Rescission Notice; St. Johns Watershed Project in Mississippi, New Madrid, and Scott Counties, Missouri

Issuing agencies

Abstract

The NRCS Missouri State Office, in coordination with the St. Johns Levee and Drainage District of Southeast Missouri, is rescinding the Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the St. Johns Watershed Project in Mississippi, New Madrid, and Scott Counties, Missouri, which was published in the Federal Register on August 13, 2025. NRCS has determined that the NOI was issued prior to confirming the need for an EIS.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 166 (Friday, August 28, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 166 (Friday, August 28, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Page 55512]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-17595]



[[Page 55512]]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service


Rescission Notice; St. Johns Watershed Project in Mississippi, 
New Madrid, and Scott Counties, Missouri

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), United States 
Department of Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Notice; rescission.

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SUMMARY: The NRCS Missouri State Office, in coordination with the St. 
Johns Levee and Drainage District of Southeast Missouri, is rescinding 
the Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for the St. Johns Watershed Project in Mississippi, New Madrid, 
and Scott Counties, Missouri, which was published in the Federal 
Register on August 13, 2025. NRCS has determined that the NOI was 
issued prior to confirming the need for an EIS.

DATES: Effective upon publication, this notice rescinds the NOI to 
prepare an EIS (90 FR 38944), which was published in the Federal 
Register on August 13, 2025.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Rackers, Missouri State 
Conservation Engineer; telephone: (573) 876-9376; email: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a9c8c7cddbccde87dbc8cac2ccdbdae9dcdacdc887cec6df"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="ea8b848e988f9dc4988b89818f9899aa9f998e8bc48d859c">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>. Individuals who require alternative means for 
communication should contact the 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: The NRCS Missouri State Office, in 
coordination with the St. Johns Levee and Drainage District of 
Southeast Missouri and consistent with the requirements of 7 CFR 1b.7, 
is issuing this notice to advise Federal, State, and local government 
agencies and the public that NRCS will continue the planning process to 
determine whether an EIS is needed for the St. Johns Watershed Project. 
This notice rescinds the NOI to prepare an EIS (90 FR 38944), published 
on August 13, 2025. The project area includes the St. Johns Bayou and 
St. James Ditches and adjacent lands on the west landward side of the 
setback levee to the watershed outlet at the Mississippi River 
floodgates near New Madrid, Missouri. Closure of the floodgates 
prevents Mississippi River flood damage; however, when closed, the 
floodgates block the watershed outlet and cause flooding from impounded 
interior runoff.
    During the watershed planning process, NRCS determined that the NOI 
(90 FR 38944) was issued prematurely, before identifying all reasonable 
alternatives and assessing whether an EIS was needed. If the planning 
process indicates that an EIS is appropriate, NRCS will publish a new 
NOI. The watershed planning process is continuing and will comply with 
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Any public comment 
received from the original NOI and scoping period will be considered 
during Watershed Plan development. 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).

Nathan Goodrich,
Missouri State Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2026-17595 Filed 8-27-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-16-P


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