[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 13 (Friday, January 18, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4137-4138]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-01043]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Notice for the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study 
(GLMRIS)

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Chicago District has 
posted on http://glmris.anl.gov/documents/interim/anscontrol/screening/index.cfm aquatic nuisance species (ANS) Controls that can be used to 
prevent the transfer of algae, crustaceans, fish and plants via aquatic 
pathways. USACE is announcing a comment period to allow for the 
submission of information on available ANS Controls for these organism 
types.
    In a December 8, 2010 notice of intent, Federal Register Notice (75 
FR 76447), USACE announced it will prepare a feasibility report and an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for GLMRIS. GLMRIS is a 
feasibility study of the range of options and technologies that could 
be applied to prevent ANS transfer between the Great Lakes and 
Mississippi River basins through aquatic pathways. USACE is conducting 
GLMRIS in consultation with other federal agencies, Native American 
tribes, state agencies, local governments and non-governmental 
organizations. For additional information regarding GLMRIS, please 
refer to the project Web site http://glmris.anl.gov.
    This notice announces a comment period during which USACE is asking 
the public to submit (i) information on ANS Controls that may be 
effective at preventing the transfer of fish, algae, crustaceans and 
plants in the CAWS but are missing from the USACE's lists of ANS 
Controls, or (ii) comments regarding the identified ANS Controls.

DATES: USACE will be accepting public comments through February 21, 
2013. Please refer to the ``ANS Control Screening Comment Period '' 
section below for details on the information USACE is seeking during 
this comment period and instructions on comment submittal.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or 
questions about GLMRIS, please contact USACE, Chicago District, Project 
Manager, Ms. Nicole Roach, by mail: USACE, Chicago District, 111 N. 
Canal, Suite 600, Chicago, IL 60606, or by email: 
[email protected].
    For media inquiries, please contact 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 email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. Background. USACE is conducting GLMRIS in consultation with 
other federal agencies, Native American tribes, state agencies, local 
governments and non-governmental organizations. For GLMRIS, USACE will 
explore ANS Controls that could be applied to prevent ANS transfer 
between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins through aquatic 
pathways. In the Aquatic Nuisance Species of Concern White Paper http://glmris.anl.gov/documents/ans/index.cfm, USACE, in collaboration with 
our stakeholders, identified ANS of Concern and their corresponding 
organism types. These ANS of Concern and organism types were the 
initial focus of GLMRIS for the Chicago Area Waterway (CAWS). USACE 
identified over 90 options and technologies to prevent the transfer of 
the ANS of Concern via aquatic pathways http://glmris.anl.gov/documents/interim/anscontrol/index.cfm. The ANS Controls include, but 
are not limited to, hydrologic separation of the basins, modification 
of water quality or flow within a waterway, chemical application to 
ANS, collection and removal of ANS from a waterway, as well as other 
types of controls currently in research and development.
    As part of the ongoing analysis and in collaboration with state and 
federal agencies, USACE refined the organism types warranting further 
consideration to the following: algae, crustaceans, fish and plants. 
Additionally, USACE in collaboration with governmental agencies and 
organizations screened the list of ANS Controls per organism type and 
has posted them for public review at http://glmris.anl.gov/documents/interim/anscontrol/screening/index.cfm.
    USACE will formulate plans using of one or more of the screened ANS 
Controls in consideration of four criteria: completeness, 
effectiveness, efficiency, and acceptability. USACE will evaluate the 
effects of the alternative plans.
    USACE is conducting GLMRIS in accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (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. ANS Control Screening Comment Period. The screened ANS Controls 
are found at http://glmris.anl.gov/documents/interim/anscontrol/screening/index.cfm. This notice announces a comment period during 
which USACE is asking the public to submit (i) information on ANS 
Controls that may be effective at preventing the transfer of fish, 
algae, crustaceans and plants in the CAWS but are missing from these 
lists, or (ii) comments regarding the identified ANS Controls.
    The comment period runs through February 21, 2013, and comments may 
be submitted in the following ways:
     GLMRIS project Web site: Use the web form found at 
www.glmris.anl.gov through February 21, 2013;
     Mail: Mail written information to GLMRIS ANS Control 
Screening, 111 N. Canal, Suite 600, Chicago, IL 60606. Comments must be 
postmarked by February 21, 2013; and

[[Page 4138]]

     Hand Delivery: Comments may be hand delivered to the 
USACE, Chicago District office located at 111 N. Canal St., Suite 600, 
Chicago, IL 60606 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Comments must be 
received by February 21, 2013.

    Authority: This action is being undertaken pursuant to the Water 
Resources and Development Act of 2007, Section 3061, Pub. L. 110-
114, 121 STAT. 1121, and NEPA of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq., as 
amended.

    Dated: January 10, 2013.
Roy J. Deda,
Deputy for Project Management, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Chicago 
District.
[FR Doc. 2013-01043 Filed 1-17-13; 8:45 am]
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