Here is the public notice and the Corps Environmental Assessment and Finding
of No Significant Impact in MS Word Format. I'm not sure if Word
attachments can be delivered through the list. So if they don't make it and
you want to read them, I'll email them to you directly or print them if you
don't have MS Word.

-----Original Message-----
From: Dayan, Nathan S MVN [SMTP:Nathan.S.Dayan@...]
<mailto:[SMTP:Nathan.S.Dayan@...]>
Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2001 2:37 PM
To: 'Scott Jonathan T.'
Subject: FW: Bayou Manchac

Planning, Programs, and

Project Management Division

Environmental Planning

and Compliance Branch



TO INTERESTED PARTIES



Enclosed are an Environmental Assessment (EA) #304 and a draft
Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), which address the proposed
clearing and snagging by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans
District.

The project would consist of clearing and snagging Bayou Manchac
from bank to bank beginning at Bayou Manchac's confluence with the Amite
River and ending at or near the confluence of Alligator Bayou with Bayou
Manchac (approx. 10-miles). The proposed action includes the use of a
vegetation cutter mounted on a long reach excavator to clear and snag Bayou
Manchac. The equipment is specially designed and operated to minimize
damage to both in-stream and riparian habitat. The equipment would access
the project area via the water on small work barges. Material would be
removed from at or below mean high water (approximately where terrestrial
growth appears). Trees, shrubs, or other vegetation, which are either in
the waterway impeding flow or determined to be immanently likely to fall,
will be cut. Stumps will remain in the bank. Isolated or single logs which
are embedded, lodged, or rooted in the waterway and are unaffecting flow
will remain. No man-made structures, including small piers or docks or
remnants there of, sunken boats, or other such structures will be removed as
part of this work. Vegetative material removed from the waterway will be
placed at access locations along the waterway for load-out. Material taken
from the operation would be trucked by the local sponsor to a designated
landfill. Access for personnel and equipment will be located at existing
utility crossings (i.e., pipeline and overhead electrical) to minimize flood
plain disturbance. Note that this work will be in accordance with
procedures and practices presented in the "Stream Obstruction Removal
Guidelines", as developed by the Stream Renovation Guidelines Committee, a
joint committee of The Wildlife Society and the American Fisheries Society,
in cooperation with the International Association of Fish and Wildlife
Agencies, 1983. EA #304 evaluates the environmental impacts of the proposed
action.

Please review the enclosed documents and provide comments within 30
days of the date of this letter. The FONSI will not be signed until all
environmental review and compliance requirements have been completed. A
copy of the signed FONSI will be provided upon request. Comments should be
mailed to the attention of Mr. Nathan Dayan; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers;
Planning, Programs, and Project Management Division; Environmental Planning
and Compliance Branch; CEMVN-PM-R; P.O. Box 60267; New Orleans, Louisiana
70160-0267. Comments may also be provided by E-mail to
Nathan.S.Dayan@...
<mailto:Nathan.S.Dayan@...> , or by FAX to (504) 862-2572.
Mr. Dayan may be contacted at (504) 862-2530, if questions arise.

Sincerely,




David F. Carney

Chief, Environmental Planning

and Compliance Branch

<<manchacEA.doc>> <<Manchac FONSI.doc>>

Enclosures
<<manchacEA.doc>> <<Manchac FONSI.doc>>