Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Rodman Dam/Ocklawaha River Restoration Project, Putnam and Marion Counties, FL

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army

Corps of Engineers

Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)

for the Rodman Dam/Ocklawaha River Restoration Project, Putnam and

Marion Counties, FL

AGENCY: Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Jacksonville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, along

with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, intends to

prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the feasibility of

implementing a plan for

[[Page 4420]]

the Rodman Dam/Ocklawaha River Restoration Project in Putnam and Marion

Counties, Florida.

ADDRESSES: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, P.O.

Box 4970, Jacksonville, Florida 32232-0019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Therese Fretwell, 904-232-3271.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: a. The Water Resources Development Act of

1990 (Public Law 101-640) required the U.S. Corps of Engineers to

transfers all lands, facilities and management responsibilities

associated with Cross Florida Barge Canal Project to the State of

Florida. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) is

now in the process of developing the Rodman Dam/Ocklawaha River

Restoration project for restoring a portion of the Cross Florida Canal

to its historic condition. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

participation will include permitting activities for Section 9 and

Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act and Section 404 of the Clean

Water Act and NEPA documentation of this project. The FDEP application

for a Department of the Army permit includes four alternative plans for

dealing with management of the Rodman Dam. These include: Complete

Restoration of the Ocklawaha River, Partial Restoration of the

Ocklawaha River, Total Retention of the Rodman Reservoir and Partial

Retention of the Rodman Reservoir. The FDEP has chosen the Partial

Restoration of the Ocklawaha River as its preferred alternative for the

Rodman Dam/Ocklawaha River Restoration Project. This plan will be an

eleven part process that will restore river hydrology and floodplain

function to historic conditions through breaching of the dam, with

limited removal and/or alteration of structures and topographical

manipulation and allowing for maximum restoration from natural

processes to occur. The magnitude and duration of the project is such

that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers determined that an EIS should be

prepared for the entire project pursuant to the National Environmental

Policy Act (NEPA).

b. Scoping: The scoping process as outlined by the Council on

Environmental Quality will be utilized to involve Federal, State, and

local agencies; and other interested persons and organizations. A

scoping letter will be sent to interested Federal, State, local

agencies and interested parties requesting their comments and concerns

regarding the issues they think should be included in the EIS.

Interested persons and organizations wishing to participate in the

scoping process should contact the Corps of Engineers at the above

mentioned address. Environmental considerations will include potential

presence of historical or archeological resources, aesthetics,

recreation demand, water quality, flood control, water supply, land

use, wetlands, endangered and threatened species, and fish and wildlife

habitats and values. Public meetings may be held in the future, exact

dates, times and locations will be published in local papers.

c. It is estimated that the DEIS will be available to the public by

mid-1996.

Gregory D. Showalter,

Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.

[FR Doc. 96-2381 Filed 2-5-96; 8:45 am]

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