Cameron-Creole Maintenance Project (CS-4a), Cameron Parish, Louisiana

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Cameron-Creole Maintenance Project (CS-4a), Cameron Parish,

Louisiana

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact.

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

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental

Policy Act of 1969; the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations

(40 CFR Part 1500); and the Natural Resources Conservation Service

Regulations (7 CFR Part 650); the Natural Resources Conservation

Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, gives notice that an

environmental impact statement is not being prepared for the Cameron-

Creole Maintenance Project (CS-4a), Cameron Parish, Louisiana.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donald W. Gohmert, State

Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service, 3737

Government Street, Alexandria, Louisiana 71302, telephone (318) 473-

7751.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The environmental assessment of this

federally assisted action indicates that the project will not cause

significant local, regional, or national impacts on the environment. As

a result of these findings, Donald W. Gohmert, State Conservationist,

has determined that the preparation and review of an environmental

impact statement are not needed on this project.

The purpose of this project is to provide maintenance on a

completed 113,000 acre PL-566 watershed project through PL-646. The

original project and maintenance proposal has already gone through

public review.

The Notice of a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) has been

forwarded to the Environmental Protection Agency and to various

federal, state and local agencies and interested parties. A limited

number of copies of the FONSI are available to fill single copy

requests at the above address.

No administrative action on implementation of the proposal will be

taken until 30 days after the date of this publication in the Federal

Register.

[[Page 19099]]

Dated: April 4, 1997.

Donald W. Gohmert,

State Conservationist.

Finding of No Significant Impact; Cameron-Creole Maintenance Project

(CS-4A), Cameron Parish, Louisiana

Introduction

The Cameron-Creole Maintenance Project is a federally assisted

action authorized for funding under Public Law 101-646, Coastal

Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act. An environmental

assessment has been completed on this project based upon examination of

a Final Environment Statement completed on the PL-566 Cameron-Creole

Watershed Project. This document is available for review at the

following location: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources

Conservation Service, Water Resources Planning Section, 3727 Government

Street, Alexandria, Louisiana 71302.

Recommended Action

The United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources

Conservation Service (NRCS) proposes to provide maintenance on the

completed PL-566 Cameron-Creole Watershed Project through the

authorized PL-646 funding.

Effect of the Recommended Action

The Cameron-Creole Watershed is an 113,000 acre area in Cameron

Parish, Louisiana. Providing necessary maintenance will insure

continued benefits of the completed project are sustained, as shown by

the latest monitoring report.

Consultation--Public Participation

Upon signature of this Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), a

Notice of Availability will be sent to concerned federal, state, local

and other organizations and individuals known to have an interest in

the proposed project. The proposed project has been coordinated with

and accepted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine

Fisheries Service, Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources and the Governor's

Office of Coastal Affairs.

Meetings are being held throughout the process to keep all

interested parties informed of the project status. Agency consultation

and public participation to date have shown no unresolved conflicts

with the proposed implementation of the selected plan.

Conclusion

This office has assessed the environmental impacts of the proposed

work and has determined that the project will have no significant

adverse local, regional, or national impacts on the environment.

Therefore, no Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or Supplemental EIS

will be prepared.

Dated: April 4, 1997.

Donald W. Gohmert,

State Conservationist.

Subject: Adoption of Cameron-Creole Watershed Environmental Impact

To: Cameron-Creole Maintenance Project (CS-4A) File

I have reviewed the Cameron Creole Watershed Final Environment

Statement which is housed in the Water Resources Planning Section at

3727 Government Street, Alexandria, Louisiana. It adequately

addresses the potential environmental impacts for the above

identified action and meets the requirements of Natural Resources

Conservation Service NEPA as set forth in the regulations of the

Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) (40 CFR 1500-1508) and the

SCS (7 CFR 650).

This memorandum is adopted as my environmental assessment of the

subject action.

Based on an examination and review of the foregoing information,

I have determined that this project:

______ will have a significant effect on the quality of the human

environment and an Environmental Impact Statement must be prepared;

XX will not have a significant effect on the quality of the human

environment.

I have made the following compliance determination for the

listed environmental requirements.

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

Not in compliance In compliance

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

______ XX Clean Air Act.

______ XX Federal Water Pollution

Control Act.

______ XX Safe Drinking Water Act--

Section 1924(e).

______ XX Endangered Species Act.

______ XX Coastal Barrier Resources

Act.

______ XX Coastal Zone Management

Act-Section 307(c) (1)

and (2).

______ XX Wild and Scenic Rivers

Act.

______ XX National Historic

Preservation Act.

______ XX Archaeological and

Historic Preservation

Act.

______ XX Executive Order 11988,

Floodplain Management.

______ XX Executive Order 11990,

Protection of Wetlands.

______ XX Subtitle B, Highly

Erodible Land

Conservation, and

Subtitle Wetland

Conservation, of the

Food Security Act.

______ XX Farmland Protection

Policy Act.

______ XX Departmental Regulation

9500-3, Land Use Policy.

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

I have reviewed and considered the type and degree of adverse

environmental impacts identified by this assessment. I have also

analyzed the proposal for its consistency with NRCS environmental

policies, particularly those related to land use, and have

considered the potential benefits of the proposal. Based upon a

consideration and balancing of these factors, I have determined from

an environmental standpoint that the project

XX be approved

______ not be approved because of the attached reasons.

Dated: April 4, 1997.

Donald W. Gohmert,

State Conservationist.

[FR Doc. 97-10003 Filed 4-17-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-16-M