Intent to Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Nourishment of 7.25 Miles of Beach, the Repositioning of the New River Inlet Channel, and the Implementation of an Inlet Management Plan, in North Topsail Beach, Onslow County, NC, 28924-28926 [05-9995]
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<![CDATA[
28924
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 96 / Thursday, May 19, 2005 / Notices
kite, indigo snake, Audubon’s crested
caracara, wood stork, and grasshopper
sparrow.
Endangered and threatened species in
the KB include:
—Endangered: Bald eagle, snail kite,
wood stork, whooping crane, and
Audubon’s crested caracara, and
Florida grasshopper sparrow.
—Threatened: Indigo snake.
—State listed as threatened species:
Sandhill crane.
—Species of special concern: American
alligator, snowy egret, gopher tortoise,
osprey, burrowing owl, limpkin, little
blue heron, least tern, and tricolored
heron.
Fluctuating water levels of the lake
littoral zones are important for over
wintering waterfowl that utilize these
lakes during migrational periods.
Wading birds use the littoral zone as an
important feeding habitat.
Alternatives: The various scheduling
alternatives will be developed upon
modeling based on the determination of
the existing environment and the goals
to be attained. The no action alternative
will be considered.
Issues: The proposed action is to
modify the regulation schedules for the
Upper Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, to
include periodic extreme low water
stages for the purposes of enhancing the
lake’s environmental resources and
improving the physical and chemical
characteristics of these lakes. This
habitat enhancement technique involves
lowering lakes to consolidate bottom
sediments and expand desirable aquatic
plant communities. The extreme
drawdown of these areas mimic low
water conditions prior to flood control
(activities which result in more stable
water levels than would occur
naturally). Low water levels historically
occurred about every seven to ten years.
The drawdown will be coordinated with
the South Florida Water Management
District (SFWMD).
Habitat enhancement activities would
be carried out by the Florida Fish and
Wildlife Conservation commission
(FWC) or other acting under it. The
FWC would obtain all necessary
permits.
Enhancement activities may include
muck removal, burning, discing and
herbicide application to reduce dense
vegetation, tussock formation and
organic build-up on lake bottoms.
Scoping: Scoping public and agency
comments on this work will begin June
2005 by means of a scoping letter. In
addition, all parties are invited to
participate in the scoping process by
identifying any addition concerns on
issues, studies needed, alternatives,
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22:14 May 18, 2005
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procedures, and other matters related to
the scoping process. At this time, there
are no plans for a public scoping
meeting.
Public Involvement: We invite the
participation of affected Federal, state,
and local agencies, affected Indian
tribes, and other interested private
organizations and parties.
Coordination: The proposed action is
being coordinated with the Fish and
Wildlife Service (FWS) under Section 7
of the Endangered Species Act, and the
Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, and
with the State Historic preservation
Officer.
Other Environmental Review and
Consultation: The proposed action
would involve evaluation for
compliance with guidelines pursuant to
section 404(b) of the Clean Water Act;
application to the State of Florida for
Water Quality Certification pursuant to
section 401 of the Clean Water Act; and
certification of state islands, easements,
and rights of way.
Agency Role: As non-Federal sponsor
and leading local expert; the South
Florida Water Management District
(SFWMD) will provide extensive
information and assistance on the
resources to be impacted, mitigation
measures, and alternatives.
DEIS Preparation: It is estimated that
the DEIS will be available to the public
on or about November 2006.
Dated: May 10, 2005.
Dennis W. Barnett,
Acting Chief, Planning Division.
[FR Doc. 05–9996 Filed 5–18–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710–A5–M
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of
Engineers
Intent to Prepare a Draft Environmental
Impact Statement (DEIS) for the
Nourishment of 7.25 Miles of Beach,
the Repositioning of the New River
Inlet Channel, and the Implementation
of an Inlet Management Plan, in North
Topsail Beach, Onslow County, NC
Department of the Army, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (COE), Wilmington District,
Wilmington Regulatory Field Office has
received a request for Department of the
Army authorization, pursuant to Section
404 of the Clean Water Act and Section
10 of the Rivers and Harbor Act, from
the Town of North Topsail Beach to
nourish approximately 7.25 miles of
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
beachfront to protect residential homes
and town infrastructures, and to
implement an inlet management plan
with the New River Inlet to control the
positioning of the inlet channel. The
new channel will be centrally located
perpendicular to the adjacent shorelines
of North Topsail Beach and Onslow
Beach. The proposed source of the
material for the nourishment will be
dredged from offshore borrow area(s)
and from the repositioning of the inlet.
