CONCORD, Mass. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District is seeking public comments on 13 projects which have applied for 2017 funding through Maine’s In-Lieu Fee program, the Maine Natural Resources Conservation Program (MNRCP). The sponsor for the program is the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.
The In-Lieu Fee (ILF) program serves as an alternative form of compensation for impacts to aquatic resources authorized by the New England District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and/or the state of Maine Department of Environmental Protection.
These projects were submitted in response to a Request for Proposals (RFP) issued in July 2017. The RFP includes the criteria used to evaluate projects, the information required for a proposal, and other related information. The RFP and additional information can be found on the MNRCP website at: http://mnrcp.org/.
Any of the projects which involve restoration, enhancement, and/or creation and will require Corps, state, or local permits will be applying individually for these permits, not through this notice.
The Corps public notice, with more information, is available for review on the Corps website at:
http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/PublicNotices.aspx. It lists the following: summary sheet of projects and the bioregion in which they are located; funds available and the aquatic resource types which have been authorized to be impacted; and project descriptions and maps for the projects.
The decision whether to approve funding for projects will be based on an evaluation of each proposed activity and how and where it will compensate for aquatic resources lost through authorizations issued under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and/or Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act. The decision will reflect the national concern for no net loss of aquatic resources.
The Corps is seeking comments from the public; federal, state and local agencies and officials; Indian Tribes; and other interested groups in order to determine the most appropriate projects to receive funding from the MNRCP. Any comments received will be considered by the Interagency Review Committee, including the Corps of Engineers, and will be considered in the evaluation of the projects and the determination of which will receive funding. To make this decision, comments are used to assess impacts on endangered species, historic properties, water quality, general environmental effects, and the other public interest factors.
Comments are used in the preparation of an Environmental Assessment and/or an Environmental Impact Statement pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Comments also are used to determine the need for a public hearing and to determine the overall public interest of the proposed activity.
All In-Lieu Fee agreements in New England are available for review on the Corps website at
http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/Mitigation/InLieuFeePrograms.aspx.
Public comments on these 13 projects which have applied for funding through the Maine In-Lieu Fee Program, the Maine Natural Resources Conservation Program (file # NAE 2005-1143) should be submitted in writing no later than Nov. 16, 2017 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, Regulatory Division (ATTN: Ruth Ladd), 696 Virginia Road, Concord, MA 01742-2751. For additional information contact Ruth Ladd at 978-318-8818 or toll free 800-343-4789 or 800-362-4367 (if calling from within Massachusetts) or by email to ruth.m.ladd@usace.army.mil.