[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 204 (Friday, October 22, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57080-57081]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-27637]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Army Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact
Statement (PEIS) for Proposed Hurricane and Wetland Protection in
Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes, LA, a Component of the Morganza, LA,
to the Gulf of Mexico Feasibility Study
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(COE) will prepare a draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement
(PEIS) to analyze the direct, indirect, and cumulative beneficial and
adverse impacts of implementing a hurricane protection project in
Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. The purposes of the proposed action are
to provide protection to existing development from tropical storm and
hurricane-induced tidal flooding such as that which occurred during
Hurricane Andrew and to protect coastal wetlands from hurricane surges
in a portion of Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. The proposed action would
consist of: (1) Upgrading many existing forced drainage system levees;
(2) using permitted and/or installed flood-control features (e.g.,
floodgates); (3) constructing some new levees and water-control
structures; and, (4) closing the water-control structures and flood
gates in a coordinated manner in the event of tropical storm or
hurricane-induced tidal surges.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding the PEIS may be
directed to Mr. Robert Martinson, CEMVN-PM-RS, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, P.O. Box 60267, New Orleans, Louisiana 70160-0267,
telephone: (504) 862-2582.
Questions regarding the proposed action may be directed to Mr.
Rodney Greenup, CEMVN-PM-W, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, P.O. Box
60267, New Orleans, Louisiana 70160-0267, telephone: (504) 862-2613.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A hurricane protection plan was proposed by
the South Terrebonne Tidewater Management and Conservation District
(STTMCD). A Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS for the STTMCD plan,
under the COE Regulatory Program, was issued on April 7, 1993 (Volume
58, Number 65, pp. 18084-18085). Subsequent to this, the COE was
authorized to begin a study of a similar plan. Because the underlying
purposes of the plans were the same and in the interest of cost
effectiveness, the COE decided to prepare one EIS to address both
initiatives, rather than two separate EISs. A Notice of Intent,
announcing this decision, was issued in the Federal Register on
September 8, 1995.
The COE and its cost-share partner, the Louisiana Department of
Transportation and Development, have determined that a full accounting
of all the details on the proposed hurricane protection system, in the
feasibility phase of project planning, will be extremely difficult. The
COE came to this conclusion because of the study area's large size, its
remote location, and the hydraulic complexity of developing a hurricane
protection system with numerous openings for navigation and the natural
environment. Therefore, the COE has decided, in conjunction with its
cost-share partner, to address a hurricane protection system,
programmatically, and to determine if the construction of the entire
system is feasible. If such a system is deemed feasible, then as the
details for each component (e.g., Houma Navigation Canal lock, levee
alignment/placement) of the system become definitive during the
detailed design phase, additional NEPA compliance would be achieved for
each component. Each of the component NEPA documents would be presented
in the context of the PEIS, which will provide an evaluation of the
overall environmental impacts of such a system and present a mitigation
plan for unavoidable impacts of the entire system.
Proposed Action
The proposed action would consist of: (1) Upgrading many existing
forced-drainage system levees from near Larose at the eastern end of
Theriot on the western end; (2) using permitted and/or installed flood-
control features (e.g., floodgates) in the area; (3) constructing new
levees and environmental water-control structures; and, (4) closing the
water-control structures and flood gates, in a coordinated manner, in
the event of tropical storm or hurricane-induced tidal surges. The
flood gates and water-control structures would normally be left open
for navigational and tidal ingress and egress. Several communities,
including the City of Houma, Dulac, Cauvin, and Montegut, would receive
protection from the proposed action.
[[Page 57081]]
Alternatives
The no-action alternative must be evaluated. Additionally, several
levee alignments around the Lake Beudreaux area will be evaluated,
including the STTMCD plan. Non-structural solutions for protecting
existing development also will be evaluated.
On May 12, 1993, the COE held a formal NEPA scoping meeting at
Houma, Louisiana, for the previously-announced regulatory EIS. Fifty-
two individuals registered at the meeting. Questions and issues of
concern were solicited at the meeting, and a summary of the results was
made available to participants on April 12, 1994. One of the main areas
of concern brought out during the 1993 scoping meeting was potential
impacts to Lake Boudreaux, its surrounding marshes, and the associated
marine organisms. Additional meetings will be held, with local
interests from the various bayou areas, and with the various affected
Federal and state agencies.
The COE does not plan to hold additional formal NEPA scoping
meetings, but meetings will continue to be held throughout the planning
process, as discussed above.
A draft PEIS is scheduled to be available for public review during
March 2000.
Thomas F. Julich,
Colonel, U.S. Army District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 99-27637 Filed 10-21-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-84-M