[Federal Register: June 7, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 110)]
[Notices]               
[Page 39366-39368]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07jn02-60]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers

 
Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the 
South River, Raritan River Basin, Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction 
and Ecosystem Restoration Study

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The New York District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
(Corps) has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for 
the South River, Raritan River Basin Raritan, Hurricane and Storm 
Damage Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration Study. The purpose of the 
study is to identify a plan that would protect the South River, 
Sayerville and Woodbridge communities from damages caused by hurricanes 
and storms, and restore degraded habitats in the South River. The DEIS 
was prepared to evaluate those alternatives identified in the 
Feasibility Report.

DATES: The DEIS will be available for public review when this 
announcement is published. The review period of the document will be 
until July 22, 2002. To request a copy of the DEIS please call (212) 
264-4663.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding the 
DEIS, please contact Mark Burlas, Project Wildlife Biologist, telephone 
(212) 264-4663, Planning Division, ATTN: CENAN-PL-EA, Corps of 
Engineers, New York District, 26 Federal Plaza, New York, New York, 
10278-0090.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. The South River, Raritan River Basin, 
Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration 
Feasibility Study was authorized by resolution of the U.S. House of 
Representatives Committee on Public Works and Transportation and 
adopted May 13, 1993. The resolution states that: Resolved by the 
Committee on Public Works and Transportation of the United States House 
of Representatives, that, the Secretary of the Army, acting through the 
Chief of Engineers, is requested to review the report of the Chief of 
Engineers, titled Basinwide Water Resources Development Report on the 
Raritan River Basin, New Jersey, published as House Document 53, 
Seventy-first Congress, Second Session, and other pertinent reports, to 
determine whether modifications of the recommendations contained 
therein are advisable at the present time in the interest of flood 
control and related purposes on the South River, New Jersey.
    2. The South River, Raritan River Basin, Hurricane and Storm Damage 
Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study has been 
conducted by the Corps with the non-Federal project partner, the New 
Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). The study area 
initially included the entire South River basin. The South River is the 
first major tributary of the Raritan River, located approximately 8.3 
miles upstream of the Raritan River's mouth at Raritan Bay. The South 
River is formed by the confluence of the Matchaponix and Manalapan 
Brooks, just above Duhernal Lake, and flows northward from Duhernal 
Lake a distance of approximately 7 miles, at which point it splits into 
two branches, the Old South River and the Washington Canal. Both 
branches flow northward into the Raritan River. The South River is 
tidally controlled from its mouth upstream to Duhernal Lake Dam; 
fluvial conditions prevail above the dam. Based on coordination with 
NJDEP, County and local governments, it was determined that there are 
no widespread flooding problems in the South River watershed upstream 
of the Duhernal Lake dam. Consequently, the study area was modified, 
focusing on river reaches below the dam, specifically flood-prone areas 
within the Boroughs of South River and Sayreville, the Township of Old 
Bridge, and the Historic Village of Old Bridge (located within the 
Township of East Brunswick). The downstream river reaches encompass 
virtually all the flood-prone structures in the watershed and the areas 
of greatest ecological degradation (and greatest potential for 
ecosystem restoration).
    3. Periodic hurricanes and storms have caused severe flooding along 
the South River. Flood damages downstream of Duhernal Lake are 
primarily due to storm surges with additional damages associated with 
basin runoff. The communities repeatedly affected by storm surges are 
the Boroughs of South River and Sayreville, the Township of Old Bridge, 
and the Historic Village of Old Bridge in East Brunswick Township. 
There are approximately 1,247 structures (1,082 residential; 165 
commercial) in the 100-year floodplains of these communities and 1,597 
structures in the 500-year floodplains (1,399 residential; 198 
commercial). Storm surges create the greatest damages in the study area 
occurring during hurricanes and northeasters that generate sustained 
onshore winds through multiple tidal cycles. For example, the 
northeaster of March 1993 (a 25-year event) resulted in approximately 
$17 million damage (2001 dollars) and closed the highway bridge 
connecting the Boroughs of South River and Sayreville.
    4. The area under consideration for ecosystem restoration 
encompasses 1,278 acres along the Old South River and the Washington 
Canal and includes the 380-acre Clancy Island bounded by these 
waterways and by the Raritan River. Wetland plant communities account 
for 786 acres (61 percent) of the study area land cover. Uplands 
account for the remaining 492 acres, of which 234 acres are occupied by 
residential, commercial, and industrial development. These wetlands and 
uplands are ecologically degraded. Approximately 527 acres (41 percent 
of the study area) are dominated by monotypic stands of common reed 
(Phragmites australis). Other wetland communities are scattered around 
the site in a patchwork of fragmented parcels. The uplands are 
dominated by low quality scrub-shrub land cover. The current degraded 
ecological conditions appear to be the result of: (1) Construction and 
maintenance dredging associated with the Federal navigation channels in 
the South River,

