83 FR 18829 - Intent To Prepare Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Allatoona Lake Water Supply Storage Reallocation Study and Updates to Weiss and Logan Martin Reservoir Project Water Control Manuals in the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa River Basin
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 83 (April 30, 2018)
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 83 (April 30, 2018)
| Page Range | 18829-18830 | |
| FR Document | 2018-09031 |
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 83 (Monday, April 30, 2018)] [Notices] [Pages 18829-18830] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2018-09031] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers Intent To Prepare Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Allatoona Lake Water Supply Storage Reallocation Study and Updates to Weiss and Logan Martin Reservoir Project Water Control Manuals in the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa River Basin AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD. ACTION: Notice of intent. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Mobile District, intends to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to evaluate potential changes to the Water Control Manuals (WCMs) for three reservoirs in the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa (ACT) River Basin and to the Master WCM for the ACT River Basin. The USACE intends to conduct a water supply storage reallocation study to evaluate a March 30, 2018 request by Georgia and Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority (CCMWA) for increased water supply usage at Allatoona Lake and changed storage accounting methodology. The Draft SEIS will be prepared as an integrated document with the reallocation study. The reallocation study with the integrated Draft SEIS will address the water supply storage request and updated operating criteria and guidelines for managing the water storage and release actions of Federal water managers and will evaluate the associated environmental impacts of the proposed federal action, pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The USACE also intends to update the WCMs for the Alabama Power Company's Weiss and Logan Martin Reservoirs in the ACT River Basin. ADDRESSES: Environment and Resources Branch, Planning and Environmental Division, U.S. Army Engineer District-Mobile, Post Office Box 2288, Mobile, AL 36628-0001. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the NEPA process should be directed to: Mr. Mike Malsom, Inland Environment Team, Environment and Resources Branch, Planning and Environmental Division, U.S. Army Engineer District-Mobile, Post Office Box 2288, Mobile, AL 36628-0001; Telephone (251) 690-2023; delivered by electronic facsimile at (251) 694-3815; or by electronic mail: [email protected]. You may also request to be included on the mailing list for public distribution of notices, meeting announcements and documents. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background. Eighteen major dams (six Federal and twelve non- Federal), which form sixteen reservoirs, are located in the ACT River Basin. The ACT River Basin provides water resources for multiple purposes from northwestern Georgia down through central Alabama and to the Gulf Coast at the mouth of Mobile Bay, extending a distance of approximately 320 miles and encompassing an area of approximately 22,800 square miles. Pursuant to Section 7 of the Flood Control Act of 1944, the USACE prescribes regulations for the operation of its projects in the ACT River Basin for their authorized purposes, and for the non-federal projects that contain storage for the purposes of navigation or flood control (flood risk management), through water control plans and manuals. In May 2015, the USACE completed a long-term effort to update the Master WCM for the ACT River Basin, including updated WCMs for all five USACE projects (Allatoona Dam and Lake, Carters Dam and Lake, Robert F. Henry Lock and Dam, Millers Ferry Lock and Dam and Claiborne Lock and Dam) and two of four Alabama Power Company (APC) projects with navigation or flood control storage (H. Neely Henry Dam and Lake and R.L. Harris Dam and Lake). WCMs for the other two APC projects with navigation and flood control storage, Logan Martin Dam and Lake (Reservoir) and Weiss Dam and Lake (Reservoir), were not updated at that time. A pending request by the State of Georgia for additional water supply storage and changes to storage accounting practices at Allatoona Lake was also not included within the scope of the 2015 WCM update and EIS. In January 2018, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia issued a judgment in Georgia et al. v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, No. 14-cv-03593 (Jan. 9, 2018), holding that the USACE had unreasonably delayed action on Georgia's water supply request, and directing the USACE to take final action responding to that request by March 1, 2021. Following that court decision, the State of Georgia and CCMWA submitted an updated request to the USACE on March 30, 2018, and the USACE intends to evaluate actions necessary to respond to Georgia's request, as well as one or more reasonable alternatives, in the proposed SEIS. [[Page 18830]] The USACE did not include updates to the WCMs for the Weiss and Logan Martin Reservoirs in the 2015 ACT River Basin Master WCM because further study