82 FR 52042 - Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Lower Bois d'Arc Creek Reservoir Project, Fannin County, TX
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 216 (November 9, 2017)
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 216 (November 9, 2017)
| Page Range | 52042-52043 | |
| FR Document | 2017-24396 |
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 216 (Thursday, November 9, 2017)] [Notices] [Pages 52042-52043] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2017-24396] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Lower Bois d'Arc Creek Reservoir Project, Fannin County, TX AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD. ACTION: Notice of availability. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Tulsa District has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) to analyze the direct, indirect, and cumulative effects of the construction of the proposed Lower Bois d'Arc Creek Reservoir (LBCR) and related actions proposed by the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) in Fannin County, Texas. The Proposed Action is a regional water supply project intended to provide up to 175,000 acre-feet/year (AFY), with an estimated firm yield of 120,665 AFY, of new water for NTMWD's member cities and direct customers in all or portions of nine counties in northern Texas--Collin, Dallas, Denton, Fannin, Hopkins, Hunt, Kaufman, Rains, and Rockwall. Construction of the reservoir and related facilities would result in permanent impacts to approximately 5,874 acres of wetlands, 651,140 linear feet of streams, and 78 acres of open waters. This action requires authorization from the USACE under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. The Section 404 permit applicant is the NTMWD. DATES: The FEIS will be used to inform the final USACE decision on this proposal. In accordance with the NEPA regulations, a final decision will not be made before December 9, 2017. ADDRESSES: Comments, if any, regarding the FEIS must be submitted by December 9, 2017, to Mr. Andrew R. Commer, Regulatory Office Chief, USACE Tulsa District (CESWT-RO), 2488 East 81st Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74137-4290, or via email: [email protected]. Comments submitted by email must include ``FEIS Lower Bois d'Arc Creek Reservoir'' in the subject line. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Andrew R. Commer, USACE Tulsa [[Page 52043]] District, Regulatory Office at 918-669-7400. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FEIS was prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the USACE regulations for NEPA implementation (33 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] parts 230 and 325 (with associated Appendices B and C)). The USACE Tulsa District, Regulatory Office is the lead federal agency responsible for the FEIS and information contained in the EIS will serve as the basis for a decision whether or not to issue a Section 404 permit. All comments received on the Revised Draft EIS (RDEIS), to include the Draft EIS (DEIS) comments not specifically addressed in the RDEIS, are reflected and responses are provided in the accompanying Comment Categories and Responses Document. It also provides information for Federal, State, and local agencies having jurisdictional responsibility for affected resources. The USACE has determined that the basic project purpose in the present case is to develop a new water supply for the applicant NTMWD and its member cities and customers. The purpose of the FEIS is to provide decision-makers and the public with information pertaining to the Proposed Action and Alternatives, and to disclose environmental impacts and identify mitigation measures to reduce impacts. NTMWD proposes to build the LBCR with a total storage capacity of approximately 367,609 acre-feet. A dam approximately 10,400 feet (about 2 miles) long and up to 90 feet high would be constructed, and much of the reservoir footprint would be cleared of trees and built structures. NTMWD also proposes to construct several related facilities or connected actions. These include a raw water intake pump station and electrical substation at the reservoir site, as well as a 90 to 96-inch diameter buried pipeline to carry raw water from the new reservoir approximately 35 miles in a southwesterly direction. The raw water pipeline will connect to a new water treatment plant (WTP)--the ``North WTP''--and terminal storage reservoir (TSR) that would be located west of the City of Leonard, also in Fannin County, Texas. The North WTP and TSR will be constructed regardless of whether NTMWD receives a Section 404 permit to proceed with the Proposed Action; the North WTP and TSR are not part