What Happens with My Comments? Nebraska Highway 12 2006 Niobrara East & West Your input is very important. The Corps NDOR and Corps will review and address substantive coordinate on Section Corps becomes lead Draft Environmental Impact Statement and and include them in the 404 permit requirements comments federal agency and Final EIS. 2007 determines that an EIS Section 404 Permit Application is needed Substantive comments should include one or more of the following: 2008 Public Open House and Public Hearing »» provide additional or new 7/25: Corps initiates the November 9, 2015 information that is relevant to the EIS process (Federal 7/25 – 9/28: Project Public Open House Scoping EIS analysis; Register notice) 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. »» present other reasonable What is the reason for this meeting? alternatives or components to the 2009 Applied-for Project, provided that 7/23: Public Meeting The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Omaha District, Regulatory Division received Public Hearing a rational basis for consideration a permit application from the Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR) associated with their 6:00 p.m. of the alternative or component is 2010 proposed Nebraska Highway 12 (N-12) roadway east and west (project). The project would included; result in impacts on wetlands and waters of the U.S. The Corps, as part of its permit review process as designated by Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, developed a Draft Environmental »» question the accuracy or adequacy Record Missouri River Impact Statement (Draft EIS). of the information presented in the NDOR initiates revisions 2011 flooding occurs Draft EIS, provided that a rational to all preliminary design This Open House provides an opportunity to discuss information presented in the Draft EIS. basis for the question is included. for all alternatives to Information presented at the Open House is summarized on the following pages. meet revised Missouri 2012 Submitting Comments River 100-year flood Representatives from the Corps are available to answer your questions. There will be no formal elevations NDOR completes presentation. Page 4 provides information to help you frame your comments for the Corps and How Can I Submit Comments? 2014 preliminary design and make them helpful toward a making a final permit decision. Nebraska Highway 12 The Corps encourages all interested cost estimates of all Niobrara East And West parties to submit comments until alternatives After the Open House, there will be a Public Hearing. Its purpose is to allow testimony on Draft Environmental Impact Statement 2015 the Draft EIS and NDOR’s permit application as it affects Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. November 23, 2015, by mail, email Executive Summary or telephone to the project contacts Members of the public can register to speak during the open house, and will be called to speak October 9, 2015 in random order during the public hearing. Comments will become part of the administrative provided here: How Do I NDOR submits Section 404 Provide record. Procedures for making comments will be provided at the start of the hearing. Substantive Becky Latka permit application to the Comments? Corps 10/9: Notice of Availability Has a decision already been made? See page 4 Highway 12 EIS Project Manager of Draft EIS/Section 404 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Permit/Public Hearing 1616 Capitol Ave 10/9 – 11/23 The Section 404 pre-application consultation on this project began in 2008, between the Corps Attn: CENWO-OD-RF 45 day comment period and NDOR. A preliminarily determination by the Corps found that Alternative A7, the Base of 11/9: Open House Public Omaha, NE 68102-4901 Bluffs Elevated Alignment, was the least environmentally damaging practicable alternative Meeting/Public Hearing Phone: 402-995-2681 (LEDPA) because it offers the fewest impacts to wetlands and waters of the U.S. NDOR has Email: [email protected] applied for a permit under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act which requires authorization 2016 from the Corps to place fill material in wetlands and waters of the United States as part of the Matt Pillard process to construct Alternative A7 (the Applied-for Project). EIS Project Manager, Contractor Final EIS available HDR The Draft EIS, and the comments received from agencies and the public, will assist the Corps for comment Corps issues Accessing the Draft EIS 8404 Indian Hills Drive in making a decision on whether or not to issue a permit allowing NDOR to place fill material Record of Decision Omaha, NE 68114 in the wetlands during construction of the Applied-for Project (Alternative A7). Among the considerations in determining whether a permit can be issued, the Corps will determine How Can I Review the Phone: 402-399-1186 Draft EIS? Email: [email protected] 2017 if Alternative A7 still has the least environmentally damaging impacts of the practicable alternatives and is in the public interest. Factors considered in the public interest include items Design and construction Visit the project website listed below such as cultural resources, general environment, economics, property ownership and safety. Verbal Testimony will also be (NDOR) for Draft EIS hard copy locations or received at the Public Hearing. 2025 to download and view it electronically.
