FEMA PUBLIC NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY 
DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR
LEVEE ROAD TEMPORARY HOUSING SITE, 
CARUTHERSVILLE, PEMISCOT COUNTY, MISSOURI


Interested parties are hereby notified that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has prepared a Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA) for a proposed temporary mobile home site.  The site would house disaster victims displaced by major home damage caused by the severe storms and tornados which occurred on April 2, 2006. A Presidential Disaster Declaration, FEMA-1635-DR-MO, was signed on April 5, 2006, for this event. 

The proposed action includes developing an approximately 15-acre site (termed “Levee Road Site”) for approximately 100 mobile home units.  The project area is located north of East 9th Street, west of Maple Street and is bounded on the east and north by East 7th Street in Caruthersville, Pemiscot County, Missouri. Activities would include, where necessary, site grading, road construction, the placement of utilities (electricity, telephones, water, and sewer), and the transport and hook-up of mobile homes to the site. Per the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4371 et seq.), and associated environmental statutes, a DEA was written to evaluate the proposed action’s potential impacts on the human and natural environment. In order to meet the urgent need of tornado victims to find temporary housing, FEMA has conducted an expedited environmental review process to identify and address environmental issues. The DEA summarizes the purpose and need, site selection process, affected environment, and potential environmental consequences associated with the proposed action.

Due to the emergency nature of this action, the public comment period will be brief – April 20 to April 22, 2006.  Written comments on the DEA can be faxed to FEMA’s Joint Field Office in Columbia at (573) 445-1072; and verbal comments will be accepted at (573) 446-3008 between 7:00 A.M. and 6:00 P.M. The DEA can be viewed and downloaded from FEMA’s website at http://www.fema.gov/ehp/docs.shtm and is also available for public review at the Caruthersville City Hall, located at 200 West Third Street, Caruthersville, Missouri 63830; and the U.S. Post Office located at 300 Carleton, Caruthersville, Missouri 63830. The hours for City Hall are Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM; the hours for the U.S. Post Office are Monday through Friday from 8:45 AM to 4:30 PM and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM.  If no substantive comments are received, the DEA will become final and this initial Public Notice will also serve as the final Public Notice.

All other questions regarding disaster assistance or the availability of emergency housing should be directed to FEMA’s Teleregistration line at 800-621-3362.