[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 86 (Friday, May 5, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21202-21203]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-09146]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

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


Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Dam 
Safety Modification Report, Bluestone Dam, Hinton, Summers County, WV

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

ACTION: Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement--Public and 
agency comment period.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Huntington District has prepared 
a

[[Page 21203]]

Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement (SFEIS) to disclose 
potential impacts to the natural, physical, and human environment 
resulting from modifications to Bluestone Dam. The original EIS was 
published in 1998 and a Record of Decision (ROD) was signed in 1999 
concluding the NEPA process allowing the Corps to initiate 
implementation of the Bluestone Dam Safety Assurance (DSA) Project. 
When completed, the current modifications under construction will 
strengthen the dam's stability and allow for increased discharge 
capacity through the use of hydropower penstocks substantially reducing 
risk. However, physical modeling and expert analysis conducted during 
project construction indicated the downstream bedrock is vulnerable to 
an unacceptable degree of erosion during high flow events. The Corps 
has also recognized potential for unacceptable erosion associated with 
overtopping of areas of the dam not designed to be overtopped. After a 
full consideration of alternatives to achieve acceptable risk levels, 
this SFEIS recommends implementing modifications to the existing 
stilling basin to prevent scour that could result in spillway 
instability and thus dam failure. Proposed modifications include 
alteration to the existing stilling basin to include installation of a 
protective concrete apron and larger baffles among other features 
described in the SFEIS. This SFEIS also addresses the impacts 
associated with prolonged construction duration of modification 
features described in the original EIS and ROD.

DATES: The review period will be open from May 1, 2017 to May 30, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments concerning this proposed project to 
Rebecca Rutherford, Chief, Environmental Analysis Section, Planning 
Branch, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntington District, 502 Eighth 
Street, Huntington, WV 25701-2070. Telephone: 304-399-5924. Electronic 
mail: [email protected]. Requests to be placed on the 
mailing list should also be sent to this address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    1. Authority: Bluestone Dam and Reservoir was authorized by 
Executive Order (EO) 7183 in 1935 and the Flood Control Acts of 1936 
and 1938 for the purposes of flood control, low flow augmentation, and 
hydroelectric power development. The purposes were later expanded to 
include recreational activities under the Flood Control Act of 1944 and 
fish and wildlife enhancement under the Fish and Wildlife Coordination 
Act (FWCA) of 1958.
    2. Background: a. Guidance for this study is provided in USACE 
Engineer Regulation (ER) 1110-2-1156 (October 2011). This guidance 
details agency policy and procedures for the study and implementation 
process addressing dam safety issues.
    b. Bluestone Lake is a multipurpose component of the Kanawha River 
basin system which provides for flood control, recreation, hydropower 
development, low flow augmentation, and fish and wildlife enhancement. 
The project began operation in 1949 and helps control a 4,600 square 
mile drainage area.
    c. The ROD, signed in 1999, completed the NEPA process for the DSA 
project permitting the Huntington District to begin detailed design and 
subsequent construction of the recommended alternative which included a 
13 foot cantilever wall on top of the dam, an additional concrete 
monolith on the east abutment, a floodgate closure across WV Rt. 20, 
removable closures at each end of the spillway, high strength anchors 
placed into the dam itself, massive concrete blocks placed against the 
downstream face of the dam, and a pavement for scour protection 
downstream of the hydropower penstocks. The majority of the ongoing 
construction on these measures will continue through the year 2019. The 
ROD for this work anticipated construction would be completed 2005.
    d. Physical modeling and expert analysis conducted during project 
construction has shown the downstream bedrock is vulnerable to erosion 
during high flow events as a result of deficiencies with the current 
stilling basin configuration. This potential erosion creates an 
unacceptable level of risk according to guidelines established in ER 
1110-2-1156, under which this study is being conducted.
    e. The SFEIS and Dam Safety Modification report (DSMR) have 
considered the structural integrity of the dam, its ability to 
accommodate flood waters as well as transportation, noise, terrestrial, 
aquatic, economic, environmental justice and cultural resource issues 
associated with the performance of the dam. The SFEIS and DSMR has 
recommended any modifications necessary to ensure the long-term safe 
performance of the structure as originally intended.
    f. Modifications to meet current acceptable risk guidelines per ER 
1110-2-1156 proposed include, alteration to the existing stilling basin 
to include installation of a protective concrete apron and larger 
baffles among other features described in the SFEIS. The No Action 
alternative will also be considered. As required by NEPA and Corps 
planning guidance, the No Action alternative will form a benchmark from 
which alternatives are evaluated and compared.
    3. Public Participation: a. The SFEIS will be made available to the 
public for thirty (30) days for review and comment. A Notice of 
Availability will be advertised in affected area newspapers informing 
the general public about the SFEIS public review period. The SFEIS and 
draft final ROD can be viewed at: http://www.lrh.usace.army.mil/Missions/PublicReview.aspx. Copies of the SFEIS and draft final ROD may 
be obtained by contacting the Huntington District Office of the U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers at (304) 399-5924 (See ADDRESSES). All persons 
and organizations that have an interest in the Bluestone Dam Project 
are urged to participate in this SFEIS review and comment period. Upon 
the close of the comment period, USACE will consider all comments.
    4. Schedule: The Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement 
is scheduled to be released for public review and comment on or about 
May 1, 2017.

Rebecca A. Rutherford,
Chief, Environmental Analysis Section, Planning Branch.
[FR Doc. 2017-09146 Filed 5-4-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3720-58-P