[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 235 (Wednesday, December 8, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76447-76449]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-30820]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Notice of Intent to Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS), Initiate the Public Scoping Period and Host Public 
Scoping Meetings for the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin 
Study (``GLMRIS''); Correction, Clarification, Extension of the Public 
Scoping Period and Announcement of Additional Public Scoping Meeting 
Locations

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Reference the Notice of Intent published in the Federal 
Register on Tuesday, November 16, 2010, Volume 75, number 220, pages 
69983-5. This notice contains corrections and clarifications to this 
November 16, 2010 notice, extends the public comment period and 
identifies additional locations for the GLMRIS public scoping meetings. 
The corrections are typographical errors found in the ``Scoping and 
Involvement'' section of the November 16, 2010 notice (75 FR 69983). 
Among the clarifications is information related to the timeframe of on-
line registration for those wanting to make an oral comment at a public 
meeting, as well as the benefit of registering on-line. The 
registration process is found in the ``Scoping and Involvement'' 
section of the November 16, 2010 notice (75 FR 69983). For convenience, 
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of the November 16, 2010 notice 
(75 FR 69983) has been reprinted with corrections, clarifications, and 
new text announcing the locations where USACE will host scoping 
meetings and the extension of the public scoping period.

DATES: The public scoping period to be held pursuant the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq. (NEPA) has 
been extended from February 28, 2011 to March 31, 2011. The first NEPA 
public scoping meeting for GLMRIS is scheduled for December 15, 2010 in 
Chicago, Illinois. The dates of the remaining public meetings have not 
been finalized. Once final, these dates will be posted in a subsequent 
Federal Register notice. Please refer to the ``Scoping and Public 
Involvement'' section below for information regarding the public 
scoping meetings and instructions on how to submit public comments.

