[Federal Register: June 21, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 120)]
[Notices]               
[Page 42240-42241]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21jn02-35]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers

 
Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for a Continuing Authorities Section 205 Flood Damage 
Reduction Project Along Irondequoit and Allen Creeks at Panorama Valley 
in the Town of Penfield, Monroe County, NY

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Buffalo District, 
State and local interests have resumed assessment/evaluation of a flood 
damage reduction project along Irondequoit and Allen Creeks in Panorama 
Valley in the Town of Penfield, Monroe County, NY. A Draft and Final 
Feasibility Report and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) were 
previously prepared and coordinated for a project in 1981. The project 
was deferred due to lack of local funding. The current recommended plan 
consists of a combination of measures including: levees, floodwalls 
(setback from the creek, as possible), several non-structural measures, 
internal drainage measures, and environmental consideration/measures.

ADDRESSES: Correspondence should be addressed to: Mr. Tod Smith, U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers, 1776 Niagara Street, Buffalo, NY 14207-3199.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Tod Smith at (716) 879-4175.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority

    The proposed project is authorized under Section 205 of the Flood 
Control Act of 1946, as amended, which provides the Corps authority to 
assist local sponsors with small flood damage reduction projects.

Proposed Action

    The current recommended plan consists of a combination of measures 
including: levees, floodwalls, several non-structural measures, and 
internal drainage measures. Natural environmental consideration 
measures that are included in the plan are: aligning levees and 
floodwalls setback from the creek, as possible; avoiding any in stream 
activity between September 1st and June 15th; implementing erosion run-
off reduction measures; retaining existing vegetation, as possible; 
planting replacement and additional riparian and upland vegetation; and 
other minor stream environmental improvements.

Alternatives

    Alternative considerations include: No Action; Non-Structural 
Measures (Flood Plain Management, Flood Insurance, Relocations, Flood 
Proofing, etc.); Reservoirs/Wetlands; Diversion Channels; 
Channelization; Channelization and Berms; and Levee/Floodwalls. 
Alternatives are assessed/evaluated from engineering, economic, and 
environmental (physical/natural, social/community, cultural resources) 
perspectives.

Scoping Process

    Resumed study scoping letters were coordinated on August 24, 1999, 
October 5, 1999, and January 14, 2000. A number of agency and public 
workshops and meetings have been conducted. A local public meeting was 
held at the Penfield Town Hall on February 15, 2000.

Significant Issues

    The initial public response to the current study was substantial. 
Many interests indicated the project should be looked at from a 
watershed perspective and that all interests be involved, and that 
natural restoration measures should be considered. Many want a 
watershed development management plan. Some are concerned about project 
impacts upstream and downstream of the Panorama Valley area. Others do 
not think that funding should be expended to protect interests which 
are built in a flood prone area; they think flood prone developments 
should move or be moved out of the flood prone areas. Flood prone 
development interest would like to see some form of community 
development flood protection. Most want to see the natural integrity of 
the streams maintained or improved, as possible, for fish and some 
wildlife to be able to continue to utilize and pass through the area.

Scoping Meeting

    Since Federal, State, and local interests have been involved with 
reinitiation of the study and coordination is already being conducted 
and a local public meeting held; no new/additional formal initial 
scoping meeting is scheduled.

[[Page 42241]]

Availability

    It is expected that the Supplemental Draft EIS will be made 
available to the agencies and public about October 2002.

Luz D. Ortiz,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 02-15716 Filed 6-20-02; 8:45 am]
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