of flood risk management issues at both projects was required. The USACE intends to update the WCMs for two APC reservoir projects in the ACT River Basin, including evaluation of APC's proposal to raise the winter level for recreation and at the same time to lower the upper limit of the induced surcharge operation at the Weiss Dam and Lake (Reservoir) and the Logan Martin Dam and Lake (Reservoir). These projects will be evaluated for flood impacts. Current Water Control Plans for the Weiss and Logan Martin Reservoirs, originally issued in the 1960s, contain surcharge curves with elevations higher than the respective flood easements acquired by APC. The easement at the Weiss Reservoir is 572 feet mean sea level (msl) and the surcharge curve indicates flood control storage to 574 feet msl. At the Logan Martin Reservoir, the easement elevation is 473.5 feet msl and the surcharge curve indicates flood control storage to 477 feet msl. Due to the flood risk management operational responsibilities of the USACE, the APC proposals would be evaluated along with other alternatives in the FR/ SEIS and those manuals may be updated. Because the USACE is simultaneously considering proposals to modify operations and update WCMs at three different ACT River Basin projects, the USACE intends to evaluate the effects of these proposals through a single EIS, which would supplement the Final EIS for the ACT River Basin completed in May 2015. As part of this analysis, the USACE will consider the effects of the proposed changes on operations of the ACT system of projects for all purposes, and would revise the ACT Master WCM to incorporate the updated Allatoona Lake, Weiss Reservoir, and Logan Martin Reservoir WCMs and to reflect changes, if any, in overall system operations. WCMs are guidance documents that assist Federal water managers in the operation of individual and multiple interdependent Federal reservoirs on the same river system. The manuals provide technical, historical, hydrological, geographic, demographic, policy and other information that guide the proper management of reservoirs during times of high water, low water, and normal conditions. The manuals also contain drought plans and zones to assist Federal water managers in knowing when to reduce or increase reservoir releases, and how to ensure the safety of dams during extreme conditions. The authority and guidance for the USACE to prepare and update these manuals may be found, inter alia, in Section 7 of the 1944 Flood Control Act, the Federal Power Act, Section 9 of Public Law 436-83, and the following USACE Engineering Regulations (ER): ER 1110-2-240, ER 1110-2-241, ER 1110-2-1941 and ER 1110-2-8156. The evaluations of the proposed water supply storage reallocation at the Allatoona Lake and the flood impacts at several APC projects in the Coosa Basin may require updates to the current WCMs. The updated WCMs would be provided as appendices to the SEIS. Public participation throughout the water supply storage reallocation and flood pool evaluation process is essential. The USACE invites full public participation at all stages to promote open communication and better decision making. All persons, stakeholders, and organizations that have an interest in water-related resources in the ACT Basin, including minority, low-income, disadvantaged and Native American groups, are urged to participate in this NEPA analysis process. Assistance will be provided upon request to anyone having difficulty understanding how to participate. Dates and locations for public scoping meetings will be announced by future publication in the Federal Register and in the local news media. Tentative dates for publication of the Draft SEIS and other opportunities for public involvement will also be announced at that time. Public comments are welcomed at any time throughout the NEPA process. Cooperating Agencies. The lead responsibility for this action rests with the USACE. USACE intends to coordinate and/or consult with an interagency team of Federal and State agencies during scoping and preparation of the FR/SEIS. A decision will be made during the scoping process whether other agencies will serve in an official role as cooperating agencies. Scoping. The 2015 ACT WCM update involved the States (Alabama and Georgia), stakeholders, and the public, in identifying areas of concern; collecting and developing water resources, environmental, and socioeconomic data; and developing tools to assist in decisions affecting water resources within the Basin. Scoping for this SEIS will continue to build upon the knowledge and information developed during the previous EIS process. Scoping meetings with agencies and stakeholder groups will be scheduled to identify any significant issues and data gaps, focus on the alternatives to be evaluated, and to identify any appropriate updated tools to assist in the evaluation of alternatives and analysis of impacts. Curtis M. Flakes, Chief, Planning and Environmental Division. [FR Doc. 2018-09031 Filed 4-27-18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3720-58-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 83 / Monday, April 30, 2018 / Notices 18829
Average Burden per Response: 30 DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE also request to be included on the
minutes. mailing list for public distribution of
Department of the Army, Corps of notices, meeting announcements and
Annual Burden Hours: 246,000.