[[Page 39367]]

Washington Canal, and Raritan River and (2) clay excavation and 
industrial activity associated with the defunct Sayreville brick 
industry.
    5. Plan formulation for hurricane and storm damage reduction along 
the South River considered a full range of structural and nonstructural 
measures. Alternative plans that survived the initial screening of 
alternatives included: (1) A storm surge barrier at the confluences of 
the South River and Washington Canal with the raritan River, (2) 
multiple levee and floodwall configurations, and (3) buy-out of flood-
prone properties. Further investigation determined that the storm surge 
barrier alternative at the confluence of the Washington Canal and the 
Raritan River was not economically feasible and that there would be 
significant adverse environmental effects on study area wetlands. It 
was also determined that acquisition of structures in the flood plains 
was not economically feasible. In contrast, preliminary analysis 
indicated that the levee and floodwall protection of flood-prone 
properties in the study area was found to be economically and 
technically feasible.
    6. More detailed analysis indicated that levees and floodwalls 
along the eastern and western banks of the lower South River would be 
economically justified and would have minimal effects on study area 
wetlands. It was also determined that structural protection of upstream 
reaches would not be economically justified. A storm surge barrier 
(different location than previously described), located just downstream 
(north) of the Veterans Memorial Bridge, was subsequently evaluated in 
combination with levees/floodwalls in the lower reaches. The barrier 
was found to be an economically feasible means to protect upstream 
reaches. In addition, it would: (1) Minimize environmental impacts on 
wetlands, (2) avoid potential Hazardous Toxic Radioactive Waste (HTRW) 
sites upstream, and (3) preclude the need for nonstructural protection 
in upstream communities by providing comprehensive storm surge 
protection.
    7. Economic analysis of the hurricane and storm reduction plans 
indicated that the levee/floodwall system with upstream storm surge 
barrier would result in the greatest net benefits. Subsequent 
optimization of this plan determined that a 500-year level of 
protection would provided the greatest net benefits. Consequently, the 
levee/floodwall system with upstream storm surge barriers providing a 
500-year level of protection was designated as the National Economic 
Development (NED) plan and was selected as the recommended plan. Using 
a combination of levees, floodwalls, and a storm surge barriers, 
structural protection will extend to an elevation of +21.5 feet NGVD. 
The levees will extend 10,712 feet in length, and the floodwalls will 
extend 1,655 feet in length. The storm surge barrier will span the 
South River for a length of 320 feet and will have a clear opening of 
80 feet. It is anticipated that the first costs of the selected 
hurricane and storm reduction plan will be approximately $62.5 million 
with average annual costs estimated at $4.3 million. With an average 
annual benefits estimated at $9.1 million, the average annual net 
benefits associated with the selected hurricane and storm reduction 
plan will be approximately $4.8 million. The selected hurrican and 
storm reduction plan is expected to have a benefit-cost ratio of 2.1 to 
one.
    Even though the selected hurricane and storm damage reduction plan 
was specifically designed to avoid and minimize environmental impacts, 
there were some unavoidable impacts to the natural resources in the 
South River. Based on a Habitat Evaluation Procedures (HEP) study and 
an Evaluation of Planned Wetlands (EPW) assessment, the selected NED 
plan will result in a loss of 1.07 Average Annual Habitat Units (AAHUs) 
and 20.74 Functional Capacity Units (FCUs). Consequently, to offset 
these impacts it was determined that the mitigation goal will replace 
at least 100% of the combined loss of AAHUs summed across evaluation 
species and FCUs summed across wetland functions, and at least 50% 
(agreed upon by HEP Team) of the loss of AAHUs per evaluation species 
and FCSs lost per function, as a result of implementation of the 
selected hurricane and storm damage reduction measures.
    8. To achieve the mitigation goal, a screening analysis was 
conducted to evaluate the feasibility of improving the available 
habitat on the proposed levee (e.g., plant shrubs to improve songbird 
habitat); improving the existing habitats (e.g., increase the density/
cover of the vegetation by planting more shrubs and/or herbaceous 
species); and, converting one habitat/cover type to another more 
valuable habitat (e.g., covert areas of Phragmites to salt marsh or 
wetland scrub-shrub).
    9. Based on an analysis of the acreages, costs, benefits, and 
incremental cost/output for each of these plans it was determined that 
Mitigation Alternative 2 had ecological outputs that were worth its 
associated costs. The selected mitigation plan will fulfill the 
mitigation goal and will involve the conversion of 11.1 acres of 
degraded wetland Phragmites and disturbed habitat to a combination of 
wetland scrub-shrub (7.8 acres) and salt marsh (3.3 acres). This plan 
is estimated to cost $2,865,300 and is included in the hurricane and 
storm damage reduction cost provided earlier.
    10. Plan formulation for ecosystem restoration considered a wide 
variety of restoration measures to address opportunities associated 
with ecosystem restoration along the South River. Restoration goals and 
objectives were specified early in the plan formulation process. 
Restoring biodiversity and ecological functioning were established as 
the restoration goals; the restoration objectives included: restoring 
habitat for threatened and endangered species, increasing site 
biodiversity, increasing tidal flushing, reducing Phragmites, improving 
water quality, and stabilizing and protecting desirable wetland 
habitat. After a preliminary restoration screening process that the 
assessed ecological benefits and engineering constraints of eleven 
different alternatives, four priority habitats were chosen for 
ecological restoration of the study area: low emergent marsh, 
intertidal mudflat, wetland forest scrub-shrub, and open water (i.e., 
tidal creeks and tidal ponds). Using different proportions of each 
habitat, more than 250 potential mathematical combinations of these 
habitats were evaluated.
    11. These combinations were then applied to four potential 
restoration areas delineated in the study area using four different 
scales of restoration for degraded acreage in each area: 25 percent, 50 
percent, 75 percent, and 100 percent. Cost effectiveness and 
incremental cost analysis was applied to the resultant 40,000 potential 
restoration plans, resulting in identification of eight ``best buy'' 
restoration plans for the study area. These plans represent the most 
efficient means to achieve ecosystem restoration in the study area. 
Based upon the incremental analysis and the ability of the alternative 
plans to achieve the restoration planning goals and objectives, one of 
the Best Buy plans was selected as the National Ecosystem Restoration 
(NER) plan.
    12. The NER plan will restore 100 percent of the 379 acres of 
degraded wetlands in the potential restoration areas. The NER plan will 
restore the following habitats: low emergent marsh (151 acres: 40 
percent), wetland forest/scrub-shrub (170 acres: 45 percent; plus an 
additional 19 acres, or 5 percent, as upland forest/scrub-shrub), 
mudflat (19 acres: 5 percent), and open water (19

