[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 196 (Friday, October 9, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 61188]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-25845]
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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 Nebraska Highway 12 Niobrara East and West Project,
Knox County, NE
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Omaha District, has
prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze the
direct, indirect and cumulative effects of a proposed Nebraska State
Highway project, Nebraska Highway 12 Niobrara East and West Project by
the Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR). The Applied-for Project is the
relocation and elevation (including additional bridges) of two segments
of existing Nebraska Highway 12 (N-12) that are frequently flooded and
have incurred damage due to high water levels associated with the
Missouri River.
DATES: Written comments on the Draft EIS will be accepted on or after
October 9, 2015, through November 23, 2015. Oral and/or written
comments may also be presented at the Public Hearing to be held at 6:00
p.m. on Monday, November 9, 2015, at the Niobrara Secondary School,
located at 247 NE-12, Niobrara, NE 68760.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments regarding the Applied-for Project and
Draft EIS to Rebecca J. Latka, Project Manager, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Omaha District, Regulatory Branch, 1616 Capitol Avenue,
Omaha, NE 68102-4901, or via email at [email protected].
Requests to be placed on or removed from the mailing list should also
be sent to this address.
Copies of the Draft EIS will be available for review at the
addresses listed in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.
Electronic copies of the Draft EIS may be obtained from the
Nebraska Regulatory Office or its Web site at http://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/Missions/RegulatoryProgram/Nebraska/EISHighway12.aspx.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rebecca J. Latka, Project Manager,
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, at 402-995-2681; fax 402-996-3842.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the Draft EIS is to provide a
full and fair discussion of the Applied-for Project and other
reasonable alternatives to inform decision makers and the public of the
environmental impacts of the Applied-for Project and the reasonable
alternatives. NDOR has submitted a Section 404 (Clean Water Act) permit
application containing a roadway design for Alternative A7 (the
Applied-for Project) to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). NDOR
proposes to relocate N-12 east and west of Niobrara, NE., south of its
existing location and construct a new roadway at a higher elevation
with enhanced bridged sections to withstand existing and future flood
events. The segment of N-12 that is in the bluffs, including the
segment that goes through the Village of Niobrara, will remain the
same. Two segments of N-12 within the existing Missouri River
floodplain would be relocated. The west segment is approximately 6.2
miles long and extends from just east of Verdel, Nebraska, on the west
end to 2 miles west of the bridge over the Niobrara River. The Applied-
for Project would deviate from the existing alignment just east of
Ponca Creek and would rejoin the existing alignment just north of
County Road 892. The east segment is approximately 6 miles long and
extends from just east of Spruce Avenue in Niobrara, NE., to
approximately 1 mile east of Spur 54D (S-54D). In the east segment, the
alignment would deviate from the existing alignment east of 4th Avenue
in Niobrara, NE., and would reconnect with existing N-12 at
approximately S-54D. A new connection to the Chief Standing Bear
Memorial Bridge (N-14) and SD-37 would be developed, tying into the
existing Highway 14 connection (which will be elevated as part of the
project). Once the roads are completed, the existing N-12 roadway would
be removed to the existing ground level. In addition to the Applied-for
Project, the Draft EIS analyzes three alternatives: (1) Elevation Raise
on Existing Alignment, (2) Elevation Raise on Parallel Alignment, (3)
Base of Bluffs Alignment. The National Park Service, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Federal Highway
Administration, and Knox County are serving as cooperating agencies.
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and Nebraska Department of
Environmental Quality are participating as review agencies. Copies of
the document are available at the following addresses:
1. Niobrara Public Library/Niobrara Civic Center, 25414 Park Avenue
Ste 3, Niobrara, NE 68760-0015
2. Tyndall City Library, 110 W 17th Avenue, Tyndall, SD 57066
3. Verdel City Office, 202 Second St., Verdel, NE 68760
4. Verdigre City Public Library, 101 E 3rd Street, Verdigre, NE
68783
5. Springfield City Library, 605 8th Street, Springfield, SD 57062
6. Knox County Extension Office, 308 Bridge Street, Center, NE 68724
7. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Lewis and Clark Visitor Center,
55245 Hwy 121, Croften, NE 68730
8. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nebraska Regulatory Office, Lake
Wehrspann Field Office, 8901 S. 154th Street, Omaha, NE 68138-3621
9. Corps of Discovery Welcome Center, 89705 Highway 81, Crofton, NE
68730
Dated: September 30, 2015.
Joseph McMahan,
Chief Regulatory Field Support, Omaha District.
[FR Doc. 2015-25845 Filed 10-8-15; 8:45 am]
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