-8362]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-850]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare Supplement III to the Final Environmental 
Impact Statement, New Orleans to Venice, LA, Hurricane Protection 
Project: Incorporation of Non-Federal Levees From Oakville to St. Jude, 
Plaquemines Parish, LA

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 of Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, is 
initiating this study under the authority of Public Law 109-234, Title 
II, Chapter 3, Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies, page 38 (120 
STAT.454-455), hereinafter ``4th Supplemental'', provides: ``For an 
additional amount for `Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies', as 
authorized by section 5 of the Act of August 18, 1941 (33 U.S.C. 701n), 
for necessary expenses relating to the consequences of Hurricane 
Katrina and other hurricanes, $3,145,024,000, to remain available until 
expended: Provided, that the Secretary of the Army is directed to use 
the funds appropriated under this heading to modify, at full Federal 
expense, authorized projects in southeast Louisiana to provide 
hurricane and storm damage reduction and flood damage reduction in the 
greater New Orleans and surrounding areas; * * * $215,000,000 shall be 
used to replace or modify certain non-Federal levees in Plaquemines 
Parish to incorporate the levees into the existing New Orleans to 
Venice hurricane protection project; * * *.''
    The Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies Section of Title II, 
Chapter 3 of the Joint Explanatory Statement of the Committee of 
Conference, page 115, states: ``Funds totaling $3,145,024,000 are 
recommended to continue repairs to flood and storm damage reduction 
projects. These projects are to be funded at full Federal expense. * * 
* Additionally, the Conferees include: * * * $215,000,000 for 
incorporation of non-Federal levees on the west bank of the Mississippi 
River in Plaquemines Parish in order to provide improved storm surge 
protection and to protect evaucations routes; * * *''

[[Page 8362]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions concerning the Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) should be addressed to Mr. Alan 
W. Bennett at: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, PM-RS, P.O. Box 60267, New 
Orleans, LA 70160-0267, phone (504) 862-2516, fax number (504) 862-2088 
or by e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. Proposed Action. The proposed action would replace or modify and 
incorporate certain non-Federal levees on the west bank of the 
Mississippi River in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana into the existing 
New Orleans to Venice hurricane protection project. The proposed 
project study area includes the west bank of the Mississippi River, 
starting near the community of Oakville to the north and ending at St. 
Jude to the south. The New Orleans to Venice hurricane protection 
project was authorized by Public Law 87-874, as amended. Under this 
authority, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed a hurricane 
protection levee system extending along a protion of the west bank of 
the Mississippi River. This SEIS is being prepared as a third 
supplemental to the July 1974 final EIS, ``New Orleans to Venice, 
Louisiana, Hurricane Protection Project'', filed with the Council on 
Environmental Quality on January 6, 1975.
    The existing federally authorized hurricane protection system does 
not provide continuous protection from Belle Chasse to Venice. 
Specifically, approximately 34 miles of existing non-Federal levees in 
Plaquemines Parish do not provide hurricane and storm damage reduction 
protection to the authorized level of the New Orleans to Venice 
hurricane protection project. This condition exposes residents and 
businesses in several west bank communities and the hurricane 
evacuation route, Louisiana Highway 23, to a higher potential for 
flooding in the event of a storm or hurricane. Engineering, economic, 
and environmental analysis would be used to determine the most cost 
effective plan, which would provide for the greatest overall public 
benefit.
    2. Alternatives. Several levee alignments are being investigated to 
protect these communities, businesses, the hurricane evacuation route, 
and to avoid wetland impacts. In addition, non-structural alternatives 
such as relocations or raising homes and businesses are also being 
developed and evaluated. Incremental analysis of costs and benefits for 
different reaches of the levee alignments would also be conducted. 
Various protection levels for the levee alignments would also be 
investigated.
    3. Scoping. Scoping is the process for determining the scope of 
alternatives and significant issues to be addressed in the SEIS. A 
notice requesting scoping comments will be sent to affected Federal, 
State, and local agencies, affected Indian tribes, and all interested 
parties requesting their input on alternatives and issues to be 
evaluated in the SEIS. The notice will also notify interested parties 
of public scoping meetings that will be held in the local area. Notices 
will also be sent to local news media. All interested parties are 
invited to comment at this time, and anyone interested in this study 
should request to be included in the study mailing list.
    Two public scoping meetings will be held in March 2007. The 
meetings will be held in the vicinity of Belle Chasse and West Pointe a 
la Hache. Additional meetings could be held, depending upon interest 
and if it is determined that further public coordination is warranted.
    4. Significant Issues. The tentative list of resources and issues 
to be evaluated in the SEIS includes tidal wetlands (marshes and 
swamps), aquatic resources, commercial and recreational fisheries, 
wildlife resources, essential fish habitat, water quality, air quality, 
threatened and endangered species, recreation resources, and cultural 
resources. Socioeconomic items to be evaluated in the SEIS include 
hurricane and flood protection, business and industrial activity, 
employment, land use, property values, public/community facilities and 
services, tax revenues, population, community and regional growth, 
transportation, housing, community cohesion, and noise.
    5. Environmental Consultation and Review. The U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service (USFWS) will be assisting in the documentation of 
existing conditions and assessment of effects of project alternatives 
through Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act consultation procedures. The 
USFWS will provide a Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act report. 
Consultation will be accomplished with the USFWS and the National 
Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) concerning threatened and endangered 
species and their critical habitat. The NMFS will be consulted on the 
effects of this proposed action on essential fish habitat. The draft 
SEIS or a notice of its availability will be distributed to all 
interested agencies, organizations, and individuals.
    6. Estimated Date of Availability. The earliest that the draft SEIS 
is expected to be available is in spring 2008.

    Dated: February 16, 2007.
Richard P. Wagenaar,
Colonel, U.S. Army, District Commander.
[FR Doc. 07-850 Filed 2-23-07; 8:45 am]
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