Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 144 / Friday, July 25, 2008 / Notices 43435 responsible for providing a safe, Nebraska Highway 12 is located. In DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE efficient, affordable, environmentally addition, system releases from upstream compatible and coordinated statewide reservoirs as part of the Missouri River Department of the Army; Corps of transportation system for the movement mainstem system, can provide constant Engineers of people and goods. NDOR has water levels. Additionally, large releases Notice of Availability of the Draft identified two segments of Nebraska of water can sometimes last for many Supplemental Environmental Impact Highway 12 that have experienced months causing roadway saturation. The Statement (DSEIS) for the Nourishment flooding and damage due to high water increased silt load coming into the lake levels associated with the Missouri of 25,000 Feet of Beach in Topsail from the Missouri River tributaries, Beach, Pender County, NC River. Segment 1 is approximately 6.4 primarily the Niobrara River and Bazile miles long and extends from just east of Creek also contributes to roadway AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Verdel on the west end to 2 miles west saturation. The confluence of the of the bridge over the Niobrara River. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD. Niobrara River and the Missouri River is Segment 2 is approximately 6 miles long ACTION: Notice of availability. just west of the town of Niobrara. The and extends from just east of Spruce water from these tributaries slows as Avenue in Niobrara to approximately 1 SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of mile east of S–54D. Problems associated they enter the Missouri River and Engineers (USACE), Wilmington with this portion of Nebraska Highway sediment is deposited creating a fill area District, Wilmington Regulatory Field 12 include high maintenance, driver that restricts the channel and raises the Office has received a request for safety, and disruption in use. The bed of the river. This causes the area of Department of the Army authorization, following summarizes the issues that the lake to increase in dimension as pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean create these problems: well as raising the water table. High Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers Roadway Stability: Due to high water water levels create conditions of long- and Harbors Act, from the Town of levels and overtopping of Nebraska term saturation of the roadway Topsail Beach to conduct a one-time Highway 12 in the project area, the embankment, thus creating the potential interim beach fill project to protect stability of the roadway is threatened. for roadway embankment erosion. oceanfront development and Gavin’s Point Dam on the Missouri Driver Safety: Portion of Nebraska infrastructure until such time that a River was built in the 1950’s near Highway 12 are exposed to regular federally authorized shore protection Yankton, South Dakota, creating Lewis flooding. Roadway flooding is a concern project can be implemented. While and Clark Lake (lake). The lake has for driver safety because even if the road federal budget priorities have made it caused the water table adjacent to the is marked closed, motorists may choose difficult to obtain funds for civil works Missouri River to rise. Nebraska to drive through flooded roadways. projects in general and beach protection Highway 12, which runs parallel to the projects in particular, the projected Missouri River, is affected where it Nebraska Highway 12 in this location does not have lighting and the inherent earliest construction date for the federal crosses into the Missouri River project is 2012. A Draft General dangers of driving through flooded floodplain east and west of Niobrara, Reevaluation Report—Environmental roadways exist. In 1995, the Corps Nebraska. About eight miles of Nebraska Impact Statement (GRR–EIS) has been implemented an interim fix by raising Highway 12 runs through the prepared by the USACE and was floodplain. About half of this length is the gradeline of Nebraska Highway 12 released for public review and comment located to the east and half to the west by several feet on two short highway in June 2006 (USACE, 2006). Given the of Niobrara, in Knox County, Nebraska. segments to alleviate the immediate current status of the GRR–EIS and the The distance between Nebraska flooding problems. The resultant need for Congressional authorization, Highway 12 and the Missouri River roadway is narrow with shoulders that funding, preparation of plans and bank differs, but some areas are as close are not adequate in width, and steep specifications, and right-of-way as two to three thousand feet. Due to the foreslopes. Cable guardrail was installed acquisition, the federal project may not location of Nebraska Highway 12, the to help protect vehicles from running off be implemented until Fiscal Year 2012, following road related issues are the road and into the water. Due to the or possibly later. Accordingly, the Town present: narrow roadway, the cable