Engineers documents.
Needs and Uses: The information
collection requirement is necessary to Intent To Prepare Draft Supplemental SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Environmental Impact Statement for Background. Eighteen major dams (six
obtain PII information which is used by
the Allatoona Lake Water Supply Federal and twelve non-Federal), which
in-country U.S. Embassy approvers to
Storage Reallocation Study and form sixteen reservoirs, are located in
grant country travel clearances,
Updates to Weiss and Logan Martin the ACT River Basin. The ACT River
Geographical Combatant Commands Basin provides water resources for
approvers to grant theater travel Reservoir Project Water Control
Manuals in the Alabama-Coosa- multiple purposes from northwestern
clearances and by the Office of Secretary Georgia down through central Alabama
of Defense for Policy approvers to grant Tallapoosa River Basin
and to the Gulf Coast at the mouth of
special area travel clearances. Aircrew AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile Bay, extending a distance of
PII information is used for verification, DoD. approximately 320 miles and
identification and authentication of ACTION: Notice of intent. encompassing an area of approximately
travelers for aircraft and personnel 22,800 square miles. Pursuant to Section
travel clearances, as required by DoDD SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of
7 of the Flood Control Act of 1944, the
4500.54E, DoD Foreign Clearance Engineers (USACE), Mobile District,
USACE prescribes regulations for the
intends to prepare a Supplemental
Program. operation of its projects in the ACT
Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS)
Affected Public: Individuals or River Basin for their authorized
to evaluate potential changes to the
households. purposes, and for the non-federal
Water Control Manuals (WCMs) for
projects that contain storage for the
Frequency: On occasion. three reservoirs in the Alabama-Coosa-
purposes of navigation or flood control
Tallapoosa (ACT) River Basin and to the
Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary. (flood risk management), through water
Master WCM for the ACT River Basin.
OMB Desk Officer: Ms. Jasmeet control plans and manuals.
The USACE intends to conduct a water
Seehra. In May 2015, the USACE completed a
supply storage reallocation study to
long-term effort to update the Master
You may also submit comments and evaluate a March 30, 2018 request by
WCM for the ACT River Basin,
recommendations, identified by Docket Georgia and Cobb County-Marietta
including updated WCMs for all five
ID number and title, by the following Water Authority (CCMWA) for
USACE projects (Allatoona Dam and
method: increased water supply usage at
Lake, Carters Dam and Lake, Robert F.
Allatoona Lake and changed storage
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// accounting methodology. The Draft SEIS
Henry Lock and Dam, Millers Ferry
www.regulations.gov. Follow the Lock and Dam and Claiborne Lock and
will be prepared as an integrated
instructions for submitting comments. Dam) and two of four Alabama Power
document with the reallocation study.
Company (APC) projects with
Instructions: All submissions received The reallocation study with the
navigation or flood control storage (H.
must include the agency name, Docket integrated Draft SEIS will address the
Neely Henry Dam and Lake and R.L.
ID number, and title for this Federal water supply storage request and
Harris Dam and Lake). WCMs for the
Register document. The general policy updated operating criteria and
other two APC projects with navigation
for comments and other submissions guidelines for managing the water
and flood control storage, Logan Martin
from members of the public is to make storage and release actions of Federal
Dam and Lake (Reservoir) and Weiss
these submissions available for public water managers and will evaluate the
Dam and Lake (Reservoir), were not
viewing on the internet at http:// associated environmental impacts of the
updated at that time. A pending request
www.regulations.gov as they are proposed federal action, pursuant to the
by the State of Georgia for additional
received without change, including any National Environmental Policy Act
water supply storage and changes to
(NEPA). The USACE also intends to
personal identifiers or contact storage accounting practices at
update the WCMs for the Alabama
information. Allatoona Lake was also not included
Power Company’s Weiss and Logan
DOD Clearance Officer: Mr. Frederick within the scope of the 2015 WCM
Martin Reservoirs in the ACT River
Licari. update and EIS.