of the Proposed Action. A number of rural roads within the footprint and in the vicinity of the proposed reservoir would have to be closed or relocated; the most significant of these is FM 1396, which would be relocated to cross the reservoir in a different alignment on an entirely new bridge that would need to be constructed. An aquatic resources mitigation plan has been prepared by the applicant to comply with the federal policy of ``no overall net loss of wetlands'' and to provide compensatory mitigation, to the extent practicable, for impacts to other waters of the United States that would be impacted by construction of the proposed reservoir. NTMWD has purchased a 14,960-acre parcel of land known as the Riverby Ranch, which borders the Red River. This working ranch is located downstream of the proposed project within both the same watershed (Bois d'Arc Creek) and the same county (Fannin). NTMWD acquired the Riverby Ranch specifically because its biophysical features have the potential to provide a portion of the appropriate mitigation for the proposed project. Additional mitigation is proposed within a 1,900-acre upstream site and within the proposed reservoir itself. Though not part of the proposed mitigation plan, Bois d'Arc Creek downstream of the reservoir will receive environmental flow releases as a result of an operations plan and flow regime established in consultation with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), and stipulated in the Water Rights Permit issued by TCEQ to NTMWD. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 6, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department participated as cooperating agencies in the formulation of the FEIS. On December 8, 2009, the USACE held a NEPA EIS public scoping meeting in Bonham, Texas. On March 24, 2015, the USACE held a public meeting during the comment period on the previous DEIS. On March 27, 2017, the USACE published the availability of the RDEIS in response to comments received on the DEIS. The revision and publication of this FEIS is informed by public and agency comment on the original DEIS and RDEIS and changes have been made to address commented issues. No public meeting is planned during this comment period. Copies of the FEIS will be available for review at the USACE Tulsa District Office, the permit applicant's office in Wylie Texas, and at four locations in the project area in Fannin County, Texas, addresses of each as follows. 1. Bonham Public Library, 305 East 5th Street, Bonham, TX 75418; (903) 583-3128. 2. Sam Rayburn Library, 800 West Sam Rayburn Drive, Bonham, TX 75418; (903) 583-2455. 3. Bertha Voyer Memorial Library, 500 6th Street, Honey Grove, TX 75446; (903) 378-2206. 4. Leonard Public Library, 102 South Main Street, Leonard, TX 75452; (903) 587-2391. 5. North Texas Municipal Water District headquarters, 505 East Brown Street, Wylie, TX 75098. 6. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa District, Regulatory Office, 2488 East 81st Street, Tulsa, OK 74137-4290. Electronic copies of the FEIS may be obtained from the USACE Tulsa District, Regulatory Office or its Web site at http://www.swt.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/Tulsa-District-Environmental-Impact-Statements/. Edward M. Parisotto, Acting Chief, Regulatory Office, Tulsa District. [FR Doc. 2017-24396 Filed 11-8-17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3720-58-P
![52042 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 216 / Thursday, November 9, 2017 / Notices
Harbor. Channel deepening and • Deepening the Atlantic Ocean Public Scoping Meeting on September
widening alternatives were evaluated as Channel to a required depth of 25, 2017 in Norfolk, VA.
well as the No Action/Future Without approximately 59 feet.
Brenda S. Bowen,
Project Alternative. Pursuant to the • Deepening the Thimble Shoal
National Environmental Policy Act Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
Channel to a required depth of
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the [FR Doc. 2017–24395 Filed 11–8–17; 8:45 am]
approximately 56 feet.
USACE developed the draft GRR/EA to • Widening the Thimble Shoal
BILLING CODE 3720–58–P
examine and assess the impacts of the Channel Meeting Areas (one on each
project alternatives and determined that side of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge
implementation of the Proposed Action DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Tunnel) to approximately 1,200 feet (an
would have not have significant additional 200 feet from current Department of the Army, Corps of
impacts. conditions) and deepening where Engineers
This study was authorized by Section necessary to a required depth of 56 feet.
