TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: Comments are invited on the work described below. Please see the Public Involvement section for details on submitting comments.
Point of Contact. If additional information is desired, please contact the regulator, Vincent Gregory, telephone number: (501) 340-1377, mailing address: Little Rock District Corps of Engineers, Regulatory Division, PO Box 867, Little Rock, Arkansas 72203-0867, email address: Vincent.M.Gregory@usace.army.mil
Project Information. Pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S. Code 1344), notice is hereby given that
Colonel John M Schutte
Little Rock Air Force Base
19th Airlift Wing
1250 Thomas Avenue, Room 106
Little Rock AFB, Arkansas 72099
has requested authorization for the placement of dredged and fill material in wetlands and waters of the United States associated with improvements to Runway 07-25 on the Little Rock Air Force Base. Construction would require filling of wetlands and jurisdictional streams as well as filling and rerouting of jurisdictional streams. The project would result in a discharge of approximately 2,620 cubic yards of fill material into jurisdictional streams and 519 cubic yards of fill material into wetlands. Permanent impacts (fill) would include approximately 1.90 acres of wetlands and approximately 21,326 linear feet of jurisdictional streams to increase the elevation of the runway, landing zone (LZ), reconstruction to portions of five taxiways that connect to the runway, and two taxiways that connect to the LZ. This work will allow access for the new raised centerline elevation of the runway. Additionally, the project will include the installation of culverts, utility lines, and a low water crossing. Approximately 655 linear feet of jurisdictional streams would be temporarily impacted for the construction of erosion control structures resulting in placement of approximately 6,384 cubic yards of fill material. The proposed project is located in wetlands and unnamed tributaries of Cypress Branch and Jacks Bayou on the Little Rock Air Force Base, in the SE 1/4 of section 2, T. 3 N., R. 11 W., Jacksonville, Pulaski County, Arkansas.
The project purpose is to improve the main runway at the Little Rock Air Force Base by increasing the elevation of the runway.
Stream flow is ephemeral and intermittent, and in some areas, the streams contain aquatic habitat for micro and macroinvertebrates as well as some fish species. All of the streams flow into either Cypress Branch or Jacks Bayou and eventually into Bayou Meto. Impacted wetlands are exclusively herbaceous.
The design of the improvements to Runway 07-25 indicates the location of waters of the United States and attempts to avoid impacts if possible. All temporary erosion control structures will be removed and stream channels will be either restored to their preconstruction conditions or rerouted as part of the project design. The applicant proposes to mitigate permanent impacts to the 1.90 acres of existing wetlands by purchasing off-site wetland mitigation bank credits. To mitigate permanent impacts to 21,326 linear feet of streams, the applicant proposes on-site (permittee responsible) mitigation and purchasing stream mitigation bank credits. Normal best management practices such as silt fencing and other construction methods will be used to mitigate impacts to water quality and other resources.
The United States Air Force (USAF) conducted an Environmental Assessment (EA) of the potential environmental and social consequences of repairing by replacement of Runway 07-25. This public review consisted of a draft EA that was made available for public comment. Following the comment period, a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the selected alternative was approved on 05 May 2020. If additional information is desired as related to the EA, please contact Ms.Dana Hardage, telephone number: (501) 987-3681, mailing address: Little Rock Air Force Base, 19 CES/CEIE, 528 Thomas Avenue, Room 106, Little Rock AFB, Arkansas 72099, email address: dana.hardage@us.af.mil
The location and general plan for the proposed work are shown on the enclosed sheets.
Water Quality Certification. By copy of this public notice, the applicant is requesting water quality certification from the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) in accordance with Section 401(a)(1) of the Clean Water Act. Upon completion of the comment period and a public hearing, if held, a determination relative to water quality certification will be made. Evidence of this water quality certification or waiver of the right to certify must be submitted prior to the issuance of a Corps of Engineers permit.
Cultural Resources. The USAF is the lead federal agency for Section 106 compliance and coordination with the Arkansas State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO), associated Native American Nations and tribal governments, and other applicable consulting parties, including USACE. As part of the EA process, intergovernmental coordination was conducted. Additionally, a Phase one Cultural Resources Survey was completed and National Register of Historic Places eligibility and effects to historic properties were evaluated. As the lead federal agency, and in accordance with Section 106 implementing regulation 36 CFR 800.4(d), USAF determined that the project would result in a No Historic Properties Affected finding of effects determination. USACE, Arkansas SHPO, and responding Native American Nations and tribal governments concurred with USAF's effects determination. Comments regarding the Section 106 review and findings should be addressed to USAF Natural and Cultural Resource Manager Ms. Dana Hardage.
Endangered Species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service concurred with USAF’s finding that the proposed project may affect but is not likely to adversely affect the federally endangered Interior Least Tern (Sternula antillarum) and the candidate Rattlesnake Master Borer Moth (Papaipema eryngi). A copy of this notice is being furnished to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and appropriate state agencies and constitutes a request to those agencies to provide any new or additional information on threatened or endangered species.
Floodplain. We are providing copies of this notice to appropriate floodplain officials in accordance with 44 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 60 (Floodplain Management Regulations Criteria for Land Management and Use) and Executive Order 11988 on Floodplain Management.
Section 404(b)(1) Guidelines. The evaluation of activities to be authorized under this permit, which involves the discharge of dredged or fill material will include application of guidelines promulgated by the Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency, under authority of Section 404(b) of the Clean Water Act. These guidelines are contained in 40 Code of Federal CFR 230.
Public Involvement. Any interested party is invited to submit to the above-listed POC written comments or objections relative to the proposed work on or before July 14, 2020. Substantive comments, both favorable and unfavorable, will be accepted and made a part of the record and will receive full consideration in determining whether this work would be in the public interest. The decision whether to issue a permit will be based on an evaluation of the probable impact including cumulative impacts of the proposed activity on the public interest. That decision will reflect the national concern for both protection and utilization of important resources. The benefit, which reasonably may be expected to accrue from the proposal, must be balanced against its reasonably foreseeable detriments. All factors which may be relevant to the proposal will be considered including the cumulative effects thereof; among those are conservation, economics, aesthetics, general environmental concerns, wetlands, historic properties, fish and wildlife values, flood hazards, floodplain values, land use, navigation, shoreline erosion and accretion, recreation, water supply and conservation, water quality, energy needs, safety, food and fiber production, mineral needs, considerations of property ownership and, in general, the needs and welfare of the people.
The Corps of Engineers is soliciting comments from the public; Federal, state, and local agencies and officials; Indian Tribes; and other interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the impacts of this proposed activity. Any comments received will be considered by the Corps of Engineers to determine whether to issue, modify, condition or deny a permit for this proposal. To make this decision, comments are used to assess impacts on endangered species, historic properties, water quality, general environmental effects, and the other public interest factors listed above. Comments are used in the preparation of an Environmental Assessment and/or an Environmental Impact Statement pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act. Comments are also used to determine the need for a public hearing and to determine the overall public interest of the proposed activity.
Any person may request in writing within the comment period specified in this notice that a public hearing be held to consider this application. Requests for public hearings shall state, with particularity, the reasons for holding a public hearing. The District Engineer will determine if the issues raised are substantial and whether a hearing is needed for making a decision.
NOTE: The mailing list for this Public Notice is arranged by state and county(s) where the project is located, and includes any addressees who have asked to receive copies of all public notices. Please discard notices that are not of interest to you. If you have no need for any of these notices, please advise us so that your name can be removed from the mailing list.
Enclosures
Approximate Coordinates of Project Center
Latitude: 34.917147° Longitude: -92.144111°
UTM Zone: 15N North: 3864189.30 East: 578180.90