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Appendix M

Public Involvement Supporting Documents

for

Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration

2020 Public Review Period

Public Meeting Summary

Virtual Public Meeting Summary Report

Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration

Feasibility Study

Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility Study

Virtual Public Meeting Summary Report

Contents

1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 1

1.1. Study Background .............................................................................................................................. 1

2. Public Meeting Process ....................................................................................................................... 3

2.1 Transition to Virtual Meetings ........................................................................................................... 3

2.2 Public Meeting Notifications ............................................................................................................. 4

2.2.1 Notice of Availability ........................................................................................................................ 4

2.2.2 Newspaper Notices ......................................................................................................................... 4

2.2.3 Mailed Notices .................................................................................................................................. 5

2.2.4 News Releases ................................................................................................................................. 5

2.2.5 Email Notices .................................................................................................................................... 5

2.2.6 Study Social Media .......................................................................................................................... 5

2.2.7 Study Website .................................................................................................................................. 6

3. Public Meeting Summary .................................................................................................................... 6

4. Comment Summary ............................................................................................................................. 8

Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility Study

Virtual Public Meeting Summary Report

List of Appendices

Appendix A Public Notices & Stakeholder Notification Lists

Appendix B Attendee Database

Appendix C Meeting Presentation

Appendix D Comment Database

Appendix E Virtual Public Meeting Transcripts

Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility Study

Virtual Public Meeting Summary Report

1 1. Introduction

A series of six virtual public meetings, hosted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Galveston District, and the Texas General Land Office (GLO), for the Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility Study (Coastal Texas Study) were held via Cisco WebEx Events in November and December 2020 on the following dates and times: The purpose of these virtual public meetings was to provide the public with information about the Coastal Texas Study and to receive public input and comment on the second Draft Feasibility Report and second Draft Environmental Impact Statement (second draft proposal). These documents were released for a 45-day public review and comment period beginning on October 30, 2020. To provide the public with additional time t o review and comment on the second draft proposal, the Corps and GLO extend ed the publ ic re view and comment pe riod by an additional 30 days. As a result of this extension, the comment period deadline was moved from December 14, 2020, to January 13, 2021.

1.1. Study Background

The Coastal Texas Study was initiated in 2014 to evaluate large-scale coastal storm risk management and ecosystem resto ration actions aimed at providing coastal Texas communities with multiple lines of defense from a wide array of coastal hazards. This study coastal flood risk management, and the restoration, protection, and management of aquatic ecosystems. The study area consists of the entire Texas Gulf Coast from the mouth of the Sabine River to the mouth of the Rio Grande, and includes the Gulf and tidal waters, barrier islands, estuaries, coastal wetlands, rivers and streams, and adjacent areas that together makeup what we refer to as the Texas coast. In November 2015, the Corps entered into an agreement to officially designate the GLO as the non-Federal sponsor and began development of a Feasibility Study and Environmental Impact Statem ent. The Coastal Texas Study team (study team) was officially forme d, comprising of the Corps and GLO. Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility Study

Virtual Public Meeting Summary Report

2 In fall 2018, the study team released the first Draft Feasibility Report and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (draft proposal). Based on the input received during the public review and comment period in late 2018 and into early 2019, the study team began revising the draft proposal to integrate public comments and feedback. As the second draft proposal was formulated, the study team continued to seek further public input through the establishment of four Community Working Groups led by the GLO, as well as a number of targeted stakeholder meetings. In addition, three public open houses were held in February 2020 across the upper Texas coast to help inform the public.

Multiple Lines of Defense Strategy.

The study team will continue to review and address the input received from the public and resource agencies to produce the Final Feasibility Report and Environmental Impact Statement (Recommended Plan), which is anticipated to be published in May 2021. The Recommended Plan will be signed by the Chief of the Corps of Engineers in June 2021, which will mark the end of the study phase. After the study p hase, the Recommended Plan will be proposed for congressional authorization and funding. If approved and funded by Congress, the Recommended Plan would then be designed and constructed over a period of 12 to 20 years, depending on congressional authorization, appropriations, and non-Federal partnerships. After construction, the project would be maintained by a local sponsor or sponsors, whom have not yet been determined. To comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a Federal agency must prepare an Environmental Impact Statement if it is proposing actions that may significantly affect the quality of the natural and human environment. The NEPA environmental review process Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility Study

Virtual Public Meeting Summary Report

3 seeks to facilitate better-informed decisions, focused on avoiding, minimizing, and/or mitigating potentially negative impacts of Federal action. For the Coastal Texas Study, the Corps is following a tiered NEPA process. The final Environmental Impact Statement will be published with the final Feasibility Report in 2021, and supplemental NEPA compliance documents will be prepared and published for public review as the project is designed. As a result, the public will have additional opportunities to engage with the study team, review revised plans, and provide feedback.