The placement of beach fill along the
Town’s shoreline would result in the
initial widening of the beach by 50 to
100 feet. The widened beach would be
maintained through a program of
undefined periodic beach nourishment
events with the material extracted
primarily from the New River Inlet.
The ocean shoreline in the Town of
North Topsail Beach encompasses
approximately 11.1 miles along the
northern end of Topsail Island.
Currently, the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers is developing a Federal
shoreline protection plan for parts of
North Topsail Beach. This Federal plan
will only cover 3.85 miles of the
southern part of the beach. The
remaining 7.25-miles of North Topsail
Beach, with the exception of two small
areas, is located within the Coastal
Barrier Resource System (CBRS), which
prohibits the expenditure of Federal
funds that would encourage
development. Therefore, the Town is
pursuing to develop this non-Federal
shoreline protection plan that will
preserve existing development and
infrastructure along the 7.25 miles of
shoreline.
The channel through New River Inlet
has been maintained by the COE for
commercial and recreational boating
interest for over 55 years. The COE is
authorized to maintain the channel in
the inlet to a depth of 6 feet mean low
water (mlw) over a width of 90 feet.
DATES: A public scoping meeting for the
Draft EIS will be held at Dixon High
School located on Highway 17, on June
7, 2005 at 6 p.m. Written comments will
be received until June 21, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Copies of comments and
questions regarding scoping of the Draft
EIS may be addressed to: U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District,
Regulatory Division, ATTN: File
Number 200500344, Post Office Box
1890, Wilmington, NC 28402–1890.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions about the proposed action
and DEIS can be directed to Mr. Mickey
Sugg, Wilmington Regulatory Field
Office, telephone: (910) 251–4811.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. Project
Description. The Town of North Topsail
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 96 / Thursday, May 19, 2005 / Notices
Beach, located along the north-northeast
11.1 miles of Topsail Island, North
Carolina, is proposing to nourish
approximately 7.25 miles of beach and
reposition New River Inlet channel as a
means to address a severe erosion
problem that is threatening
development and town infrastructure.
The entire stretch of the Town’s
shoreline has experienced a
considerable amount of erosion over the
last 20 years due primarily to the impact
of numerous tropical storms and
hurricane during the mid to late 1990’s
and due to impacts of the uncontrolled
movement of the main ebb channel in
New River Inlet. The Town has stated
that the shoreline erosion and residual
effects of the storms have left North
Topsail Beach in an extremely
vulnerable position with regard to its
ocean front development and
infrastructure. They have estimated that
over $250 million in property tax value
as well as roads, water and sewer lines,
and other utilities are at risk.
The project area is divided into the
North Section and the Central Section
(Note: The South Section is part of the
Federal shoreline protection plan). The
North Section is further divided into
two parts. One comprises approximately
5,800 linear feet, or 1.1 mile, of the
project and is located along the northern
end of the island. This area will receive
material solely from the dredging of the
New River Inlet when the channel is
repositioned and realigned through the
ebb tide delta. The new channel is
expected to result in widening of the
north of the Town’s shoreline as the
shoreline responds to the ebb tide delta
configuration that would accompany the
relocated channel. In addition to the
placement of the material in the North
Section, a portion of the inlet material
will be deposited on the southern end
of Onslow Beach as part of the
comprehensive inlet management plan
in order to maintain the existing
sediment budget on Onslow Beach. The
second part of the North Section is
approximately 14,200 linear feet along
the shoreline and will receive sand from
the offshore borrow site(s). The Central
Section is located both north and south
of NC Hwy 210/55 Bridge and is
approximately 16,500 linear feet.
Material used to widened this section of
the beach will also be obtained from the
offshore borrow area(s).
2. Proposed Action. The scope of
activities for the formulation of the
shoreline protection and inlet
management plans for the Town of
North Topsail Beach includes: (a)
Detailed geotechnical investigations to
define potential offshore borrow site(s);
(b) evaluation and design of a new
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channel for New River Inlet and the
development of an inlet management
plan; (c) design and evaluation of beach
fill sections including an assessment of
the potential impacts of the offshore
borrow area(s) on sediment transport;
(d) near shore and inlet habitat
mapping; and (e) hard bottom
investigations. All geospatial data
collected for the North Topsail Beach
project will be included in a GIS
database developed for the project.
