[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 57 (Friday, March 23, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17036-17037]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-7039]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Revised Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Bogue Banks Coastal Storm Damage Reduction 
Feasibility Study, in Carteret County, NC

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

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Wilmington District 
(Corps) intends to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(DEIS) to evaluate the impacts of the proposed alternatives to reduce 
coastal storm damages from beach erosion on Bogue Banks North Carolina. 
The Bogue Banks study area is located on the coast of North Carolina, 
about 80 miles north of Wilmington, North Carolina. This area

[[Page 17037]]

is at risk from hurricanes and winter storms, which regularly erode the 
shoreline, causing damage to structures and environmental resources. 
The proposed Bogue Banks Coastal Storm Damage Reduction (CSDR) 
Feasibility Study will evaluate several alternatives. These 
alternatives may include restoration of berms and dunes, with 
stabilizing vegetation on dunes, removal and/or relocation of 
structures, and the no-action alternative. The potential project area 
may be up to 24 miles in length, from Beaufort to Bogue Inlets. The 
potential benefits from the proposed project include storm damage 
reduction to structures and their related infrastructure (i.e., roads, 
utility lines, etc.), improved aesthetic and recreation opportunities, 
and improved habitat conditions for endangered species.
    The DEIS is being prepared in accordance with the requirements of 
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and 
will address the relationship of the proposed action to other 
applicable Federal and State Laws and Executive Orders.

DATES: The earliest the DEIS will be available for public review would 
be October 2013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and DEIS can be answered by Mr. Eric Gasch, Environmental Resources 
Section; U.S. Army Engineer District, Wilmington; 69 Darlington Avenue, 
Wilmington, North Carolina 28403; telephone: (910) 251-4553; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. Previous Notice of Intent (NOI) publication. This notice is a 
revision of a previously published notice in the Federal Register on 
February 8, 2002, (67 FR 6015) to prepare a DEIS and is prepared in 
response to the significant amount of time which has passed since that 
NOI.
    2. Authority. Studies are being conducted pursuant to a 
congressional resolution concerning Bogue Banks. Primary study emphasis 
is directed toward CSDR measures for the beaches of Bogue Banks. The 
authorizing resolution states:

    Resolution Adopted July 23, 1998 by the United States House of 
Representatives:
    Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
of the United States House of Representatives, that the Secretary of 
the Army is requested to review the report of the Chief of Engineers 
dated November 27, 1984, on Bogue Banks and Bogue Inlet, North 
Carolina, and other pertinent reports, to determine whether any 
modifications of the recommendations contained therein are advisable 
at the present time in the interest of shore protection and related 
purposes for Bogue Banks, North Carolina.

    3. Significant Issues. Significant environmental resources to be 
addressed in the DEIS include, but are not limited to: (1) Endangered 
and threatened species; (2) Marine and estuarine resources; (3) Upland 
beach and dune resources; (4) Fish and wildlife and their habitats; (5) 
Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) and Cape Fear Sandy Shoals; (6) Water and 
air quality; (7) Socioeconomic resources; (8) Cultural resources; and 
(9) Hazardous Toxic Radioactive Waste.
    4. Scoping. All private parties and Federal, State, and local 
agencies having an interest in the study are hereby notified of the 
study and are invited to comment at this time. A scoping letter 
requesting input to the study was sent to all known interested parties 
on December 29, 1999. Considering the duration of time that had past 
since the initial scoping effort, a second scoping letter will be 
prepared.
    Based on project comments received to date, a scoping meeting will 
not be needed. However, if significant comments are received in 
response to this updated NOI and Scoping letter, a scoping meeting will 
be scheduled. All comments received as a result of this NOI and the 
scoping letter will be considered in the preparation of the DEIS.
    5. Alternatives. The alternatives for this project will include the 
no action, and others currently being evaluated.
    6. Cooperating Agencies. The Corps is the lead agency for this 
project. Cooperating agency status has been initiated with the Bureau 
of Ocean Energy Management since the offshore limits of the proposed 
borrow area extend into the Outer Continental Shelf.

Steven A. Baker,
Colonel, U.S. Army District Commander.
[FR Doc. 2012-7039 Filed 3-22-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P