[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 206 (Thursday, October 25, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 60665]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-5278]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft and Final Second Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement for Reach 1 on the Herbert Hoover Dike 
Major Rehabilitation Project, Martin and Palm Beach Counties

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 project is to reconstruct and rehabilitate 
Reach 1 of the Herbert Hoover Dike to prevent catastrophic failure of 
the system to retain the waters of Lake Okeechobee. On July 8, 2005, 
the Jacksonville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) issued 
a Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) for the 
Major Rehabilitation actions proposed for Herbert Hoover Dike (HHD), 
Reach One. Herbert Hoover Dike is the levee that completely surrounds 
Lake Okeechobee. On September 23, 2005, a Record of Decision was signed 
adopting the preferred alternative as the Selected Plan for Reach One.
    As plans and specifications were developed for Reach 1, it became 
apparent that the cut-off wall with seepage berm alternative would not 
work for all of Reach 1. The alternative for Reach 1 will be a 
combination of one or more of the following features dependent on the 
geology and adjacent land factors with the cut-off wall: Seepage Berm, 
Relief Trench, Soil Replacement Wedge, Relief Wells, Drainage Feature 
and Sand Columns. Reach 1 of the HHD extends for approximately 22.5 
miles within Martin and Palm Beach Counties, from the St. Lucie Canal 
at Port Mayaca, south to the Hillsboro Canal at Belle Glade, FL. This 
study is a cooperative effort between the Corps and the South Florida 
Water Management District (SFWMD).

ADDRESSES: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Planning Division, 
Environmental Branch, P.O. Box 4970, Jacksonville, FL 32232-0019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Nancy Allen at (904) 232-3206 or 
e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    a. The proposed action will be the selected plan described in the 
July 2005 Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) with the 
additional action of implementing the landslide rehabilitation features 
as needed based on geology and adjacent land factors. The proposed 
action will not affect the Regulation Schedule for Lake Okeechobee. 
Land may have to be acquired outside of the existing right-of-way (ROW) 
and this EIS will account for any impacts that result due to 
acquisition of additional real estate.
    b. Alternatives to be considered separately for each subdivision of 
Reach 1 are dependent upon the geology and adjacent land factors with 
the cut-off wall. Reach 1 is divided into Subreaches A, B, C and D. The 
alternatives to be implemented include one or more of the following 
features: Seepage Berm, Relief Trench, Soil Replacement Wedge, Relief 
Wells, Sand Column and Drainage Feature.
    c. A scoping letter 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. The 
scoping letter will be sent out in October 2007. A scoping meeting is 
not anticipated.
    d. A public meeting will be held after release of the Draft Second 
Supplemental EIS. The public meeting is anticipated to be held in July 
2008 in Clewiston, FL. The exact location, date, and times will be 
announced in a public notice and local newspapers.
    e. A Major Rehabilitation Evaluation Report (MRR) was approved by 
Congress in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) 2000 that 
addressed the need to repair the aging dike.

Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 07-5278 Filed 10-24-07; 8:45 am]
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