Comal County Engineers Office

Comal County has applied to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for assistance with the construction of a flood retarding structure on a tributary of Dry Comal Creek to reduce flooding levels on downstream waters, particularly the Dry Comal Creek and the Guadalupe River in the vicinity of the City of New Braunfels. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the Council for Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations implementing NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), the National Historic Preservation Act, and the implementing regulations of FEMA (44 CFR Part 9 and 10), a Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) is being prepared to assess the potential impacts of the proposed action on the human and natural environment. The SEA updates an environmental assessment (EA) originally prepared for the project by FEMA in 2004.

Together the SEA and the 2004 EA evaluate the expected environmental and socioeconomic impacts of project alternatives. Alternatives considered in the two documents include: (1) No Action; (2) the Proposed Action; and (3) Construction of the flood retarding structure at an alternate location.

The SEA and 2004 EA are available for review between November 19, 2007 and December 19, 2007 at the following links:

2004 Environmental Assessment

Supplemental Environmental Assessment

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Biological Opinion for Supplemental Environmental Assessment

Written comments regarding this proposed project can be mailed to Paul Sunby, SWCA, 4407 Monterey Oaks, Building 1, Suite 110, Austin, TX 78749 or sent via e-mail to psunby@swca.com. Comments should be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on December 19, 2007.