Potential offshore borrow areas,
previously identified by work
conducted by the Wilmington District
Corps of Engineers, will be evaluated in
detail using jet probes; seismic,
sidescan, and magnetometer surveys; as
well as vibracores. Samples of the
offshore material collected form the jet
probes and vibracores will be used to
define the preliminary boundaries of the
offshore borrow area(s) and make a
preliminary determination of the
compatibility of the borrow material to
the native beach material. The
boundaries of the potential borrow
area(s) will take into consideration the
location and extent of hard bottom
resources identified by the sidescan and
seismic surveys, as well as in-waters
surveys. The boundaries of the proposed
offshore borrow site(s) will also be
refined to avoid historically significant
archaeological artifacts located by the
magnetometer surveys and verified
through field investigations. Once the
boundaries of the potential borrow
area(s) are finalized, a final sediment
compatibility analysis will be
conducted.
The beach fill designs presented in
the feasibility study will be refined by
analyzing existing profiles to determine
potential erosion and storm impacts on
back beach features such as vegetation,
structures, and infrastructure. Specific
designs will be developed for up to five
characteristic profiles for the Central
and North Sections. Design variations
will be considered at discrete beach
sections where unique upland features
require special accommodation. The
composite nature of the final beach and
inlet design will require a more complex
sequencing in construction operations
than normally required for
renourishment projects. The method
and order of operations will be
determined in order to optimize
constructability and reduce costs.
Beach planform performance will be
evaluated based on the numerical
modeling for the proposed projects. The
GENESIS numerical model will be used
in conjunction with a wave
transformation model (STWAVE) to
evaluate shoreline positions in time.
The wave transformation model will be
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Frm 00025
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
28925
used to determine changes in wave
patterns associated with the near shore
borrow area(s). The state-of-the-art
GENESIS version will be used so that
the project area may be incorporated
into a single simulation domain. The
historical changes of the project area
shoreline will be used to calibrate and
verify the model, using an error
minimization approach. Adjustments to
the wave data used as input within the
models will be made as required to
replicate observed performance. The
GENESIS model will be used to identify
optimum alongshore fill placement.
A detailed geomorphic study of New
River Inlet was accomplished during the
feasibility phase of the project
development. The geomorphic study
used aerial photographs to evaluate
changes in New River Inlet from 1962
and 2003 and develop relationships
between the configuration of the New
River Inlet ebb tide delta and the
behavior of the shorelines on the north
end of the North Topsail Beach and the
south end of Onslow Beach. The
geomorphic study concluded that the
most desirable location and orientation
of the channel through the ebb tide
delta, in terms of impacts on the
adjacent islands, is one located closer to
North Topsail Beach and oriented
essentially perpendicular to the general
alignment of the adjacent shorelines.
The feasibility phase of the project
development also included a
preliminary numerical model evaluation
of the impact of the relocated channel
of flows and flow distributions in the
New River Inlet complex.
The next phase of the channel design
will include additional numerical
model evaluations of a wider range of
channel alternatives (channel depths,
widths, and locations) and will
incorporate modifications in the
configuration of the ebb tide delta
expected to occur in response to the
new channel. The reconfigured ebb tide
delta will also be used to determine the
potential changes in wave patterns
north and south of New River Inlet and
the impacts these changes could have
on longshore sediment transport and
shoreline behavior.
The potential shoaling characteristics
of the new channel will be evaluated
using empirical shoaling algorithms
developed for inlets in North Carolina.
The propensity of the new channel to
migrate to the north and/or south and
possible future changes in the channel
alignment will be based on observed
changes in New River Inlet as
documented by the geomorphic
analysis. The potential changes in
longshore sediment transport patterns
on North Topsail Beach and Onslow
E:\FR\FM\19MYN1.SGM
19MYN1
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 96 / Thursday, May 19, 2005 / Notices
Beach associated changes in wave
patterns together with the channel
shoaling analysis will be used to
develop a with-project sediment budget.
The with-project sediment budget will
be compared to the existing sediment
budget to determine sand bypassing
requirements that would be needed to
maintain the existing sediment budget
of the adjacent islands.