216 of the Flood Control Act of 1970 • Deepening Anchorage F to a Availability of the Final Environmental
(Pub. L. 91–611), which authorizes the required depth of approximately 55 feet. Impact Statement for the Lower Bois
review of completed federal projects in d’Arc Creek Reservoir Project, Fannin
• Deepening the Norfolk Harbor
the interest of navigation and related County, TX
Channel to a required depth of
purposes to determine the feasibility of
approximately 55 feet. AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S.
further port deepening.
• Deepening the Newport News Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
DATES: The Draft GRR/EA is available
Channel to a required depth of ACTION: Notice of availability.
for a 30-day review period. Written approximately 55 feet.
comments, pursuant to the NEPA, will
be accepted until the close of public • Associated Operations and SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of
Maintenance Activities. Engineers (USACE) Tulsa District has
review at the close of business on prepared a Final Environmental Impact
December 10, 2017. Implementation of the Preferred
Alternative would have the potential to Statement (FEIS) to analyze the direct,
ADDRESSES: Written comments or indirect, and cumulative effects of the
impact water quality, benthic resources,
questions from the public may be construction of the proposed Lower Bois
cultural resources, floodplains, federally
submitted to the U.S. Army Corps of d’Arc Creek Reservoir (LBCR) and
listed threatened and endangered
Engineers, Norfolk District, ATTN: Ms. related actions proposed by the North
species, marine mammals, and other
Kimberly Koelsch, Planning Branch, Texas Municipal Water District
natural resources. The Proposed Action
Environmental Analysis Section (NTMWD) in Fannin County, Texas.
must be located in a floodplain in order
(CENAO–WR–PE), Norfolk, VA 23510 or The Proposed Action is a regional water
to use the Craney Island Dredged
via email to kimberly.c.koelsch@ supply project intended to provide up to
Material Management Area (CIDMMA)
usace.army.mil. 175,000 acre-feet/year (AFY), with an
as a dredged material placement site.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. The Proposed Action will adhere to the estimated firm yield of 120,665 AFY, of
Kimberly Koelsch, U.S. Army Corps of 8-step process as outlined under new water for NTMWD’s member cities
Engineers, Norfolk District, VA 23510, Executive Order 11988, Floodplain and direct customers in all or portions
757–201–7837 or via email at Management. of nine counties in northern Texas—
kimberly.c.koelsch@usace.army.mil. Alternatives. The Draft GRR/EA Collin, Dallas, Denton, Fannin, Hopkins,
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The considers a reasonable range of Hunt, Kaufman, Rains, and Rockwall.
document is available at the following widening and deepening alternatives in Construction of the reservoir and related
locations: the project channels, meetings areas, facilities would result in permanent
and anchorages to meet the proposed impacts to approximately 5,874 acres of
(1) USACE Norfolk Harbor and
action’s purpose and need. It also wetlands, 651,140 linear feet of streams,
Channels Deepening Project Web site:
incorporates measures to avoid and and 78 acres of open waters. This action
http://www.nao.usace.army.mil/About/
minimize impacts to threatened and requires authorization from the USACE
Projects/Norfolk-Harbor-Channel-
endangered species, fish and wildlife under Section 404 of the Clean Water
Deepening/.
species, estuarine and marine habitat, Act. The Section 404 permit applicant is
(2) Slover Public Library, 235 East
and other resources. In response to the NTMWD.
Plume Street, Norfolk, VA 23510.
(3) Copies may also be requested in problems and opportunities, a range of DATES: The FEIS will be used to inform
writing at (see ADDRESSES). alternatives was evaluated through an the final USACE decision on this
Proposed Action. The Study Area is iterative screening and formulation proposal. In accordance with the NEPA
located in Hampton Roads, a 25 square- process, resulting in identification of a regulations, a final decision will not be
mile natural harbor serving port Preferred Alternative. made before December 9, 2017.
facilities in the cities of Norfolk, Public Involvement. On September 22, ADDRESSES: Comments, if any, regarding
Newport News, Portsmouth, 2015, a Notice of Intent to publish an the FEIS must be submitted by
Chesapeake, and Hampton in EA was published, along with December 9, 2017, to Mr. Andrew R.
