[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 235 (Monday, December 8, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72621-72622]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-28673]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 235 / Monday, December 8, 2014 / 
Notices  

[[Page 72621]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service

[Docket No. NRCS-2014-0014]


Notice of Intent for the East Locust Creek Watershed Revised 
Plan, Sullivan County, Missouri

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA); as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the 
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, as lead federal agency, will prepare a Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the East Locust Creek 
Watershed Revised Plan (ELCWRP), Sullivan County, Missouri, involving 
the proposed construction of a multi-purpose reservoir. The purpose of 
this supplement is to address changes which have occurred since the 
NRCS prepared the East Locust Creek Watershed Revised Plan and 
Environmental Impact Statement in 2006. The SEIS will update the 
original EIS with more recent relevant environmental information and 
expand the alternatives analysis beyond those previously considered. 
The SEIS will evaluate reasonable and practicable alternatives and 
their expected environmental impacts.

ADDRESSES: To be included on the mailing list for review of the SEIS, 
all requests should be submitted to Mr. Harold Deckerd, USDA-Natural 
Resources Conservation Service, Parkade Center, Suite 250, 601 Business 
Loop 70 West, Columbia, Missouri 65203-2585.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Harold Deckerd, NRCS Missouri 
State Office, by email: [email protected], by regular mail 
(see ADDRESSES), or by telephone: 573-876-0912.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NRCS in cooperation with the North 
Central Missouri Regional Water Commission (NCMRWC) and the U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers (Corps) will prepare a SEIS for the East Locust 
Creek Watershed Revised Plan in Sullivan County, Missouri authorized 
pursuant to the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act, Public 
Law 83-566, (16 U.S.C. 1001-1008). The NRCS has determined that 
additional analysis is required and that the purposes of the National 
Environmental Policy Act would be furthered through the preparation of 
the SEIS. The Corps will be a cooperating agency in the preparation of 
the SEIS. The SEIS will consider all reasonable and practicable 
alternatives to meet the purpose and need for the federal action. The 
SEIS will assess the potential social, economic, and environmental 
impacts of the project, and will address federal, state, and local 
regulatory requirements along with pertinent environmental and socio-
economic issues. The SEIS will analyze the direct, indirect, and 
cumulative effects of the proposed action. The Federal SEIS process 
begins with the publication of this Notice of Intent.
    1. Background: The 79,490-acre East Locust Creek Watershed is 
located in north-central Missouri approximately 30 miles west of 
Kirksville in Sullivan County with small portions of the watershed in 
neighboring Putnam and Linn Counties. East Locust Creek is a tributary 
to Locust Creek which drains to the Grand River and the Missouri River.
    The Sullivan and Putnam County Commissions and the Sullivan and 
Putnam County Soil and Water Conservation Districts initially applied 
for federal watershed planning assistance in the East Locust Creek 
Watershed in 1974. Missouri governor Christopher Bond approved their 
application that same year. The U.S. Soil Conservation Service (later 
renamed and hereafter referred to as NRCS) collected pre-authorization 
planning data and analyzed the East Locust Creek Watershed as part of 
the larger Northern Missouri River Tributaries Study. East Locust Creek 
Watershed planning was authorized in March 1984 and NRCS began planning 
activities under the authority of the Watershed Protection and Flood 
Prevention Act of 1954, Public Law 83-566, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1001-
1008). NRCS completed the East Locust Creek Watershed Plan-
Environmental Assessment in 1986. The plan recommended one large and 
120 small dams to reduce soil erosion and flood damages. A Finding of 
No Significant Impact (FONSI) was published in the Federal Register on 
July 17, 1986. Local sponsors signed the Watershed Agreement in 
November 1986 and assistance for installation was authorized in August 
1987.
    The Missouri Drought Plan (Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources, 
2002) places Sullivan County and surrounding counties in a region 
classified as having ``severe surface and groundwater supply drought 
vulnerability.'' Underlying bedrock geology severely limits groundwater 
quality and availability. Recognizing the regional need for a 
dependable water supply, the Locust Creek Watershed Board in November 
2000 requested NRCS study a potential supplement to the 1986 East 
Locust Creek Watershed Plan-Environmental Assessment to include a 
public water supply reservoir. The NCMRWC was formed in 2001 with 
assistance from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources ``to 
provide an abundant source of low-cost, pure, quality water for the 
residents of North Central Missouri.'' The NCMRWC immediately became a 
local sponsor of the planning effort. NRCS began planning activities 
following authorization in July 2003. NRCS issued a Notice of Intent to 
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement in September of 2004. NRCS 
completed the East Locust Creek Watershed Revised Plan and 
Environmental Impact Statement (ELCWRP) in March 2006 and announced a 
Record of Decision to proceed with installation in September 2006. The 
ELCWRP found the present water supply systems for the neighboring ten-
county region are inadequate and experience pressures from drought 
conditions. In addition, the ELCWRP documented annual flood damages to 
crop and pasture land, fences, roads and bridges. The ELCWRP

