Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC)

Legal Notice Below

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NOTICE OF INTENT TO CERTIFY – Section 401

NEBRASKA DEPARTMENT OF WATER, ENERGY, AND ENVIRONMENT

WATER PLANNING DIVISION

LINCOLN, NEBRASKA

In accordance with Section 401 of the federal Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. Par. 1251 et seq.), certification that Title 117 – Nebraska Surface Water Quality Standards (Nebraska Administrative Code) will not be violated has been applied for to the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment (NDWEE) by the persons listed below for discharges requiring Federal permits or licenses.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) has applied for a Section 404 permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to conduct activities in Waters of the United States. The proposed project requires state Water Quality Certification in accordance with Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 401(a)(1), which states that:

1. Any applicant for a Federal license or permit to conduct any activity including, but not limited to, the construction or operation of facilities, which may result in any discharge into the navigable waters, shall provide the licensing or permitting agency a certification from the State in which the discharge originates or will originate, or, if appropriate, from the interstate water pollution control agency having jurisdiction over the navigable waters at the point where the discharge originates or will originate, that any such discharge will comply with the applicable provisions of sections 301, 302, 303, 306, and 307 of this title. 

            NGPC is seeking to construct a new boat ramp to replace the existing ramp at Indian Cave State Park-Missouri River Boat Ramp in southeast Nebraska.

The existing boat ramp is aligned at an angle to the Missouri River that is not conducive to effective boat launching due to insufficient ramp bottom depth and sediment accumulation at the end of the ramp. The new concrete boat ramp will have two sections. There will be a 60-foot long by 38-foot wide section of concrete poured in place over compacted crushed rock for the ramp. The second section will be a 50-foot long by 38-foot wide section of ramp pushed in-place due to Missouri River water levels. A rock riprap foundation pad will be constructed for the pushed in-place ramp section to rest upon. The majority of rock riprap for the project is onsite from the existing ramp and shoreline protection and will be reused for the replacement ramp construction. Total impacts will be 0.076 acres on waterbodies identified as waters of the U.S. (WOTUS).

The proposed certification and supporting materials are available for inspection at the office of NDWEE, 245 Fallbrook Blvd, STE 100, Lincoln, Nebraska. Persons may comment upon or object to the application, by submitting written comments within 30 days after this publication date of this notice. Comments should be limited to the scope of state Water Quality Certification (WQC) under Section 401 of the CWA. During this period, persons may request a public hearing. A request for a hearing must state the nature of the issues to be raised and all arguments and actual grounds supporting such position. Such comments shall be considered prior to making a final decision regarding the request. Any comments or requests should be submitted to:

CWA Section 401 Coordinator
Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment
245 Fallbrook Blvd, Suite 100
Lincoln, NE 68521

-or-

ndwee.401certification@nebraska.gov

Please notify NDWEE in advance if alternate formats of documents are needed. Our switchboard phone number is 402-471-2186. TDD users please call 711 and ask the relay operator to call us at 402-471-2186.

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