southeastern Virginia. The study area information on a NEPA public scoping Commer, Regulatory Office Chief,
consists of a network of federally- meeting on September 25, 2015. A USACE Tulsa District (CESWT–RO),
improved channels extending from Federal Register Notice was also 2488 East 81st Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
Atlantic Ocean Channel to Lamberts published to announce the initiation of 74137–4290, or via email: ceswt-ro@
Bend (on the Elizabeth River). The the feasibility study and also the public usace.army.mil. Comments submitted
project has not been constructed, nor is NEPA scoping meeting. As part of the by email must include ‘‘FEIS Lower
it maintained, to its authorized depth. public involvement process, all affected Bois d’Arc Creek Reservoir’’ in the
The Action Alternative consists of federal, Commonwealth of Virginia, and subject line.
constructing and maintaining the local agencies, private organizations, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
following features: and the public were invited to the Andrew R. Commer, USACE Tulsa
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![Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 216 / Thursday, November 9, 2017 / Notices 52043
District, Regulatory Office at 918–669– of these is FM 1396, which would be 2. Sam Rayburn Library, 800 West
7400. relocated to cross the reservoir in a Sam Rayburn Drive, Bonham, TX 75418;
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FEIS different alignment on an entirely new (903) 583–2455.
was prepared in accordance with the bridge that would need to be 3. Bertha Voyer Memorial Library, 500
constructed. 6th Street, Honey Grove, TX 75446;
National Environmental Policy Act
An aquatic resources mitigation plan (903) 378–2206.
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the
has been prepared by the applicant to 4. Leonard Public Library, 102 South
USACE regulations for NEPA Main Street, Leonard, TX 75452; (903)
implementation (33 Code of Federal comply with the federal policy of ‘‘no
overall net loss of wetlands’’ and to 587–2391.
Regulations [CFR] parts 230 and 325 5. North Texas Municipal Water
(with associated Appendices B and C)). provide compensatory mitigation, to the
extent practicable, for impacts to other District headquarters, 505 East Brown
The USACE Tulsa District, Regulatory Street, Wylie, TX 75098.
Office is the lead federal agency waters of the United States that would
6. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
responsible for the FEIS and be impacted by construction of the
Tulsa District, Regulatory Office, 2488
information contained in the EIS will proposed reservoir. NTMWD has
East 81st Street, Tulsa, OK 74137–4290.
serve as the basis for a decision whether purchased a 14,960-acre parcel of land Electronic copies of the FEIS may be
or not to issue a Section 404 permit. All known as the Riverby Ranch, which obtained from the USACE Tulsa District,
comments received on the Revised Draft borders the Red River. This working Regulatory Office or its Web site at
EIS (RDEIS), to include the Draft EIS ranch is located downstream of the http://www.swt.usace.army.mil/
(DEIS) comments not specifically proposed project within both the same Missions/Regulatory/Tulsa-District-
addressed in the RDEIS, are reflected watershed (Bois d’Arc Creek) and the Environmental-Impact-Statements/.
and responses are provided in the same county (Fannin). NTMWD
accompanying Comment Categories and acquired the Riverby Ranch specifically Edward M. Parisotto,
Responses Document. It also provides because its biophysical features have the Acting Chief, Regulatory Office, Tulsa
potential to provide a portion of the District.