3. Issues. There are several potential
environmental issues that will be
addressed to the FIS. Additional issues
may be identified during the scoping
process. Issues initially identified as
potentially significant include:
a. Potential impact to marine
biological resources (benthic organisms,
passageway for fish and other marine
life) and Essential Fish Habitat,
particularly Hard Bottoms.
b. Potential impact to threatened and
endangered marine mammals, birds,
fish, and plants.
c. Potential impacts to water quality.
d. Potential increase in erosion rates
to adjacent Onslow Beach.
e. Potential effects on military training
on U.S. Marine Corps Camp Lejeune
Base.
f. Potential impacts to Navigation,
commercial and recreational.
g. Potential impacts to the long-term
management of New River Inlet.
h. Potential impacts to private and
public property.
i. Cumulative impacts of Inlet and
Inlet channel relocations throughout
North Carolina.
j. Cumulative impacts for using inlets
as sand source in nourishment projects.
k. Potential impacts on public health
and safety.
l. Potential impacts to recreational
and commercial fishing.
m. The compatibility of the material
for nourishment.
n. Potential economic impacts.
4. Alternatives. Several alternative
borrow areas are being considered for
the proposed project. These alternatives
will be further formulated and
developed during the scoping process
and an appropriate range of alternatives,
including the no federal action
alternative, will be considered in the
EIS.
5. Scoping Process. A public scoping
meeting (see DATES will be held to
receive public comment and assess
public concerns regarding the
appropriate scope and preparation of
the Draft EIS. Participation in the public
meeting by federal, state, and local
agencies and other interested
organizations and persons is
encouraged.
The COE will also be consulting with
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under
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22:14 May 18, 2005
Jkt 205001
the Endangered Species Act and the
Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, and
with the National Marine Fisheries
Service under the Magnuson-Stevens
Act and Endangered Species Act.
Additionally, the EIS will assess the
potential water quality impacts
pursuant to Section 401 of the Clean
Water Act, and will be coordinated with
the North Carolina Division of Coastal
Management (DCM) to determine the
projects consistency with the Coastal
Zone Management Act. The COE will
closely work with DCM through the EIS
to ensure the process complies with all
State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA)
requirements. It is the COE and DCM’s
intentions to consolidate both NEPA
and SEPA processes to eliminate
duplications.
6. Availability of the Draft EIS. The
Draft EIS is expected to be published
and circulated sometime in early 2006,
and a public hearing will be held after
the publication of the Draft EIS.
Dated: May 12, 2005.
George T. Burch,
Chief of Staff.
[FR Doc. 05–9995 Filed 5–18–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710–6N–M
participation in the approval process
would defeat the purpose of the
information collection, violate State or
Federal law, or substantially interfere
with any agency’s ability to perform its
statutory obligations. The Leader,
Information Management Case Services
Team, Regulatory Information
Management Services, Office of the
Chief Information Officer, publishes that
notice containing proposed information
collection requests prior to submission
of these requests to OMB. Each
proposed information collection,
grouped by office, contains the
following: (1) Type of review requested,
e.g. new, revision, extension, existing or
reinstatement; (2) title; (3) summary of
the collection; (4) description of the
need for, and proposed use of, the
information; (5) respondents and
frequency of collection; and (6)
reporting and/or recordkeeping burden.
OMB invites public comment.
Dated: May 13, 2005.
Angela C. Arrington,
Leader, Information Management Case
Services Team, Regulatory Information
Management Services, Office of the Chief
Information Officer.
Office of the Undersecretary
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
AGENCY: Department of Education.
SUMMARY: The Leader, Information
Management Case Services Team,
Regulatory Information Management
Services, Office of the Chief Information
Officer invites comments on the
submission for OMB review as required
by the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to
submit comments on or before June 20,
2005.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should
be addressed to the Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Attention: Carolyn Lovett, Desk Officer,
Department of Education, Office of
Management and Budget, 725 17th
Street, NW., Room 10235, New
Executive Office Building, Washington,
DC 20503 or faxed to (202) 395–6974.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section
3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35) requires that
the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) provide interested Federal
agencies and the public an early
opportunity to comment on information
collection requests. OMB may amend or
waive the requirement for public
consultation to the extent that public
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Type of Review: New.
Title: Private School Participation
Study.
Frequency: One time.
Affected Public: Not-for-profit
institutions; State, local, or tribal gov’t,
SEAs or LEAs.
Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour
Burden:
Responses: 1,490.
Burden Hours: 745.
Abstract: This review asks for
clearance for an evaluation of the
participation of private school students
in federal education programs.
