[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 91 (Wednesday, May 12, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26709-26710]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-11227]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service


Clarke County Water Supply Project, Clarke County, IA

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a revised Environmental Impact 
Statement.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969; the Council on Environmental Quality Guidelines (40 
CFR part 1500); and the Natural Resources Conservation Service 
Guidelines (7 CFR part 650); the Natural Resources Conservation 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture gives notice that a revised 
environmental impact statement is being prepared for the Clarke County 
Water Supply Project, Clarke County, Iowa.

[[Page 26710]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Sims, State Conservationist, 
or Marty Adkins, Assistant State Conservationist for Planning, 210 
Walnut Street, Room 693, Des Moines, IA 50309-2180, telephone: 515-284-
4769.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare the 
first Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was published in the Federal 
Register on April 19, 2006. A combined draft Watershed Plan and 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was completed in February 2009 and 
reviewed with local citizens on February 26, 2009, at the Clarke County 
Fairgrounds. The draft Plan and EIS was posted in the Federal Register 
on March 6, 2009, for public and interagency review. Comments were 
received until April 20, 2009.
    During the consideration of public and interagency comments by NRCS 
information related to water supply demand requirements for permitting 
by the State was discovered. This information effectively lowered the 
water supply project target from 3.2 mgd to 2.2 mgd. This lowered 
target made the consideration of site 3.5 (in addition to site 4B) 
possible and required to meet Federal water resource planning 
requirements. An additional potential site (Site 5) was also identified 
for evaluation.
    As a result of these findings, Richard Sims, NRCS State 
Conservationist, has determined that the preparation and review of a 
revised combined watershed plan and environmental impact statement 
(EIS) is needed for this project. The Army Corp of Engineers, United 
States Fish and Wildlife Service, Environmental Protection Agency and 
Iowa Department of Natural Resources have been formally requested to be 
cooperating agencies. Formal responses to these requests are pending.
    This project involves the development of a plan for agricultural 
water management (rural water supply), public recreation, public fish 
and wildlife, and watershed protection near Osceola in southern Iowa. 
The Clarke County Water Supply project area is 18,360 acres. It is 
located northwest of Osceola from the headwaters of the Squaw Creek 
Watershed to the confluence of the South Squaw Creek Watershed.
    An open house informational meeting was held in Osceola on December 
1, 2004, to initiate the planning process and obtain public input. 
State and federal agencies, private organizations, and local 
individuals were invited to a scoping meeting on March 15, 2006. The 
public input received from these meetings and at meetings of the Clarke 
County Reservoir Commission was considered as the first draft 
Environmental Impact Statement was developed. The same scoping meeting 
information will be used for the revised combined watershed plan and 
environmental impact statement (EIS). The periodic meetings of the 
Commission as well as individual member sponsor meetings are open to 
the public and have provided opportunity for citizen input.
    The revised draft EIS will evaluate three potential multiple-
purpose structures that provide for rural water supply and water based 
recreational opportunities. Additionally, sediment basins that reduce 
agricultural pollutants to the lake will be evaluated.
    The Clarke County Water Supply Watershed Project Revised Draft EIS 
will be developed and published in the Federal Register with a target 
date of June 1, 2010. A 45-day comment period will be available for the 
public to provide comments. A 30-day comment period will be available 
following publication of the final EIS. A meeting will be held in the 
Osceola area near the date of the revised draft EIS publication to 
inform the public about the revised draft watershed plan-EIS and to 
obtain comments. A notice will be published in the Federal Register 
with a specific date, time, and location of this meeting.
    The revised draft watershed plan-EIS will be prepared and 
circulated for review by agencies and the public and a notice of the 
availability of the Draft EIS published in the Federal Register. The 
Natural Resources Conservation Service invites participation and 
consultation of public agencies, any affected Indian tribe, and 
individuals who have special expertise, legal jurisdiction, or interest 
in providing data for consideration in preparing the revised draft EIS. 
Comments and other input received will be considered in plan 
development. Further information on the proposed action may be obtained 
from Marty Adkins, Assistant State Conservationist for Planning, at the 
above address or telephone number.
    This Federal Register Notice will also be available at the Iowa 
NRCS Web site at http://www.ia.nrcs.usda.gov. A map of the Clarke 
County Water Supply proposed study sites will also be posted.

    Dated: May 4, 2010.
Richard Sims,
State Conservationist.
[FR Doc. 2010-11227 Filed 5-11-10; 8:45 am]
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