[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 7, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 13713]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-5535]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Availability of the Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement
for the Platte West Water Production Facilities, Douglas and Saunders
Counties, Nebraska
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and
implementing regulations, a revised Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (DEIS) has been prepared to evaluate the environmental
impacts of the Metropolitan Utilities District's (MUD's) preferred
water supply expansion location (Platte West) as well as other
reasonable alternatives to that location. The environmental impacts of
each of the five action alternatives, as well as the ``no action''
alternative are described in the DEIS. Public comment on the DEIS will
be accepted by the Corps through April 13, 2001. A public workshop will
be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 21 in the Russell
Middle School cafeteria at 5304 South 172nd Street, Omaha, Nebraska.
The public is invited to view displays related to the project and
provide comments to the Corps.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions and comments regarding the
DEIS can be addressed to Becky Latka, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 215
North 17th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68102-4978, telephone at (402) 221-
4602, or E-Mail [email protected]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: MUD's preferred Platte West alternative is
located in Douglas and Saunders Counties, and consists of 40 to 46
vertical wells that would withdraw groundwater to provide additional
water for future growth of the Omaha metropolitan area. It is
anticipated that the 30-year project could impact wetland habitat, as
well as result in Platte River depletions. However, the location of the
Platte West site, which is situated near future growth areas, as well
as the quality and volume of water available at the site and the
relatively low cost of the water, make the Platte West site the
preference for MUD. Information on the costs and environmental impacts
of the six alternatives (which includes the no-action alternative) are
detailed in the DEIS.
Currently, the water supply for the Omaha metropolitan area
consists of the Florence water treatment plant (67.5% of total
capacity) which gets its water from the Missouri River, and the Platte
South wellfield (25.5% of total capacity) which gets water from the
groundwater in the Platte River aquifer. The remaining water (7% of
total capacity) comes from smaller wellfields in Millard and Elkhorn.
One of the purposes of the wellfield expansion project is to diversify
the water supply so Omaha is not as dependent on any one water source
as the city is currently. This diversification concept or planned
redundancy increases the reliability of the overall water supply system
by providing a back-up water supply in the event of an interruption of
water supply or contamination of source water.
The Corps' role in this process is to determine whether a Section
404 (Clean Water Act) permit should be issued, issued with conditions,
or denied. The Corps is neither a proponent nor opponent of the
project, but is required through the National Environmental Policy Act
to disclose the impacts of the project and reasonable alternatives.
An earlier DEIS was released for public comment in February of
1999. Numerous public and agency comments were received at that time.
In the process of addressing these comments, additional reasonable
alternatives were identified and included in the NEPA process, which
has resulted in the release of a revised DEIS. The public may comment
on the full range of alternatives now available. MUD's preferred
alternative has remained the same for both DEIS's, although estimated
Platte River depletions and estimated wetland impacts have each
decreased slightly from the 1999 proposal. A public hearing to comply
with the Section 404 permit process has already been held in
conjunction with public meetings in 1999.
If the proposed Platte West alternative is permitted, land use
changes could be expected in the vicinity of the wellfields over the
next 30 years, and could also result in impacts to the Two Rivers State
Recreation Area near Venice, Nebraska. A separate agreement between the
Commission and MUD would allow for funding for deepening the lakes in
mitigation for the groundwater reduction.
Additionally, a trust fund consisting of nearly $1 million will be
established, if the Platte West alternative is permitted, in order to
compensate for Platte River depletions. The intent is to use the fund
to develop a backwater area and wetland mitigation site near LaPlatte,
Nebraska. This proposed plan for mitigation is being coordinated with
various agencies.
Dated: March 7, 2001.
Mark E. Tillotson,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 01-5535 Filed 3-6-01; 8:45 am]
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