[[Page 72622]]

also identified the need for additional water-based recreational 
opportunities in the surrounding area. The project has not been 
installed because sufficient funding has not been available. 
Installation of the proposed action will result in temporary and 
permanent impacts to jurisdictional waters of the United States 
requiring a Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 404 permit. The Corps has not 
issued a Section 404 permit for this project. Potential impacts of all 
reasonable and practicable alternatives will be updated and analyzed in 
the SEIS in compliance with Section 404(b)(1) of the CWA.
    2. Proposed Action: The proposed federal action as presented in the 
2006 EIS includes one approximately 2,235-acre multiple-purpose 
reservoir on East Locust Creek, a water intake structure, a raw water 
line, fish and wildlife habitat enhancement and water-based 
recreational facilities. The purpose of the proposed federal action is 
to: Provide approximately 7.0 million gallons per day of raw water 
supply to meet the projected 50-year usage demand for the ten counties 
served by the NCMRWC; provide approximately 72,000 annual water-based 
recreational user-days and provide an approximate 22% reduction in 
annual flood damages in the 16.3 miles of East Locust Creek floodplain 
between the reservoir and the confluence with Locust Creek.
    3. Alternatives: The SEIS will evaluate environmental impacts of 
the following alternatives and any other action alternatives identified 
that may be reasonable and practicable: (1) Creation of a multi-purpose 
reservoir; (2) a range of reasonable alternatives to meet the overall 
project purposes and needs; and (3) the no-action alternative. The SEIS 
will identify the National Economic Development (NED) alternative, 
which is the alternative with the greatest net economic benefit 
consistent with protecting the Nation's environment and document the 
estimated direct, indirect and cumulative impacts of the proposed 
action and alternatives on the environment.
    4. Scoping: In developing the 2006 ELCWRP, numerous scoping 
meetings were held to gather public input and keep the community 
informed on the status of project planning activities. Several 
community surveys and interviews were conducted to gather information, 
and periodic news articles were published to update local citizens. 
Problems identified through the scoping process include:
     Inadequate rural water supply in the 10-county Green Hills 
Region
     Annual flood damages to crops, pastures, fences and 
infrastructure
     Unmet demand for water-based recreational facilities.
    NEPA procedures do not require additional public scoping meetings 
for the development of a SEIS and none are planned at this time. 
Comments received from Federal, State or local agencies, Native 
American Tribes, non-governmental organizations, and interested 
citizens will be used to assist in the development of the Draft and 
Final SEIS (See ADDRESSES above to submit comments).
    5. Public Involvement: The NRCS invites full public participation 
to promote open communication and better decision-making. All persons 
and organizations with an interest in the ELCWRP are urged to comment. 
Public comments are welcomed and opportunities for public participation 
include submitting comments to the NRCS: (1) During the development of 
the Draft SEIS, (2) during the review and comment period upon 
publishing the Draft SEIS; and (3) for 30 days after publication of the 
Final SEIS. Distribution of the comments received will be included in 
the Administrative Record without change and may include any personal 
information provided unless the commenter indicates that the comment 
includes information claimed to be confidential business information.
    6. Other Environmental Review and Coordination Requirements: The 
Corps will be a cooperating agency in the preparation of the SEIS. The 
NRCS as the lead federal agency will continue to coordinate with other 
agencies and entities throughout the NEPA process including: The 
NCMRWC, Missouri Department of Natural Resources (Section 401, Historic 
Preservation and Dam Safety), Missouri Department of Conservation, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service and USEPA. The Draft SEIS will address 
project compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including 
NEPA, CWA, Endangered Species Act, and the National Historic 
Preservation Act.
    7. Permits or Licenses Required: The proposed federal action would 
require a CWA Section 404 permit from the Corps. The project would also 
require certification by the State of Missouri, Department of Natural 
Resources, under Section 401 of the CWA, that the project would not 
violate state water quality standards. A land disturbance permit issued 
by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources under Section 402 of 
the CWA (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit) would 
be required. Construction and Safety Permits issued by the Missouri Dam 
and Reservoir Safety Program would also be required.
    8. Availability of Draft SEIS: The draft SEIS is estimated to be 
complete and available for public review in 2016.

(This activity is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic 
Assistance under NO. 10.904, Watershed Protection and Flood 
Prevention, and is subject to the provisions of Executive Order 
12372, which requires intergovernmental consultation with State and 
local officials.)

    Dated: November 25, 2014.
J.R. Flores,
State Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-28673 Filed 12-5-14; 8:45 am]
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