[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 241 (Monday, December 18, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60032-60034]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-27194]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-6072-N-01]


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for the NDRC Ohio Creek Watershed Project in Norfolk, 
Virginia

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and 
Development, HUD.

ACTION:  Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Commonwealth of Virginia, through the Virginia Department 
of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), is providing notice of its 
intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Ohio 
Creek Watershed Project located in the City of Norfolk, Virginia. The 
proposed project was developed as part of Virginia's application for 
assistance through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 
(HUD) under the National Disaster

[[Page 60033]]

Resilience Competition (NDRC). NDRC's objectives through the 
competition are to support innovative resilience projects at a local 
level. This Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS represents the beginning 
of the public scoping process. Following the scoping meeting referenced 
below, a Draft EIS will be prepared and ultimately circulated for 
public comment.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information please contact 
Traci Munyan, Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, 
Resiliency Program Manager, 600 East Main Street, Suite 300 Richmond, 
Virginia 23219; telephone number 804-371-7059, fax number 804-371-7093 
or by email at: [email protected]. A public scoping 
meeting will be held for this EIS on February 21, 2018 from 5:30 until 
7:30 p.m. at the Grandy Village Learning Center, located at 2971 
Kimball Loop Norfolk, VA 23504. The meeting will be proceeded by a 
notice of public meeting published in local news media at least 15 days 
prior to the meeting date. The scoping meeting will provide an 
opportunity for the public to learn more about the project and to 
provide input on the environmental process. During the meeting, an 
overview of the project will be provided as well as details on concept 
development.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Ohio Creek Watershed Project, located in 
the City of Norfolk, was selected by HUD through the NDRC process and 
awarded Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) 
funding. The proposed action is subject to compliance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) because federal CDBG-DR funds 
would be used for design and construction. The Commonwealth of 
Virginia, acting through the Virginia Department of Housing and 
Community Development (DHCD), is the responsible entity assuming 
environmental responsibility for the Ohio Creek Watershed Project in 
accordance with HUD regulations at 24 CFR 58.1(b)(1) and 58.2(a)(7)(i).
    This Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS is given in accordance with 
the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations at 40 CFR parts 
1500-1508, and represents the beginning of the public scoping process 
outlined in 40 CFR 1501.7. Following the scoping meeting referenced 
above, a Draft EIS will be prepared and circulated for public comment. 
The Draft EIS will be circulated to the general public, as well as 
groups and government agencies that have been identified as having 
particular interest in the Proposed Project. A Notice of Availability 
will be published in local media outlets at that time in accordance 
with HUD and CEQ regulations.
    The Ohio Creek Watershed project is located in Norfolk, Virginia. 
It is bounded by the Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River to the 
south, the Interstate 264 area to the north, the Norfolk Southern 
railway to the east and a shipyard along with South Brambleton to the 
west. Due to its geographic position, Norfolk is faced with the threat 
of sea level rise. Nuisance flooding from high tides and rain events is 
becoming more frequent and the risk of inundation from storm surges is 
increasing. Compounding this threat is a high rate of subsidence. The 
Ohio Creek NDR project will pursue a multi-faceted, long-term approach 
to increase safety and resiliency by building coastal defense 
structures, improving stormwater management, raising critical access 
roads and infrastructure.
    The proposed project consists of an innovative holistic regional 
resiliency approach that extends beyond infrastructure to encompass 
community and economic development. This approach is called ``thRIVe: 
Resilience In Virginia'' whose core goals are to Build Water Management 
Solutions, Strengthen Vulnerable Neighborhoods and Improve Economic 
Vitality. When combined, these goals are intended to Create Coastal 
Resilience and Unite the Region. Design components of the proposed 
project consist of: (1) Coastal protection to include a living 
shoreline and berm, (2) Stormwater management to include raised roads 
and tide gates, pump stations, bioswales, permeable pavers, rain 
barrels, and subsurface cisterns, (3) Landscape and Community Amenities 
to include corridor improvements for multi-modal transit, public pier 
for river access, stormwater parks to include amenities such as sports 
fields, playgrounds and fitness stations.
    Several project elements have been selected to move to the next 
level of design. Design elevations of integrated coastal flood 
protection elements have been established to reduce inundation risk 
from 100-year events, including nor'easters, hurricanes and extreme 
tides with a projected sea level rise of +2.5 feet. These elements 
(berms, living shorelines, etc.) will be aligned to reduce risk for the 
maximum number of buildings and infrastructure that are most 
susceptible to coastal inundation.
    Stormwater and tides are impounded by existing land bridges within 
the project site that result in flooding in the surrounding 
neighborhoods. Integration of tide gate structures into the coastal 
flood protection and raised roadways will maintain ecological function 
to wetlands while protecting the neighborhood from tidal flooding 
events. Ballentine Boulevard and Kimball Terrace are the only two 
vehicular access routes into the project area and they are both subject 
to storm surge flooding and nuisance flooding. Additionally, several 
roads within the community are impassable during heavy rain or high 
tides due to their low elevation or poor drainage. Raising these 
critical roads is a key component of the proposed project. Many of the 
roads will need to be raised to various elevations to work in 
conjunction with the coastal protection elements. Upgrades to the 
subsurface drainage systems as well as construction of coastal flood 
protection will necessitate the need for pump stations to discharge 
stormwater into the Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River. Drainage 
system upgrades and additional water storage areas aim to reduce the 
number of pump stations needed.
    Reducing flooding during 10-year rain events is also a principal 
project goal. Installation of a coastal protection and closing the 
drainage system to the tides necessitates finding opportunities to 
slow, store, and infiltrate stormwater. Street interventions are 
designed to reduce flooding risk, minimize pumping requirements, 
demonstrate green infrastructure techniques, increase pedestrian access 
and safety, and beautify neighborhoods. Ballentine Boulevard connects 
the neighborhood from the river northward to the larger city. A TIDE 
light rail station is located north of the I-264 underpass and provides 
connection to the city's light rail system. The Ballentine Boulevard 
corridor functions as a connector at both a neighborhood and a city 
scale making it a prime location for the expansion of multi-modal 
transportation opportunities. The corridor also allows for 
opportunities to demonstrate innovative stormwater strategies through 
the use of bioswales along sidewalks, permeable pavers at the edge of 
streets, in parking lanes and at intersections. Improvements to the 
corridor would create continuous and improved sidewalk conditions, 
allowing for both pedestrian and cyclist access from the I-264 
underpass to the Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River, terminating in 
a public pier. Corridor improvements tie into proposed stormwater parks 
to provide increased recreational and educational opportunities. 
Stormwater parks incorporate bioswale plantings with