Requests for copies of the submission
for OMB review; comment request may
be accessed from https://
edicsweb.ed.gov, by selecting the
‘‘Browse Pending Collections’’ link and
by clicking on link number 2714. When
you access the information collection,
click on ‘‘Download Attachments’’ to
view. Written requests for information
should be addressed to U.S. Department
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue,
SW., Potomac Center, 9th Floor,
Washington, DC 20202–4700. Requests
may also be electronically mailed to the
Internet address OCIO_RIMG@ed.gov or
faxed to 202–245–6621. Please specify
the complete title of the information
collection when making your request.
Comments regarding burden and/or
the collection activity requirements
should be directed to Katrina Ingalls at
E:\FR\FM\19MYN1.SGM
19MYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 96 (Thursday, May 19, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28924-28926]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-9995]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Intent to Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)
for the Nourishment of 7.25 Miles of Beach, the Repositioning of the
New River Inlet Channel, and the Implementation of an Inlet Management
Plan, in North Topsail Beach, Onslow County, NC
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE), Wilmington District,
Wilmington Regulatory Field Office has received a request for
Department of the Army authorization, pursuant to Section 404 of the
Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbor Act, from the
Town of North Topsail Beach to nourish approximately 7.25 miles of
beachfront to protect residential homes and town infrastructures, and
to implement an inlet management plan with the New River Inlet to
control the positioning of the inlet channel. The new channel will be
centrally located perpendicular to the adjacent shorelines of North
Topsail Beach and Onslow Beach. The proposed source of the material for
the nourishment will be dredged from offshore borrow area(s) and from
the repositioning of the inlet. The placement of beach fill along the
Town's shoreline would result in the initial widening of the beach by
50 to 100 feet. The widened beach would be maintained through a program
of undefined periodic beach nourishment events with the material
extracted primarily from the New River Inlet.
The ocean shoreline in the Town of North Topsail Beach encompasses
approximately 11.1 miles along the northern end of Topsail Island.
Currently, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is developing a Federal
shoreline protection plan for parts of North Topsail Beach. This
Federal plan will only cover 3.85 miles of the southern part of the
beach. The remaining 7.25-miles of North Topsail Beach, with the
exception of two small areas, is located within the Coastal Barrier
Resource System (CBRS), which prohibits the expenditure of Federal
funds that would encourage development. Therefore, the Town is pursuing
to develop this non-Federal shoreline protection plan that will
preserve existing development and infrastructure along the 7.25 miles
of shoreline.
The channel through New River Inlet has been maintained by the COE
for commercial and recreational boating interest for over 55 years. The
COE is authorized to maintain the channel in the inlet to a depth of 6
feet mean low water (mlw) over a width of 90 feet.
DATES: A public scoping meeting for the Draft EIS will be held at Dixon
High School located on Highway 17, on June 7, 2005 at 6 p.m. Written
comments will be received until June 21, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Copies of comments and questions regarding scoping of the
Draft EIS may be addressed to: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington
District, Regulatory Division, ATTN: File Number 200500344, Post Office
Box 1890, Wilmington, NC 28402-1890.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action
and DEIS can be directed to Mr. Mickey Sugg, Wilmington Regulatory
Field Office, telephone: (910) 251-4811.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. Project Description. The Town of North
Topsail
[[Page 28925]]
Beach, located along the north-northeast 11.1 miles of Topsail Island,
North Carolina, is proposing to nourish approximately 7.25 miles of
beach and reposition New River Inlet channel as a means to address a
severe erosion problem that is threatening development and town
infrastructure. The entire stretch of the Town's shoreline has
experienced a considerable amount of erosion over the last 20 years due
primarily to the impact of numerous tropical storms and hurricane
during the mid to late 1990's and due to impacts of the uncontrolled
movement of the main ebb channel in New River Inlet. The Town has
stated that the shoreline erosion and residual effects of the storms
have left North Topsail Beach in an extremely vulnerable position with
regard to its ocean front development and infrastructure. They have
estimated that over $250 million in property tax value as well as
roads, water and sewer lines, and other utilities are at risk.
The project area is divided into the North Section and the Central
Section
(Note: The South Section is part of the Federal shoreline
protection plan). The North Section is further divided into two parts.
