49942 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 190 / Monday, October 1, 2001 / Notices the VA files and for resolving any DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE maintain stages and satisfy irrigation discrepancies or inconsistencies on an demands in the C–7 drainage basin. C– individual basis. VA will initiate actions Department of the Army, Corps of 7 canal discharges into northern to obtain an election by the individual Engineers Biscayne Bay, at Miami. of which pay he or she wishes to receive c. Project Scope and Preliminary Intent To Prepare a Draft and will be responsible for making final Alternatives: The primary objective of Environmental Impact Statement this project is to develop a total determinations as to positive (DEIS) for the C–7 (North Dade) Canal identification, eligibility for, or amounts watershed plan, which identifies General Reevaluation Report (GRR) structural and/or operational of pension or disability compensation modifications to the C–7 canal and the benefits, adjustments thereto, or any AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD. associated water management facilities, recovery of overpayments, or such other to improve flood control. While the ACTION: action as authorized by law. Notice of intent. project emphasis is to enhance flood The annual electronic file provided by SUMMARY: The Jacksonville District, U.S. control benefits in the project area, the the VA will contain information on Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), along GRR will also document the status and approximately 2.5 million pension and with the South Florida Water quality of maintenance on the existing disability compensation recipients. Management District (SFWMD), intends project and identify environmental The DMDC computer database file to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact restoration opportunities in conjunction Statement (DEIS) for the feasibility with proposed project modifications. contains information on approximately Alternatives will be developed and 827,000 DoD and 8,300 USCG reservists phase of the C–7 (North Dade) Canal General Reevaluation Report (GRR). evaluated based on the project who receive pay and allowances for objectives, environmental studies, flood FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: performing authorized duty. control feasibility, and economics. Questions about the proposed action VA will furnish DMDC the name and Standard Corps’ programs and SWMM and DEIS can be answered by: Paul modeling will be used to develop SSN of all VA pension and disability Stevenson, Planning Division, U.S. compensation recipients and DMDC hydraulic models of the existing and Army Corps of Engineers, P.O. Box any proposed flood control features. will supply VA the name, SSN, date of 4970, Jacksonville, Florida 32232–0019; birth, and the number of days drilled by In addition to the without project and Telephone 904–899–5049/Fax 904–232– future conditions, four preliminary fiscal year of each reservist who is 3442. identified as a result of the match. alternatives have been drafted which SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: may be revised pending model results F. Inclusive Dates of the Matching a. Authorization: Construction of the and public feedback. They include: (1) Program: This computer matching C–7 (Little River) canal and associated No action; (2) modifications to existing program is subject to public comment water control structure, S–27 was canal to increase conveyance where and review by Congress and the Office authorized by the Flood Control Act of appropriate and possible; (3) installation of Management and Budget. If the 1948, which provided for construction of pumps to pump water eastward to mandatory 30 day period for comment of the first phase of a comprehensive tide, possibly in conjunction with canal has expired and no comments are plan for flood control, fish and wildlife cross-section modifications; (4) received and if no objections are raised preservation, regional groundwater installation of pumps to pump water by either Congress or the Office of control, salinity control, and navigation. westward possibly in conjunction with Management and Budget within 40 days The Energy and Water Development channel modifications and a water of being notified of the proposed match, Act of 1995 authorized preparation of a treatment component. the computer matching program GRR to review conveyance capacity of d. Scoping: The scoping process as becomes effective and the respective existing canal, document the quality of outlined by the Council on Environmental Quality will be utilized agencies may begin the exchange at a local maintenance, and to make recommendations for sufficient to involve Federal, State, and local mutually agreeable time on a annual solutions to flooding problems within agencies, affected Indian Tribes, and basis. By agreement between VA and the C–7 drainage basins. other interested private organizations DMDC, the matching program will be in b. Study Area: The C–7 basin is and parties. effect for 18 months with an option to located in northeastern Miami-Dade A Scoping letter will be sent to renew