The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nashville District has prepared a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) and unsigned Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Revision of the Lake Cumberland Shoreline Management Plan (SMP). The 2023 SMP update would introduce additional development areas within existing water-based leases and provide for the expansion of existing private dock facilities.
The following alternatives were evaluated: Alternative 1 - (No Action) and Alternative 2 - (Revision of the Existing Shoreline Management Plan). The term "No Action" means that there would be no change to the existing 2012 SMP and no new resource classification, assessment, or inventory would occur. Revising the SMP would involve the creation of Limited Development Areas (LDAs) within existing community docks. As part of the LDAs, Community Dock Associations would be provided the opportunity to submit applications for the expansion, modification, or reconfiguration of their community docks. Enlargements to individual, privately owned docks would also be included in the 2023 SMP update. No new individual docks would be authorized or considered as part of the proposed update. The maximum size of a privately owned dock is proposed to increase from 400 square feet (sq ft) to 500 sq ft. The square footage is calculated by excluding the walkway but including all slips and the water area within those slips.
USACE tentatively selects Alternative 2 – (Revision of the Existing Shoreline Management Plan) as the Preferred Action Alternative. The Preferred Action Alternative has been determined to have no significant adverse effects on the quality of the human environment. USACE intends to proceed with a Finding of No Significant Impact and the implementation of Alternative 2.
This letter serves as a Notice of Availability for reviewing the draft EA and unsigned FONSI. The draft EA is prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. §§ 4321-4370h), Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 C.F.R. §§ 1500-1508), and the Corps’ implementing regulation, ER 200-2-2, 1988 (33 C.F.R. § 230), Policies and Procedures for Implementing NEPA. Electronic copies of the documents can be found at http://www.lrn.usace.army.mil/Media/Public-Notices/Category/10561/project-planning-branch/.
We request comments be sent by email to CorpsLRNPlanningPublicCom@usace.army.mil no later than thirty calendar days from the date of this letter to ensure consideration in the final EA. If you are unable to access an email account, you may send written comments to the address listed on the letterhead, ATTN: CELRN-PMP. Comments will be used to assess effects of the proposed action to the human environment. Your participation is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Valerie J. McCormack Chief, Planning Branch