Notice2026-05783
Rescinding the Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Wood River Watershed, Custer County, Dawson County, Buffalo County, Hall County, and Merrick County, Nebraska
Primary source
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Published
March 25, 2026
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentNatural Resources Conservation Service
Abstract
NRCS, in cooperation with the Central Platte Natural Resources District, is issuing this notice to advise Federal, State, and local government agencies and the public that USDA NRCS is rescinding the Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Wood River Watershed in Buffalo, Custer, Dawson, Hall, and Merrick Counties, Nebraska, which was published in the Federal Register on February 9th, 2023. The measures proposed in the Lower Wood River Watershed Plan were determined to serve a drainage area that exceeds the statutory limit of 250,000 acres. No other feasible alternatives were identified during the planning process. NRCS is rescinding the NOI because the project has been terminated and an EIS is no longer necessary.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 57 (Wednesday, March 25, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 57 (Wednesday, March 25, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Page 14521]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-05783]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Rescinding the Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement for the Wood River Watershed, Custer County, Dawson
County, Buffalo County, Hall County, and Merrick County, Nebraska
AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA).
ACTION: Notice; rescission.
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SUMMARY: NRCS, in cooperation with the Central Platte Natural Resources
District, is issuing this notice to advise Federal, State, and local
government agencies and the public that USDA NRCS is rescinding the
Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for the Wood River Watershed in Buffalo, Custer, Dawson, Hall,
and Merrick Counties, Nebraska, which was published in the Federal
Register on February 9th, 2023. The measures proposed in the Lower Wood
River Watershed Plan were determined to serve a drainage area that
exceeds the statutory limit of 250,000 acres. No other feasible
alternatives were identified during the planning process. NRCS is
rescinding the NOI because the project has been terminated and an EIS
is no longer necessary.
DATES: The NOI to prepare an EIS published in the Federal Register on
February 9, 2023 at 88 FR 8400, is rescinded as of March 25, 2026.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Melissa Baier, USDA-NRCS-NE Assistant
State Conservationist for Water Resources and Easements; telephone:
(402) 437-4065; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7a171f161309091b54181b131f083a0f091e1b541d150c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c1aca4ada8b2b2a0efa3a0a8a4b381b4b2a5a0efa6aeb7">[email protected]</span></a>.
Individuals who require alternative means for communication should
contact the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Target Center at
(202) 720-2600 (voice and text telephone (TTY)) or dial 711 for
Telecommunications Relay service (both voice and text telephone users
can initiate this call from any telephone).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NRCS, in cooperation with the Central Platte
Natural Resources District, is issuing this notice to advise the public
that USDA-NRCS will not be preparing an EIS for the Lower Wood River
Watershed Floodwater Reduction Project in Buffalo, Custer, Dawson,
Hall, and Merrick Counties, Nebraska. NRCS issued the NOI to prepare an
EIS in the Federal Register on February 9th, 2023, at 88 FR 8400.
The primary purpose for this watershed planning effort was to
provide flood prevention or flood risk reduction measures to the
communities and agricultural lands in the Wood River Watershed located
in south-central Nebraska. Watershed planning is authorized by the
Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act of 1954, (Pub. L. 83-
566), as amended, and the Flood Control Act of 1944 (Pub. L. 78-534).
The watershed planning process evaluated several alternatives
including levees, diversion channels, detention cells, and dams. One
feasible alternative was identified and carried forward for final
analysis. The proposed action included construction of a diversion
channel to divert floodwater from the Wood River and convey it south to
the Platte River.
Planning activities for the Lower Wood River Watershed have been
terminated because the project area does not conform to the statutory
limits of the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act of 1954,
(Pub. L. 83-566), as amended. The preferred alternative works of
improvement included a diversion channel that captured a drainage area
of approximately 323,400 acres, which exceeds the maximum watershed
acreage of 250,000 acres allowable for Flood Prevention (Flood Damage
Reduction) projects as defined in Public Law 83-566. Planning did not
identify any other feasible alternatives that meet the statutory
limitations of Public Law 83-566.
Questions concerning this notice of rescission should be directed
to USDA NRCS through the contact provided above.
Robert Lawson,
Nebraska State Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2026-05783 Filed 3-24-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-16-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on March 25, 2026.
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