Notice of the Availability of an Environmental Assessment Preliminary Notice of Potential Conversion of Prime Farmland The USDA, Rural Utilities Service has received an application for financial assistance from Lakeland Regional Sewer District. As required by the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Historic Preservation Act and the Section 106 process, the Rural Utilities Service has prepared an Environmental Assessment that evaluated the potential environmental effects and consequences of the proposed project. This notice announces the availability of the Environmental Assessment and Section 106 documentation for public review and comment. The proposed project, to serve the Kuhn, Big Barbee, Little Barbee, Sechrist, Sawmill, Irish, Banning and Shoe Lakes, consists of the installation of a low pressure wastewater collection system with forcemain, valves, grinder pumps and panels, and three pump stations. The project also includes an extended aeration wastewater treatment plant at 100 North Rd with a discharge to VanCuren Ditch. This project will directly convert approximately ten (10) acres of prime farmland. The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of this proposed conversion and request comments concerning the proposed project, alternative sites or actions that would avoid these impacts and methods that could be used to minimize these impacts. Mitigation measures are included in the Environmental Assessment in accordance with directives from the US Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Interior US Fish & Wildlife Service, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Divisions of Historic Preservation & Archaeology, Water and Fish & Wildlife, and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. The alternatives considered to the proposed project include: no action, vacuum collection sewer, gravity collection sewer, waste to North Webster with wastewater treatment plant expansion to manage Lakeland RSD waste. These alternatives were not selected. Copies of the environmental assessment as well as the Historical Preservation Section 106 documentation are available for review at the North Webster Library, 301 North Main Street #E, North Webster. For further information, please contact Thomas Bernhard, USDA Rural Development at 1919 East Business 30, Columbia City, Indiana 46725 - telephone-260/244-6266 extension 4. Any person interested in commenting on this proposed project may submit written comments to the USDA Rural Development address above by 30 days from the first publication date for this notice. Rural Development is an Equal Opportunity provider, lender, and employer. Complaints of discrimination should be sent to: Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250. j30,31, a2[[In-content Ad]]
