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In the Water Resources Development Act of 1999, the Missouri River Fish and Wildlife Mitigation Project was reauthorized
to include an additional 118,650 acres of land to be purchased from willing sellers on which to develop, restore or
enhance fish and wildlife mitigation sites. Due to the increase in acres, a
Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement (SEIS) was completed prior to project implementation on the additional acres.
The Army Corps of Engineers has completed the process for this effort. First, a public scoping effort was completed.
The purpose of the public scoping process was to request ideas and comments on how the 118,650 additional acres will
be acquired and developed for the project. Comments were sought from Native American tribes, the general public,
organizations, and government agencies.
There were nine public scoping meetings. They were held at Sidney and Onawa, Iowa; Blair and Plattsmouth, Nebraska;
St. Joseph, Lexington, Columbia, and Washington, Missouri; and Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. All meetings were held in
an open house format. Scoping comments were taken up until December 20, 2001. All scoping comments received were
considered in determining alternatives for the project, and in preparation of the Draft SEIS.
The Draft SEIS considered seven different alternatives and analyzed three alternatives in detail including the
Preferred Action, No Development alternative, and the No Action alternative. The public comment period for the Draft
SEIS was from September 20, 2002 through November 4, 2002. The comments received were taken into consideration in
completing the Final SEIS. All comments received during the public comment period were reprinted in Appendix E of the
Final SEIS. Responses to the comments received were placed along side the comments to allow the easiest way for the
public to see how comments were addressed.
The Final SEIS was also made available to the public to review from March 7, 2003 through June 3, 2003. On June 12,
2003, General David A. Fastabend, Commander for the Northwest Division of the Corps of Engineers, signed the Record of
Decision (ROD). After discussion with the Public, Native American Tribes, and various government agencies, General
Fastabend concluded that "the public interest would be best served by implementing Alternative A", the Corps' Preferred
Action.
The Preferred Action includes the acquisition and habitat development on up to 118,650 acres of land. The land will be
acquired from willing sellers or through easements to restore or enhance aquatic and terrestrial habitat on individual
sites located along the Missouri River from Sioux City to St. Louis. The Preferred Action includes development of 7,000
to 20,000 acres of aquatic habitat.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Kansas
Department of Wildlife and Parks, Missouri Department of Conservation, and Nebraska Game and Parks Commission served as
cooperating agencies in the preparation of the SEIS.
If you should have any questions regarding the Final SEIS document, please
contact us .
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