2. Public Meeting Process

2.1 Transition to Virtual Meetings

On March 24, 2020, the Corps issued a memorandum: Interim Army Procedures for NEPA in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The memorandum established interim Army NEPA procedures in consideration of the COVID-19 public health emergency. These interim NEPA procedures apply to all Army NEPA proponents responsible for NEPA compliance. The memorandum directed the following actions related to public meetings and the NEPA process: NEPA public meetings will be transitioned to virtual meetings, postponed, or canceled, as deemed appropriate by the Army NEPA proponent. Alternative means of public engagement will be implemented and documented in public participation plans. Virtual meetings may be conducted using online meeting/collaboration tools, teleconference, social media, or email, as appropriate. NEPA public and Federal Register notices will inform the public about these alternative participation procedures and how to obtain NEPA materials on the project website or through the mail. Public notices will provide a contact phone number, email, website address, and mailing address.

Project information, including, but not limited to, scoping materials, draft NEPA documents, and comment forms, will be available on project websites. This includes

materials normally presented at public meetings.

Study Phase Timeline.

Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility Study

Virtual Public Meeting Summary Report

4 Project information, including, but not limited to, sc oping materials, draft NEPA

documents, and comment forms will be sent through the mail as either hard copies or as printable compact discs (as requested). Mailed materials will include requested materials normally presented at public meetings and materials on the project website. Army NEPA proponents will ensure cooperating agencies are aware of these NEPA alternative participation procedures. In response to this memorandum, the Corps determined that the public meetings for the study would be moved to a virtual platform in accordance with the interim procedures, above.

2.2 Public Meeting Notifications

The public was notified about the release of the second draft proposal, public review and comment period, virtual public meetings, and public comment period extension through the following means:

2.2.1 Notice of Availability

A Notice of Availability (NOA) was published in the Federal Register on October 30, 2020, to notify the public and announce the 45-day public review and comment period for the second draft proposal. To announce the 30-day public review and comment period extension, a second NOA was published in the Federal Register on December 11, 2020. A copy of each

NOA is included in Appendix A.

2.2.2 Newspaper Notices

A public notice was published in October 2020, in English, as a legal advertisement in the following publications: The public notice announced the availability of the second draft proposal and provided instructions for the public to register and access each virtual public meeting. The public notice also included information about where to access the second draft proposal for review. It solicited written comments throughout the public review and comment period via mail or email. A copy of each public notice is included in Appendix A. Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility Study

Virtual Public Meeting Summary Report

5

2.2.3 Mailed Notices

A total of 1,223 notices were sent by mail on October 16, 2020, to interested parties, and local, state, and federal elected officials announcing the virtual public meetings in November and December 2020. The notices also announced the public review period for the second draft proposal and solicited written comments throughout the public review period by mail or email. A copy of the mailed notices and the stakeholder mailing list are included in

Appendix A.

2.2.4 News Releases

A news release was published on October 30, 2020,on the GLO website announcing the availability of the second draft proposal and the virtual public meetings in November and December 2020. The 30-day public review and comment period extension was announced through a second news release published on December 7, 2020, on the GLO website. Over

15 articles were published in local newspapers indicating the public comment period. Copies

of the news releases are included in Appendix A.

2.2.5 Email Notices

A total of 1,638 notices were sent by email on October 17, 2020 and October 30, 2020, to interested parties, and local, state, and federal elected officials announcing the virtual public meetings in November and December 2020. The noticesalso announced the public review period for the second draft proposal and solicited written comments throughout the public review period via mail or email. On December 14, 2020, a total of 1,804 email notices were sent to interested parties, including attendees from the November and December 2020 virtual public meetings, and local, state, and federal elected officials. Email notices were sent to announce the 30-day public review and comment period extension. Copies of the email notices and the stakeholder email list are included in Appendix A.

2.2.6 Study Social Media

For the Coastal Texas Study, a Facebook account (@CoastalTXStudy) and a Twitter account (@CoastalTXStudy) were established in 2019 to provide updated study information as the study team revised the draft proposal to integrate public comments and feedback. These accounts provided information for public engagements, including the in-person and virtual small stakeholder meetings held in 2019 and

2020, and the in-person public open houses held

in February 2020. Additionally, theseacc ounts announced the release of the second draft proposal for public review and comment, as well as the public comment period extension, and the virtual public meetings held in November and

December 2020. Collectively, announcements

regarding the public comment period on these accounts reached over 11,463 individuals.

Image from Facebook Post on October 28, 2020.

Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility Study

Virtual Public Meeting Summary Report

6 Facebook and Twitter accounts are included in Appendix A.

2.2.7 Study Website

A web sitefor the Coastal Texas Study(coastalstudy.texas.gov) has been maintained by the GLO throughout the study process. The website provides overview information about the study and study schedule. It outlines the alternatives evaluated in the study and provides a link to download the second draft proposal and study resources. The website also includes the virtual public meeting presentation, fact sheets, and the ArcGIS StoryMaps developed for the study. Additionally, the website announced the virtual public meetings in November and December 2020 and provided Cisco WebEx Events links for the public to register and join each virtual public meeting. Analytics for the website indicated that 13,884 individuals visited the website to learn more about the study from October 20 to January 13, 2020 (end of the second public comment period to close of second). A link to the study website isincluded in

Appendix A.

3. Public Meeting Summary

A series of six virtual public meetings for the Coastal Texas Study were held via Cisco WebEx Events in November and December 2020. The purpose of these virtual public meetings was to provide the public with information about the Coastal Texas Study and to receive public input and comment on the second draft proposal. Virtual public meetings were held in place of traditional, in-person public meetings due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting federal restrictions surrounding the ability to host

Coastal Texas Study Website Home Page

Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility Study

Virtual Public Meeting Summary Report

7 in-person, public meetings. Additionally, the public comment period was extended from

45 to 75 days to accommodate public comments to the greatest extent practicable while

following federal guidelines. Prior to the virtual public meetings, attendees were prompted to register for each meeting on the Coastal Texas Study website (coastalstudy.texas.gov). Attendees were subsequently asked for their first and last name, phone number, mailing address, email address, if they were an elected of ficial, an d if they planned to provide a verbal comment during the commenting per iod for each meeting . A tota l of 233 people attended the vir tual publ ic meetings, and a breakdown of attendance for each of the six virtual public meetings is listed below:

An attendee database is included in Appendix B.

The virtual public meetings began with opening remarks from Col. Timothy Vail, Commander of the Co rps, Galveston District, an d Mark Havens, Chief Clerk and Deputy Lan d Commissioner of the GLO. Following opening remarks, the meeting proceeded with a pre- recorded presentation describing the second draft proposal. A copy of the presentation, as well as electr onic links to vi ew the opening remark s and pre sent ation, are included in

Appendix C.

Following the presentation portion of the virtual public meeting, attendees were invited to provide verbal comments. Attendees wishing to provide comments were required to sign up either by in dicating th eir intent t o provide a verbal com ment dur ing the online meeting platform during the meeting. Attendees were called to speak in the order in which they registered. Each speaker was provided with two minutes to speak and was asked to state and spell their first and last name before speaking. Verbal comments were recorded through the Cisco WebEx Events platform and provided to a court reporter for transcription following the virtual public meeting. Each meeting adjourned following the verbal commenting period. A total of 35 comments were received during the verbal commenting period of the virtual public meeting, and a breakdown of comments received during each of the six virtual public meetings is listed below: Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility Study

Virtual Public Meeting Summary Report

A database of comments is available in Appendix D and transcripts from each public meeting are included in Appendix E. In addition to verbal comments, attendees were invited to submit comments through email, or mail to the following addresses:

Email Address: CoastalTexas@usace.army.mil

Mailing Address: Attn: Mr. Jeff Pinsky, Environmental Compliance Branch, Regional Planning and Environmental Center, P.O. Box 1229, Galveston, TX 77553-1229

4. Comment Summary

The following list identifies the topics in the 35 verbal public comments received during the virtual publ ic meetings held in November and December 2020 (tally of associat ed comments): Comments addressing planning issues with the study (27) o Galveston Ring Barrier o Handicapped accessibility for beach walkovers o San Luis Pass o Bolivar Peninsula beach access o Sediment sources o Strategic retreat for low populated areas o Degree of protection o Corpus Christi beach and boat ramp access o Bolivar Roads gate system o Adherence to the Texas Open Beaches Act o Potential for collaboration with the Bay Park Plan o Construction sequencing o Construction timeline o Reasoning for east Galveston Bay/Chambers County projects o Impacts to roadways on Bolivar Peninsula during construction activities o Encouraged to see revisions incorporated from the first draft proposal o Nonstructural solutions o Timeline for ecosystem restoration projects Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility Study

