SAVANNAH, Ga. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District will issue a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Glades Reservoir project in Hall County, Ga., Feb. 17, 2012.
The EIS will assess the potential social, economic and environmental impacts of the construction and operation of the reservoir, raw water conveyances, associated facilities, and rights of way. It will address federal, state, and local requirements, environmental issues concerning the proposed action, and permit reviews. As the lead federal agency for issuing permits under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, the Corps of Engineers must evaluate any proposed construction that involves the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the U.S.
The proposed Glades Reservoir project includes a new pump-storage water supply reservoir, as well as pipelines and pumping stations to withdraw water from the Chattahoochee River and to connect with the existing Cedar Creek Reservoir. Water would be pumped to the existing Cedar Creek Reservoir, located in eastern Hall County, for treatment and distribution to Hall County customers. The project is proposed as a needed water supply for Hall County through the year 2060.
The Notice of Intent is immediately followed by a 60-day public comment period, or scoping period, to develop an understanding of concerns and issues expressed by interested parties. The Corps will host three public scoping meetings in the tri-state area during the 60-day comment period at the following locations/dates:
• March 20 – Gainesville State College, 3820 Mundy Mill Rd., Oakwood, Ga., 30566 Time: 4 – 8 p.m.
• March 21 – Lexington Auburn University Convention Center, 1577 South College Street, Auburn, Ala., 36832
Time: 4 – 8 p.m.
• March 22 – Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve, 108 Island Drive, Eastpoint, Fla., 32328
Time: 4 – 8 p.m.
Comments received during this period and at the scoping meetings will be recorded in a scoping report and will be considered in development of the draft EIS. The public will have another opportunity to comment on the draft and final EIS documents.
The deadline to submit comments for the scoping period is April 17, 2012. Comments can be entered online at www.gladesreservoir.com (website will activate on Feb. 17) or mailed to: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Attn: Regulatory Division, 100 West Oglethorpe Ave, Savannah, Ga., 31401.
For more details on the proposed Glades Reservoir project, visit www.gladesreservoir.com. For additional information on the Corps of Engineers’ Regulatory permitting procedures, visit: www.sas.usace.army.mil/regulatory