[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 83 (Friday, April 29, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25656-25657]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-10002]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


City of Norfolk Flood Risk Management Study NEPA Scoping Meeting 
and Public Comment Period

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

ACTION: Notice of Intent/NEPA Scoping meeting and public comment 
period.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the requirements of section 102(2)(C) of the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 
4321-4370, as implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality 
Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
(USACE) plans to prepare a Feasibility Study with an integrated 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate environmental impacts 
from reasonable project alternatives and to determine the potential for 
significant impacts related to reduce future flood risk in ways that 
support the long[hyphen]term resilience and sustainability of the 
coastal ecosystem and surrounding communities due to sea level rise, 
local subsidence and storms, and to reduce the economic costs and risks 
associated with large[hyphen]scale flood and storm events in the City 
of Norfolk, Virginia.

DATES: Scoping comments may be submitted until June 30, 2016.

ADDRESSES: The public is invited to submit NEPA scoping comments at the 
meeting and/or submit comments to Mr. David Schulte, Department of the 
Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk District, Fort Norfolk, 803 
Front St., Norfolk, VA 23510 or via email: 
[email protected]. The project title and the commenter's 
contact information should be included with submitted comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Schulte, (757) 201-7007.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Historical storms have impacted the City of 
Norfolk. In response to these storms, USACE is investigating measures 
to reduce future flood risk in ways that support the long[hyphen]term 
resilience and sustainability of the coastal ecosystem and surrounding 
communities, and reduce the economic costs and risks associated with 
flood and storm events. In support of this goal, USACE completed the 
North Atlantic Coast Comprehensive Study, which identified nine high 
risk areas on the Atlantic Coast for further analysis based on 
preliminary findings.
    The City of Norfolk was identified as one of the nine areas of high 
risk, or Focus Areas, that warrants an in-depth investigation into 
potential coastal storm risk management measures. The Norfolk Focus 
Area is located on the southern shore of the Chesapeake Bay identified 
as one of the highest risk areas for relative sea level rise on the 
Atlantic Coast.
    USACE is the lead federal agency and the city of Norfolk will be 
the non-federal sponsor for the study. The city of Norfolk has 
experienced an accelerating increase in nuisance flooding due to storms 
of varying magnitude, with large storms (nor'easters and hurricanes) 
often causing major flooding in many areas of the City. The most recent 
events that flooded major portions of the City were the November 2009 
Northeaster, and Hurricanes Isabel (2003), Irene (2011), and Sandy 
(2012). The feasibility study will address potential structural and 
non-structural alternatives to mitigate

[[Page 25657]]

impacts from flooding and determining the Federal interest in cost-
sharing for those alternatives.
    As required by Council on Environmental Quality's Principles, 
Requirements and Guidelines for Water and Land Related Resources 
Implementation Studies all reasonable alternatives to the proposed 
Federal action that meet the purpose and need will be considered in the 
EIS. These alternatives will include no action and a range of 
reasonable alternatives for reducing flood risk within the city of 
Norfolk.
    Scoping/Public Involvement. The public NEPA scoping meeting will be 
held on May 25, 2016, from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. It will be held at the Mary D. 
Pretlow Anchor Branch Library 111 W Ocean View Ave, Norfolk, VA 23503. 
Federal, state, and local agencies, Indian tribes, and the public are 
invited to provide scoping comments to identify issues and potentially 
significant effects to be considered in the analysis.

Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-10002 Filed 4-28-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3720-58-P