guardrail is would like to construct an interim (1) Roadway inundation: When high close to the edge of the driving lane. project to protect its development and water events occur on the Missouri A public scoping meeting will be held infrastructure during the period River, portions of Nebraska Highway 12 between now and the time the federal are under water. This jeopardizes the (see DATES) to describe why the project project is constructed. In order to integrity of the roadway due to is needed, preliminary alternatives, the account for any possible delays in the saturation of the roadway bed. This can NEPA compliance process and to solicit construction of the federal project, a create roadway sloughing and potential input on the issues and alternatives to construction date of 2016 was used in for failure. Bazile Creek enters the river be evaluated and other related matters. the development of the alternatives and east of Niobrara, NE where it intersects Written comments will also be economic analysis for the interim Nebraska Highway 12. During high requested. The Corps has invited the project. This would maintain the water events on Bazile Creek, Nebraska U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, baseline conditions described in the Highway 12 becomes flooded. The National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Draft GRR and EIS. flooding has occurred numerous times Wildlife Service, and Knox County to be in the past. cooperating agencies in the formulation ADDRESSES: Copies of comments and (2) Roadway saturation: High water of the EIS. questions regarding the DSEIS may be levels adjacent to Nebraska Highway 12 addressed to: U.S. Army Corps of are the result of the lake. The lake is a John L. Moeschen, Engineers, Wilmington District, man-made reservoir located behind Nebraska State Program Manager, Regulatory Regulatory Division. ATTN: File Gavin’s Point dam. The lake has Branch. Number SAW–2006–40848–071, Post contributed to the rising water table [FR Doc. E8–17077 Filed 7–24–08; 8:45 am] Office Box 1890, Wilmington, NC throughout the floodplain where BILLING CODE 3710–62–P 28402–1890. VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:15 Jul 24, 2008 Jkt 214001 PO 00000 Frm 00038 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\25JYN1.SGM 25JYN1 mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES 43436 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 144 / Friday, July 25, 2008 / Notices FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 2,000 feet northeast of Topsail Beach/ 2,000-foot northern transition (Figure 1). Questions about the proposed action Surf City town limits, a total ocean The beach fill would have a variable and DSEIS can be directed to Mr. Dave shoreline length of approximately width berm constructed to an elevation Timpy, Wilmington Regulatory Field 25,000 feet. The fill would consist of of +6.0 feet NAVD. The volume of Office, telephone: (910) 251–4634. three sections, a 1,000-foot transition on material for the emergency project is SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: the south beginning at a point opposite based on providing erosion protection 1. Project Description. The fill Godwin Avenue, a 22,000-foot main fill until such time a federal storm damage placement area will occur between section that would extend to the Topsail reduction project is implemented. Godwin Avenue on the south to a point Beach/Surf City town limits, and a VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:15 Jul 24, 2008 Jkt 214001 PO 00000 Frm 00039 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4725 E:\FR\FM\25JYN1.SGM 25JYN1 mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES EN25JY08.013</GPH> Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 144 / Friday, July 25, 2008 / Notices 43437 The volume of beach fill material could territorial limit would not meet the Alternative 3f: Borrow Areas X and A1 range from a minimal amount needed to purpose and need of the project. In with hopper dredge. counter long-term erosion losses during particular, the acquisition and Based on the goals, needs and the interim period (approximately 5 utilization of beach compatible material objectives of the emergency project, years) to a maximum amount that would for shore protection project no later than Alternative 3b is the Applicant’s include a contingency volume to March 31, 2009. Preferred Alternative. The proposed account for possible storm related A possible fourth source of borrow construction timeframe for the interim erosion losses during the time period. material, Banks Channel located behind beach fill activities will occur in early The material to construct the emergency Topsail Beach, was considered a calendar year 2009. project would be derived from an potential alternative however it has not Beach Fill Surveys & Design. Typical offshore borrow site or a combination of been evaluated in detail due to the small cross-sections of the beach along the borrow sites. The potential borrow sites volume of material that could be Topsail Beach project area will be include a portion of Borrow Area A removed from within the limits of the surveyed.