[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 110 (Friday, June 7, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39366-39368]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-14226]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the
South River, Raritan River Basin, Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction
and Ecosystem Restoration Study
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: The New York District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(Corps) has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for
the South River, Raritan River Basin Raritan, Hurricane and Storm
Damage Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration Study. The purpose of the
study is to identify a plan that would protect the South River,
Sayerville and Woodbridge communities from damages caused by hurricanes
and storms, and restore degraded habitats in the South River. The DEIS
was prepared to evaluate those alternatives identified in the
Feasibility Report.
DATES: The DEIS will be available for public review when this
announcement is published. The review period of the document will be
until July 22, 2002. To request a copy of the DEIS please call (212)
264-4663.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding the
DEIS, please contact Mark Burlas, Project Wildlife Biologist, telephone
(212) 264-4663, Planning Division, ATTN: CENAN-PL-EA, Corps of
Engineers, New York District, 26 Federal Plaza, New York, New York,
10278-0090.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. The South River, Raritan River Basin,
Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration
Feasibility Study was authorized by resolution of the U.S. House of
Representatives Committee on Public Works and Transportation and
adopted May 13, 1993. The resolution states that: Resolved by the
Committee on Public Works and Transportation of the United States House
of Representatives, that, the Secretary of the Army, acting through the
Chief of Engineers, is requested to review the report of the Chief of
Engineers, titled Basinwide Water Resources Development Report on the
Raritan River Basin, New Jersey, published as House Document 53,
Seventy-first Congress, Second Session, and other pertinent reports, to
determine whether modifications of the recommendations contained
therein are advisable at the present time in the interest of flood
control and related purposes on the South River, New Jersey.
2. The South River, Raritan River Basin, Hurricane and Storm Damage
Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study has been
conducted by the Corps with the non-Federal project partner, the New
Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). The study area
initially included the entire South River basin. The South River is the
first major tributary of the Raritan River, located approximately 8.3
miles upstream of the Raritan River's mouth at Raritan Bay. The South
River is formed by the confluence of the Matchaponix and Manalapan
Brooks, just above Duhernal Lake, and flows northward from Duhernal
Lake a distance of approximately 7 miles, at which point it splits into
two branches, the Old South River and the Washington Canal. Both
branches flow northward into the Raritan River. The South River is
tidally controlled from its mouth upstream to Duhernal Lake Dam;
fluvial conditions prevail above the dam. Based on coordination with
NJDEP, County and local governments, it was determined that there are
no widespread flooding problems in the South River watershed upstream
of the Duhernal Lake dam. Consequently, the study area was modified,
focusing on river reaches below the dam, specifically flood-prone areas
within the Boroughs of South River and Sayreville, the Township of Old
Bridge, and the Historic Village of Old Bridge (located within the
Township of East Brunswick). The downstream river reaches encompass
virtually all the flood-prone structures in the watershed and the areas
of greatest ecological degradation (and greatest potential for
ecosystem restoration).
3. Periodic hurricanes and storms have caused severe flooding along
the South River. Flood damages downstream of Duhernal Lake are
primarily due to storm surges with additional damages associated with
basin runoff. The communities repeatedly affected by storm surges are
the Boroughs of South River and Sayreville, the Township of Old Bridge,
and the Historic Village of Old Bridge in East Brunswick Township.
There are approximately 1,247 structures (1,082 residential; 165
commercial) in the 100-year floodplains of these communities and 1,597
structures in the 500-year floodplains (1,399 residential; 198
commercial). Storm surges create the greatest damages in the study area
occurring during hurricanes and northeasters that generate sustained
onshore winds through multiple tidal cycles. For example, the
northeaster of March 1993 (a 25-year event) resulted in approximately
$17 million damage (2001 dollars) and closed the highway bridge
connecting the Boroughs of South River and Sayreville.
4. The area under consideration for ecosystem restoration
encompasses 1,278 acres along the Old South River and the Washington
Canal and includes the 380-acre Clancy Island bounded by these
waterways and by the Raritan River. Wetland plant communities account
for 786 acres (61 percent) of the study area land cover. Uplands
account for the remaining 492 acres, of which 234 acres are occupied by
residential, commercial, and industrial development. These wetlands and
uplands are ecologically degraded. Approximately 527 acres (41 percent
of the study area) are dominated by monotypic stands of common reed
(Phragmites australis). Other wetland communities are scattered around
the site in a patchwork of fragmented parcels. The uplands are
dominated by low quality scrub-shrub land cover. The current degraded
ecological conditions appear to be the result of: (1) Construction and
maintenance dredging associated with the Federal navigation channels in
the South River,
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Washington Canal, and Raritan River and (2) clay excavation and
industrial activity associated with the defunct Sayreville brick
industry.
