[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 27 (Friday, February 8, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 2835]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-01469]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
Implementing Test Releases From Fort Peck Dam, Montana

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(NEPA), as amended, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Omaha 
District, intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
for implementing test flow releases from Fort Peck Dam, Montana, 
intended to benefit the federally endangered pallid sturgeon 
(Scaphirynchus albus).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tiffany Vanosdall, U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers at (402) 995-2695 or by email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the January 19, 2018 amendment to the 
October 30, 2017 Biological Assessment (BA) for the Operation of the 
Missouri River Mainstem Reservoir System, the Operation and Maintenance 
of the Bank Stabilization and Navigation Project, the Operation of the 
Kansas River Reservoir System, and the Implementation of the Missouri 
River Recovery Management Plan (MRRMP), the USACE proposed, among other 
things to work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the 
Missouri River Recovery Implementation Committee (MRRIC) to ``review 
previous information and information generated since the effects 
analysis to formulate test flow releases from Fort Peck Dam and an 
adaptive management framework for their implementation.'' This 
commitment was relied upon by the USFWS in its 2018 Biological Opinion 
(BiOp) finding that the USACE's proposed action is `not likely to 
jeopardize' pallid sturgeon. The EIS will document the formulation and 
evaluation of test-flow alternatives from Fort Peck Dam intended to 
benefit pallid sturgeon.
    The EIS scoping period will extend from February 8, 2019 through 
March 11, 2019. Public comments are invited to assist in identifying 
the scope of potentially affected environmental, social, and economic 
issues relevant to the proposed Federal action and determining 
reasonable alternatives to be considered in the EIS.
    In-person public scoping meetings will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 
7:30 p.m. on:
     Tuesday, February 19 at the Fort Peck Interpretive Center, 
Yellowstone Road, Fort Peck, Montana 59223.
     Wednesday, February 20 at the Williams County 
Administrative Building, 206 East Broadway, Williston, North Dakota 
58801.
    Scoping comments can be given in writing at the in-person scoping 
meetings or can be emailed to: [email protected].
    Scoping comments can also be mailed to: U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, Omaha District, ATTN: CENWO-PM-AC-Fort Peck EIS, 1616 
Capitol Avenue, Omaha, NE 68102.
    Please note that before including your address, phone number, email 
address, or any other personal identifying information in your comment, 
you should be aware that your entire comment--including your personal 
identifying information--may be made available to the public at any 
time. While you can request us to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, was cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.
    People needing special assistance to attend and/or participate in 
the meetings should contact: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha 
District, ATTN: CENWO-PM-AC, 1616 Capitol Ave, Omaha, NE 68102 or email 
[email protected]. To allow sufficient time to process 
special requests. Please contact no later than one week before the 
public meeting.

Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2019-01469 Filed 2-7-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3720-58-P