[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 137 (Monday, July 20, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35167-35168]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-17167]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the C-111 Spreader Canal Western Project Located in 
Miami-Dade Counties, FL

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 Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) 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 Further Contact Information and 
must be received no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday, 
August 17, 2009.

ADDRESSES: The Final EIS can be viewed online at http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Divisions/Regulatory/InterestItems.htm. Copies 
of the Final EIS are also available for review at the following 
libraries: Miami-Dade Public Library, Homestead Branch, 700 N. 
Homestead Blvd., Homestead, FL 33030. Miami-Dade Public Library, Main 
Branch, 101 West Flagler Street, Miami, FL 33130.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Alisa Zarbo, Project Manager, U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, 4400 PGA Boulevard, 
Suite 500, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410, Telephone: 561-472-3516, 
Fax: 561-626-6971.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The South Florida Water Management District 
(SFWMD) proposes to construct the C-111 Spreader Canal Western Project 
in Miami-Dade County. The project addresses the need to restore 
ecosystem function in Taylor Slough and Florida Bay within the 
Everglades National Park, the adjacent Southern Glades, the Model Land, 
and other associated wetlands and estuarine systems. The SFWMD 
anticipates that this proposed project will become an authorized 
Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) project, and that it 
will receive credit for the early construction of this proposed project 
as the local sponsor. This Final EIS builds upon the draft Project 
Implementation Report (PIR)/EIS that has already been released to the 
public under the CERP and the Regulatory program. As such, this EIS 
includes numerous discussions of compliance with CERP requirements. 
While not critical to the Department of the Army permit decision, this 
information provides more context than a typical EIS and also details 
about USACE planning policy.
    The C-111 Spreader Canal Western Project is essential to achieving 
restoration of Taylor Slough and downstream areas within the affected 
areas in the Everglades National Park, the Model Land and the Southern 
Glades area, and plays an integral role in meeting the CERP system-wide 
ecosystem restoration goals and objectives. Structural and operational 
changes will be implemented to improve the quantity, timing, and 
distribution of water delivered to Florida Bay via Taylor Slough, as 
well as improve hydroperiods within the wetlands of the Southern Glades 
and Model Land. Hydroperiods and hydropatterns within the wetlands of 
the Southern Glades and Model Land will be improved by the construction 
of a new operable water control structure in the lower C-111 Canal, 
incremental operational changes at existing structure S-18C, changes in 
operations at the existing S-20 structure, construction of a plug at 
existing structure S-20A, and the installation of ten earthen plugs in 
the C-110 Canal. As a result of the construction and operation of the 
C-111 Spreader Canal Western project, approximately 200.73 acres (in 
total) of wetlands and waters of the United States would be permanently 
impacted and 39.98 acres (in total) of wetlands and waters of the 
United States would be temporarily impacted as a result of the 
placement of fill material, excavation, and/or flooding. In addition, 
approximately 149.26 acres of atypical wetlands (agricultural) would be 
impacted by excavation, then inundated with water. The SFWMD would need 
to obtain a U.S. Department of the Army permit from the USACE pursuant 
to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. This final Environmental Impact 
Statement evaluates the environmental effects of seven alternatives, 
including the

[[Page 35168]]

SFWMD's preferred alternative and the No Action Alternative.

    Dated: July 10, 2009.
David Hobbie,
Chief, Regulatory Division.
[FR Doc. E9-17167 Filed 7-17-09; 8:45 am]
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