5. Plan formulation for hurricane and storm damage reduction along
the South River considered a full range of structural and nonstructural
measures. Alternative plans that survived the initial screening of
alternatives included: (1) A storm surge barrier at the confluences of
the South River and Washington Canal with the raritan River, (2)
multiple levee and floodwall configurations, and (3) buy-out of flood-
prone properties. Further investigation determined that the storm surge
barrier alternative at the confluence of the Washington Canal and the
Raritan River was not economically feasible and that there would be
significant adverse environmental effects on study area wetlands. It
was also determined that acquisition of structures in the flood plains
was not economically feasible. In contrast, preliminary analysis
indicated that the levee and floodwall protection of flood-prone
properties in the study area was found to be economically and
technically feasible.
6. More detailed analysis indicated that levees and floodwalls
along the eastern and western banks of the lower South River would be
economically justified and would have minimal effects on study area
wetlands. It was also determined that structural protection of upstream
reaches would not be economically justified. A storm surge barrier
(different location than previously described), located just downstream
(north) of the Veterans Memorial Bridge, was subsequently evaluated in
combination with levees/floodwalls in the lower reaches. The barrier
was found to be an economically feasible means to protect upstream
reaches. In addition, it would: (1) Minimize environmental impacts on
wetlands, (2) avoid potential Hazardous Toxic Radioactive Waste (HTRW)
sites upstream, and (3) preclude the need for nonstructural protection
in upstream communities by providing comprehensive storm surge
protection.
7. Economic analysis of the hurricane and storm reduction plans
indicated that the levee/floodwall system with upstream storm surge
barrier would result in the greatest net benefits. Subsequent
optimization of this plan determined that a 500-year level of
protection would provided the greatest net benefits. Consequently, the
levee/floodwall system with upstream storm surge barriers providing a
500-year level of protection was designated as the National Economic
Development (NED) plan and was selected as the recommended plan. Using
a combination of levees, floodwalls, and a storm surge barriers,
structural protection will extend to an elevation of +21.5 feet NGVD.
The levees will extend 10,712 feet in length, and the floodwalls will
extend 1,655 feet in length. The storm surge barrier will span the
South River for a length of 320 feet and will have a clear opening of
80 feet. It is anticipated that the first costs of the selected
hurricane and storm reduction plan will be approximately $62.5 million
with average annual costs estimated at $4.3 million. With an average
annual benefits estimated at $9.1 million, the average annual net
benefits associated with the selected hurricane and storm reduction
plan will be approximately $4.8 million. The selected hurrican and
storm reduction plan is expected to have a benefit-cost ratio of 2.1 to
one.
Even though the selected hurricane and storm damage reduction plan
was specifically designed to avoid and minimize environmental impacts,
there were some unavoidable impacts to the natural resources in the
South River. Based on a Habitat Evaluation Procedures (HEP) study and
an Evaluation of Planned Wetlands (EPW) assessment, the selected NED
plan will result in a loss of 1.07 Average Annual Habitat Units (AAHUs)
and 20.74 Functional Capacity Units (FCUs). Consequently, to offset
these impacts it was determined that the mitigation goal will replace
at least 100% of the combined loss of AAHUs summed across evaluation
species and FCUs summed across wetland functions, and at least 50%
(agreed upon by HEP Team) of the loss of AAHUs per evaluation species
and FCSs lost per function, as a result of implementation of the
selected hurricane and storm damage reduction measures.
8. To achieve the mitigation goal, a screening analysis was
conducted to evaluate the feasibility of improving the available
habitat on the proposed levee (e.g., plant shrubs to improve songbird
habitat); improving the existing habitats (e.g., increase the density/
cover of the vegetation by planting more shrubs and/or herbaceous
species); and, converting one habitat/cover type to another more
valuable habitat (e.g., covert areas of Phragmites to salt marsh or
wetland scrub-shrub).
9. Based on an analysis of the acreages, costs, benefits, and
incremental cost/output for each of these plans it was determined that
Mitigation Alternative 2 had ecological outputs that were worth its
associated costs. The selected mitigation plan will fulfill the
mitigation goal and will involve the conversion of 11.1 acres of
degraded wetland Phragmites and disturbed habitat to a combination of
wetland scrub-shrub (7.8 acres) and salt marsh (3.3 acres). This plan
is estimated to cost $2,865,300 and is included in the hurricane and
storm damage reduction cost provided earlier.
