[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 217 (Friday, November 8, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60384-60385]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-24417]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Florida Keys Coastal Storm Risk Management Study
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with all applicable laws and regulations, the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) plans to prepare a Feasibility
Study with an integrated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to
evaluate environmental impacts from reasonable project alternatives to
protect nearshore areas of Monroe County, Florida, from hurricanes and
other storms with their associated wind, storm surge, and coastal
flooding.
DATES: Scoping comments are due by December 9, 2019.
ADDRESSES: The public is invited to submit NEPA scoping comments to Ms.
Kathy Perdue, Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
Norfolk District, Fort Norfolk, 803 Front St., Norfolk, VA 23510 or via
email: [email protected]. The project title and the
commenter's
[[Page 60385]]
contact information should be included with submitted comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Kathy Perdue, (757) 201-7218.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Applicable laws and regulations are section
102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as
amended, 42 U.S.C. 4321-4370, as implemented by the Council on
Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508) and Section
106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, 16
U.S.C. 470f as implemented by Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
regulations (36 CFR part 800). The study authority is Public Law 84-71
of 1955 which authorizes examination and survey of the coastal and
tidal areas of the eastern and southern United States, with particular
reference to areas where severe damages have occurred from hurricane
winds and tides.
The primary problem is the vulnerability of critical
infrastructure: the U.S. Route 1 corridor, and local development and
population centers, to storm damage from major storms. Coastal flooding
is exacerbated by Relative Sea Level Change, which also amplifies storm
surge due to higher waters. These trends are expected to continue and
worsen without intervention. Measures being considered include
structural, nonstructural and natural and nature-based features such as
road stabilization, buyouts/elevations of buildings, dry and wet flood-
proofing of buildings, early warning systems, mangrove restoration, and
living shorelines.
USACE is the lead federal agency and Monroe County is the non-
federal sponsor for the study effort. The Feasibility Study/EIS will
address the primary problem of the increasing storm damage and flooding
occurring and expected to increase in the area by studying all
reasonable alternatives and determine the Federal interest in cost-
sharing for those alternatives.
As required by Council on Environmental Quality's Principles,
Requirements and Guidelines for Water and Land Related Resources
Implementation Studies, all reasonable alternatives to the proposed
Federal action that meet the purpose and need will be considered in the
EIS. The Study Area consists of all of the Florida Keys, a 123-mile-
long chain of islands extending into the Gulf of Mexico to the southern
tip of Florida. Several alternatives are currently being considered,
including a no action alternative and various combinations of
structural measures, nonstructural measures, and natural and nature
based features for reducing risks and damages caused by coastal storms
in the Study Area in Monroe County, Florida.
Scoping/Public Involvement. Two public NEPA scoping meetings were
held in Monroe County. On September 11, 2019, from 5 p.m.--7 p.m. at
the Key Largo Board of County Commissioners Room, Murray Nelson
Government Center, 102050 Overseas Hwy, Key Largo, FL 33037. A second
public meeting was held on September 12, 2019, at the Key West
Commission Room, Harvey Government Center, 1200 Truman Avenue, Key
West, Florida 33040. Federal, state, and local agencies, Indian tribes,
and the public are invited to provide scoping comments to identify
issues and potentially significant effects to be considered in the
analysis.
Diana M. Holland,
Major General, U.S. Army, Commander, South Atlantic Division.
[FR Doc. 2019-24417 Filed 11-7-19; 8:45 am]
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