4 http://go.usa.gov/c3YNe http://go.usa.gov/c3YNe 1 Purpose of this Project Project Roles Alternatives Considered
The purpose of this project is to provide a reliable and safe The public and tribes are asked to provide comment on The map below shows the four alternatives evaluated in the Draft EIS. roadway that meets both the existing and project traffic needs the Draft EIS and Section 404 permit application. NDOR for the region and Nebraska State Highway design standards. is responsible for the Section 404 permit application and responding to Corps’ requests for information. The planning, The need for the project is primarily due to frequent roadway design, and construction of the Applied-for Project and flooding and over topping from the Missouri River and Lewis implementation of mitigation is the responsibility of NDOR. and Clark Lake. The project is needed to (1) provide a reliable Agencies provide input and make decisions within their area roadway, (2) safely accommodate traffic, and (3) maintain of expertise. The Corps is responsible for compliance with the regional connectivity. Clean Water Act and NEPA, coordination with stakeholders, making a Section 404 permit decision, and government-to- government consultation with the tribes.
Alternative Screening
A full range of alternatives were reviewed to determine which alternatives developed, the results of screening, and the alternatives are practicable and should be analyzed in addition alternatives carried forward for evaluation in this Draft EIS. to the Applied-for Project. The graphic below describes the
This indicates that the concept or alternative was dismissed from further evaluation. The No-Action Alternative does not meet the purpose and need but is Range of Alternatives Screening Process evaluated in the Draft EIS for comparison purposes. This indicates that the concept was eliminated. What is NDOR’s Applied-for Project?
Missouri River Mainstem System Regulation Changes Lewis and Clark Lake Sediment Removal Roadway Alignments Roadway Alignments not in in Missouri River Floodplain Missouri River Floodplain Not feasible to implement in a timely manner and no guarantee that flooding Requires yearly dredging for the life of the project ($2.58 billion Concepts A B C would be reduced. D through 2045); therefore, too costly to implement. NDOR has made a Section 404 Permit application for the N-12 would be relocated. The segment of N-12 that is in A7 Alternative. Alternative A7 would relocate N-12 east and the bluffs, including the segment that goes through Niobrara, Purpose and Need NAA A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 B1 B2 west of Niobrara, south of its existing location, and construct will remain the same. A new connection to the Chief Not sufficiently Not sufficiently different from A7 different from A4 a new roadway at a higher elevation to accommodate future Standing Bear Memorial Bridge (N14) and SD-37 would be Practicability water levels with enhanced bridge sections. Alternative A7 developed. For both segments, the existing N-12 roadway has more bridges to reduce wetland impacts and enhance would be removed to the existing ground level. Logistics A1 A2 A3 A4 A7 B1 B2 Can Tribal land be obtained? Missouri River floodplain connectivity. Two segments of Can Section 7(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act Not sufficiently be satisfied? different from B1
Cost A1 A2 A3 A4 A7 B1 Do costs exceed 1.5 times the least costly alternative (A3)? $177.7M $172.8M $169.2M $330.2 M $224M $341.7 M Cost Species Cultural Wetland Impacts Resources Recreation Alternative Resources Endangered Potential ROW Potential and Acquisition Alternatives to be Threatened and Evaluated in Draft EIS NAA A1 A2 A3 A7 A1 – Existing Alignment $168.8M 147.4 acres 111 acres
A2 – Parallel Alignment $164.0M 142.3 acres 132 acres Alternatives
A1 - Elevation Raise on Existing Alignment A6 - Parallel Modified Elevated Alignment A3 – Base of Bluffs Alignment $161.8M 122.3 acres 1,064 acres No Effect A2 - Elevation Raise on Parallel Alignment A7 - Base of Bluffs Elevated Alignment (Applied-for Project) Not likely to Adversely Affect Bazile Creek WMA A3 - Base of Bluffs Alignment B1 - Bluff Alignment A7 – Base of Bluffs Elevated Alignment Negligible impact on B2 - South of Bluff Alignment $217.6M 90.9 acres 1,064 acres A4 - Parallel Elevated Alignment (Applied-for Project) A5 - Base of Bluffs Modified Elevated Alignment NAA - No-Action Alternative (Evaluated for comparison purposes)
13 | Nebraska Highway 12 Niobrara East and West Draft Environmental Impact Statement Executive Summary
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