Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and Notice of Public Scoping Meeting

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Corps of Engineers

Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and Notice of

Public Scoping Meeting

AGENCY: Corps of Engineers, Omaha District.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Metropolitan Utilities District (District), Omaha

Nebraska, proposes to construct a 104 million gallon per day (MGD) well

field near the Platte River in western Douglas and eastern Saunders

Counties, Nebraska. The proposed project also includes a water

treatment plant and transmission pipelines. The purpose of the proposed

project is to provide additional public water supply to meet customer

requirements through the year 2030 and to improve water source

reliability for the District's growing service area.

The proposed action will require a Corps of Engineers' permit

pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344), which

authorizes the Corps of Engineers to issue permits for the discharge of

dredged or fill material into the waters of the United States. In

accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and

implementing regulations, an environmental impact statement will be

prepared to analyze the environmental impacts of the proposed action

and alternatives. A public scoping meeting has been scheduled to

solicit comments regarding the scope of the environmental studies.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Questions about the proposed action and Environmental Impact Statement

should be directed to: Mr. Richard D. Gorton, Chief, Environmental

Analysis Branch, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 215 North 17th Street,

Omaha, Nebraska 68102-4978; phone (402) 221-4598; fax (402) 221-4886.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Metropolitan Utilities District

(District) is the potable water supplier of Omaha, Nebraska, and the

surrounding area. The District is experiencing a steady growth within

its existing and expanding service area boundaries. It has determined

that an additional 100 MGD supply would be required by the year 2030.

It has also concluded that if peak day design conditions were to occur

any year after 1995, the District would not be able to meet those

demands. The District does not currently have any excess production

capacity to provide reliability during peak water demand periods.

The proposed project would include a total of 42 wells in the

Platte River alluvial aquifer and associated pumping equipment, water

transmission pipelines, a water treatment facility, and a 25-million-

gallon storage reservoir. These facilities would deliver water to the

western portion of the District's distribution system.

Alternatives to the proposed action identified to date include:

Construction of well facilities in the Platte River

alluvial aquifer in alternative locations;

Construction of additional facilities to supply water from

the Missouri River;

No Federal action.

A public scoping meeting has been scheduled for June 1, 1995 at

7:00 p.m. at the Russell Middle School Cafeteria, 5304 South 172

Street, Omaha, Nebraska.

The purpose of the scoping meetings is to solicit public input on

issues, studies needed, alternatives to be evaluated, and potential

environmental effects. Written comments will also be requested.

Potential significant environmental issues include effects on

threatened and endangered species and the indirect effects of drawdown

on wetlands and recreational lakes.

Other applicable and pertinent environmental review and

consultation requirements will be undertaken simultaneously with the

NEPA process, including requirements of the Endangered Species Act,

Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, National Historic Preservation Act,

Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, and others.

Gregory D. Showalter,

Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.

[FR Doc. 95-12072 Filed 5-16-95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3710-62-M