[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 138 (Thursday, July 18, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 34383]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-15292]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Miami-Dade Back Bay Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility
Study
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of Intent/NEPA Scoping meeting and public comment
period.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with all applicable laws and regulations, the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) plans to prepare a Feasibility
Study with an integrated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to
evaluate environmental impacts from reasonable project alternatives to
protect low-lying and flood-prone areas of Miami-Dade County, Florida,
from hurricanes and other coastal storms with their associated wind,
storm surge, and coastal flooding.
DATES: Scoping comments may be submitted until August 23, 2019.
ADDRESSES: The public is invited to submit NEPA scoping comments to Ms.
Carissa Agnese, Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
Norfolk District, Fort Norfolk, 803 Front St., Norfolk, VA 23510 or via
email: [email protected]. The project title and the
commenter's contact information should be included with submitted
comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carissa Agnese, (757) 201-7752.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Applicable laws and regulations are section
102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as
amended, 42 U.S.C. 4321-4370, as implemented by the Council on
Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508). The study
authority is Public Law 84-71, which authorized the examination and
survey of the coastal and tidal areas of the eastern and southern
United States, with particular reference to areas where severe damages
have occurred from hurricane winds and tides. The primary problem is
that existing protection is not adequate to prevent excessive storm
damage and flooding from occurring during major coastal storms. Coastal
flooding is worsening due to climate change induced sea level rise,
which is also amplifying storm surge height. These trends are expected
to continue and worsen due to sea level rise accelerating over time, a
trend already observed in recent decades. Measures being considered
include ringwalls, floodwalls, storm surge barriers, buyouts/elevations
of buildings, wet and/or dry flood-proofing of buildings, relocating
structures and utilities, and nature-based features potentially
including mangrove restoration, oyster and/or coral reef restoration,
and seagrass restoration.
USACE is the lead federal agency and Miami-Dade County will be the
non-federal sponsor for the study. The Study/EIS will address the
primary problem of the increasing storm damage and flooding occurring
and expected to increase in the area by studying all reasonable
alternatives and determine the Federal interest in cost-sharing for
those alternatives.
As required by Council on Environmental Quality's Principles,
Requirements and Guidelines for Water and Land Related Resources
Implementation Studies all reasonable alternatives to the proposed
Federal action that meet the purpose and need will be considered in the
EIS. These alternatives will include no action and a range of
reasonable alternatives for protecting the shoreline and structures in
Miami-Dade County, Florida.
Susan L. Conner,
Chief, Planning and Policy, Norfolk District USACE.
[FR Doc. 2019-15292 Filed 7-17-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P