Public Notice for the Wyoming Valley Levee Raising Project, Luzerne County, PA; Phase II General Design Memorandum

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army

Public Notice for the Wyoming Valley Levee Raising Project,

Luzerne County, PA; Phase II General Design Memorandum

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, DOD.

ACTION: Public notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act

(NEPA) and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, the U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers, Baltimore District, is conducting public coordination

regarding the proposed Wyoming Valley Levee Raising Project, Luzerne

County, Pennsylvania. The purpose of the levee raising project is to

modify the existing four flood protection projects to provide

protection against a reoccurrence of a flood equal to that caused by

Tropical Storm Agnes in June 1972. The proposed project consists of the

raising of levees and floodwalls an average of 3 to 5 feet, appurtenant

features, and structural and non-structural mitigation measures for

adverse increased flood impacts. The project was authorized under

Section 401(a) of the 1986 Water Resources Development Act. Luzerne

County will be the non-Federal sponsor of this project.

DATES: Comments must be received not later than December 16, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District,

CENAB-PL-EC, P.O. Box 1715, Baltimore, MD 21203-1715.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Richard R. Starr, (410) 962-4633.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Baltimore District, U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers has prepared a Phase II General Design Memorandum (GDM) which

has evaluated an increased level of protection for the existing flood

protection systems along the Susquehanna River in the Wyoming Valley of

Luzerne County in the vicinity of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

Additionally, the study evaluated increased flooding due to the

proposed project and alternative solutions for this problem in areas

upstream and downstream in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Columbia, Montour,

Northumberland, and Snyder Counties. A Supplemental Environmental

Impact Statement (SEIS) has been prepared as part of the Phase II GDM

to document changes in the project actions, existing conditions and

project effects which were described in the Final Environmental Impact

Statement (FEIS) prepared for the Phase I GDM in 1981.

The decision to implement these actions will be based on an

evaluation of the probable impact of the proposed activities on the

public interest. That decision will reflect the national concern for

both protection and utilization of important resources. The benefit

which reasonably may be expected to accrue from the proposal will be

balanced against its reasonably for foreseeable detriments. All factors

which may be relevant to the proposal, including the cumulative effects

thereof, will be considered; among these factors are conservation,

economics, aesthetics, general environmental concerns, wetlands,

cultural values, fish and wildlife values, flood hazards, flood plain

values, land use, recreation, water supply and conservation, water

quality, energy needs, safety, food and fiber production, and the

general needs and welfare of the people.

Initial evaluation of the levee raising project indicates that the

overall quality of the study area will be maintained with exception to

some social impacts caused by the increased flooding; environmental

impacts to a 0.38 acre river fringe emergent wetland; and cultural

impacts to one archeological site and two architectural structures.

Mitigation plans have been developed for all of these impacts. The

evaluation of the potential effects of the proposed projects has

included: Cultural resources; hazardous, toxic and radioactive waste;

terrestrial resources; aquatic resources; wetlands; threatened and

endangered species; aesthetics; recreation, and the general needs and

welfare of the public. Only minor impacts to aquatic resources are

expected to occur as a result of limited fill activities in waters of

the United States. No significant adverse impacts are expected to

occur, other than the ones mentioned above, to cultural resources,

wetlands, terrestrial habitat areas or listed species or their critical

habitat pursuant to Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act.

An evaluation of the proposed actions on waters of the United

States was performed pursuant to the guidelines promulgated by the

Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, under the

authority of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. The Section 404(b)(1)

evaluations and other preliminary analyses indicate that the proposed

project will result in no significant adverse impacts to the aquatic

ecosystem, recreation, aesthetics, flood protection or economic values

of the waterways. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District,

has requested a Section 401 water quality certification from the

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the levee raising project. Any comment

relating to water quality concerns should be forwarded to the

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Bureau of Dams, Waterways and Wetlands,

North Central Office, 200 Pine Street, Williamsport, Pennsylvania

17701, within 30 days of receipt of this notice.

In accordance with NEPA and the Clean Water Act, the Corps of

Engineers is soliciting comments from the public; Federal, state, and

local agencies and officials, and other interested parties in order to

consider and evaluate the impacts. Any comments received will be

considered by the Corps of Engineers in the decision to implement the

proposed project. To make this decision, comments are used to assess

impacts on endangered species, historic properties, water quality,

general environmental effects, and the other public interest factors

listed above. Comments regarding the levee raising project will be

incorporated in the SEIS pursuant to NEPA. Comments are also used to

determine the need for a public hearing and to determine the overall

public interest of the proposed activity. This public notice is being

sent to organizations and individuals known to have an interest in the

project. Please bring this notice to the attention of any other

individuals with an interest in this matter.

Any person who has an interest in the project may make comments

and/or request a public hearing. Comments must clearly set forth the

interest which may be adversely affected by this activity and the

manner in which the interest may be adversely affected. Written

comments and requests must be submitted within 45 days of the date of

this notice in the Federal Register.

Kenneth L. Denton,

Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.

[FR Doc. 94-26982 Filed 10-31-94; 8:45 am]

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