[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 138 (Thursday, July 18, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34382-34383]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-15296]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Collier County Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction 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 nearshore areas of Collier County, Florida, from hurricanes and 
other 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 Mr. 
David Schulte, 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: David Schulte, (757) 201-7007.

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 Section 4033 of the Water Resources Development Act of 
2007 (Pub. L. 110-114), whereby the Secretary shall conduct a study to 
determine the feasibility of carrying out a project for hurricane and 
storm damage reduction and flood damage reduction in the vicinity of 
Vanderbilt, Park Shore, and Naples beaches, Collier County Florida. 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 beach berms and dunes, floodwalls with gates, storm 
surge barriers, groins, seawalls, buyouts/elevations of buildings, wet 
and/or dry flood-proofing of buildings, and nature-based features 
potentially including mangrove restoration, oyster and/or coral reef 
restoration, and seagrass restoration.
    USACE is the lead federal agency and Collier 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

[[Page 34383]]

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 
Collier County, Florida.

Susan L. Conner,
Chief, Planning and Policy, Norfolk District USACE.
[FR Doc. 2019-15296 Filed 7-17-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P