82 FR 61276 - Intent To Prepare a Draft Integrated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the New Jersey Back Bays (NJBB) Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) Feasibility Study
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 247 (December 27, 2017)
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 247 (December 27, 2017)
| Page Range | 61276-61276 | |
| FR Document | 2017-27952 |
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 247 (Wednesday, December 27, 2017)] [Notices] [Page 61276] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2017-27952] [[Page 61276]] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers Intent To Prepare a Draft Integrated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the New Jersey Back Bays (NJBB) Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) Feasibility Study AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD. ACTION: Notice of intent. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The action being taken by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is an evaluation of CSRM problems, and an evaluation of alternative structural, non-structural, and natural and nature-based feature (NNBF) measures to address the CSRM problems in the coastal communities of the New Jersey Back Bays and Coastal Lakes in Monmouth, Ocean, Burlington, Atlantic, and Cape May Counties, New Jersey. The purpose of any consequent work would be to implement any one or a number of recommended plans and/or strategies that address CSRM problems evaluated in the feasibility study and integrated environmental impact statement. ADDRESSES: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia District, CENAP- PL-E, 100 Penn Square East, Wanamaker Building, Philadelphia, PA 19107- 3390. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions, comments, and suggestions regarding the Draft Integrated EIS should be addressed to Mr. Steven D. Allen at the above address; Phone: (215) 656-6559; email: [email protected]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. Proposed Action a. The NJBB CSRM Feasibility Study area is one of 9 focus areas with vulnerable coastal populations identified in the North Atlantic Coast Comprehensive Study (NACCS). The NACCS was conducted in response to Public Law 113-2 and the Water Resource and Reform Development Act (WRRDA) of 2014 following the devastation in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, which greatly affected the study area in October of 2012. The purpose of the NJBB CSRM Feasibility Study is to identify comprehensive CSRM strategies to increase coastal resilience, and to reduce flooding risk from future storms and impacts of sea level change. The objective of the Study is to investigate CSRM problems and solutions to reduce damages from coastal flooding that affect population, critical infrastructure, critical facilities, property, and ecosystems. b. The authority for the proposed project is the resolution adopted by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Public Works and Transportation and the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works dated December 1987. 2. Alternatives In addition to the no action alternative, the alternatives considered for CSRM will fall into structural, non-structural, and NNBF categories. The structural measures being evaluated for CSRM include measures that would provide barrier protection and/or protection to the bays perimeters, which include: inlet storm surge barriers, interior flood gates, road/rail elevation, levees, floodwalls, bulkheads, seawalls, revetments, beach restoration, breakwaters, storm system drainage improvements or combinations thereof. Non-structural elements under consideration include building retrofit (elevation and flood proofing), managed coastal retreat, emergency evacuation plans, early warning systems, public education education/risk communication, working with other Federal, state and local government agencies to incorporate National Flood Insurance Program improvements into the study recommendations, and combinations thereof. NNBF considerations include wetland restoration, living shorelines, green stormwater management, reefs, and submerged aquatic vegetation. NNBF features may be combined with other proposed CSRM elements. 3. Scoping a. Scoping is conducted in accordance with Section 1501.7 of the National Environmental Policy Act, and is defined as an early and open process for determining the scope of issues to be addressed and for identifying the significant issues related to a proposed action. For the NJBB CSRM Feasibility Study, the scoping process is on-going and has involved preliminary coordination with 2 stakeholder meetings in June 2016, and the distribution of scoping letters to Federal, state, and local agencies, tribes and other non-government organizations. The general public and other interested parties and organizations were invited to participate by means of a public notice and a public workshop meeting held on December 1, 2016. Additional scoping meetings may be announced at major study milestone decision points. Agency and public input are being solicited throughout the study, and will help inform the identification of a Tentatively Selected Plan (TSP). The TSP milestone is expected to be reached in December 2018. b. Significant issues and concerns that have been identified in addition to the premise of the CSRM study (flood risks associated with storms and sea level rise) include, but are not limited to the potential for impacts on aquatic biota, fisheries, intertidal habitat, shallow water habitat, endangered species, water quality, hydrodynamics, flood plain management, air quality, cultural resources, sustainability, and socio-economics. c. The USACE is the lead Federal agency, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is the non-Federal sponsor. The USACE will be inviting key resource agencies with jurisdiction by law as a cooperating and/or participating agency in accordance with Section 1501.6 of Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations and Section 1005 of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014. Federal agencies interested in participating as a Cooperating Agency are requested to submit a letter of intent to Lieutenant Colonel Kristen Dahle, District Engineer, at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia District, 100 Penn Square East, Wanamaker Building, Philadelphia, PA 19107-3390. 4. Availability It is estimated that the Draft Integrated EIS and Feasibility Study will be made available to the public in January 2019. Peter R. Blum, Chief, Planning Division. [FR Doc. 2017-27952 Filed 12-26-17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3720-58-P
![61276 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 247 / Wednesday, December 27, 2017 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE critical facilities, property, and study, and will help inform the
ecosystems. identification of a Tentatively Selected
Department of the Army, Corps of b. The authority for the proposed Plan (TSP). The TSP milestone is
Engineers project is the resolution adopted by the expected to be reached in December
U.S. House of Representatives 2018.