10. Plan formulation for ecosystem restoration considered a wide
variety of restoration measures to address opportunities associated
with ecosystem restoration along the South River. Restoration goals and
objectives were specified early in the plan formulation process.
Restoring biodiversity and ecological functioning were established as
the restoration goals; the restoration objectives included: restoring
habitat for threatened and endangered species, increasing site
biodiversity, increasing tidal flushing, reducing Phragmites, improving
water quality, and stabilizing and protecting desirable wetland
habitat. After a preliminary restoration screening process that the
assessed ecological benefits and engineering constraints of eleven
different alternatives, four priority habitats were chosen for
ecological restoration of the study area: low emergent marsh,
intertidal mudflat, wetland forest scrub-shrub, and open water (i.e.,
tidal creeks and tidal ponds). Using different proportions of each
habitat, more than 250 potential mathematical combinations of these
habitats were evaluated.
11. These combinations were then applied to four potential
restoration areas delineated in the study area using four different
scales of restoration for degraded acreage in each area: 25 percent, 50
percent, 75 percent, and 100 percent. Cost effectiveness and
incremental cost analysis was applied to the resultant 40,000 potential
restoration plans, resulting in identification of eight ``best buy''
restoration plans for the study area. These plans represent the most
efficient means to achieve ecosystem restoration in the study area.
Based upon the incremental analysis and the ability of the alternative
plans to achieve the restoration planning goals and objectives, one of
the Best Buy plans was selected as the National Ecosystem Restoration
(NER) plan.
12. The NER plan will restore 100 percent of the 379 acres of
degraded wetlands in the potential restoration areas. The NER plan will
restore the following habitats: low emergent marsh (151 acres: 40
percent), wetland forest/scrub-shrub (170 acres: 45 percent; plus an
additional 19 acres, or 5 percent, as upland forest/scrub-shrub),
mudflat (19 acres: 5 percent), and open water (19
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acres: 5 percent). It is expected that implementation of the NER plan
will cost approximately $50.6 million with an average annual cost of
approximately $3.3 million.
13. The costs of project implementation for the hurricane and storm
damage reduction features and ecosystem restoration features will be
shared by the Federal government and the non-Federal project partner
(NJDEP) on a 65 percent/35 percent basis. All operations and
maintenance costs will be borne by the non-Federal project partner. For
the hurricane and storm damage reduction features, the project
implementation costs will be shared as follows: $40,608,700 Federal and
$21,866,200 non-Federal with annual O&M costs of $221,500 (non-
Federal). This includes mitigation costs associated with the
implementation of these features ($2,865,300 total with $1,862,400
Federal and $1,002,900 non-Federal). For the ecosystem restoration
features, the project implementation costs $50,552,800 million will be
shared with $32,859,300 Federal and $17,693,500 non-Federal with O&M
costs of $80,000 (non-Federal).
14. Potential beneficial cumulative impacts to migratory waterfowl
and songbirds are likely to result from implementation of the selected
mitigation and ecosystem restoration plans. These plans, in conjunction
with similar projects in the South River watershed, should increase the
overall ecological value of the area. Specifically, the mitigation and
restoration plans will add large areas of more desirable wetland
communities and increase the study area's biodiversity (i.e., improve
the areas composition and abundance of plant and animal species).
15. The construction and maintenance of both the hurricane and
storm damage reduction measures and the ecosystem restoration measures
will not negatively impact any Federally or state listed endangered or
threatened species, areas of designated critical habitat, or essential
fish habitat. By providing increased cover and opportunities for
foraging and nesting, the selected plans will also improve habitat for
the Federally listed threatened bald eagle thought to utilize habitats
in the general vicinity, and for many of the State of New Jersey
endangered and threatened species observed in the restoration area
(e.g., black skimmer, northern harrier, peregine falcon, yellow-crowned
night heron, osprey, black-crowned night heron, and American bittern).
16. In sum, the recommended plan will efficiently reduce hurricane
and storm damages along the South River and improve the structure and
function of degraded ecosystems in the study area. The non-Federal
project partner, NJDEP, has indicated its support for the recommended
plan and is willing to enter into a Project Cooperation Agreement with
the Federal Government for the implementation of the plan. At this
time, there are no known major areas of controversy or unresolved
issues regarding the study and selected plan among agencies or the
public interest.
Len Houston,
Chief, Environmental Analysis Branch.
[FR Doc. 02-14226 Filed 6-6-02; 8:45 am]
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