Documents

• Supplemental Draft EIS Executive Summary
• Volume I - Front Cover
• Supplemental Draft EIS Contents
• Chapter 1 - Purpose and Need
• Chapter 2 - Alternatives
• Chapter 3 - Existing Environment
• Chapter 4 - Environmental Consequences
• Chapter 5 - Avoidance, Minimization and Mitigation
• Chapter 6 - Comments and Coordination
• Chapter 7 - List of Preparers
• Chapter 8 - Distribution
• Chapter 9 - References
• Chapter 10 - Index
• Chapter 11 - Glossary
• Appendix A - Preliminary Section 7a
• Appendix B - Resources Not Affected/Minimally Affected
• Appendix C - Fish & Wildlife Technical Memo
• Appendix D - Biological Assessment
• Appendix E - Wetlands and Waters of the US
• Appendix F - Flood Storage Technical Memo
• Appendix G - Supporting Info for Section 404(b)(1) Analysis
• Appendix H - Visual Analysis Technical Memo
• Appendix I - Agency Coordination
• Appendix K - Public Involvement 

Draft EIS Release Date: October 9, 2015

Permit Applicant: Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR)

Draft EIS Prepared by: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District Regulatory Branch (the Corps Regulatory Branch is neither a proponent nor opponent of the proposed project).

A list of libraries and offices where a paper copy of the Draft EIS is available in the Public Notice.

Comments Due: November 23, 2015

ATTN: Highway 12 EIS Regulatory Project Manager
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District
Nebraska Regulatory Field Office
8901 South 154th Street
Omaha, Nebraska 68138 Email: ne404reg@usace.army.mil

• Federal Register Notice: Environmental Impact Statements: Nebraska Highway 12 Niobrara East and West Project, Knox County, NE (Published October 9, 2015) 
• USACE Public Notice: Public Notice for Clean Water Act Application and Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Nebraska Highway 12 Niobrara East and West (Published October 9, 2015)

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[2:17 PM] Fuerst, Lee A CIV USARMY CENWO (USA)

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 November 9, 2015 - N-12 Draft EIS - Open House and Public Hearing

Displays

• N-12 Alternative A1 alignment
• N-12 Alternative A7 alignment
• N-12 Alternative A2 alignment
• N-12 Alternative A3 alignment
• Posters/Boards
• Handout
• Comment Form

Transcript

• Hearing Transcript

 Draft EIS - Highway 12 Project

The entire report is available in three downloadable files. Click the links to begin downloading. The files are large and may take some time to download.

• Volume 1 (16.8 MB)
• Volume 2 - Part 1 Appendices A-H (62 MB)
• Volume 2 - Part 2 Appendices I-P (78 MB)

 Executive Summary

• Overview
• Process
• Project Purpose And Need 
• Alternatives
• Existing Environment and Environmental Impacts 
• Mitigation and Next Steps

 Volume 1

• Volume 1 Cover and front matter
• Chapter 1 – Purpose and Need
• Chapter 2 – Alternatives
• Chapter 3 – Affected Environment
• Chapter 4 – Environmental Consequences
• Chapter 5 – Avoidance, Minimization, Mitigation
• Chapter 6 – Comments and Coordination
• Chapter 7 – List of Preparers
• Chapter 8 – Distribution
• Chapter 9 – References
• Chapter 10 – Index
• Chapter 11 – Glossary

 Volume II

• Appendix O – Tribal Coordination
• Appendix P – Public Involvement

 Background/Project History:

Part of the EIS process is to screen alternatives. NDOR provides USACE with proposed roadway alternatives that have to meet standard State and local roadways design criteria that specify an area from the driving lane free of obstacles, including above bodies of water. N-12 shall have approximately 7.5 feet of clearance above the 100-year flood elevation, and N-14 shall have approximately 7 feet of clearance above the 100-year flood elevation. 

Flooding in 2011 provided new details and in spring 2013, USACE developed a new floodplain model for a study requested by the Niobrara Public School District. This new model included information from the 2011 flood. USACE then compared the floodplain elevations developed under the new model to the Parallel Alignment (Alternative A2) as it was currently designed. USACE found that this alignment alternative no longer met 100-year flood design criteria, and may also impact other road alternatives. 

With this new information, NDOR chose to redesign the floodplain alternatives to raise the roadway elevations based on the new floodplain modeling. Additionally, NDOR reevaluated its design engineering for the Bluffs Alignment (Alternative B1), redesigning the alignment to reduce the potential for slides and road failures due to the presence of Pierre shale. 

Alternatives Carried Forward figures are available in the HQ USACE Digital Library. The redesign changes the cost of each alternative and wetlands impacts. Because USACE uses cost as a determining factor to practicable alternatives, a new review of alternatives and their costs is needed. USACE also reviews and presents in the EIS each revision for impacts on wetlands and other resources.

2008

• Project Presentation
• Meeting Handout
• Public Meeting Poster
• Public Meeting Announcement

2009

• Public Meeting Presentation
• Meeting Posters
• Meeting Handout
• Alternative Design Criteria - October 2009

2013 

• Alternative Design Criteria - November 2013