83 FR 50353 - Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Lake Ralph Hall Regional Water Supply Reservoir Project, Fannin County, TX

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 194 (October 5, 2018)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Fort Worth District has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze the direct, indirect and cumulative effects of the construction of the Lake Ralph Hall Regional Water Supply Reservoir Project in Fannin County, TX, proposed by the Upper Trinity Regional Water District (UTRWD). This action requires authorization from USACE under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act for construction and operation of the proposed project. The proposed project is a regional water supply project intended to provide approximately 34,050 acre-feet (AF) per year of new water for 20 water providers, special districts, and municipalities in Denton County and small portions of Dallas, Collin, Grayson, Wise and Cooke counties to the extent that Denton County Customers' service areas extend outside the County. Construction of the reservoir and support facilities would result in permanent direct impacts to waters of the U.S. of approximately 8 acres of wetlands and 384 acres of other waters including streams, impoundments, and ponds. The proposed project pipeline will cross 59 streams with 11,893 lineal feet of temporary impact as well as 0.4 acres of stock tanks.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 194 (Friday, October 5, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50353-50354]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-21538]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Lake Ralph Hall Regional Water Supply Reservoir 
Project, Fannin County, TX

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Fort Worth District 
has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze 
the direct, indirect and cumulative effects of the construction of the 
Lake Ralph Hall Regional Water Supply Reservoir Project in Fannin 
County, TX, proposed by the Upper Trinity Regional Water District 
(UTRWD). This action requires authorization from USACE under Section 
404 of the Clean Water Act for construction and operation of the 
proposed project. The proposed project is a regional water supply 
project intended to provide approximately 34,050 acre-feet (AF) per 
year of new water for 20 water providers, special districts, and 
municipalities in Denton County and small portions of Dallas, Collin, 
Grayson, Wise and Cooke counties to the extent that Denton County 
Customers' service areas extend outside the County. Construction of the 
reservoir and support facilities would result in permanent direct 
impacts to waters of the U.S. of approximately 8 acres of wetlands and 
384 acres of other waters including streams, impoundments, and ponds. 
The proposed project pipeline will cross 59

[[Page 50354]]

streams with 11,893 lineal feet of temporary impact as well as 0.4 
acres of stock tanks.

DATES: Written comments on the Draft EIS will be accepted until 
November 21, 2018. Oral and/or written comments may also be presented 
at the Public Hearing.

ADDRESSES: A Public Hearing will be held Thursday, October 25, 2018 
starting at 5:30 p.m. at the H.L. Milton Sports Complex, 601 W Mill 
Street, Ladonia, TX 75449.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chandler J. Peter, EIS Project 
Manager, at 817-886-1731 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Draft EIS was prepared in accordance 
with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, 
and the Corps' regulations for NEPA implementation (33 Code of Federal 
Regulations [CFR] parts 230 and 325, Appendices B and C). The Corps, 
Fort Worth, Regulatory Branch is the lead federal agency responsible 
for the Draft EIS and information contained in the EIS serves as the 
basis for a decision regarding issuance of a Section 404 permit. It 
also provides information for federal, state and local agencies having 
jurisdictional responsibility for affected resources.
    The purpose of the Draft EIS 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. UTRWD proposes to construct Lake 
Ralph Hall (including principal and emergency spillways, dam, and 
reservoir) with a conservation pool storage capacity of approximately 
160,235 AF. Construction of a new raw water pipeline from the proposed 
Lake Ralph Hall to the Tom Harpool Water Treatment Plant is also 
proposed, as well as a new balancing reservoir and pump station.
    The purpose for the project is to provide additional firm annual 
yield to the 20 water providers and communities to address anticipated 
water demands associated with projected growth.
    In addition to the Proposed Action, the Draft EIS analyzes the No 
Action Alternative. Other alternatives were evaluated but not carried 
forward for detailed consideration, including water supplied from five 
new (undeveloped) reservoirs; securing supplies from other existing 
sources, Oklahoma, additional Dallas Water Utilities Supply, the Gulf 
of Mexico, Cypress Creek Basin, groundwater imports and precipitation 
enhancement. In addition, alternative dam alignments and conservation 
pool sizes were considered.
    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region VI, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Texas Commission on 
Environmental Quality, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the 
Texas Historical Commission have participated as cooperating agencies 
in the formulation of the Draft EIS.
    Copies of the Draft EIS will also be available for review at:
    1. Ladonia City Hall, 100 Center Plaza, Ladonia, TX 75449.
    2. Wolfe City Public Library, 102 TX-11, Wolfe City, TX 75496.
    3. Commerce Public Library, 1210 Park Street, Commerce, TX 75428.
    4. Honey Grove Library, 500 N 6th Street, Honey Grove, TX 75446.
    5. Bonham Public Library, 305 E 5th Street, Bonham, TX 75418.
    6. Greenville Public Library, 1 Lou Finney Lane, Greenville, TX 
75401
    7. Upper Trinity Regional Water District, 900 North Kealy Street, 
Lewisville, TX 75067.
    8. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth Regulatory Office, 819 
Taylor Street, Fort Worth, TX 76102.
    Send written comments regarding the Proposed Action and Draft EIS 
to Chandler J. Peter, EIS Project Manager, U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, Fort Worth District--Regulatory Division, 819 Taylor Street, 
Room 3A37, P.O. Box 17300, Fort Worth, Texas 76102 or via email: 
[email protected]. Requests to be placed on or removed 
from a mailing list for the Final EIS should also be sent to this 
address.
    Electronic copies of the Draft EIS may be obtained from the Fort 
Worth Regulatory Division or its website at: https://www.swf.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/Permitting/Proposed-Lake-Ralph-Hall/.

Stephen L. Brooks,
Chief, Regulatory Division, Fort Worth District.
[FR Doc. 2018-21538 Filed 10-4-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3720-58-P