[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 62 (Thursday, March 31, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18601-18602]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-07283]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for The 
Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility Study

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

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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[[Page 18602]]

SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) intends to prepare a 
Draft Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Impact Statement 
(DIFR-EIS) for the Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility 
Study. This study will identify and evaluate the feasibility of 
developing a comprehensive plan for flood risk management, hurricane 
and storm risk management, and ecosystem restoration for the coastal 
areas of the State of Texas. The study will focus on providing for the 
protection, conservation, and restoration of wetlands, barrier islands, 
shorelines, and related lands and features that protect critical 
resources, habitat, and infrastructure from the impacts of coastal 
storms, hurricanes, erosion, and subsidence. This notice announces the 
USACE's intent to determine the scope of the issues to be addressed and 
for identifying the significant resources related to a proposed action.

DATES: Comments on the scope of the DIFR-EIS will be accepted through 
May 9, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Scoping comments may be sent by electronic mail to: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Galveston District Public Affairs 
Office at 409-766-3004 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. Authority. The Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration 
Feasibility Study is authorized under Section 4091, Water Resources 
Development Act (WRDA) of 2007, Public Law 110-114, to develop a 
comprehensive plan to determine the feasibility of carrying out 
projects for flood risk management, hurricane and storm risk 
management, and ecosystem restoration in the coastal areas of the State 
of Texas.
    2. Proposed Action. The study will identify critical data needs and 
recommend a comprehensive strategy for reducing coastal storm flood 
risk through structural and nonstructural measures that take advantage 
of natural features like barrier islands and storm surge storage in 
wetlands. Structural alternatives to be considered include improvements 
to existing systems (such as existing hurricane protection projects at 
Port Arthur, Texas City, Freeport, and Lynchburg, and seawalls at 
Galveston, Palacios, Corpus Christi, North and South Padre Island), and 
the creation of new structural plans for hurricane storm risk 
management. Ecosystem restoration alternatives to be considered include 
estuarine marsh restoration, beach and dune restoration, rookery island 
restoration, oyster reef restoration, and seagrass bed restoration. The 
study will evaluate potential benefits and impacts of the proposed 
action including direct, indirect and cumulative effects to the human, 
water and natural environments that balance the interests of flood risk 
management, hurricane and storm risk management, and ecosystem 
restoration purposes for Texas and the Nation.
    3. Scoping. In August, 2014, early scoping meetings were held in 
League City, Palacios, Corpus Christi, and the City of South Padre 
Island, Texas. Comments were received for 30 days following the last 
scoping meeting. Additional input from Federal, state and local 
agencies, Indian tribes, and other interested private organizations and 
parties is being solicited with this notice. The USACE requests public 
scoping comments to: (a) Identify the affected public and agency 
concerns; (b) identify the scope of significant issues to be addressed 
in the DIFR-EIS; (c) identify the critical problems, needs, and 
significant resources that should be considered in the DIFR-EIS; and 
(d) identify reasonable measures and alternatives that should be 
considered in the DIFR-EIS. A Scoping Notice announcing the USACE's 
request for public scoping comments will be sent via electronic mail to 
affected and interested parties. Scoping comments are requested to be 
sent by May 9, 2016.
    4. Coordination. Further coordination with environmental agencies 
will be conducted under the National Environmental Policy Act, the Fish 
and Wildlife Coordination Act, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, 
the National Historic and Preservation Act, the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act, and the Coastal Zone 
Management Act under the Texas Coastal Management Program.
    5. Availability of DIFR-EIS. The DIFR-EIS will be available for 
public review and comment in July 2018.

    Dated: March 23, 2016.
Richard P. Pannell,
Colonel, U.S. Army, Commanding.
[FR Doc. 2016-07283 Filed 3-30-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3720-58-P