Notice2023-11192
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Oregon; Extension of Comment Period
Primary source
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Published
May 25, 2023
Issuing agencies
Homeland Security DepartmentFederal Emergency Management Agency
Abstract
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is extending the public comment period for its notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Oregon, which published March 6, 2023. In this notice, FEMA announced its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the implementation of the plan for National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)--Endangered Species Act (ESA) Integration in Oregon.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 101 (Thursday, May 25, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 101 (Thursday, May 25, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33901-33902]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-11192]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Federal Emergency Management Agency
[Docket ID FEMA-2023-0007]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
Oregon; Extension of Comment Period
AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement;
extension of comment period.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is extending
the public comment period for its notice of intent to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for Oregon, which published March 6,
2023. In this notice, FEMA announced its intent to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the implementation of the plan
for National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)--Endangered Species Act
(ESA) Integration in Oregon.
DATES: Written comments on the notice of intent published at 88 FR
13841 (March 6, 2023) must be received by FEMA on or before June 26,
2023. Comments already submitted do not need to be resubmitted. FEMA
will hold at least two virtual public scoping meetings and at least two
in-person public scoping meetings in Oregon at the times, dates, and
locations listed on the project EIS website (see ADDRESSES section of
this document). Reasonable accommodations are available for people with
disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation, contact the person
listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section below as soon as
possible. Last minute requests will be accepted but may not be possible
to fulfill.
ADDRESSES: The project EIS website with the draft plan and public
meeting information is at <a href="https://www.fema.gov/about/organization/region-10/oregon/nfip-esa-integration">https://www.fema.gov/about/organization/region-10/oregon/nfip-esa-integration</a>. You may provide oral or written
comments at either the in-person or virtual public scoping meetings.
You may also provide written comments via the Federal eRulemaking
Portal at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. Search for FEMA-2023-0007 and
follow the instructions for submitting comments.
All submissions must include the agency name and Docket ID for this
notice. All comments received will be posted without change to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a> and will include any personal information you
provide. Therefore, submitting this information makes it public. You
may wish to read the Privacy and Security notice, which can be viewed
by clicking on the ``Privacy and Security Notice'' link on the homepage
of <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>. Commenters are encouraged to identify the
number of the specific question or questions to which they are
responding. For access to the docket and to read comments received by
FEMA, go to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> and search for Docket ID FEMA-
2023-0007.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Science Kilner, Regional
Environmental
[[Page 33902]]
Officer, FEMA Region 10, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9cdad9d1ddb1ceadacb1d9cfddfff3f1f1f9f2e8efdcfaf9f1fdb2f8f4efb2fbf3ea"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6c2a29212d413e5d5c41293f2d0f0301010902181f2c0a09010d4208041f420b031a">[email protected]</span></a>, 425-487-
4713, or visit the EIS website (see ADDRESSES above).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 6, 2023, FEMA published a notice
announcing its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for the implementation of the plan for National Flood Insurance
Program (NFIP)--Endangered Species Act (ESA) Integration in Oregon.\1\
FEMA gave notice that the public scoping process had begun for the
preparation of an EIS for the proposed action. The purpose of the
scoping process is to solicit public comments regarding the range of
issues, information, and analyses relevant to the proposed action,
including potential environmental impacts and reasonable alternatives
to address in the EIS. FEMA also notified the public of its intent to
host in-person and virtual public scoping meetings to provide
additional information to the public, and solicit comments on potential
issues, concerns, and reasonable alternatives that FEMA should
consider. FEMA is preparing this EIS in compliance with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and the NEPA regulations
implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality as of the date of
this Notice.
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\1\ 88 FR 13841. Commenters may reference the Notice of Intent
for a general description of the NFIP and the EIS process.
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Public Scoping Process, Including Scoping Meetings
This NEPA scoping process is in addition to previous opportunities
available to the public to understand and influence FEMA's draft
Implementation Plan. The purpose of the EIS scoping process is to
gather input on the issues, concerns, possible alternatives, and
potential significant impacts to the quality of the human environment
that FEMA should consider in the EIS. Participants are anticipated to
include, and are not limited to, agencies (Federal, state, county, and
local), Tribes, public interest groups, nongovernmental organizations,
businesses, trade associations, and individual members of the public.
As described under the DATES section of this notice, FEMA is
facilitating virtual and in-person meetings to accommodate and
encourage public participation. At these meetings, the public will have
the opportunity to present comments on the scope of the EIS. FEMA
representatives will be available to answer questions and provide
additional information to meeting attendees. In addition to providing
comments at the public scoping meetings, stakeholders may submit
written comments as described in the ADDRESSES section. Comments may be
broad in nature or restricted to specific areas of concern, but they
should be directly relevant to the NEPA process or potential
environmental impacts as described in the Comments section below.
Comments already submitted do not need to be resubmitted.
Comments
FEMA is seeking input on relevant information, studies, or analyses
of any kind concerning impacts that result from the proposed action or
alternatives. Specifically:
1. Potential effects (adverse or beneficial) that the proposed
action could have on biological resources, including species and their
habitat.
2. Potential effects that the proposed action could have on
physical resources and natural floodplain functions.
3. Potential effects that the proposed action could have on
socioeconomics, including demographics, employment, economics,
minority, low-income populations, and Tribes, land use, zoning,
housing, commerce, transportation, community growth, and community
infrastructure.
4. Other possible reasonable alternatives to the proposed action
that FEMA should consider, including additional or alternative
avoidance, minimization, and mitigation measures that achieve the
performance standard of no-net loss of three key natural floodplain
functions.
FEMA regulation, at 40 CFR 1502.17, requires that FEMA append to
the draft EIS or otherwise publish all comments received during the
scoping process that identifies alternatives, information, and analysis
for FEMA's consideration. FEMA respects each commentor's desire to
withhold sensitive information (such as the costs associated with
development in the floodplain) but, at the same time, recognizes that
one set of impacts that may be associated with the implementation of
the draft plan is the economic, social, and equity burden that
individuals, businesses, and communities may face.
To promote informed decision-making, comments should be as specific
as possible and should provide as much detail as necessary to
meaningfully and fully inform FEMA of the commenter's position.
Comments should explain why the issues raised are important to the
consideration of potential environmental impacts and possible
alternatives to the proposed action as well as to economic, employment,
and other impacts affecting the quality of the human environment.
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq., and 40 CFR 1501.9.
Donna Defrancesco,
Assistant Administrator for Environmental Planning and Historic
Preservation, Federal Emergency Management Agency.
[FR Doc. 2023-11192 Filed 5-24-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-47-P
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