FLOOD09522

• County: Logan
• Community: Sterling, Atwood
• Basin: South Platte
• Title: Pawnee Creek Flood Mitigation, City of Sterling, Town of Atwood and Logan County
• Date: 7/1/1999
• Prepared For: Logan County
• Prepared By: URS Greiner Woodward Clyde
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Flood Mitigation/Flood Warning/Watershed Restoration

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SECTION SEVEN

Public NoDce

Notification is hereby given to the public of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's
(FEMA's) intent to provide funding to the City of Sterling and Logan County, Colorado, for a
proposed project which will reduce future flooding. Flooding due to severe storms during the
week of July 28, 1997, prompted the President to declare a major disaster for several Colorado
counties. This action allows FEMA to provide assistance in accordance with the Robert T.
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, Public Law 93-288, as amended.

FEMA is required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEP A) to consider all
alternatives or possible solutions to the damage caused by flooding. The purpose of this action is
to address flooding caused by Pawnee Creek. Alternatives considered but dismissed included
construction of flood control levees, flood control reservoirs, and a drainage floodway upstream
of Atwood. Three alternatives considered in a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) are: 1) a
No Action Alternative which considered the consequences of taking no action; 2) improve
routing of Pawnee Creek flood flows near Atwood, the Highway 6 and Union Pacific Railroad
bridges, and Riverside Cemetery (Proposed Action); and 3) an overflow cutoff near Riverside
Cemetery.

The President of the United States has issued executive orders that require federal agencies, when
considering an action or funding, to focus attention on the environment and human health with
respect to Floodplain Management, Executive Order 11988, Protection of Wetlands, Executive
Order 11990; and Environmental Justice, Executive Order 12898. Compliance with executive
orders, other environmental laws, and NEP A has been documented in the draft EA.

FEMA or the applicant has coordinated with the following agencies: U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Colorado
Department of Public Health and the Environment (Air Quality and Water Quality Divisions),
Colorado Division of Wildlife, Colorado Historical Society, Colorado Department of
Transportation, and Colorado Water Conservancy Board. Based upon agency comments, there
does not appear to be any significant environmental impact associated with the proposed action if
documented mitigation measures and requirements stated in the EA are followed.

Public comment is invited on any of the alternatives listed or other possible alternatives.
Interested persons may obtain more detailed information about this action and its specific
location from FEMA's Region VIII Office, located at the Denver Federal Center, P.O. 25267,
Denver, Colorado, 80225 or by calling 303/235-4830 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (MD
Monday through Friday. Comments about this project should be submitted in writing to Ms.
D<mna Tucker, Project Manager, at the above address within fifteen (15) days of this notice.
Interested parties may also contact Mr. Joe Kiolbasa, Public Works, Director, City of Sterling, at
Box 4000, Sterling, Colorado 80751 or by calling [phone] between 8:00 a.m. and 5 :00
p.m. (MT) Monday through Friday for a copy of the Draft EA.

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