New Orleans -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, has prepared a Draft Supplemental Environmental Assessment #571 (SEA #571) titled “West Shore Lake Pontchartrain Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction Levee System St. Charles and St. John the Baptist Parishes, Louisiana” which is available for public review and comment.
SEA #571 discusses altering the levee alignment footprint as described in the West Shore Lake Pontchartrain Environmental Impact Statement (2016 WSLP EIS) as well as adding to and modifying the associated levee alignment features described in the 2016 WSLP EIS and SEA #570. Features being considered for modification include pumping stations, drainage structures, the borrow plan, and access roads, as well as the addition of a sand placement plan and a spoil bank gapping plan, and the option for the Non-Federal Sponsor to design and build part of the levee system. Approximately 1,322 more acres (but 166 less Average Annual Habitat Units (AAHUs)) of swamp habitat and 4,639 acres (175 more AAHUs) of BLH habitat would be negatively impacted by the proposed action.
The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments from the public; Federal, State and local agencies and officials; Indian Tribes; and other interested parties. Copies of SEA #571 and supporting documents are available at https://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/Missions/Environmental/NEPA-Compliance-Documents/Bipartisan-Budget-Act-2018-BBA-18/BBA-18-Projects/BBA-18-West-Shore-Lake-Pontchartrain/.
The 30-day public review and comment period for SEA #571 will begin on April 23, 2020 and end on May 23, 2020. Interested parties may express their views on the proposed action. All comments postmarked on or before the expiration of the comment period for this notice will be considered.
Comments may be submitted by emailing mvnenvironmental@usace.army.mil, or by mail to
Mr. Patrick Smith, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regional Planning and Environmental Division South, PDS-C, 7400 Leake Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118. Email is preferred due to potential COVID-19 related business interruptions.
For more information on the West Shore Lake Pontchartrain project:
In the future, the New Orleans District would like to contact interested parties regarding the public review of National Environmental Policy Act documents via email. Please provide your email address at mvnenvironmental@usace.army.mil to receive these notifications via email.
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