Notice of Availability (NOA) for the Proposed Wyoming Valley Levee Raising Project in the Vicinity of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army

Corps of Engineers

Notice of Availability (NOA) for the Proposed Wyoming Valley

Levee Raising Project in the Vicinity of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County,

Pennsylvania

AGENCY: U.S. Army Crops of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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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 the final public review of

the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) as part

of the public coordination effort regarding the proposed Wyoming Valley

Levee Raising Project, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The purpose of the

levee raising project is to modify the five existing flood protection

projects to provide protection against reoccurrence of a flood equal to

that caused by Tropical Storm Agnes in June 1972. The proposed project

consists of raising the levees and floodwalls 3 to 5 feet, appurtenant

features, and structural and non-structural mitigation measures for

increased flood impacts. The project was authorized under Section

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

the non-Federal sponsor for this project.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Questions about the proposed action and Final Supplemental

Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) can be addressed to Mr. Richard

Starr, Project Manager, Baltimore District, U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers, ATTN: CENAB-PL-RP, P.O. Box 1715, Baltimore, Maryland 21203-

1715, telephone (410) 962-4633. E-mail address:

[email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. The Baltimore District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has

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

evaluated an increased level of protection for the existing flood

protection systems along the Susquehanna River is 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 Final Supplemental Environmental

Impact Statement (FSEIS) has been prepared. This FSEIS documents all

study activities, including changes in the project actions, existing

conditions and project effects since the FEIS was prepared for the

Phase I GDM in 1981.

2. The decision to implement the project actions was based on an

evaluation of the probable impact of the proposed activities on the

public interest. That decision reflects the national concern for both

protection and utilization of important resources. The benefit which

may reasonably be expected to accrue from the proposal was balanced

against its reasonably foreseeable detriments. All factors which may be

relevant to the proposal, including the cumulative effects, thereof,

were considered; among these factors are conservation; economics;

aesthetics; general environmental concerns; wetlands; cultural values;

fish and wildlife values; threatened and endangered species; flood

hazards; flood plain values; hazardous, toxic and radioactive waste;

terrestrial resources; 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.

3. Final 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. Only

minor impacts to aquatic resources are expected to occur as a result of

limited fill activities in waters of the United States.

4. An evaluation of the proposed actions on waters of the United

States was performed pursuant to the guidelines promulgated by the

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

authority of Section 401 and 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 received a Section 401 water quality

certification, dated 20 March 1995, from the Commonwealth of

Pennsylvania for the levee raising project.

5. A Public Notice (PN) and Notice of Availability (NOA) were

published in the Federal Register on November 1, 1994, which began a 45

day draft public review period. The NOA and draft document were sent to

more than 500 congressional interests, state interests, federal, state

and local agencies, public media, educational institutions, special

interest groups, businesses, and individual interests. The Corps of

Engineers received approximately 80 comments. Each comment was

addressed in the Phase II GDM and FSEIS, in addition to individual

response letters explaining how each comment was to be addressed in the

final document. Based on the comments, it was determined that a public

hearing was not needed. After the final public review period, a Record

of Decision (ROD) will be signed and published in the Federal Register.

6. The FSEIS has been submitted for final review. Any person who

has an interest in the project may request for a copy of the final

Phase II GDM and FSEIS. Any requests must be submitted within 30 days

of the date of this notice to: District Engineer, ATTN: CENAB-PL-RP,

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, P.O. Box 1715,

Baltimore, Maryland 21203-1715.

Gregory D. Showalter,

Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.

[FR Doc. 96-4461 Filed 2-27-96; 8:45 am]

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