[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 5 (Tuesday, January 8, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1365-1366]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-37]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER COMMISSION; UNITED STATES AND MEXICO


Notice of Availability of Final Programmatic Environmental Impact 
Statement, Improvements to the USIBWC Rio Grande Flood Control Projects 
along the Texas-Mexico Border

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

ACTION: Notice of Availability of Final Programmatic Environmental 
Impact Statement.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the United States Section, 
International Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC) has prepared a 
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for future 
improvements to three Rio Grande Flood Control Projects (FCP) operated 
by the USIBWC along the Texas-Mexico Border: The Rectification FCP, the 
Presidio FCP and Lower Rio Grande FCP. The PEIS, prepared in 
cooperation with the United States Bureau of Reclamation, United States 
Fish and Wildlife Service and United States Army Corps of Engineers, 
analyzes potential impacts of the No Action Alternative and three 
action alternatives for future FCP improvements under consideration.
    Because several measures under consideration are at a conceptual 
level of development, the USIBWC has taken a broad programmatic look at 
the potential environmental implications of measures identified for 
future implementation. The USIBWC will apply the programmatic 
evaluation as an overall guidance for future environmental evaluations 
of individual improvement projects whose implementation is anticipated 
or possible within a 20-year timeframe. Once any given improvement 
project is identified for future implementation, site-specific 
environmental documentation will be developed based on project 
specifications and PEIS findings.

DATES: The Final PEIS will be available to agencies, organizations and 
the general public on January 8, 2008. A copy of the Final PEIS will 
also be posted in the USIBWC Web site at http://www.ibwc.state.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Daniel Borunda, Environmental 
Protection Specialist, Environmental Management Division, USIBWC, 4171 
North Mesa Street, C-100, El Paso,

[[Page 1366]]

Texas 79902 or e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The PEIS analyzes potential effects of the 
No Action Alternative and three action alternatives for future 
improvement of the Rectification, Presidio and Lower Rio Grande Flood 
Control Projects located along the Texas-Mexico border. Potential 
improvements were organized in three action alternatives: (1) Enhanced 
Operation and Maintenance Alternative, focusing on engineering 
improvements; (2) Integrated Water Resources Management Alternative, 
integrating additional water conservation and quality measures to the 
projects' core mission of flood control and water delivery; and (3) 
Multipurpose Project Management Alternative incorporating, in addition 
to engineering improvements and integrating water management, 
additional measures for multiple use of the floodway and environmental 
measures supporting initiatives by federal agencies, local governments, 
and other organizations. These additional measures would be conducted 
largely under cooperative agreements with the proponent agency or 
organization. The PEIS evaluated alternatives for each flood control 
project in terms of potential effects relative to those of the No 
Action Alternative, in the areas of water, biological, cultural and 
socioeconomic resources, land use, and environmental health issues. The 
Multipurpose Project Management Alternative was selected as the 
preferred option for implementation of improvements to the flood 
control projects as it supports improvements in water quality and water 
conservation, and is consistent with the core project mission of flood 
control and water delivery. Public participation in the PEIS 
development included scoping meetings, a 45-day review period of the 
Draft PEIS, and Public Hearings held at the Cities of El Paso, Presidio 
and McAllen, Texas, on August 21, 22, and 28, 2007, respectively.
    Copies of the FEIS have been sent to agencies, organizations and 
individuals who participated in the scoping process and to those who 
have requested copies of the FEIS. A limited number of Final PEIS 
copies may be obtained upon request from the contact person identified 
above. A Record of Decision will be issued after a minimum of 30 days 
following the filing of the Final PEIS. Any comments on the Final PEIS 
must be received no later than 30 days after the date of publication of 
the notice of availability by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 
in the Federal Register. No action will be taken on the proposed action 
before 30 days following publication of the notice of availability of 
the Final PEIS by EPA.

    Dated: January 2, 2008.
Susan E. Daniel,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. E8-37 Filed 1-7-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7010-01-P