[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 85 (Tuesday, May 5, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20684-20685]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-10316]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Withdrawal of Notice of Intent To Prepare Environmental Impact 
Statement for St. Charles International Airport

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

ACTION: Withdrawal of Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Army, Army Corps of Engineers today 
withdraws its Notice of Intent (67 FR 65342, October 24, 2002) to 
prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the St. 
Charles International Airport Project.
    The Department has relied upon the National Environmental Policy 
Act (NEPA) CEQ guidelines, to complete the actions taken in connection 
with this project.

[[Page 20685]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information on the St. 
Charles International Airport Project or for information on the 
Department of Defense's NEPA process, please contact: Mr. Gib Owen at 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, PM-RS, P.O. Box 60267, New Orleans, LA 
70160-0267, phone (504) 862-1337, fax number (504) 862-2572 or by E-
mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), 
New Orleans District (MVN), received an application from St. Charles 
International Airport, LLC, 3453 Meadow Lane, Houston, TX 77027 to 
build an international airport facility in St. Charles Parish, in the 
vicinity of the highway I-10/I-310 interchange near Kenner, LA. The MVN 
initiated this study under the authority of 33 CFR part 320. This study 
was to investigate the feasibility of constructing an international 
airport facility in St. Charles Parish as per the Clean Water Act 
Section 404 permit application submitted by St. Charles International 
Airport, LLC.
    On October 24, 2002, the Department of the Army, Army Corps of 
Engineers published in the Federal Register a Notice of Intent to 
prepare a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the St. 
Charles International Airport Project. A letter was sent to all parties 
believed to have an interest in the analysis requesting their input on 
alternatives and issues to be evaluated. The letter also notified 
interested parties of a public scoping meeting held on February 18, 
2003. From 2003 to 2005 the USACE-MVN coordinated with The Federal 
Aviation Administration (FAA), The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
(USFWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The FAA 
provided guidance and comments for areas within their expertise. The 
USFWS assisted in the documentation of existing conditions and the 
assessment of effects of project alternatives through the Fish and 
Wildlife Coordination Act consultation procedures. Consultation with 
the USFWS and the NMFS concerning threatened and endangered species and 
their critical habitat was ongoing through 2005. NMFS consultation on 
the effects of the proposed action on Essential Fish Habitat was 
initiated. After the devastation of Hurricane Katrina the applicant 
withdrew his Clean Water Act section 404 application. Therefore 
preparation of an EIS is no longer needed and the Department of the 
Army, Army Corps of Engineers proposes to withdraw the Notice of Intent 
to prepare an EIS.
    Copies of documents related to the St. Charles International 
Airport project are on file at, and may be obtained from U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers, PM-RS, P.O. Box 60267, New Orleans, LA 70160-0267.

    Dated: March 17, 2009.
Alvin B. Lee,
Colonel, U.S. Army, District Commander.
[FR Doc. E9-10316 Filed 5-4-09; 8:45 am]
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