[[Page 39368]]

acres: 5 percent). It is expected that implementation of the NER plan 
will cost approximately $50.6 million with an average annual cost of 
approximately $3.3 million.
    13. The costs of project implementation for the hurricane and storm 
damage reduction features and ecosystem restoration features will be 
shared by the Federal government and the non-Federal project partner 
(NJDEP) on a 65 percent/35 percent basis. All operations and 
maintenance costs will be borne by the non-Federal project partner. For 
the hurricane and storm damage reduction features, the project 
implementation costs will be shared as follows: $40,608,700 Federal and 
$21,866,200 non-Federal with annual O&M costs of $221,500 (non-
Federal). This includes mitigation costs associated with the 
implementation of these features ($2,865,300 total with $1,862,400 
Federal and $1,002,900 non-Federal). For the ecosystem restoration 
features, the project implementation costs $50,552,800 million will be 
shared with $32,859,300 Federal and $17,693,500 non-Federal with O&M 
costs of $80,000 (non-Federal).
    14. Potential beneficial cumulative impacts to migratory waterfowl 
and songbirds are likely to result from implementation of the selected 
mitigation and ecosystem restoration plans. These plans, in conjunction 
with similar projects in the South River watershed, should increase the 
overall ecological value of the area. Specifically, the mitigation and 
restoration plans will add large areas of more desirable wetland 
communities and increase the study area's biodiversity (i.e., improve 
the areas composition and abundance of plant and animal species).
    15. The construction and maintenance of both the hurricane and 
storm damage reduction measures and the ecosystem restoration measures 
will not negatively impact any Federally or state listed endangered or 
threatened species, areas of designated critical habitat, or essential 
fish habitat. By providing increased cover and opportunities for 
foraging and nesting, the selected plans will also improve habitat for 
the Federally listed threatened bald eagle thought to utilize habitats 
in the general vicinity, and for many of the State of New Jersey 
endangered and threatened species observed in the restoration area 
(e.g., black skimmer, northern harrier, peregine falcon, yellow-crowned 
night heron, osprey, black-crowned night heron, and American bittern).
    16. In sum, the recommended plan will efficiently reduce hurricane 
and storm damages along the South River and improve the structure and 
function of degraded ecosystems in the study area. The non-Federal 
project partner, NJDEP, has indicated its support for the recommended 
plan and is willing to enter into a Project Cooperation Agreement with 
the Federal Government for the implementation of the plan. At this 
time, there are no known major areas of controversy or unresolved 
issues regarding the study and selected plan among agencies or the 
public interest.

Len Houston,
Chief, Environmental Analysis Branch.
[FR Doc. 02-14226 Filed 6-6-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-06-M