[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 246 (Friday, December 21, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 75622]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-30847]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement for Development of a Long-Term Sediment Management Plan of 
the Mount St. Helens Sediment Retention Structure in the North Fork 
Toutle River

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, Portland District, intends 
to prepare a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS) 
to assess impacts associated with alternatives for the long-term 
management of the existing Mount St. Helens (MSH) Sediment Retention 
Structure (SRS) located at river mile 13.2 of the North Fork Toutle 
River. The MSH SRS is a single-purpose structure constructed in 1987-
1989 to trap and control downstream movement of volcanic sediments 
eroding from the debris avalanche of Mount St. Helens. The purpose of 
the long-term management of the existing MSH SRS is to continue to 
provide flood damage reduction benefits to downstream communities along 
the Cowlitz River including Longview, Kelso, Castle Rock, and 
Lexington, Washington.

DATES: A Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement is expected 
to be available for public review and comment in 2013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Tim Kuhn, at the U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers, Portland District, P.O. Box 2946, Portland, OR 97204, by 
phone at 503-808-4752 or email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Announcement is made by the U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers, Portland District (Corps), that a DSEIS will be developed 
to address environmental changes that have occurred since the original 
EIS was published in December 1984. The Water Resources Development Act 
of 2000, Section 339, authorized the Corps to maintain the flood damage 
reduction benefits through the end of the Mount St. Helens project 
planning period, which is 2035. The originally authorized work is 
described in the October 1985 report of the Chief of Engineers titled, 
Mount St. Helens, Washington, Decision Document (Toutle, Cowlitz, and 
Columbia Rivers), published as House Document No. 135, 99th Congress. 
Continued work on the Mount St. Helens project will be accomplished 
under the existing open construction project that was authorized in 
August 1985. The State of Washington is the non-federal sponsor of the 
project, and cost-sharing requirements are outlined in a 1986 Local 
Cooperation Agreement between the Department of the Army and State of 
Washington and Cowlitz County diking districts.
    Scoping Process: a. The Corps of Engineers invites affected 
Federal, State, and local agencies, Native American tribes, and other 
interested organizations and individuals to participate in the 
development of the DSEIS. The Corps of Engineers anticipates conducting 
a public scoping meeting for this DSEIS in early 2013. The exact date, 
time, and location of this meeting have not yet been determined. This 
information will be publicized once the meeting arrangements have been 
made. The Corps will provide notice to the public of additional 
opportunities for public input on the SEIS during review periods for 
the draft and final SEIS.
    b. Significant issues to be analyzed in depth in the DSEIS include 
alternatives for managing estimated volumes of sediment (sediment decay 
rate), potential impacts to fish and wildlife, and potential impacts to 
tributaries of the North Fork Toutle River, associated wetlands, and 
potential impacts to downstream waterways including the Cowlitz River.
    c. The Corps will serve as the lead Federal agency in preparation 
of the DSEIS. The Corps intends to coordinate and/or consult with 
Federal and State agencies, as well as interested Native American 
Tribes during the scoping and preparation of the DSEIS. A decision will 
be made during the scoping process whether other agencies and/or Tribes 
will serve in an official role as Cooperating Agencies.

    Dated: December 7, 2012.
John W. Eisenhauer,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Commander.
[FR Doc. 2012-30847 Filed 12-20-12; 8:45 am]
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