[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 73 (Monday, April 16, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16346-16347]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-07930]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Corps of Engineers, Department of the Army


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 
For a Central Everglades Planning Project Post Authorization Change 
Report for the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir, Florida

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) has 
prepared a feasibility study and draft environmental documentation 
pursuant to section 203 of WRDA 1986, as amended, and on March 26, 2018 
submitted that study to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil 
Works (ASA(CW)) for review for the purpose of determining whether the 
study, and the process under which the study was developed, comply with 
Federal laws and regulations applicable to feasibility studies of water 
resources development projects. This notice advises the public that the 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), at the direction of the ASA(CW), 
intends to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to 
support the ASA(CW) review of SFWMD's study, a review which is to 
culminate in a report to Congressional Committees. SFWMD has described 
the purpose of the project that is the subject of the feasibility study 
as increasing the amount of water storage, treatment and conveyance in 
the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP) New Water project 
feature. The alternatives SFWMD identified and evaluated for its 
consideration are contained in Sections 3.0 and 4.0 of Volume 1 (Main 
Report) of SFWMD's Central Everglades Planning Project Post 
Authorization Change Report Feasibility Study, available on the SFWMD 
website: https://www.sfwmd.gov/our-work/cerp-project-planning/eaa-reservoir.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action, 
study and environmental documentation can be directed to: Andrew 
LoSchiavo, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, 
Planning and Policy Division, Environmental Branch, P.O. Box 4970, 
Jacksonville, FL 32232-0019. 904-232-2077.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    1. Description of the Action Proposed by SFWMD for execution under 
Federal authority: According to the SFWMD, the SFWMD feasibility study 
reaffirms that the CEPP North and South project features can 
accommodate the additional flows south to the central Everglades that 
would result from additional canal conveyance, storage, and treatment 
wetlands proposed on lands within the Everglades Agricultural Area 
(EAA). Generally, this project would consist of the following:

 10,500-acre reservoir providing 240,000 ac-ft storage
 6,500-acre Stormwater Treatment Area (STA)
 Conveyance improvements to the Miami and North New River 
Canals increased by a total of 1,200 cfs (Miami Canal increased by 
1,000 cfs and North New River Canal increased by 200 cfs)
 Multi-purpose operations as described in SFWMD's study

Please see SFWMD website for additional information on SFWMD's study 
not provided in this NOI: https://www.sfwmd.gov/our-work/cerp-project-planning/eaa-reservoir.
    2. Description of the Reasonable Alternatives Identified by SFWMD: 
The alternatives SFWMD identified and evaluated for its consideration 
are contained in Sections 3.0 and 4.0 of Volume 1 (Main Report) of 
SFWMD's Central Everglades Planning Project Post Authorization Change 
Report Feasibility Study, available on the SFWMD website: https://www.sfwmd.gov/our-work/cerp-project-planning/eaa-reservoir.
    3. Scoping Process: Formal Federal consultation will begin now that 
SFWMD has formally submitted the study and the environmental 
documentation to the ASA(CW) for review in accordance with the 
requirements of section 203 of WRDA 1986, as amended. In accordance 
with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps)

[[Page 16347]]

regulations implementing NEPA (Engineer Regulation 200-2-2), 
feasibility reports for authorization and construction of major 
projects normally require an Environmental Impact Statement. Upon 
receipt of the environmental documentation, the Army has evaluated the 
information submitted to confirm that the SFWMD's recommended plan 
requires an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Since this is a non-
federal study carried out under Section 203, the Army's determinations 
pursuant to section 203 and Environmental Impact Statement for this 
report will describe the results of the review required by Section 
203(b) of the non-federal interest's feasibility study, including a 
determination of whether the project is feasible, any recommendations 
concerning the plan or design of the project, and, any conditions the 
Secretary may require for construction of the project.
    4. The Corps is seeking participation of all interested Federal, 
state, and local agencies, Native American groups, and other concerned 
private organizations or individuals through this 15-day public notice. 
The purpose of the public scoping period is to solicit comments 
regarding the potential impacts, environmental issues, and alternatives 
associated with the study submitted by SFWMD; and provide other 
relevant information. The Corps will not hold public scoping meetings 
as part of this process. The public will have an additional opportunity 
to comment once its DEIS is released, which is anticipated to be in 
2018. The Corps will announce availability of its DEIS in the Federal 
Register and other media, and will provide a review period for the 
public, organizations, and agencies to review and comment on its DEIS. 
All interested parties should respond to this notice and provide a 
current address if they wish to be notified of the DEIS circulation. As 
a part of the SFWMD's project development, routine interagency and 
stakeholder coordination meetings were conducted, providing Federal, 
Tribal, State, and local agencies opportunities to comment on planning 
assumptions, evaluation tools and methods, and alternative plans to 
assist with meeting NEPA public coordination requirements. Upon 
completion of the SFWMD study, it underwent Agency Technical Review and 
Independent External Peer Review, and was made available for review 
March 26, 2018 on the SFWMD website.
    5. It is estimated that the draft environmental impact statement 
will be made available to the public in 2018.

    Dated: April 9, 2018.
Eric Summa,
Chief, Planning and Policy Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
Jacksonville District.
[FR Doc. 2018-07930 Filed 4-13-18; 8:45 am]
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