[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 44 (Tuesday, March 6, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 13263]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-5429]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service


Withdrawal of Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Upper Deckers Creek Watershed, Preston County, WV

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service.

ACTION: Withdrawal of Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS.

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SUMMARY: In the Monday, November 21, 2011, Federal Register, Vol. 76. 
No. 224, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced 
its intension to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for 
the rehabilitation of the Upper Deckers Creek Site 1, in Preston 
County, West Virginia. Preparation of an EIS is no longer planned at 
this time.
    The purpose of the project is to bring the dam up to current dam 
safety standards. NRCS policy requires that an EIS be prepared for 
watershed project activities that include stream channel realignment, 
increases in channel capacity, or projects that require congressional 
action or that have the potential to significantly affect the quality 
of the human environment. Upon review, it now appears that none of 
these conditions apply to the Upper Deckers Creek Site 1 dam 
rehabilitation project. Therefore, NRCS is withdrawing its Notice of 
Intent to prepare an EIS.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kevin Wickey, State Conservationist, 
Natural Resources Conservation Service, 1550 Earl Core Road, Suite 200, 
Morgantown, West Virginia 26505. Telephone: (304) 284-7545.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The project involves the rehabilitation of 
the Upper Deckers Creek Site 1 dam and impoundment to meet current 
design criteria and performance standards. The Site 1 dam, located 
about 1.5 miles northwest of Arthurdale, WV, was constructed in 1969 as 
a single purpose flood control structure. Alternatives under 
consideration include the addition of rural raw water supply as a 
project purpose and increasing the reservoir volume, evaluating other 
raw water supply sources, raising the top of the dam elevation, 
flattening upstream and downstream face of the dam to improve slope 
stability, installing an internal drainage system in the dam, 
constructing a new auxiliary spillway, and constructing a new principal 
spillway riser structure. In addition to these structural alternatives, 
a no-action and a decommissioning alternative will be evaluated.
    A draft Plan-Environmental Assessment will be prepared and 
circulated for review by agencies and the public. The Natural Resources 
Conservation Service invites participation and consultation of agencies 
and individuals that have special expertise, legal jurisdiction, or 
interest in the preparation of the draft environmental assessment. 
Comments received, including the names and addresses of those who 
comment, will be considered part of the public record for this 
proposal. As a result of the process, if it is determined that the 
project may have significant impacts, the EIS process will be 
reinitiated and a NOI published. Further information on the proposed 
action may be obtained from Kevin Wickey, State Conservationist, at the 
above address or telephone (304-284-7545).

    Dated: February 24, 2012.
Kevin Wickey,
State Conservationist.

(This activity is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic 
Assistance under No. 10.904--Watershed Protection and Flood 
Prevention--and is subject to the provisions of Executive Order 
12372, which requires intergovernmental consultation with State and 
local officials.)

[FR Doc. 2012-5429 Filed 3-5-12; 8:45 am]
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