[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 153 (Thursday, August 9, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44835-44836]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-3876]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Modify a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Water 
Conservation Area 3 Decompartmentalization and Sheet-flow Enhancement 
in Broward County, FL

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

ACTION: Notice of intent; modification.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Jacksonville 
District, previously published a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an 
integrated Project Implementation Report/Environmental Impact Statement 
(PIR/EIS) for the Water Conservation Area 3 Decompartmentalization and 
Sheet-flow Enhancement Project (DECOMP), Part 1 on December 4, 2003 (68 
FR 67841). Following publication of the NOI, the scope of this initial 
part of DECOMP was altered to focus specifically on the alternatives to 
reduce barriers to sheet-flow within WCA 3A. Modification of eastern 
Tamiami Trail, south of WCA 3, will be considered in future efforts. 
The project's collaborator, intent, authorization, plan formulation 
process, and issues to be addressed remain as described in the original 
NOI.

DATES: The meeting dates are:
    1. August 21, 2007, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., West Palm Beach, FL.
    2. August 23, 2007, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Pembroke Pines, FL.

ADDRESSES: The meeting locations are:
    1. South Florida Water Management District, 3301 Gun Club Road, 
West Palm Beach, FL 33406.
    2. Southwest Regional Library, 16835 Sheridan Street, Pembroke 
Pines, FL 33331.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Planning 
Division, Environmental Branch, P.O. Box 4970, Jacksonville, FL 32232-
0019; Attn: Mr. Ernest Clarke or by telephone at 904-232-1199 or e-mail 
at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    a. Authorization: Section 601 of the Water Resources Development 
Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-541) authorized the implementation of the 
DECOMP Project.
    b. Study Area: The study area includes the WCA 3 and the northeast 
section of Everglades National Park, in Broward and Miami-Dade 
Counties. While the project area and area of anticipated benefits is 
located almost entirely within WCA 3A, the potential area of impacts is 
broader. Therefore, the study area considered in the report will extend 
from the southern end of Lake Okeechobee to the north through WCA 3A 
and 3B to just south of the Tamiami Trail (US 41).
    c. Project Scope: The scope includes conducting an assessment of 
the study area and continuing plans for restoring sheet flow through 
WCA 3A. The evaluation of the alternatives and selection of a 
recommended plan will be documented in the PIR/DEIS. The alternative 
plans will be reviewed under provisions of appropriate laws and 
regulations, including the Endangered Species Act, Fish and Wildlife 
Coordination Act, Clean Water Act, and Farmland Protection Policy Act.
    d. Preliminary Alternatives: The study includes two components of 
the Central & South Florida Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan: 
Backfilling

[[Page 44836]]

the Miami Canal and with a simultaneous increase in the conveyance 
capacity of the North New River Canal to compensate for lost flood 
damage reduction and water supply capabilities. Different scales of 
backfilling and alternate conveyance routes will be considered.
    e. Issues: The DPIR/EIS will address the following issues: impacts 
to aquatic and wetland habitats; water flows; hazardous and toxic 
waste; water quality; flood damage reduction; the impacts of land 
acquisition on the tax base; aesthetics and recreation; fish and 
wildlife resources, including protected species; cultural resources; 
and other impacts identified through scoping, public involvement and 
interagency coordination.
    f. Scoping: A scoping letter and multiple public workshops will be 
used to invite comments on alternatives and issues from Federal, State, 
and local agencies, affected Indian tribes, and other interested 
private organizations and individuals. Two identical scoping meetings 
are planned for this project (see DATES and ADDRESSES). Future meetings 
will be announced in public notices, local newspapers, and on http://www.evergladesplan.org.
    g. PIR/EIS Preparation: The PIR/EIS is currently estimated for 
publication in July 2009.

Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 07-3876 Filed 8-8-07; 8:45 am]
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