[Federal Register: January 24, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 15)]
[Notices]
[Page 3117-3118]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24ja07-50]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the
Combined Structural and Operational Plan, Broward and Miami-Dade
Counties, FL
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The Jacksonville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(Corps), intends to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement
(DEIS) for the Combined Structural and Operational Plan (CSOP) for the
Central and Southern Florida Project, WCA-3A and B and the South Dade
Conveyance System. The study is a cooperative effort between the Corps,
Everglades National Park (ENP), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS),
and South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD).
[[Page 3118]]
CSOP is an integrated structural and operational plan for two
modifications of the Central and South Florida (C&SF) Project: the
Modified Water Deliveries to ENP (MWD) Project and the Canal-111 (C-
111) Project. The objective of CSOP is to define the operations for
these projects in a manner consistent with their respective project
purposes.
ADDRESSES: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Planning Division,
Environmental Branch, P.O. Box 4970, Jacksonville, FL 32232-0019.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Ernest Clarke at (904) 232-1199 or
e-mail at ernest.clarke@saj02.usace.army.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: a. Authorization: The MWD General Design
Memorandum (GDM) and EIS was completed 1992, in response to the ENP
Protection and Expansion Act of 1989. The C-111 General Reevaluation
Report (GRR) with integrated EIS was approved in 1994 and the C-111
project was authorized in the Water Resources Development Act of 1996.
b. Study Area: The study area is located in Broward and Miami-Dade
Counties, FL, and includes Water Conservation Area 3, ENP and other
areas designated in previous Corps' reports: 1992 MWD GDM and 1994 C-
111 GRR.
c. Project Scope: The objective of CSOP is to define the operations
for the MWD and C-111 projects in a manner consistent with their
respective purposes. The primary goal of the MWD project is to
construct structural modifications to the original C&SF project and
define their operations to allow for ecosystem restoration through
improved water deliveries to Shark River Slough in ENP. The primary
goal of the C-111 project modifications is to allow the restoration of
habitat in Taylor Slough and the eastern panhandle of ENP through new
water management operations. Refinements to the authorized structural
improvements for the C-111 project are being addressed in a separate
engineering report. The scope of the current effort includes developing
the evaluating alternative plans for achieving MWD and C-111 project
goals.
d. Alternatives: Alternatives to be discussed involve various ways
to convey water through the C&SF system. Alternatives will involve
alteration of the management of existing C&SF features as well of
structural modifications to MWD features that have been congressionally
authorized but not built. The evaluation of the alternatives and
selection of a recommended plan will be documented in the DEIS. The
alternative plans will be reviewed under provisions of appropriate laws
and regulations, including the Endangered Species Act, Fish and
Wildlife Coordination Act, Clean Water Act, and Farmland Protection
Policy Act.
e. Issues: The DEIS will address the following issues: the relation
between this project and related projects including MWD, C-111, IOP,
and 8.5 SMA; impacts to aquatic and wetland habitats; water flows;
hazardous and toxic waste; water quality; flood protection; aesthetics
and recreation; fish and wildlife resources, including protected
species; cultural resources; and other impacts identified through
scoping, public involvement and interagency coordination.
f. Public Involvement: A scoping meeting is not anticipated. A
Public meeting will be held after release of the Draft RGRR/SEIS; the
exact location, date, and times will be announced in a public notice
and local newspapers.
g. DSEIS Preparation: The DEIS is expected to be available for
public review in the 3rd quarter of CY 2007.
Branda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 07-280 Filed 1-23-07; 8:45 am]
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