[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 26 (Friday, February 7, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7428-7429]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-02649]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Missouri River Bed Degradation Feasibility Study, Kansas and 
Missouri, United States

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(NEPA), as amended, the U.S. Army

[[Page 7429]]

Corps of Engineers (USACE), Kansas City District intends to prepare the 
Missouri River Bed Degradation Feasibility Study and Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS). The Feasibility Study will develop and evaluate 
a range of alternatives, including potential impacts to the human 
environment, to address bed degradation, or down cutting, of the 
Missouri River which is negatively impacting critical federal, other 
public and private infrastructure. The study is being conducted under 
Section 216 of the Flood Control Act of 1970 (Pub. L. 91-611). This 
notice announces the scoping process to solicit public comments to 
identify issues related to the proposed project.

ADDRESSES: Written comments can be submitted through March 31, 2014 to 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District, c/o CENWK-PM-PR 
(Degradation Study), 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, MO 64106, or 
electronically at: http://www.marc.org/Environment/Water-Resources/Missouri-Riverbed-Degradation/Get-Involved.aspx.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information or questions 
about the study, please contact Ms. Christina Ostrander, Project 
Manager, by telephone: (816) 389-3143, by mail: 601 E. 12th Street, 
Kansas City, MO, or by electronic mail: 
[email protected]. For inquiries from the media, 
please contact the Corps' Kansas City District Public Affairs Officer, 
Mr. David Kolarik by telephone: (816) 389-3486, by mail: 601 E. 12th 
Street, Kansas City, MO 64106, or by electronic mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Missouri River Bed Degradation 
Feasibility Study is being conducted under Section 216 of the Flood 
Control Act of 1970 (Pub. L. 91-611). This act allows the Corps of 
Engineers to review completed navigation, flood control, and water 
supply projects in which there have been significant changes in the 
physical or economic conditions from the time they were constructed. A 
report is prepared for Congress recommending any modifications to 
improve the project in the overall public interest. The Missouri River 
Bank Stabilization and Navigation Project (BSNP) is currently being 
evaluated as the completed federal project for the Missouri River Bed 
Degradation Feasibility Study under this authority. The BSNP was 
originally authorized by the Rivers and Harbors (RHA) of 1912, and 
modified by subsequent authorizations in 1925, 1927, and 1945. 
Combined, these acts provided a 9-foot deep channel 300-foot wide from 
Sioux City, Iowa to the river mouth near St Louis, Missouri for the 
purpose of navigation. These channel dimensions are maintained by a 
series of dikes, revetments, and sills to create a self scouring 
channel. Water releases from large upstream reservoirs also contribute 
to providing for the authorized channel dimensions.
    In some locations, the bed of the Missouri has been degrading, or 
down cutting, at an accelerated rate beginning in the early 1990s. This 
is negatively impacting critical federal and non-federal infrastructure 
by lowering both the bed and surface water elevations. This is 
particularly evident in the Kansas City reach of the Missouri River, 
extending from river mile 357 to 410. Specifically, bed degradation has 
resulted in an increased cost to maintain and operate the BSNP. 
Additionally, bridges, utility crossings, flood risk management 
structures, and water intake structures have been modified because of a 
lower river bed and water surface. Ground water elevations adjacent to 
the river have also been reduced, impacting water wells. Degradation of 
the river is also creating similar impacts to Missouri River 
tributaries as they degrade to maintain a common bed elevation with the 
Missouri River. Expenses to maintain infrastructure in locations of bed 
degradation are expected to continue into the future if the problem is 
not corrected.
    Scoping: To provide the public with an opportunity to provide input 
on the scope of issues to be addressed and to identify issues related 
to the proposed action, public scoping is being conducted through March 
31, 2014. As part of public scoping, a meeting will be held on March 
11, 2014 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Daylight Savings Time. The meeting 
will be held at the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) located at 600 
Broadway, Kansas City, MO 64105. Driving directions are available at: 
http://www.marc.org/What-is-MARC/Find-Us/Map-and-Parking.
    In addition to complying with NEPA and Corps of Engineers planning 
guidance, scoping will be utilized to partially fulfill National 
Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) Section 106 requirements. Except where 
subject of the confidentiality provision of Section 304 of the NHPA, 
all comments received during scoping will become part of a public 
record and may be included as an appendix to the Final Missouri River 
Bed Degradation Feasibility Study and Environmental Impact Statement. A 
Draft EIS is expected to be circulated for public comment in Spring/
Summer 2015.

Christina Ostrander,
Project Manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District.
[FR Doc. 2014-02649 Filed 2-6-14; 8:45 am]
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