Basin. In January 2018, the U.S. District
Written requests for copies of the ADDRESSES: Environment and Resources Court for the Northern District of
information collection proposal should Branch, Planning and Environmental Georgia issued a judgment in Georgia et
be sent to Mr. Licari at whs.mc- Division, U.S. Army Engineer District- al. v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, No.
alex.esd.mbx.dd-dod-information- Mobile, Post Office Box 2288, Mobile, 14-cv-03593 (Jan. 9, 2018), holding that
collections@mail.mil. AL 36628–0001. the USACE had unreasonably delayed
Dated: April 25, 2018. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: action on Georgia’s water supply
Shelly E. Finke,
Questions about the NEPA process request, and directing the USACE to
should be directed to: Mr. Mike take final action responding to that
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Malsom, Inland Environment Team, request by March 1, 2021. Following
Officer, Department of Defense.
Environment and Resources Branch, that court decision, the State of Georgia
nshattuck on DSK9F9SC42PROD with NOTICES
[FR Doc. 2018–09009 Filed 4–27–18; 8:45 am] Planning and Environmental Division, and CCMWA submitted an updated
BILLING CODE P U.S. Army Engineer District-Mobile, request to the USACE on March 30,
Post Office Box 2288, Mobile, AL 2018, and the USACE intends to
36628–0001; Telephone (251) 690–2023; evaluate actions necessary to respond to
delivered by electronic facsimile at Georgia’s request, as well as one or more
(251) 694–3815; or by electronic mail: reasonable alternatives, in the proposed
ACT-ACR@usace.army.mil. You may SEIS.
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![18830 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 83 / Monday, April 30, 2018 / Notices
The USACE did not include updates conditions. The authority and guidance to identify any appropriate updated
to the WCMs for the Weiss and Logan for the USACE to prepare and update tools to assist in the evaluation of
Martin Reservoirs in the 2015 ACT these manuals may be found, inter alia, alternatives and analysis of impacts.
River Basin Master WCM because in Section 7 of the 1944 Flood Control
Curtis M. Flakes,
further study of flood risk management Act, the Federal Power Act, Section 9 of
issues at both projects was required. The Public Law 436–83, and the following Chief, Planning and Environmental Division.
USACE intends to update the WCMs for USACE Engineering Regulations (ER): [FR Doc. 2018–09031 Filed 4–27–18; 8:45 am]
two APC reservoir projects in the ACT ER 1110–2–240, ER 1110–2–241, ER BILLING CODE 3720–58–P
River Basin, including evaluation of 1110–2–1941 and ER 1110–2–8156.
APC’s proposal to raise the winter level The evaluations of the proposed water
for recreation and at the same time to supply storage reallocation at the DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
lower the upper limit of the induced Allatoona Lake and the flood impacts at
several APC projects in the Coosa Basin Department of the Navy
surcharge operation at the Weiss Dam
and Lake (Reservoir) and the Logan may require updates to the current
Martin Dam and Lake (Reservoir). These WCMs. The updated WCMs would be [Docket ID USN–2018–HQ–0007]
projects will be evaluated for flood provided as appendices to the SEIS.
Public participation throughout the Proposed Collection; Comment
impacts. Current Water Control Plans Request
for the Weiss and Logan Martin water supply storage reallocation and
Reservoirs, originally issued in the flood pool evaluation process is AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD.
