Notice2024-14985
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Feasibility Report and Environmental Impact Statement for the Collier County Coastal Storm Risk Management Project, Collier County, Florida
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
July 9, 2024
Issuing agencies
Defense DepartmentEngineers Corps
Abstract
Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) plans to prepare a draft Integrated Feasibility Study and Environmental Impact Statement (IFR/ EIS) for the Collier County Coastal Storm Risk Management Study. This study will investigate the feasibility of managing coastal storm risks to nearshore areas of Collier County, Florida, from hurricanes and other storms with their associated wind, storm surge, and coastal flooding. This notice announces USACE's intent to determine the scope of the issues to be addressed and identify the significant issues related to a proposed action.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 131 (Tuesday, July 9, 2024)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 131 (Tuesday, July 9, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56348-56349]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-14985]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Feasibility Report and
Environmental Impact Statement for the Collier County Coastal Storm
Risk Management Project, Collier County, Florida
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of the Army, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) plans to prepare a draft
Integrated Feasibility Study and Environmental Impact Statement (IFR/
EIS) for the Collier County Coastal Storm Risk Management Study. This
study will investigate the feasibility of managing coastal storm risks
to nearshore areas of Collier County, Florida, from hurricanes and
other storms with their associated wind, storm surge, and coastal
flooding. This notice announces USACE's intent to determine the scope
of the issues to be addressed and identify the significant issues
related to a proposed action.
DATES: Scoping comments may be submitted until August 8, 2024.
ADDRESSES: The public is invited to submit National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) scoping comments to Mrs. Kathy Hanes, Department of
the Army, USACE Norfolk District at Fort Norfolk, 803 Front St.,
Norfolk, VA 23510 or via email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#591a363535303c2b743a2a2b34192c2a383a3c77382b342077343035"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="8bc8e4e7e7e2eef9a6e8f8f9e6cbfef8eae8eea5eaf9e6f2a5e6e2e7">[email protected]</span></a>. The
project title, USACE-CW Planning-NAD/SAD-NAO-476674, and the
commenter's contact information should be included with submitted
comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mrs. Kathy Hanes, (757) 201-7218.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: USACE is issuing this notice pursuant to 42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq., as implemented by the Council on Environmental
Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508) and 54 U.S.C. 300101 et
seq., as implemented by Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
regulations (36 CFR part 800). The study authority is provided in
Section 4033 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (Pub. L.
110-114), which authorizes a study to determine the feasibility of
carrying out a project for hurricane and storm risk management and
flood risk management in the vicinity of Vanderbilt, Park Shore, and
Naples beaches, Collier County, Florida. The greater Study Area
includes the nearshore, shoreline, back bays, connecting waters, and
inland areas within the jurisdictional boundary of Collier County,
Florida. The Study Area also includes any material borrow areas located
within Federal waters of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) not within
Collier County. The focused Study Area is separated into four different
Planning Areas to help stream-line plan formulation and numeric
modeling exercises. The four separable Planning Areas (PAs) are (1)
North County Beaches, (2) Naples, (3) Goodland, and (4) Marco Island.
Additionally, and not limited to only within these PAs, is analysis and
inclusion of risk management measures for Critical Infrastructure.
The study will investigate the feasibility of addressing storm and
flood risks to vulnerable populations, property, infrastructure, and
ecosystems along coastlines in Collier County, and develop and evaluate
various alternatives aimed at managing those risks and increasing
coastal resiliency against storm surge.
Several alternatives are currently being considered, including a no
action alternative and various combinations of nonstructural measures
and nature-based solutions for managing risks and damages caused by
coastal storms in the Study Area in Collier County, Florida. Measures
being considered include nature-based solutions such as beach
nourishment berms and vegetated dunes, (sometimes considered ``soft''
structural measures), mangrove restoration, and living shorelines; and
nonstructural measures such as elevations of residences, dry and wet
flood-proofing of buildings and critical infrastructure, and early
warning systems.
Effects to be considered include but are not limited to the
following: temporary and permanent social effects on disadvantaged or
underserved communities due to nonstructural measures; potential
primary or secondary effects on or near nearshore hardbottom resources
threatened/endangered species, Essential Fish Habitat, and other
benthic and aquatic resources, water quality, hydraulics and hydrology;
temporary and or permanent effects on recreational use; effects on
cultural resources; air quality and greenhouse gas emissions, and other
relevant social and environmental effects.
USACE is the lead Federal agency and Collier County is the non-
Federal sponsor for the study effort. The Cities of Naples and Marco
Island were also invited to participate in regular study coordination
with Collier County as key stakeholders. Cooperating agencies include
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management (BOEM), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA). Participating agencies include the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (USFWS), Advisory Council on Historic Properties
(ACHP), Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), the
Florida Department of State Division of Historic Resources (DHR),
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Florida
Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), Florida Department of
Transportation (FDOT), the Seminole Tribe of Oklahoma, the Seminole
Tribe of Florida, the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians in Florida, and the
Thlopthlocco Tribal Town.
USACE anticipates that the following permits will be required:
water quality certification pursuant to section 401 of the Clean Water
Act, a Federal consistency determination pursuant to the Coastal Zone
Management Act (CZMA), and leases from BOEM for use of offshore borrow
areas. Coordination with environmental agencies will be conducted under
the Endangered Species Act, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation
Act, the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, the National Historic
Preservation Act, and other Federal and State laws and regulations.
Public NEPA scoping meetings were held on the following dates: 18
April 2023 via Zoom; in person on 26 April
[[Page 56349]]
2023; multiple in-person public meetings on 21-22 June 2023; and in-
person community meetings on 16-17 January 2024. Virtual monthly public
information meetings have been held since July 2023. Federal, State,
and local agencies, Indian tribes, and the public are invited to
provide scoping comments on alternatives and effects, including any
relevant information, studies, or analyses. Scoping comments will be
accepted until August 8, 2024. All comments received during the scoping
period are being used to identify additional measures and alternatives,
significant resources, and impacts that should be considered in the
EIS. Additional comments received outside the scoping period will be
considered prior to the Draft EIS public review period, to the extent
possible. For comments that cannot be addressed prior to the public
review period, the comments will be included with the public review
period comments on the draft EIS and addressed at that time.
Availability of Draft EIS: USACE estimates that the Draft IFR/EIS
will be available for public review and comment in November 2024. At
that time, USACE will provide a 60-day public review period for
individuals and agencies to review and comment. USACE will notify all
interested agencies, organizations, and individuals of the availability
of the draft document at that time. A Final IFR/EIS is anticipated in
late 2025.
Daniel H. Hibner,
Brigadier General, U.S. Army, Commanding.
[FR Doc. 2024-14985 Filed 7-8-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on July 9, 2024.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.