Matanuska River Terrace Erosion Area Acquisition Pilot Project at Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska

Agency:  USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service

Action:  Release of Draft Environmental Assessment for the Matanuska River Terrace Erosion Area Acquisition Pilot Project

Summary:  Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR Part 1500) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly the Soil Conservation Service) Guidelines (7 CFR Part 650) the Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, gives notice that a Draft Environmental Assessment has been prepared for the above named project and area. The 45 day public comment period closes May 23, 2006.

Supplementary Information:

The purpose of the project is to provide a non-structural method to control or eliminate water contamination, potential impairment of anadromous fish migration, river terrace and riparian corridor alteration/destruction, loss of private residential buildings and businesses and potential human harm from riverbank erosion adjacent to the Matanuska River, by reducing the amount of residential and business property directly affected in the subject area.

This property acquisition project is desirable to alleviate erosion related damage to some at-risk river terrace residential and business structures, protect against river water-quality contamination and reduce potential in-river building debris in the subject area(s) in 2006.  This will be accomplished by offering a voluntary program to selected riverside landowners, to sell their properties to the Matanuska-Susitna Borough (MSB), which would acquire fee simple title to their properties and then demolish and/or remove buildings and other susceptible infrastructure from the terrace erosion area.

For Further Information Contact:  You may send written comments to Mr. Robert Jones, State Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Alaska State Office, 800 West Evergreen Avenue, Suite 100, Palmer, AK 99645-6539. Written, e-mail or phone comments may be made to Yvonne Magnusson Phone: 907-761-7745; Fax: 907-761-7790 (yvonne.magnuson@ak.usda.gov). Single copies are available and may be requested as long as supplies last. l

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Matanuska River Terrace Erosion Area Acquisition Pilot Project Draft Environmental Assessment

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