[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 87 (Thursday, May 7, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21333-21334]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-10611]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Notice of Availability of the Final Supplemental Environmental 
Impact Statement on Rock Mining in the Lake Belt Region of Miami-Dade 
County, FL (Lake Belt SEIS)

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

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is issuing this 
notice to advise the public that a Final Supplemental Environmental 
Impact Statement (Final SEIS) has been completed and is available for 
review and comment.

DATES: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 
we have filed the Final EIS with the U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA) for publication of their notice of availability in the 
Federal Register. The EPA notice officially starts the 30-day review 
period for this document. It is the goal of the USACE to have this 
notice published on the same date as the EPA notice. However, if that 
does not occur, the date of the EPA notice will determine the closing 
date for comments on the Final EIS. Comments on the Final EIS must be 
submitted to the address below under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
and must be received no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, 
Monday, June 8, 2009.

ADDRESSES: The Final EIS can be viewed online at http://www.lakebeltseis.com/. Copies of the Final EIS are also available

[[Page 21334]]

for review at the following libraries: Doral Branch, Miami-Dade County 
Public Library, 10785 NW. 58th Street, Doral Florida International Mall 
Branch, Miami-Dade County Public Library--10315 NW 12th Street, Miami, 
Florida 33172.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Leah Oberlin, Project Manager, 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, 4400 PGA 
Boulevard, Suite 500, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410, Telephone: 
561-472-3506, Fax: 561-626-6971.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The USACE is evaluating proposals to fill 
Waters of the United States in association with limestone mining and 
related activities in an area of Miami-Dade County known as the Lake 
Belt. The USACE has analyzed both offsite and onsite alternatives for 
those that could reasonably satisfy the project purpose, and has 
carried forward eight alternatives for mining for further detailed 
analysis along with a No-Action Alternative (Alternative 1). Under the 
No Action Alternative, mining in the Lake Belt area requiring 
Department of the Army (DA) permits would not be restarted and the 
USACE would not issue any additional DA permits for mining in the Lake 
Belt. Under the other alternatives, mining would be permitted in the 
Lake Belt area in varying degrees for varying lengths of time. The 
affected environment is primarily the area immediately surrounding the 
Lake Belt area in northern Miami-Dade County. Analyses indicate that 
the environmental impacts are closely tied to the number of acres 
proposed to be mined, with alternatives proposing the largest amount of 
mining having the largest environmental impacts for most of the areas 
of concern. The primary discriminators are: Natural cover types and 
wetlands, habitat units, potential impacts to endangered wood storks, 
hydrology, water quality, and socioeconomics. A mitigation plan has 
been evaluated that could offset many of the potential environmental 
impacts including seepage.

    Dated: April 30, 2009.
Donald W. Kinard,
Deputy Chief, Regulatory Division.
[FR Doc. E9-10611 Filed 5-6-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-92-P