Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Development by Cooper Land Development, Inc. in Baldwin County, AL
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[Federal Register: September 29, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 188)]
[Notices]
[Page 55949-55950]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr29se03-60]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the
Proposed Development by Cooper Land Development, Inc. in Baldwin
County, AL
AGENCY: Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District (Corps)
intends to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to
address the potential impacts associated with the construction of the
Cooper Land Development project located near Stockton in Baldwin
County, Alabama. The Corps will be evaluating a permit application for
the work under the authority of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. The
environmental impact statement will be used as a basis for the permit
decision and to ensure compliance with the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA).
DATES: A scoping meeting will be held on October 28, 2003, at the Bay
Minette Civic Center, 301 D'Olive Street, Bay Minette, Alabama 36507
beginning at 6:30 p.m.
address for Dr. Findley and Mr. Sahawneh is U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, P.O. Box 2288, Mobile, AL 36628-0001.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. The permit applicant (Department of Army
permit application number AL03-00285-H) is proposing a residential
[[Page 55950]]
development that will result in filling/impacting approximately 349.3
acres of wetlands and approximately 7.05 linear miles of streams. The
project site contains approximately 845 acres of jurisdictional
wetlands and 14.53 miles of streambeds. This residential development
project is comprised of approximately 5,024 acres and is located near
the Stockton Community in Baldwin County. The proposed project will
consist of the construction of six lakes, three 18-hole golf courses,
roadways, and approximately 9,000 low to medium density single-family
residential home sites. The lakes will be created as impoundments
through the construction of dams across existing stream segments and
bottomlands. In addition to their use for recreation, the lakes will be
used to supply irrigation water to the development. It is anticipated
that the proposed development will occur in at least three (3) phases
over a period of approximately 15 years.
2. Alternatives to the applicant's proposal may exist which would
reduce the impacts. These could include alternative site layouts sites
or alternate site locations.
3. Scoping:
a. The Corps invites full public participation to promote open
communication on the issues surrounding the proposal. All Federal,
State, and local agencies, and other persons or organizations that have
an interest are urged to participate in the NEPA scoping process. A
public meeting will be held to help identify significant issues and to
receive public input and comment (see DATES).
b. The DEIS will analyze the potential social, economic, and
environmental impacts to the local area resulting from the proposed
project. Specifically, the following major issues will be analyzed in
depth in the DEIS alternatives: hydrologic and hydraulic regimes,
wetlands, streams, cultural resources, utilities, socioeconomic
characteristics, biological resources, threatened and endangered
species, transportation systems, secondary impacts, cumulative impacts,
environmental justice (effect on minorities and low income groups), and
protection of children (E.O. 13045).
c. The Corps will serve as the lead Federal agency in the
preparation of the DEIS. It is anticipated that the following agencies
will be invited and will accept cooperating agency status for the
preparation of the DEIS: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; U.S.
Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service; Alabama
Department of Environmental Management; Alabama Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources; Alabama State Historic Preservation
Officer; Alabama Department of Transportation; South Alabama Regional
Planning Commission; Baldwin County; and the City of Bay Minette.
4. It is anticipated that the DEIS will be made available for
public review in August 2004.
Ronald A. Krizman,
Chief, Regulatory Branch.
[FR Doc. 03-24614 Filed 9-26-03; 8:45 am]
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