Virtual Public Meeting Summary Report

9 o Benefit-to-cost analysis justification

o Erosion at Surfside Beach o Areas needed for construction activities o Study does not address flooding from rainfall and wind damage Comments addressing engineering issues with the study (8) o Bolivar Peninsula beach and dune system o Galveston Ring Barrier o Use of gabions o Proposed dune heights o Clear Lake gate system o Bolivar Roads gate system operations o Gate designs for Clear Lake and Dickinson Bay gate systems o Drainage for Bolivar Peninsula beach and dune system Comments addressing environmental issues with the study (6) o Shoreline protection o Bolivar Roads gate system impacts o Inadequate analysis of environmental impacts o Environmental health risk to Galveston Bay o Seagrass beds in Galveston Bay Comments addressing public outreach and outreach materials for the study (6) o Appreciation for time and effort o Lack of virtual public meeting awareness o Difficulty accessing the virtual public meeting o Appreciation for the virtual public meeting presentation Comments addressing general support for the study (4) o Galveston beach and dune system o Appreciation for the study and coordination with other entities o Appreciation for the comment period extension Comments addressing economic issues with the study (3) o Overall cost too high Comments addressing general opposition to the study (3) o Proposed gate systems o Channel deepening Comments addressing hydrologic and hydraulic issues with the study (2) Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility Study

Virtual Public Meeting Summary Report

10 o San Luis Pass inflow/outflow

Comments addressing maintenance issues with the study (1) o Bolivar Peninsula beach and dune system

Comments addressing other study efforts (1)

Coastal Texas Study: Virtual Public Meeting Summary Report Appendices

Appendix A

Public Notices & Stakeholder Notification Lists

Coastal Texas Study: Virtual Public Meeting Summary Report Appendices

Federal Register Notice of Availability

October 30, 2020 NOA

December 11, NOA

68871 Federal Register/Vol. 85, No. 211/Friday, October 30, 2020/Notices

compliance with regulations.

MARSSIM, when finalized as Revision

2, will update this multi-agency

consensus document. The EPA SAB

Staff Office augmented the SAB RAC

with subject matter experts to provide advice through the chartered SAB regarding this document.

Technical Contacts:

Any technical

questions concerning Revision 2 of

Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and Site

Investigation Manual (MARSSIM) (Draft

for Public Comment) should be directed to Kathryn Snead of the U.S. EPA,

Office of Radiation and Indoor Air, by

email at snead.kathryn@epa.gov.

Availability of Meeting Materials:

Prior to the meeting, the agenda and

other materials will be accessible through the calendar link on the blue navigation bar at http://www.epa.gov/ sab/. Materials may also be accessed at the following SAB web page: https:// yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf//

LookupWebProjectsCurrentBOARD/

E1D35FEB397932

FF8525854D00836CFA?OpenDocument.

Procedures for Providing Public Input:

Public comment for consideration by

EPA's federal advisory committees and

panels has a different purpose from public comment provided to EPA program offices. Therefore, the process for submitting comments to a federal advisory committee is different from the process used to submit comments to an

EPA program office. Federal advisory

committees and panels, including scientific advisory committees, provide independent advice to the EPA.

Interested members of the public may

submit relevant information on the topic of this advisory activity, for the group conducting the activity, for the SAB to consider during the advisory process.

Input from the public to the SAB will

have the most impact if it provides specific scientific or technical information or analysis for SAB committees and panels to consider or if it relates to the clarity or accuracy of the technical information. Members of the public wishing to provide comment should contact the DFO directly.

Oral Statements:

In general,

individuals or groups requesting an oral presentation on a public teleconference will be limited to three minutes and an oral presentation at the virtual public review meeting will be limited to five minutes. Interested parties wishing to provide comments should contact Dr.

Diana Wong, DFO via email, at the

contact information noted above, by

November 25, 2020, to be placed on the

list of registered speakers for the teleconference and by January 4, 2021, to be placed on the list of registered speakers for the peer review meeting. Written Statements: Written statements will be accepted throughout the advisory process; however, for timely consideration by Committee/

Panel members, statements should be

supplied to the DFO via email at the contact information noted above by

January 4, 2021, so that the information

may be made available to the SAB Panel for their consideration. It is the SAB

Staff Office general policy to post

written comments on the web page for the advisory meeting or teleconference.

Submitters are requested to provide a

signed and unsigned version of each document because the SAB Staff Office does not publish documents with signatures on its websites. Members of the public should be aware that their personal contact information, if included in any written comments, may be posted to the SAB website.

Copyrighted material will not be posted

without explicit permission of the copyright holder.

Accessibility: For information on

access or services for individuals with disabilities, please contact Dr. Diana

Wong at

wong.diana-M@epa.gov. To request accommodation of a disability, please contact Dr. Wong preferably at least ten days prior to the meeting, to give EPA as much time as possible to process your request.

Dated: October 22, 2020.

V. Khanna Johnson,

Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Board

Staff Office.

[FR Doc. 2020-24093 Filed 10-29-20; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-P

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[ER-FRL-9053-6]

Environmental Impact Statements;

Notice of Availability

Responsible Agency:

Office of Federal

Activities, General Information 202-

564-5632 or

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