[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 212 (Friday, October 31, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64926-64927]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-25986]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement To 
Permit Construction of Dam and Reservoir along Murder Creek, Conecuh 
County, AL

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Mobile District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) 
intends to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to 
address the potential impacts associated with permitting construction 
of a dam and reservoir along Murder Creek in Conecuh County, AL. 
Evaluation of the proposed project via an EIS will proceed in 
compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Upon 
completion of the EIS, the Corps will evaluate a permit application for 
the proposed work under the authority of Section 404 of the Clean Water 
Act.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action, 
the NEPA process and the Draft EIS should be addressed to Mr. Chuck 
Sumner, Planning and Environmental Division, phone (251) 694-3857 or e-
mail at [email protected], Mobile District, U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers, P.O. Box 2288, Mobile, AL 36628-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. The applicant for the permit is the Conecuh County Commission. 
The permit application proposes construction of a dam and the creation 
of an estimated 2,650 acre lake on Murder Creek in central Conecuh 
County, AL, approximately three miles northwest of the City of 
Evergreen. The lake is proposed to be used as a source of irrigation 
for local agriculture and a water source for the anticipated bio-fuel

[[Page 64927]]

industry expected to move into the local area. Construction of the 
proposed lake will require an approximately 2,000 feet long dam across 
Murder Creek.
    2. Alternatives to the applicants' proposal may exist which would 
reduce impacts to the surrounding environment. These could include, but 
are not restricted to, reducing the surface elevation of the lake, 
thereby building a smaller lake, considering alternate site locations 
for the lake, pursuing alternate site layouts that may have less impact 
on the environment, or pursuing alternate sources of water for 
irrigation and the bio-fuels industry, or combinations of these or 
other alternatives. A determination of these or other alternatives to 
be evaluated will be developed during the scoping and evaluation phase 
of the EIS.
    3. Scoping: a. The Corps invites full public participation to 
promote open communication on the issues surrounding the proposal. All 
Federal, State, and local agencies, native American tribes, and other 
persons or organizations that have an interest are urged to participate 
in the NEPA scoping process. A public scoping meeting will be held to 
help identify significant issues and to receive public input and 
comment. The location and time for the public scoping meeting will be 
advertised through various media outlets at least 30 days prior to the 
meeting date.
    b. The Draft EIS will analyze the potential social, economic, and 
environmental impacts to the local area resulting from the proposed 
project and alternatives. Specifically, the following major issues will 
be analyzed in the Draft EIS: hydrologic and hydraulic regimes, 
threatened and endangered species, fish and wildlife habitat, wetlands, 
essential fish habitat and other marine habitat, air quality, cultural 
resources, wastewater treatment capacities and discharges, drainage 
discharges, transportation systems, alternatives, secondary and 
cumulative impacts, socioeconomic impacts, environmental justice 
(effect on minorities and low-income groups) (Executive Order 12898), 
and protection of children (Executive Order 13045).
    c. The Corps will serve as the lead Federal agency in the 
preparation of the Draft EIS. The Corps intends to coordinate and/or 
consult with an interagency team of Federal and State agencies during 
scoping and preparation of the Draft EIS. A decision will be made 
during the scoping process whether other agencies will serve in an 
official role as cooperating agencies.
    4. It is anticipated that the DEIS will be made available for 
public review in December 2009.

Byron G. Jorns,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Commander.
[FR Doc. E8-25986 Filed 10-30-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P