The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District announces public scoping meetings and public comment on the development of a proposed Interim Operations Plan for the CEPP A2-STA. Virtual public meetings are January 11. Public scoping comments are due by January 31.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District, is preparing a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) assessment for the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP) A-2 Stormwater Treatment Area (A2 STA) Interim Operations Plan. The purpose of CEPP is to improve the quantity, quality, timing, and distribution of water flows to the northern estuaries, Water Conservation Area (WCA) 3, Everglades National Park (ENP), and Florida Bay. CEPP will also contribute to increasing water supply for municipal, industrial, and agricultural users. For additional information, please see the 2014 CEPP Final Integrated Project Implementation Report and Environmental Impact Statement, and the May 2020 Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Central and Southern Florida, EAA Reservoir and STA, Florida.
The purpose of the proposed CEPP A-2 STA Interim Operations Plan, which would update the CEPP Project Operating Manual (POM), is to provide operating criteria for A-2 STA infrastructure as a Federal project feature, after the A-2 STA satisfies the requirements of its Operational Testing and Monitoring Period, and prior to completion of the EAA A-2 Reservoir. The proposed A-2 STA Interim Operations Plan would integrate operation of the A-2 STA infrastructure into existing Central and Southern Florida (C&SF) Project infrastructure in accordance with the conditions identified in the May 15, 2020 Record of Decision (ROD) for the C&SF, EAA Reservoir and A-2 STA. The ROD conditions include that the CEPP (EAA Phase) features cannot be used for State restoration purposes. The CERP Programmatic Regulations state that “Projects shall be sequenced and scheduled to maximize the achievement of the goals and purposes of the Plan at the earliest possible time and in the most cost-effective way . . .” 33 C.F.R. § 385.30(a)(1). Interim operations of the A-2 STA will achieve incremental project benefits consistent with the CERP Programmatic Regulations.
The Department of Army (DA) Permit (SAJ-2018-03427) issued to the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) authorized construction of, and limited operations (to facilitate vegetation grow-in) of the A-2 STA. The DA Permit requires written authorization from the USACE prior to operating the STA beyond the limited grow-in operations currently authorized as described in the DA permit. The SFWMD anticipates the initial filling of the A-2 STA treatment cells to facilitate vegetation establishment, as authorized under the existing DA permit, will begin in December 2023. The A-2 STA Interim Operations Plan will update the CEPP POM to add operational criteria for the A-2 STA for the time period between completion of the vegetation grow-in for the A-2 STA and the future completion of the EAA Reservoir.
The operational framework of the proposed CEPP A-2 STA Interim Operations Plan would enable the A-2 STA to be operated as a Federal project feature until the EAA A-2 Reservoir is complete. Alternatives will include Lake Okeechobee as the source of water for the A-2 STA after completion of the vegetation grow-in.
Flows shall be released from Lake Okeechobee during A-2 STA inflow operations until the State of Florida has completed all of their Restoration Strategies (i.e., the Restoration Strategies Regional Water Quality Plan, 2012, as updated) and the Restoration Strategies meet all state water quality standards as determined by state and federal water quality regulators. The A-2 STA operational framework, and alternatives that are evaluated, will also consider A-2 STA operations after the State meets the legal requirements and applicable water quality standards for their Restoration Strategies, such that inflows for the A-2 STA may include both EAA source water and Lake Okeechobee source water. Developed alternatives will ensure that operations flow only the amount of water that the A-2 STA can treat to meet the applicable water quality standard at the STA outflow. Under any alternative analyzed, the A-2 STA’s operations would not interact with the State’s Everglades Construction Project or Restoration Strategies facilities. The Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM) is expected to be the approved regulation schedule in 2025, following completion of the vegetation grow-in for the A-2 STA; therefore, LOSOM will be the lake regulation schedule used in this planning effort.
USACE invites the participation of Federal and State agencies, Native American Tribes, local agencies, interested parties and individuals to provide comments and to identify any issues or concerns. Please share this notice with any interested party. All public scoping meetings will be held virtually.
Virtual NEPA Public Scoping Meeting
January 11, 2024, 1 to 3 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m.
Via Webex:
January 11, 2024, 1:00 to 3:00p.m.
https://usace1.webex.com/usace1/j.php?MTID=m09b27001bec03635cf4dd6582b3bf5a7
Join by meeting number:
Meeting number (access code): 2761 977 8163
Meeting password: cEvZpXm@889
Join by phone:
+1-844-800-2712 US Toll Free
+1-669-234-1177 US Toll
January 11, 2024, 6:00 to 8:00 pm
https://usace1.webex.com/usace1/j.php?MTID=mf331abedade5b78082ee5f501d61a188
Join by meeting number:
Meeting number (access code): 2764 509 1042
Meeting password: G27AtmW4zv*
Join by phone:
+1-844-800-2712 US Toll Free
+1-669-234-1177 US Toll
Public Scoping Comments
We invite the participation of Federal and state agencies, Native American Tribes, local agencies, and interested parties to provide comments on the proposed A-2 STA Interim Operations Plan operations framework and to identify any issues or concerns that should be evaluated. Please provide scoping comments on the proposed operations framework for the A-2 STA Interim Operations Plan. Please submit comments to A2-STA InterimOpsPlan@usace.army.mil (recommended subject: A2-STA Interim Operations Plan Public Scoping Comments) by January 31.
All comments will be summarized, addressed, and used to inform the A2-STA Interim Operations Plan.
For more information on the proposed action, please go to the following website: https://www.saj.usace.army.mil/CEPPEAA/