information for Federal, State, and local
agencies having jurisdictional appropriate mitigation for the proposed [FR Doc. 2017–24396 Filed 11–8–17; 8:45 am]
responsibility for affected resources. project. Additional mitigation is BILLING CODE 3720–58–P
The USACE has determined that the proposed within a 1,900-acre upstream
basic project purpose in the present case site and within the proposed reservoir
is to develop a new water supply for the itself. Though not part of the proposed ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
applicant NTMWD and its member mitigation plan, Bois d’Arc Creek AGENCY
cities and customers. downstream of the reservoir will receive
[ER–FRL–9036–1]
The purpose of the FEIS is to provide environmental flow releases as a result
decision-makers and the public with of an operations plan and flow regime Environmental Impact Statements;
information pertaining to the Proposed established in consultation with the Notice of Availability
Action and Alternatives, and to disclose Texas Commission on Environmental
environmental impacts and identify Quality (TCEQ), and stipulated in the Responsible Agency: Office of Federal
mitigation measures to reduce impacts. Water Rights Permit issued by TCEQ to Activities, General Information (202)
NTMWD proposes to build the LBCR NTMWD. 564–7146 or http://www2.epa.gov/
with a total storage capacity of The U.S. Environmental Protection nepa/.
approximately 367,609 acre-feet. A dam Agency Region 6, U.S. Forest Service, Weekly receipt of Environmental Impact
approximately 10,400 feet (about 2 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Statements (EIS)
miles) long and up to 90 feet high would Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Filed 10/30/2017 Through 11/03/2017
be constructed, and much of the participated as cooperating agencies in Pursuant to 40 CFR 1506.9.
reservoir footprint would be cleared of the formulation of the FEIS. Notice
trees and built structures. NTMWD also On December 8, 2009, the USACE
Section 309(a) of the Clean Air Act
proposes to construct several related held a NEPA EIS public scoping
requires that EPA make public its
facilities or connected actions. These meeting in Bonham, Texas. On March
comments on EISs issued by other
include a raw water intake pump station 24, 2015, the USACE held a public
Federal agencies. EPA’s comment letters
and electrical substation at the reservoir meeting during the comment period on
on EISs are available at: https://
site, as well as a 90 to 96-inch diameter the previous DEIS. On March 27, 2017,
cdxnodengn.epa.gov/cdx-nepa-public/
buried pipeline to carry raw water from the USACE published the availability of
action/eis/search.
the new reservoir approximately 35 the RDEIS in response to comments
miles in a southwesterly direction. The received on the DEIS. The revision and EIS No. 20170220, Draft, NSF, WV,
raw water pipeline will connect to a publication of this FEIS is informed by Green Bank Observatory, Comment
new water treatment plant (WTP)—the public and agency comment on the Period Ends: 01/08/2018, Contact:
‘‘North WTP’’—and terminal storage original DEIS and RDEIS and changes Elizabeth Pentecost (703) 292–4907.
EIS No. 20170221, Draft, USFS, CA, San
reservoir (TSR) that would be located have been made to address commented
Gabriel River Confluence with Cattle
west of the City of Leonard, also in issues. No public meeting is planned
Canyon Improvements Project,
Fannin County, Texas. The North WTP during this comment period. Copies of
Comment Period Ends: 12/26/2017,
and TSR will be constructed regardless the FEIS will be available for review at
Contact: Chinling Chen (626) 574–
of whether NTMWD receives a Section the USACE Tulsa District Office, the
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
5255.
404 permit to proceed with the permit applicant’s office in Wylie Texas,
Proposed Action; the North WTP and and at four locations in the project area Dated: November 6, 2017.
TSR are not part of the Proposed Action. in Fannin County, Texas, addresses of Kelly Knight,
A number of rural roads within the each as follows. Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office
footprint and in the vicinity of the 1. Bonham Public Library, 305 East of Federal Activities.
proposed reservoir would have to be 5th Street, Bonham, TX 75418; (903) [FR Doc. 2017–24424 Filed 11–8–17; 8:45 am]
closed or relocated; the most significant 583–3128. BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
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Document Created: 2018-10-25 10:29:28
Document Modified: 2018-10-25 10:29:28
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice of availability. | |
| Dates | The FEIS will be used to inform the final USACE decision on this proposal. In accordance with the NEPA regulations, a final decision will not be made before December 9, 2017. | |
| Contact | Mr. Andrew R. Commer, USACE Tulsa District, Regulatory Office at 918-669-7400. | |
| FR Citation | 82 FR 52042 |
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