[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 105 (Friday, May 31, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 25307]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-11394]


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INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER COMMISSION UNITED STATES AND MEXICO


United States Section; Notice of Availability of a Draft 
Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact 
(FONSI) for Aquatic Habitat Restoration in the Rio Grande Canalization 
Project

AGENCY: United States Section, International Boundary and Water 
Commission, United States and Mexico (USIBWC).

ACTION:  Notice.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969; the Council on Environmental Quality Final 
Regulations, and the United States Section, Operational Procedures for 
Implementing Section 102 of NEPA, published in the Federal Register 
September 2, 1981, (the United States Section hereby gives notice that 
the Draft Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact 
for Aquatic Habitat Restoration in the Rio Grande Canalization Project 
is available. An Environmental Impact Statement will not be prepared 
unless additional information which may affect this decision is brought 
to our attention within 30 days from the date of this Notice.

DATES: Public Comments: USIBWC will consider substantive comments from 
the public and stakeholders for 30 days after the date of publication 
of this NOA in the Federal Register.
    Please note all written and email comments received during the 
comment period will become part of the public record, including any 
personal information you may provide. Before including your address, 
phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information 
in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--
including your personal identifying information--may be made publicly 
available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold 
your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so. All submissions from 
organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying 
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or 
businesses, will be made available for public disclosure in their 
entirety.
    Public Hearing: USIBWC will be conducting a public hearing on June 
12, 2019, 5 to 7 p.m., Las Cruces City Hall, 2nd Floor, Conference Room 
2007B, 700 N. Main Street, Las Cruces, NM 88001.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to: Elizabeth Verdecchia, Natural 
Resources Specialist, USIBWC, 4171 N. Mesa, C-100; El Paso, Texas 
79902. Telephone: (915) 832-4701, Fax: (915) 493-2428, email: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elizabeth Verdecchia, Natural 
Resources Specialist, USIBWC, 4171 N. Mesa, C-100; El Paso, Texas 
79902. Telephone: (915) 832-4701, Fax: (915) 493-2428, email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Background: The USIBWC is identifying aquatic habitat restoration 
projects within the Rio Grande Canalization Project (RGCP). On June 4, 
2009, the USIBWC issued a Record of Decision (ROD) on the long-term 
management of the RGCP. The ROD committed the USIBWC to the restoration 
of aquatic and riparian habitat at up to 30 sites over 10 years 
(through 2019).
    The purpose is to identify, design, and implement aquatic habitat 
restoration sites to satisfy USIBWC's commitment for aquatic habitat in 
the 2009 ROD. Restoration actions could include invasive vegetation 
removal, native vegetation planting, overbank lowering, bank cuts, 
natural levee breaches, secondary channels, bank destabilization, 
channel widening, arroyo mouth management, construction of inset 
floodplains, and use of supplemental water for on-site irrigation.
    The EA evaluates potential impacts of eight alternatives, including 
the No Action Alternative and the following sites: Yeso Arroyo, 
Angostura Arroyo, Broad Canyon Arroyo, Selden Point Bar, Las Cruces 
Effluent, Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park, and Downstream of 
Courchesne Bridge. Under the Preferred Alternative, USIBWC would 
implement up to four sites (Broad Canyon Arroyo, Selden Point Bar, Las 
Cruces Effluent, and Downstream of Courchesne Bridge). Permits would be 
required from the United States Army Corps of Engineers for dredge and 
fill of Waters of the United States, per the Clean Water Act Sections 
404 and 401. Alternatives Las Cruces Effluent and Downstream of 
Courchesne Bridge would require engineering designs prior to 
construction, while Alternatives Broad Canyon Arroyo and Selden Point 
Bar, which are smaller and less complicated projects, could be 
constructed from conceptual designs.
    Potential impacts on natural, cultural, and other resources were 
evaluated in the Draft EA. A FONSI has been prepared for the Preferred 
Alternatives, based on a review of the facts and analyses contained in 
the Draft EA.
    Availability: The electronic version of the Draft EA is available 
at the USIBWC web page: https://www.ibwc.gov/EMD/EIS_EA_Public_Comment.html.

    Dated: May 24, 2019.
Matt Myers,
Chief Legal Counsel, International Boundary and Water Commission, 
United States Section.
[FR Doc. 2019-11394 Filed 5-30-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-03-P