[[Page 60034]]

native water plants located in areas where the swale can be expanded to 
help slow and filter stormwater runoff before it reaches the Eastern 
Branch of the Elizabeth River. Though stormwater parks will be designed 
to maximize storage, they can also be educational and created in a way 
that serves as a destination for Norfolk residents by providing premier 
opportunities for outdoor sports, play, and fitness for citizens of all 
ages.
    Alternatives to the Proposed Action: Consistent with the Council on 
Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR 1502.14) implementing NEPA, 
the EIS will examine a range of reasonable alternatives to the proposed 
project that are potentially feasible. As required by NEPA, the 
alternatives will be evaluated at the same level of detail as the 
proposed project. As a result of the scoping efforts to date, the 
alternatives currently proposed for evaluation in the EIS include:
    (1) No Project/Action Alternative. This required alternative would 
evaluate the environmental impacts if the proposed project were not 
constructed and existing conditions remain unchanged.
    (2) Preferred Alternative. The alternative attaining the most 
objectives of the project that can be accomplished while also 
substantially lessening significant environmental effects.
    (3) Two other alternatives (to be identified) based on input 
received during the scoping process and feasible project alternatives 
that avoid or minimize significant environmental effects.
    Probable Environmental Effects: The following topics have been 
identified for analysis in the EIS for probable environmental effects: 
coastal zone management, contamination and toxic substances, floodplain 
management, historic preservation, noise abatement and control, 
wetlands protection, environmental justice, hazards and nuisances (site 
safety and noise), vibration, and transportation and accessibility.
    Lead Agency: For purposes of complying with NEPA and in accordance 
with HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58, the Commonwealth of Virginia, 
acting through the Virginia Department of Housing and Community 
Development, is the Lead Agency and Responsible Entity assuming 
environmental responsibility for the Ohio Creek Watershed Project. 
Questions may be directed to the individual named in this notice under 
the heading FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Dated: December 12, 2017.
Neal J. Rackleff,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-27194 Filed 12-15-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4210-67-P