[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 229 (Tuesday, November 29, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 85944]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-28730]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers


Withdrawal of Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Proposed Lower Passaic River Ecosystem Restoration 
Project, Essex, Hudson, Passaic, and Bergen Counties, NJ: Feasibility 
Phase

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

ACTION: Notice of Intent; Withdrawal.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District (NY 
District), is withdrawing its intent to prepare a Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) for the Study. The Notice of Intent to prepare 
the Draft EIS was published in the Tuesday, December 28, 2004 issue of 
the Federal Register (69 FR 77744).

ADDRESSES: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District, Planning 
Division, Environmental Analysis Branch, 26 Federal Plaza, Room 2151, 
New York, NY 10278-0090.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Diana Kohtio, Project Biologist, at 
[email protected] or 917.790.8619.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, NY 
District published a notice of intent to prepare a Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement in the December 28, 2004 issue of the Federal Register 
(FR Doc. 2004-28332). In an effort to streamline work in early 2015, 
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District, consolidated 
multiple parallel USACE ecosystem restoration feasibility studies into 
the Hudson Raritan Estuary Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study 
(HRE) Study.
    This streamlining is consistent with the Civil Works Transformation 
Initiative and Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Risk Informed, Timely 
(SMART) Planning principles, and maximizes efficiencies, resources and 
benefits. The other feasibility studies include:
     HRE--Lower Passaic River Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility 
Study;
     HRE--Hackensack Meadowlands Ecosystem Restoration 
Feasibility Study;
     Flushing Creek and Bay Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility 
Study;
     Bronx River Basin Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study;
     Jamaica Bay, Marine Park, Plumb Beach Ecosystem 
Restoration Feasibility Study.
    As such, a Draft EIS is no longer necessary. Each Feasibility Study 
was at a different stage prior to the decision to consolidate into the 
HRE Feasibility Report/Environmental Assessment (FR/EA). The planning 
was conducted independently with their non-federal sponsor and resulted 
in the selection of specific recommendations within each watershed. 
These combined efforts resulted in the recommendations included in the 
broader HRE FR/EA. The HRE FR/EA will be prepared and circulated for 
review by agencies and the public. The New York District invites 
participation and consultation of agencies and individuals that have 
special expertise, legal jurisdiction, or interest in the preparation 
of the draft environmental assessment. Comments received, including the 
names and addresses of those who comment, will be considered part of 
the public record for this proposal. As a result of the process, if it 
is determined that the project may have significant impacts, the EIS 
process will be reinitiated and a NOI published.

Peter Weppler,
Chief, Environmental Analysis Branch.
[FR Doc. 2016-28730 Filed 11-28-16; 8:45 am]
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