1960s, contain surcharge curves with essential. The USACE invites full public ACTION: Information collection notice.
elevations higher than the respective participation at all stages to promote
flood easements acquired by APC. The open communication and better SUMMARY: In compliance with the
easement at the Weiss Reservoir is 572 decision making. All persons, Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
feet mean sea level (msl) and the stakeholders, and organizations that Department of the Navy announces a
surcharge curve indicates flood control have an interest in water-related proposed public information collection
storage to 574 feet msl. At the Logan resources in the ACT Basin, including and seeks public comment on the
Martin Reservoir, the easement minority, low-income, disadvantaged provisions thereof. Comments are
elevation is 473.5 feet msl and the and Native American groups, are urged invited on: (a) Whether the proposed
surcharge curve indicates flood control to participate in this NEPA analysis collection of information is necessary
storage to 477 feet msl. Due to the flood process. Assistance will be provided for the proper performance of the
risk management operational upon request to anyone having functions of the agency, including
responsibilities of the USACE, the APC difficulty understanding how to whether the information shall have
proposals would be evaluated along participate. Dates and locations for practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the
with other alternatives in the FR/SEIS public scoping meetings will be agency’s estimate of the burden of the
and those manuals may be updated. announced by future publication in the proposed information collection; (c)
Because the USACE is simultaneously Federal Register and in the local news ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
considering proposals to modify media. Tentative dates for publication of clarity of the information to be
operations and update WCMs at three the Draft SEIS and other opportunities collected; and (d) ways to minimize the
different ACT River Basin projects, the for public involvement will also be burden of the information collection on
USACE intends to evaluate the effects of announced at that time. Public respondents, including through the use
these proposals through a single EIS, comments are welcomed at any time of automated collection techniques or
which would supplement the Final EIS throughout the NEPA process. other forms of information technology.
for the ACT River Basin completed in Cooperating Agencies. The lead
responsibility for this action rests with DATES: Consideration will be given to all
May 2015. As part of this analysis, the
the USACE. USACE intends to comments received by June 29, 2018.
USACE will consider the effects of the
proposed changes on operations of the coordinate and/or consult with an ADDRESSES: You may submit comments,
ACT system of projects for all purposes, interagency team of Federal and State identified by docket number and title,
and would revise the ACT Master WCM agencies during scoping and preparation by any of the following methods:
to incorporate the updated Allatoona of the FR/SEIS. A decision will be made Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://
Lake, Weiss Reservoir, and Logan during the scoping process whether www.regulations.gov. Follow the
Martin Reservoir WCMs and to reflect other agencies will serve in an official instructions for submitting comments.
changes, if any, in overall system role as cooperating agencies. Mail: Department of Defense, Office of
operations. Scoping. The 2015 ACT WCM update the Chief Management Officer,
WCMs are guidance documents that involved the States (Alabama and Directorate for Oversight and
assist Federal water managers in the Georgia), stakeholders, and the public, Compliance, 4800 Mark Center Drive,
operation of individual and multiple in identifying areas of concern; Mailbox #24 Suite 08D09, Alexandria,
interdependent Federal reservoirs on collecting and developing water VA 22350–1700.
the same river system. The manuals resources, environmental, and Instructions: All submissions received
provide technical, historical, socioeconomic data; and developing must include the agency name, docket
hydrological, geographic, demographic, tools to assist in decisions affecting number, and title for this Federal
policy and other information that guide water resources within the Basin. Register document. The general policy
the proper management of reservoirs Scoping for this SEIS will continue to for comments and other submissions
nshattuck on DSK9F9SC42PROD with NOTICES
during times of high water, low water, build upon the knowledge and from members of the public is to make
and normal conditions. The manuals information developed during the these submissions available for public
also contain drought plans and zones to previous EIS process. Scoping meetings viewing on the internet at http://
assist Federal water managers in with agencies and stakeholder groups www.regulations.gov as they are
knowing when to reduce or increase will be scheduled to identify any received without change, including any
reservoir releases, and how to ensure significant issues and data gaps, focus personal identifiers or contact
the safety of dams during extreme on the alternatives to be evaluated, and information.
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Document Created: 2018-04-28 01:04:37
Document Modified: 2018-04-28 01:04:37
| 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 about the NEPA process should be directed to: Mr. Mike Malsom, Inland Environment Team, Environment and Resources Branch, Planning and Environmental Division, U.S. Army Engineer District-Mobile, Post Office Box 2288, Mobile, AL 36628-0001; Telephone (251) 690-2023; delivered by electronic facsimile at (251) 694-3815; or by electronic mail: [email protected] You may also request to be included on the mailing list for public distribution of notices, meeting announcements and documents. | |
| FR Citation | 83 FR 18829 |
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