[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 15 (Monday, January 26, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4382-4383]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-1629]



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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Missouri River Ecosystem Restoration Plan, Missouri River Basin, 
United States

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(NEPA), as amended and in furtherance of the Water Resources 
Development Act of 2007, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City 
and Omaha Districts, intend to prepare the Missouri River Ecosystem 
Restoration Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (plan/EIS). In 
developing the plan, the Corps must study actions required to mitigate 
habitat losses of aquatic and terrestrial habitat, recover federally 
listed species under the Endangered Species Act and restore ecosystem 
functions to prevent further declines among other native species. 
During an extended scoping process, we will invite comment on the draft 
purpose and need statements for the plan/EIS.
    The plan/EIS will describe a range of alternatives for achieving 
the purpose of the plan and assess the effects of those alternatives, 
including a preferred alternative, on the human environment as defined 
by NEPA. The goal of this planning effort is to develop and implement a 
single, comprehensive and integrated plan to guide the implementation 
of programs associated with mitigation, recovery, and restoration 
activities in the Missouri River Basin.

ADDRESSES: Public scoping on this plan will begin May 1, 2009. A future 
notice will identify how written comments and suggestions concerning 
the plan may be submitted. Please see http://www.mrerp.org for 
additional information. Please see the Scoping and Public Involvement 
section below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or 
questions about the proposed plan/EIS, please contact Ms. Jennifer 
Switzer, Project Manager, by telephone: (816) 389-3062, by mail: 601 E. 
12th Street, Kansas City, MO 64106, or by e-mail: 
[email protected], or Randy Sellers, Project Manager, 
by telephone (402) 995-2689, by mail: 1616 Capitol Avenue, Omaha, NE 
68102, or by e-mail: [email protected]. For inquiries from 
the media, please contact the Corps, Kansas City District Public 
Affairs Officer (PAO), Mr. David Kolarik by telephone: (816) 389-3486, 
by mail: 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, MO 64106, or by e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. Description of Proposed Plan. Encompassing an area of 
approximately 530,000 square miles and a number of governing entities, 
including ten states, two Canadian provinces and 28 Native American 
tribes, the Missouri River Basin is the second largest river basin in 
the United States. From its source at Three Forks, Montana the Missouri 
River flows east and southeast for a total of 2,341 miles before 
emptying into the Mississippi River, just north of St. Louis, Missouri, 
making it the longest river in the United States. The Missouri River 
passes through a variety of physiographic provinces, provides various 
habitats to diverse populations of flora and fauna, contains numerous 
cultural resources, and supports a variety of human uses. Due to its 
geographic scale and diverse characteristics, the management of the 
Missouri River falls under a variety of the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers' (the USACE) authorities and programs as well as other 
programs and authorities sponsored by other agencies.
    The most significant human alterations to the Missouri River began 
as early as the late 1800s with the removal of snags in the river to 
improve the safety of navigation. Alterations to the river continued 
into the twentieth century. At the request of Congress, the USACE 
enhanced navigation, built dams, and regulated river flows. 
Simultaneously, land use changes affecting the river's floodplain 
occurred creating a river system very different from its pre-alteration 
condition. Today, the Missouri River supports less natural habitat, 
reduced populations of native species and communities, and reduced 
variability of physical processes such as flows, flooding, and sediment 
erosion/deposition [i.e., hydrology and geomorphology] needed to 
support a functioning Missouri River ecosystem.
    Subsection (a) of Section 5018 of the Water Resources Development 
Act of 2007 (WRDA 2007) directs the Secretary of the Army, in 
consultation with the Missouri River Recovery Implementation Committee 
to conduct a study of the Missouri River and its tributaries to 
determine actions required to: (1) Mitigate losses of aquatic and 
terrestrial habitat; (2) recover federally listed species under the 
Endangered Species Act; and (3) restore the ecosystem to prevent 
further declines among other native species. The study described under 
Section 5018(a) is the Missouri River Ecosystem Restoration Plan and 
EIS. The plan/EIS will identify a single, comprehensive strategy to 
guide the implementation of programs associated with mitigation, 
recovery, and restoration activities in the Missouri River Basin. The 
plan/EIS will be conducted in accordance with ER 1105-2-100 and will 
follow a watershed approach consistent with the geographic scope and 
complexity of issues within the Missouri River Basin.
    2. Alternatives. In compliance with the requirements of NEPA, a 
range of alternative strategies will be developed to address the 
purpose of and need for the plan while staying within the bounds of 
identified constraints. In developing these alternatives, multiple 
objectives (specific, measurable statements of the outcome or end state 
that restoration and management actions aim to achieve) and associated 
strategic actions (management, restoration and research activities 
functioning together to achieve an objective) will be identified and 
combined into several alternatives. The alternatives considered will 
include adaptive management strategies to allow changes and 
modification to the selected alternative as conditions warrant based on 
a described monitoring regime. Additionally, existing management 
objectives and related actions and activities that constitute the no 
action alternative will be described. Given the scope and complexity of 
this plan/EIS, regular and extended public scoping will occur related 
to the development of draft alternatives.
    3. Scoping and Public Involvement Process. Multiple phases of 
public, agency, and tribal government scoping meetings will be 
conducted throughout the Missouri River Basin. The first official phase 
of public scoping will occur from May 2009 to December 2009 and address 
the plan purpose, need, and target resource conditions. This scoping 
period will be officially announced through the publication of an 
additional notice. Additional scoping phases will take place to address 
baseline conditions, issues, and preliminary alternatives. Dates for 
these scoping phases have not yet been determined. General concerns, 
issues, and/or needs related to the plan will also be obtained 
throughout all scoping phases. For more information on scoping phases, 
dates, meeting locations, and general information, please visit http://www.mrerp.org.
    4. Significant Issues. Issues associated with the proposed plan to 
be given

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significant analysis in the plan/EIS are likely to include, but may not 
be limited to, native species declines, including effects of invasive 
species; degraded and lost habitat and prevention of future losses of 
habitat and resources; loss of ecosystem function including an altered 
hydrograph and reduced sediment load; statutory responsibilities, such 
as complying with the Endangered Species Act; criteria, goals and 
objectives and priorities for restoration; program, authority, and data 
gaps, including identification of new strategies for mitigation, 
recovery, and restoration efforts; and cumulative impacts. The plan/EIS 
will also include identification and analysis of the social, economic, 
and cultural impacts of the various alternatives, as well as important 
ecosystem functions.
    5. Cooperating Agencies. Federal agencies, Tribes, and state 
governments are being invited to participate in the planning process as 
cooperating agencies under the NEPA.
    6. Additional Review and Consultation. Additional public, 
scientific, and statutory review and consultation, which will be 
incorporated into the preparation of this EIS, will include, but shall 
not be limited to: Section 401 of Clean Water Act, Fish and Wildlife 
Coordination Act, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the National 
Historic Preservation Act; the Endangered Species Act, and the Clean 
Air Act. In addition, as directed by WRDA 2007, the development of this 
plan will be done in consultation with the Missouri River Recovery 
Implementation Committee.
    7. Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. The 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) is anticipated to be 
available as early as November of 2013 or, no later than January of 
2014. A series of public meetings will be conducted following the 
release of the DEIS.

Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E9-1629 Filed 1-23-09; 8:45 am]
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