[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 94 (Friday, May 14, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26823-26824]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-10982]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7661-6]


Draft Physical Stream Assessment: A Review of Selected Protocols 
for Use in the Clean Water Act Section 404 Program

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce; U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers (USACE), Defense; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), 
Interior; Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Agriculture; 
Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Notice of availability to review and comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Mitigation Action Plan signed 
in December of 2002 by the Environmental Protection Agency, Department 
of Commerce, Department of Defense, Department of the Interior, 
Department of Agriculture, and Department of Transportation, the 
Federal Interagency Mitigation Workgroup (FIMW) commissioned the 
preparation of a technical resource document to assist with stream 
mitigation entitled: Physical Stream Assessment: A Review of Selected 
Protocols for use in the Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 404 Program 
(Stream Mitigation Compendium). The Stream Mitigation Compendium is 
intended as a reference that can be consulted by regulatory agencies, 
resource managers, and restoration ecologists in order to select, 
adapt, or devise stream assessment methods appropriate for impact 
assessment and mitigation of fluvial resources in the CWA Section 404 
Program.

[[Page 26824]]


DATES: In order to be considered, comments must be postmarked or e-
mailed on or before June 28, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted electronically, by mail, or by 
hand delivery/courier. E-mail comments to [email protected]. Please 
put ``Stream Mitigation Compendium Comments'' in the Subject Line and 
include your comments as an attachment to the email in either Word or 
Wordperfect format. Mail or hand deliver/courier comments to: Palmer 
Hough, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Wetlands Division (4502T), 
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mitigation Action Plan Web site at 
http://www.mitigationactionplan.gov or contact either Palmer Hough, 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Wetlands Division (4502T), 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460, phone: (202) 566-1374, 
e-mail: [email protected] or Alan Miller, U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, 441 G Street, NW., Washington, DC 20314-1000, phone: (202) 
761-7763, e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Reports published in 2001 by the National 
Academy of Sciences (NAS) and the General Accounting Office (GAO) 
provided a critical evaluation of the effectiveness of wetlands 
compensatory mitigation for authorized losses of wetlands and other 
waters under Section 404 of the CWA. Section 404 regulates discharges 
of dredged and fill materials into waters of the United States and 
requires compensatory mitigation for unavoidable impacts. The 
independent analyses and other commentaries highlighted a number of 
shortfalls and identified a variety of technical, programmatic, and 
policy recommendations for the Federal agencies, States, and other 
involved parties.
    An interagency team drafted the National Mitigation Action Plan 
endorsing the goal of no net loss of wetlands and outlining specific 
action items that address the concerns of the NAS, GAO, and other 
independent evaluations. The 17 actions, with various agency leads, 
address areas of concern, including collection and availability of 
data, clarifying performance standards, improving accountability, and 
integrating mitigation into the watershed approach. Development of the 
Stream Mitigation Compendium is one of these action items. The FIMW is 
seeking public review before finalizing this document.
    Please note that comments, including names and street addresses of 
respondents, are available for public review in a docket. Copies of the 
draft Stream Mitigation Compendium are available at the Mitigation 
Action Plan Web site at http://www.mitigationactionplan.gov (Click on 
``Status of Action Items'' and locate and click on ``Stream Mitigation 
Compendium'' in the summary table). A printed copy of this document can 
be obtained by contacting: Palmer Hough, U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, Wetlands Division (4502T), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20460.

    Dated: May 10, 2004.
Benjamin H. Grumbles,
Acting Assistant Administrator for Water.
[FR Doc. 04-10982 Filed 5-13-04; 8:45 am]
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