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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), has released the Final Generic Environmental Assessment (EA) and the USFWS’s Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) regarding the public lake and stream access program in Missouri.
MDC strives to construct new, renovate, or relocate existing boat access areas on Missouri’s public lakes and streams in order to provide adequate access for recreational boating and fishing. MDC has used federal aid in Sport Fish Restoration (SFR) funds, which are administered through the USFWS, to construct and improve fishing and boating accesses on Missouri’s rivers, streams, and lakes since 1991. The SFR requires states to allocate 15-percent of their allotment for the acquisition, development, renovation, improvement, or operations and maintenance of boat accesses.
The purpose of this announcement is to aid the USFWS decision on whether to implement this EA to expedite the reduce cost for a National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) review of some boating access project activities.
“New and improved boat access facilities are necessary to help meet the increasing demand generated by greater boat ownership and leisure time,” said MDC Fisheries Programs Supervisor Laura Ruman.
The Final Generic EA responded to the agency and public comment received, and has updated the Draft EA, issued on Nov. 21, 2022. The FONSI documents the USFWS’s decision that continuing the current program of development and/or renovation of boat access facilities on lakes, rivers, and streams in Missouri, annually through 2032, with federal funding support is not a major federal action which would affect the quality of the environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement will not be prepared.
The Final Generic EA and FONSI for Public Access Sites in Missouri can be found for public review online at https://mdc.mo.gov/contact-engage/public-notices.
