[Federal Register: May 21, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 97)]
[Notices]
[Page 28520]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21my07-73]
[[Page 28520]]
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INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER COMMISSION, UNITED STATES AND MEXICO
United States Section; Notice of Availability of a Final
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for Flood
Control Improvements: International Dam to Riverside Diversion Dam
Levee Segment within the Rio Grande Rectification Project, located in
El Paso County, TX
AGENCY: United States Section, International Boundary and Water
Commission (USIBWC), United States and Mexico.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of Final Environmental Assessment (EA)
and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969; the Council on Environmental Quality Final
Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500 through 1508); and the United States
Section's Operational Procedures for Implementing Section 102 of NEPA,
published in the Federal Register September 2, 1981, (46 FR 44083); the
United States Section hereby gives notice that the Final Environmental
Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for Flood Control
Improvements: International Dam to Riverside Diversion Dam Levee
Segment within the Rio Grande Rectification Project, in El Paso County,
Texas are available.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gilbert Anaya, Supervisory
Environmental Protection Specialist; Environmental Management Division;
United States Section, International Boundary and Water Commission;
4171 N. Mesa, C-100; El Paso, Texas 79902. Telephone: (915) 832-4702,
e-mail: gilbertanaya@ibwc.state.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The United States Section of the
International Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC) has prepared this
Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed action to raise the
levee system within the reach from International Dam to Riverside
Diversion Dam. The levee system under consideration for this EA,
approximately 15-miles long, is located entirely in El Paso County,
Texas. Within this reach the USIBWC identified 8.14 miles of levee
system as one of the priority areas within the Rio Grande Rectification
Project for flood control improvements. The need for improvements to
the levee system was determined by hydraulic modeling completed by the
USIBWC in 2003. The USIBWC hydraulic study for this reach indicated
that an increase in levee height would be required to meet design
criteria for flood protection. An increase from 0.5 to 2.5 feet is
anticipated for an approximate 8.14-mile levee segment.
The Environmental Assessment assesses potential environmental
impacts of the Proposed Action and the No Action Alternative. A Finding
of No Significant Impact was issued for the Proposed Action, including
mitigation measures, based on a review of the facts and analyses
contained in the Environmental Assessment.
FEMA decertification of USIBWC levees in El Paso County, TX and
Dona Ana County, New Mexico, in February 2006, has resulted in the need
to upgrade the levees to FEMA criteria; draft Digital Flood Insurance
Rate Maps will be issued in spring of 2007. The USIBWC plans on raising
approximately 8.14-miles of USIBWC levees within the city limits of El
Paso to meet the minimum 3 feet of freeboard criteria. This will enable
USIBWC to partially certify the reach from American Dam to Riverside
Dam in the Rio Grande Rectification Project before the end of calendar
year 2007.
Availability: Electronic copies of the Final EA and FONSI are
available from the USIBWC Home Page at http://www.ibwc.state.gov.
Dated: May 15, 2007.
Susan Daniel,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. E7-9736 Filed 5-18-07; 8:45 am]
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