Intent To Prepare a Draft Integrated Committee on Public Works and b. Significant issues and concerns that
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Transportation and the U.S. Senate have been identified in addition to the
for the New Jersey Back Bays (NJBB) Committee on Environment and Public premise of the CSRM study (flood risks
Coastal Storm Risk Management Works dated December 1987. associated with storms and sea level
(CSRM) Feasibility Study rise) include, but are not limited to the
2. Alternatives
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. potential for impacts on aquatic biota,
In addition to the no action fisheries, intertidal habitat, shallow
Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
alternative, the alternatives considered water habitat, endangered species, water
ACTION: Notice of intent.
for CSRM will fall into structural, non- quality, hydrodynamics, flood plain
SUMMARY: The action being taken by the structural, and NNBF categories. The management, air quality, cultural
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) structural measures being evaluated for resources, sustainability, and socio-
is an evaluation of CSRM problems, and CSRM include measures that would economics.
an evaluation of alternative structural, provide barrier protection and/or c. The USACE is the lead Federal
non-structural, and natural and nature- protection to the bays perimeters, which agency, and the New Jersey Department
based feature (NNBF) measures to include: inlet storm surge barriers, of Environmental Protection is the non-
address the CSRM problems in the interior flood gates, road/rail elevation, Federal sponsor. The USACE will be
coastal communities of the New Jersey levees, floodwalls, bulkheads, seawalls, inviting key resource agencies with
Back Bays and Coastal Lakes in revetments, beach restoration, jurisdiction by law as a cooperating
Monmouth, Ocean, Burlington, Atlantic, breakwaters, storm system drainage and/or participating agency in
and Cape May Counties, New Jersey. improvements or combinations thereof. accordance with Section 1501.6 of Title
The purpose of any consequent work Non-structural elements under 40 Code of Federal Regulations and
would be to implement any one or a consideration include building retrofit Section 1005 of the Water Resources
number of recommended plans and/or (elevation and flood proofing), managed Reform and Development Act of 2014.
strategies that address CSRM problems coastal retreat, emergency evacuation Federal agencies interested in
evaluated in the feasibility study and plans, early warning systems, public participating as a Cooperating Agency
integrated environmental impact education education/risk are requested to submit a letter of intent
statement. communication, working with other to Lieutenant Colonel Kristen Dahle,
Federal, state and local government District Engineer, at U.S. Army Corps of
ADDRESSES: U.S. Army Corps of
agencies to incorporate National Flood Engineers, Philadelphia District, 100
Engineers, Philadelphia District, Insurance Program improvements into
CENAP–PL–E, 100 Penn Square East, Penn Square East, Wanamaker Building,
the study recommendations, and Philadelphia, PA 19107–3390.
Wanamaker Building, Philadelphia, PA combinations thereof. NNBF
19107–3390. considerations include wetland 4. Availability
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: restoration, living shorelines, green
Questions, comments, and suggestions It is estimated that the Draft Integrated
stormwater management, reefs, and EIS and Feasibility Study will be made
regarding the Draft Integrated EIS submerged aquatic vegetation. NNBF
should be addressed to Mr. Steven D. available to the public in January 2019.
features may be combined with other
Allen at the above address; Phone: (215) proposed CSRM elements. Peter R. Blum,
656–6559; email: steven.d.allen@ Chief, Planning Division.
usace.army.mil. 3. Scoping
[FR Doc. 2017–27952 Filed 12–26–17; 8:45 am]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: a. Scoping is conducted in accordance BILLING CODE 3720–58–P
with Section 1501.7 of the National
1. Proposed Action Environmental Policy Act, and is
a. The NJBB CSRM Feasibility Study defined as an early and open process for DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
area is one of 9 focus areas with determining the scope of issues to be
vulnerable coastal populations addressed and for identifying the [Docket No.: ED–2017–ICCD–0132]
identified in the North Atlantic Coast significant issues related to a proposed
Comprehensive Study (NACCS). The action. For the NJBB CSRM Feasibility Agency Information Collection
NACCS was conducted in response to Study, the scoping process is on-going Activities; Submission to the Office of
Public Law 113–2 and the Water and has involved preliminary Management and Budget for Review
Resource and Reform Development Act coordination with 2 stakeholder and approval; Comment Request; DC
(WRRDA) of 2014 following the meetings in June 2016, and the School Choice Incentive Program
devastation in the wake of Hurricane distribution of scoping letters to AGENCY: Office of Innovation and
Sandy, which greatly affected the study Federal, state, and local agencies, tribes Improvement (OII), Department of
area in October of 2012. The purpose of and other non-government Education (ED).
the NJBB CSRM Feasibility Study is to organizations. The general public and ACTION: Notice.
identify comprehensive CSRM strategies other interested parties and
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
to increase coastal resilience, and to organizations were invited to participate SUMMARY: In accordance with the
reduce flooding risk from future storms by means of a public notice and a public Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ED is
and impacts of sea level change. The workshop meeting held on December 1, proposing an extension of an existing
objective of the Study is to investigate 2016. Additional scoping meetings may information collection.
CSRM problems and solutions to reduce be announced at major study milestone DATES: Interested persons are invited to
damages from coastal flooding that decision points. Agency and public submit comments on or before January
affect population, critical infrastructure, input are being solicited throughout the 26, 2018.
VerDate Sep<11>2014 21:43 Dec 26, 2017 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00026 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\27DEN1.SGM 27DEN1](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/82_FR_61523/page/1.svg)
Document Created: 2017-12-27 02:22:42
Document Modified: 2017-12-27 02:22:42
| 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 intent. | |
| Contact | Questions, comments, and suggestions | |
| FR Citation | 82 FR 61276 |
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