Rescission Notice; Black River Watershed Project in Butler County, Missouri

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Rescission Notice; Black River Watershed Project in Butler County, Missouri

AGENCY:

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION:

Notice; rescission.

SUMMARY:

The NRCS Missouri State Office, in coordination with the North Inter-River Drainage District, Reorganized Butler County Drainage District 7, and the Ring Levee District, is rescinding the Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Black River Watershed Project in Butler County, Missouri, which was published in the

Federal Register

on August 13, 2025. NRCS has determined that the NOI was issued prior to confirming the need for an EIS.

DATES:

Effective upon publication, this notice rescinds the NOI to prepare an EIS (90 FR 38946), which was published in the

Federal Register

on August 13, 2025.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Andrew Rackers, Missouri State Conservation Engineer; telephone: (573) 876-9376; email:

andrew.rackers@usda.gov.

Individuals who require alternative means for communication should contact the USDA Target Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and text telephone (TTY)) or dial 711 for Telecommunications Relay Service (both voice and text telephone users can initiate this call from any telephone).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The NRCS Missouri State Office, in coordination with the North Inter-River Drainage District, Reorganized Butler County Drainage District 7, and the Ring Levee District, and consistent with the requirements of 7 CFR 1b.7, is issuing this notice to advise Federal, State, and local government agencies and the public that NRCS will continue the planning process to determine whether an EIS is needed for the Black River Watershed Project. This notice rescinds the NOI to prepare an EIS (90 FR 38946), published on August 13, 2025. The project area is located along the Black River in southeast Missouri, extending from the city of Poplar Bluff south to the Missouri-Arkansas state line.

During the watershed planning process, NRCS determined that the NOI (90 FR 38946) was issued prematurely, before identifying all reasonable alternatives and assessing whether an EIS was needed. If the planning process indicates that an EIS is appropriate, NRCS will publish a new NOI. The watershed planning process is continuing and will comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Any public comment received from the original NOI and scoping period will be considered during Watershed Plan development. Watershed planning is authorized by the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act of 1954 (Pub. L. 83-566), as amended, and the Flood Control Act of 1944 (Pub. L. 78-534).

Nathan Goodrich,

Missouri State Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service.

[FR Doc. 2026-17597 Filed 8-27-26; 8:45 am]

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