for 12 additional months unless County, Florida; the canal and interested Federal, State and local one of the parties to the agreement associated control structure S–27 are agencies, interested organizations and advises the other by written request to previously constructed Corps’ projects. the public, requesting their comments terminate or modify the agreement. The C–7 basin comprises 35 square and concerns regarding issues they feel G. Address for Receipt of Public miles, and is approximately 11 miles should be addressed in DEIS. Interested Comments or Inquiries: Director, long. The western portion of the basin persons and organizations wishing to Defense Privacy Office, 1941 Jefferson lies in Area B, an area of relatively poor participate in the scoping process Davis Highway, Suite 920, Arlington, drainage, west of the coastal ridge, should contact the U.S. Army Corps of VA 22202–4502. Telephone (703) 607– eastern Miami-Dade County. S–27 is a Engineers at the address above. 2943. double gated concrete spillway located Significant issues anticipated include in C–7, which permits release of flood concern for: maintenance of flood [FR Doc. 01–24442 Filed 9–28–01; 8:45 am] runoff and prevents over-drainage and protection for the project area; water BILLING CODE 5001–08–P saltwater intrusion through C–7. quality, particularly in the receiving S–30 is a gated concrete culvert which waters of Biscayne Bay or WCA–3A; prevents excessive seepage losses from wetlands, fish and wildlife; saltwater Water Conservation Area (WCA) –3A by intrusion into project canal and the permitting higher stages in the L–33 groundwater and; threatened and borrow canal and supplies water from endangered plant and animal species. L–33 borrow canal during dry periods to Public meetings will be held over the VerDate 11<MAY>2000 23:18 Sep 28, 2001 Jkt 197001 PO 00000 Frm 00028 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\01OCN1.SGM pfrm11 PsN: 01OCN1 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 190 / Monday, October 1, 2001 / Notices 49943 course of the study, the exact location, and Libby and Hungry Horse are on are adjacent to each other. Grand Coulee dates, and times will be announced in headwater tributaries to the Columbia Dam is at RM 597 on the Columbia public notices and local newspapers. River, the Kootenai and South Fork River in northeastern Washington State. e. DEIS Preparation: It is estimated Flathhead, respectively, while Grand In general, flood control using that the DEIS will be available to the Coulee is on the mainstream Columbia. reservoirs involves maintaining the public about January 2002. Libby is a Corps project, and Hungry reservoir low enough to impound inflow Luz D. Ortiz, Horse and Grand Coulee are Bureau from high-runoff events such as Army Federal Register Liaison Officer. projects. VARQ is a flood control rainstorms and sudden snowmelts. In operation that reduces wintertime [FR Doc. 01–24482 Filed 9–28–01; 8:45 am] multipurpose storage reservoirs, it reservoir drawdown at Libby and BILLING CODE 3710–AJ–M means drawing down the reservoir Hungry Horse for floodwater storage beginning in early fall through March or compared to existing operation, and April to a surface elevation appropriate DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE provides better assurance of reservoir for the runoff forecast for the coming refill in summer, to meet multiple water spring and summer (generally based on Department of the Army, Corps of uses. The no-action alternative is called snowpack readings). Then refill begins, Engineers BASE–CRT63, and consists of the and the reservoir is generally full by the existing flood control operation. end of July, where it is maintained Intent To Prepare a Draft In addition, the NMFS BiOp calls for through August. For Libby, Hungry Environmental Impact Statement summer flow augmentation from Grand Horse and Grand Coulee, water passed (DEIS) for Upper Columbia Basin Coulee Dam for juvenile salmon out- through the dam is used for power Alternative Flood Control and Fish migration, as well as provision for fall generation, and lowering the reservoir Operations at Libby Dam, Montana; flows for lower Columbia chum salmon elevation serves to meet increased Hungry Horse Dam, Montana; and spawning and incubation. The USFWS power needs of the region in fall and Grand Coulee Dam, Washington BiOp calls for reduction of adverse winter. effects of flow fluctuations on bull trout AGENCY: US Army Corps of Engineers VARQ is an alternative flood control below Hungry Horse and Libby dams, (Corps), DoD and US Bureau of strategy intended to meet other needs by and for maintenance of minimum year- Reclamation (Bureau), Department of better assuring reservoir refill and round flows for bull trout. Interior. higher spring flows, to come closer to ACTION: Notice of intent. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: natural snowmelt runoff conditions in Questions regarding the scoping process the rivers. That runoff is impounded by SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) or preparation of the DEIS may be Libby and Hungry Horse dams, which of the National Environmental Policy directed to Dr.