[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 246 (Friday, December 21, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 75622]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-30847]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement for Development of a Long-Term Sediment Management Plan of
the Mount St. Helens Sediment Retention Structure in the North Fork
Toutle River
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District, intends
to prepare a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS)
to assess impacts associated with alternatives for the long-term
management of the existing Mount St. Helens (MSH) Sediment Retention
Structure (SRS) located at river mile 13.2 of the North Fork Toutle
River. The MSH SRS is a single-purpose structure constructed in 1987-
1989 to trap and control downstream movement of volcanic sediments
eroding from the debris avalanche of Mount St. Helens. The purpose of
the long-term management of the existing MSH SRS is to continue to
provide flood damage reduction benefits to downstream communities along
the Cowlitz River including Longview, Kelso, Castle Rock, and
Lexington, Washington.
DATES: A Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement is expected
to be available for public review and comment in 2013.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Tim Kuhn, at the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, Portland District, P.O. Box 2946, Portland, OR 97204, by
phone at 503-808-4752 or email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Announcement is made by the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, Portland District (Corps), that a DSEIS will be developed
to address environmental changes that have occurred since the original
EIS was published in December 1984. The Water Resources Development Act
of 2000, Section 339, authorized the Corps to maintain the flood damage
reduction benefits through the end of the Mount St. Helens project
planning period, which is 2035. The originally authorized work is
described in the October 1985 report of the Chief of Engineers titled,
Mount St. Helens, Washington, Decision Document (Toutle, Cowlitz, and
Columbia Rivers), published as House Document No. 135, 99th Congress.
Continued work on the Mount St. Helens project will be accomplished
under the existing open construction project that was authorized in
August 1985. The State of Washington is the non-federal sponsor of the
project, and cost-sharing requirements are outlined in a 1986 Local
Cooperation Agreement between the Department of the Army and State of
Washington and Cowlitz County diking districts.
Scoping Process: a. The Corps of Engineers invites affected
Federal, State, and local agencies, Native American tribes, and other
interested organizations and individuals to participate in the
development of the DSEIS. The Corps of Engineers anticipates conducting
a public scoping meeting for this DSEIS in early 2013. The exact date,
time, and location of this meeting have not yet been determined. This
information will be publicized once the meeting arrangements have been
made. The Corps will provide notice to the public of additional
opportunities for public input on the SEIS during review periods for
the draft and final SEIS.
b. Significant issues to be analyzed in depth in the DSEIS include
alternatives for managing estimated volumes of sediment (sediment decay
rate), potential impacts to fish and wildlife, and potential impacts to
tributaries of the North Fork Toutle River, associated wetlands, and
potential impacts to downstream waterways including the Cowlitz River.
c. The Corps will serve as the lead Federal agency in preparation
of the DSEIS. The Corps intends to coordinate and/or consult with
Federal and State agencies, as well as interested Native American
Tribes during the scoping and preparation of the DSEIS. A decision will
be made during the scoping process whether other agencies and/or Tribes
will serve in an official role as Cooperating Agencies.
Dated: December 7, 2012.
John W. Eisenhauer,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Commander.
[FR Doc. 2012-30847 Filed 12-20-12; 8:45 am]
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