[[Page 76448]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or 
questions about GLMRIS, please contact USACE, Chicago District, Project 
Manager, Mr. David Wethington, by mail: USACE, Chicago District, 111 N. 
Canal, Suite 600, Chicago, IL 60606, or by e-mail: 
[email protected].
    For media inquiries, please contact the USACE, Chicago District, 
Public Affairs Officer, Ms. Lynne Whelan, by mail: USACE, Chicago 
District, 111 N. Canal, Suite 600, Chicago, IL 60606, by phone: 
312.846.5330 or by e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. Background. An aquatic nuisance species (ANS) is a nonindigenous 
species that threatens the diversity or abundance of native species or 
the ecological stability of infested waters, or commercial, 
agricultural, aquacultural or recreational activities dependent on such 
waters. See 16 U.S.C. 4702(1) (2010).
    As a result of international commerce, travel and local practices, 
ANS have been introduced throughout the Mississippi River and Great 
Lakes basins. These two basins are connected by man-made channels that, 
in the past, exhibited poor water quality, which was an impediment to 
the transfer of organisms between the basins. Now that water quality 
has improved, these canals allow the transfer of both indigenous and 
nonindigenous invasive species.
    USACE, in consultation with other Federal agencies, Native American 
Tribes, State agencies, local governments and non-governmental 
organizations, is conducting this feasibility study. For GLMRIS, USACE 
will explore options and technologies, collectively known as ANS 
controls, that could be applied to prevent ANS transfer between the 
basins through aquatic pathways. Potential ANS controls may include, 
but are not limited to, hydrologic separation of the basins, waterway 
modifications, selective barriers, etc.
    USACE will conduct a comprehensive analysis of ANS controls and 
will analyze the effects an ANS control or combination of ANS controls 
may have on current uses of: (1) The Chicago Area Waterway System 
(CAWS), the only known continuous aquatic pathway between the Great 
Lakes and Mississippi River basins; and (2) other aquatic pathways 
between these basins. For the CAWS, current waterway uses include, but 
are not limited to: Flood risk management; commercial and recreational 
navigation; recreation; water supply; hydropower; and conveyance of 
effluent from wastewater treatment plants and other industries. 
Additionally, this study will identify mitigation measures or 
alternative facilities necessary to offset and address impacted 
waterway uses and current significant natural resources.
    GLMRIS will be conducted in accordance with NEPA and with the 
Economic and Environmental Principles and Guidelines for Water and 
Related Land Resource Implementation Studies, Water Resources Council, 
March 10, 1983.
    2. Scoping and Public Involvement. USACE will accept comments 
related to GLMRIS until March 31, 2011. Note, USACE will only consider 
comments that disclose the first name, last name and zip code of the 
commenter.
    All forms of comments received during the scoping period will be 
weighted equally. Using input obtained during the scoping period, USACE 
will refine the scope of GLMRIS to focus on significant issues, as well 
as eliminate issues that are not significant from further detailed 
study.
    Comments may be submitted in the following ways:
     GLMRIS project Web site: Use the Web comment function 
found at http://glmris.anl.gov;
     NEPA Scoping Meeting: USACE is hosting scoping meetings 
and asks those who want to make oral comments to register on the GLMRIS 
project Web site at http://glmris.anl.gov. Those registering to make 
oral comments through the project Web site may be given a preference 
over those that register to make oral comments at the meeting. The on-
line registration for each individual meeting will close (1) day prior 
to that meeting date. Each individual wishing to make oral comments 
shall be given three (3) minutes, and a stenographer will document oral 
comments;
     Mail: Mail written comments to GLMRIS Scoping, 111 N. 
Canal, Suite 600, Chicago, IL 60606. Comments must be postmarked by 
March 31, 2011; and
     Hand Delivery: Comments may be hand delivered to the 
Chicago District, USACE office located at 111 N. Canal St., Suite 600, 
Chicago, IL 60606 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Comments must be 
received by March 31, 2011.
    At the scoping meetings, USACE will provide informational materials 
about the study's authorities and USACE study process. The meetings 
will begin with a brief presentation regarding the study followed by an 
oral comment period. During the meeting, USACE will also collect 
written comments on comment cards and computer terminals.
    The first public scoping meeting is scheduled from 12 p.m. to 7 
p.m. on Wednesday, December 15, 2010 at the Gleacher Center, located at 
450 North Cityfront Plaza Drive, Chicago, IL 60611. Please see the 
GLMRIS project Web site at http://glmris.anl.gov for more information 
regarding the meeting and if you wish to make an oral comment.
    In addition to Chicago, Illinois, USACE will host NEPA scoping 
meetings in the following metropolitan areas: Buffalo, New York; 
Cleveland, Ohio; St. Paul, Minnesota; Green Bay, Wisconsin; Traverse 
City, Michigan; Cincinnati, Ohio; Ann Arbor, Michigan; St. Louis, 
Missouri; Vicksburg, Mississippi. Specific meeting places and dates 
will be announced in a subsequent Federal Register notice, the GLMRIS 
project Web site, electronic media and news releases. For more 
information on NEPA scoping and study information, please visit the 
GLMRIS project Web site at http://glmris.anl.gov.
    Comments received during the scoping period will be posted on the 
GLMRIS project Web site and will become a part of the EIS. You may 
indicate that you do not wish to have your name or other personal 
information made available on the Web site. However, USACE cannot 
guarantee that information withheld from the Web site will be 
maintained as confidential. Requests for disclosure of collected 
information will be handled through the Freedom of Information Act. 
Comments and information, including the identity of the submitter, may 
be disclosed, reproduced, and distributed. Submissions should not 
include any information that the submitter seeks to preserve as 
confidential.
    If you require assistance under the Americans with Disabilities 
Act, please contact Ms. Lynne Whelan via e-mail at 
[email protected] or phone at (312) 846-5330 at least seven 
(7) working days prior to the meeting to request arrangements.
    3. Significant Issues. Issues associated with the proposed study 
are likely to include, but will not be limited to: Significant natural 
resources such as ecosystems and threatened and endangered species, 
commercial and recreational fisheries; current recreational uses of the 
lakes and waterways; ANS effects on water users; effects of potential 
ANS controls on current waterway uses such as flood risk management, 
commercial and recreational navigation, recreation, water supply, 
hydropower and conveyance of effluent from wastewater treatment plants 
and other industries; and statutory and legal responsibilities relative 
to the lakes and waterways.

[[Page 76449]]

    4. Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. 
Availability of the Draft EIS is contingent upon sufficient allocation 
of funding for the study. Draft EIS availability will be announced to 
the public in the Federal Register in compliance with 40 CFR 1506.9 and 
1506.10.
    5. Authority. This action is being undertaken pursuant to the Water 
Resources and Development Act of 2007, Section 3061, Public Law 110-
114, 121 STAT. 1121, and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 
42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq., as amended.

     Dated: December 1, 2010.
Susanne J. Davis,
Chief Planning Branch, Chicago District, Corps of Engineers.
[FR Doc. 2010-30820 Filed 12-7-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P