[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 131 (Tuesday, July 9, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56348-56349]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-14985]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Feasibility Report and 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Collier County Coastal Storm 
Risk Management Project, Collier County, Florida

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) plans to prepare a draft 
Integrated Feasibility Study and Environmental Impact Statement (IFR/
EIS) for the Collier County Coastal Storm Risk Management Study. This 
study will investigate the feasibility of managing coastal storm risks 
to nearshore areas of Collier County, Florida, from hurricanes and 
other storms with their associated wind, storm surge, and coastal 
flooding. This notice announces USACE's intent to determine the scope 
of the issues to be addressed and identify the significant issues 
related to a proposed action.

DATES: Scoping comments may be submitted until August 8, 2024.

ADDRESSES: The public is invited to submit National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) scoping comments to Mrs. Kathy Hanes, Department of 
the Army, USACE Norfolk District at Fort Norfolk, 803 Front St., 
Norfolk, VA 23510 or via email: [email protected]. The 
project title, USACE-CW Planning-NAD/SAD-NAO-476674, and the 
commenter's contact information should be included with submitted 
comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mrs. Kathy Hanes, (757) 201-7218.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: USACE is issuing this notice pursuant to 42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq., as implemented by the Council on Environmental 
Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508) and 54 U.S.C. 300101 et 
seq., as implemented by Advisory Council on Historic Preservation 
regulations (36 CFR part 800). The study authority is provided in 
Section 4033 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (Pub. L. 
110-114), which authorizes a study to determine the feasibility of 
carrying out a project for hurricane and storm risk management and 
flood risk management in the vicinity of Vanderbilt, Park Shore, and 
Naples beaches, Collier County, Florida. The greater Study Area 
includes the nearshore, shoreline, back bays, connecting waters, and 
inland areas within the jurisdictional boundary of Collier County, 
Florida. The Study Area also includes any material borrow areas located 
within Federal waters of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) not within 
Collier County. The focused Study Area is separated into four different 
Planning Areas to help stream-line plan formulation and numeric 
modeling exercises. The four separable Planning Areas (PAs) are (1) 
North County Beaches, (2) Naples, (3) Goodland, and (4) Marco Island. 
Additionally, and not limited to only within these PAs, is analysis and 
inclusion of risk management measures for Critical Infrastructure.
    The study will investigate the feasibility of addressing storm and 
flood risks to vulnerable populations, property, infrastructure, and 
ecosystems along coastlines in Collier County, and develop and evaluate 
various alternatives aimed at managing those risks and increasing 
coastal resiliency against storm surge.
    Several alternatives are currently being considered, including a no 
action alternative and various combinations of nonstructural measures 
and nature-based solutions for managing risks and damages caused by 
coastal storms in the Study Area in Collier County, Florida. Measures 
being considered include nature-based solutions such as beach 
nourishment berms and vegetated dunes, (sometimes considered ``soft'' 
structural measures), mangrove restoration, and living shorelines; and 
nonstructural measures such as elevations of residences, dry and wet 
flood-proofing of buildings and critical infrastructure, and early 
warning systems.
    Effects to be considered include but are not limited to the 
following: temporary and permanent social effects on disadvantaged or 
underserved communities due to nonstructural measures; potential 
primary or secondary effects on or near nearshore hardbottom resources 
threatened/endangered species, Essential Fish Habitat, and other 
benthic and aquatic resources, water quality, hydraulics and hydrology; 
temporary and or permanent effects on recreational use; effects on 
cultural resources; air quality and greenhouse gas emissions, and other 
relevant social and environmental effects.
    USACE is the lead Federal agency and Collier County is the non-
Federal sponsor for the study effort. The Cities of Naples and Marco 
Island were also invited to participate in regular study coordination 
with Collier County as key stakeholders. Cooperating agencies include 
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Bureau of Ocean Energy 
Management (BOEM), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA). Participating agencies include the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service (USFWS), Advisory Council on Historic Properties 
(ACHP), Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), the 
Florida Department of State Division of Historic Resources (DHR), 
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Florida 
Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), Florida Department of 
Transportation (FDOT), the Seminole Tribe of Oklahoma, the Seminole 
Tribe of Florida, the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians in Florida, and the 
Thlopthlocco Tribal Town.
    USACE anticipates that the following permits will be required: 
water quality certification pursuant to section 401 of the Clean Water 
Act, a Federal consistency determination pursuant to the Coastal Zone 
Management Act (CZMA), and leases from BOEM for use of offshore borrow 
areas. Coordination with environmental agencies will be conducted under 
the Endangered Species Act, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
Act, the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, the National Historic 
Preservation Act, and other Federal and State laws and regulations.
    Public NEPA scoping meetings were held on the following dates: 18 
April 2023 via Zoom; in person on 26 April

[[Page 56349]]

2023; multiple in-person public meetings on 21-22 June 2023; and in-
person community meetings on 16-17 January 2024. Virtual monthly public 
information meetings have been held since July 2023. Federal, State, 
and local agencies, Indian tribes, and the public are invited to 
provide scoping comments on alternatives and effects, including any 
relevant information, studies, or analyses. Scoping comments will be 
accepted until August 8, 2024. All comments received during the scoping 
period are being used to identify additional measures and alternatives, 
significant resources, and impacts that should be considered in the 
EIS. Additional comments received outside the scoping period will be 
considered prior to the Draft EIS public review period, to the extent 
possible. For comments that cannot be addressed prior to the public 
review period, the comments will be included with the public review 
period comments on the draft EIS and addressed at that time.
    Availability of Draft EIS: USACE estimates that the Draft IFR/EIS 
will be available for public review and comment in November 2024. At 
that time, USACE will provide a 60-day public review period for 
individuals and agencies to review and comment. USACE will notify all 
interested agencies, organizations, and individuals of the availability 
of the draft document at that time. A Final IFR/EIS is anticipated in 
late 2025.

Daniel H. Hibner,
Brigadier General, U.S. Army, Commanding.
[FR Doc. 2024-14985 Filed 7-8-24; 8:45 am]
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