[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 38 (Friday, February 27, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8921-8922]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-4199]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare an Integrated Feasibility Report and Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Southwest Florida Feasibility 
Study/Watershed Plan, Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry, Glades, and 
Monroe Counties, FL

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Jacksonville 
District, intends to prepare an integrated Feasibility Report/Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (FR/DEIS) for the Southwest Florida 
Feasibility Study/Watershed Plan. The study is a cooperative effort 
between the Corps and the South Florida Water Management District 
(SFWMD), which is also a cooperating agency for this DEIS. The goal of 
the Southwest Florida Feasibility Study is to produce a regional 
restoration plan that addresses water resources issues within all 
watersheds in southwest Florida. It is intended that this plan will 
meet many of the ecological and hydrological restoration needs of 
southwest Florida. The problems which will be addressed in this study 
include loss of natural ecosystems and landscape connectivity/
degradation of wildlife habitat, altered, unnatural freshwater flows to 
wetlands and estuaries (altered surface water hydrology), and water 
quality degradation in surface waters.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Angela Dunn, by telephone at 904-
232-2108, or e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    a. Authorization: The Southwest Florida Feasibility Study (SWFFS), 
along with the Central and South Florida Project Comprehensive Review 
study (Restudy), is authorized by Section 309(l) of the Water Resources 
Development Act of 1992 (Pub. L. 102-580) and is also authorized by two 
resolutions of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 
United States House of Representatives, dated September 24, 1992. The 
Restudy proposed several new feasibility studies, which included the 
SWFFS, to allow a more thorough investigation into subjects that were 
considered related to but beyond the scope of the Restudy.
    b. Study Area: The study area covers approximately 4,300 square 
miles. It encompasses all of Lee County and portions of Collier, 
Charlotte, Hendry, Glades, and Monroe Counties.
    c. Project Scope: The scope includes conducting a watershed 
assessment of the study area and developing a watershed plan for 
stakeholder utilization, additional landscape connectivity for 
endangered species, and maintenance of natural hydrology. The 
assessment will investigate the southwest Florida region and its 
hydrology and natural landscape in greater detail than was developed in 
the Restudy. The evaluation of the alternatives and selection of a 
recommended plan will be documented in the FR/EIS. 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 alternatives analyzed in this 
feasibility investigation are a combination of structural and non-
structural measures addressing the following objectives: The health of 
aquatic and upland ecosystems; the quantity, quality, timing, and 
distribution of water flows; agricultural, environmental, and urban 
water supply; the sustainability of economic and natural resources; 
flood protection; fish and wildlife; biological diversity; and natural 
habitat in southwest Florida. Alternatives were developed to address 
these objectives. These alternatives include a plan of no action and 
various combinations of structural and non-structural measures within 
the watersheds of the study area.
    e. Issues: The EIS will analyze the following project objectives: 
Establish total freshwater inflows to coastal estuaries within project 
area to within 10% of the pre-development natural system flow quantity 
conditions; decrease loss of habitat connectivity for large mammals 
throughout the project area by 20%; reduce average annual total 
nitrogen loads to project area. In addition, the EIS will analyze: 
Impacts to aquatic and wetland habitats; water flows; hazardous and 
toxic waste; water quality; flood protection; the impacts of land 
acquisition on the tax base; aesthetics and recreation; fish and

[[Page 8922]]

wildlife resources, including protected species; cultural resources; 
and other impacts identified through scoping, public involvement and 
interagency coordination.
    f. Scoping: An initial scoping letter was sent to stakeholders in 
the southwest Florida region in April, 2006, as notification of the 
initiation of a Feasibility Study to address the water resource 
problems in southwest Florida. An additional 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.
    g. DEIS Preparation: The integrated Feasibility Report, including a 
DEIS, is currently estimated for publication in late 2009.

    Dated: February 18, 2009.
Eric P. Summa,
Chief, Environmental Branch.
 [FR Doc. E9-4199 Filed 2-26-09; 8:45 am]
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