One comprises approximately 5,800 linear feet, or 1.1 mile, of the
project and is located along the northern end of the island. This area
will receive material solely from the dredging of the New River Inlet
when the channel is repositioned and realigned through the ebb tide
delta. The new channel is expected to result in widening of the north
of the Town's shoreline as the shoreline responds to the ebb tide delta
configuration that would accompany the relocated channel. In addition
to the placement of the material in the North Section, a portion of the
inlet material will be deposited on the southern end of Onslow Beach as
part of the comprehensive inlet management plan in order to maintain
the existing sediment budget on Onslow Beach. The second part of the
North Section is approximately 14,200 linear feet along the shoreline
and will receive sand from the offshore borrow site(s). The Central
Section is located both north and south of NC Hwy 210/55 Bridge and is
approximately 16,500 linear feet. Material used to widened this section
of the beach will also be obtained from the offshore borrow area(s).
2. Proposed Action. The scope of activities for the formulation of
the shoreline protection and inlet management plans for the Town of
North Topsail Beach includes: (a) Detailed geotechnical investigations
to define potential offshore borrow site(s); (b) evaluation and design
of a new channel for New River Inlet and the development of an inlet
management plan; (c) design and evaluation of beach fill sections
including an assessment of the potential impacts of the offshore borrow
area(s) on sediment transport; (d) near shore and inlet habitat
mapping; and (e) hard bottom investigations. All geospatial data
collected for the North Topsail Beach project will be included in a GIS
database developed for the project.
Potential offshore borrow areas, previously identified by work
conducted by the Wilmington District Corps of Engineers, will be
evaluated in detail using jet probes; seismic, sidescan, and
magnetometer surveys; as well as vibracores. Samples of the offshore
material collected form the jet probes and vibracores will be used to
define the preliminary boundaries of the offshore borrow area(s) and
make a preliminary determination of the compatibility of the borrow
material to the native beach material. The boundaries of the potential
borrow area(s) will take into consideration the location and extent of
hard bottom resources identified by the sidescan and seismic surveys,
as well as in-waters surveys. The boundaries of the proposed offshore
borrow site(s) will also be refined to avoid historically significant
archaeological artifacts located by the magnetometer surveys and
verified through field investigations. Once the boundaries of the
potential borrow area(s) are finalized, a final sediment compatibility
analysis will be conducted.
The beach fill designs presented in the feasibility study will be
refined by analyzing existing profiles to determine potential erosion
and storm impacts on back beach features such as vegetation,
structures, and infrastructure. Specific designs will be developed for
up to five characteristic profiles for the Central and North Sections.
Design variations will be considered at discrete beach sections where
unique upland features require special accommodation. The composite
nature of the final beach and inlet design will require a more complex
sequencing in construction operations than normally required for
renourishment projects. The method and order of operations will be
determined in order to optimize constructability and reduce costs.
Beach planform performance will be evaluated based on the numerical
modeling for the proposed projects. The GENESIS numerical model will be
used in conjunction with a wave transformation model (STWAVE) to
evaluate shoreline positions in time. The wave transformation model
will be used to determine changes in wave patterns associated with the
near shore borrow area(s). The state-of-the-art GENESIS version will be
used so that the project area may be incorporated into a single
simulation domain. The historical changes of the project area shoreline
will be used to calibrate and verify the model, using an error
minimization approach. Adjustments to the wave data used as input
within the models will be made as required to replicate observed
performance. The GENESIS model will be used to identify optimum
alongshore fill placement.
A detailed geomorphic study of New River Inlet was accomplished
during the feasibility phase of the project development. The geomorphic
study used aerial photographs to evaluate changes in New River Inlet
from 1962 and 2003 and develop relationships between the configuration
of the New River Inlet ebb tide delta and the behavior of the
shorelines on the north end of the North Topsail Beach and the south
end of Onslow Beach. The geomorphic study concluded that the most
desirable location and orientation of the channel through the ebb tide
delta, in terms of impacts on the adjacent islands, is one located
closer to North Topsail Beach and oriented essentially perpendicular to
the general alignment of the adjacent shorelines. The feasibility phase
of the project development also included a preliminary numerical model
evaluation of the impact of the relocated channel of flows and flow
distributions in the New River Inlet complex.
The next phase of the channel design will include additional
numerical model evaluations of a wider range of channel alternatives
(channel depths, widths, and locations) and will incorporate
modifications in the configuration of the ebb tide delta expected to
occur in response to the new channel. The reconfigured ebb tide delta
will also be used to determine the potential changes in wave patterns
north and south of New River Inlet and the impacts these changes could
have on longshore sediment transport and shoreline behavior.
The potential shoaling characteristics of the new channel will be
evaluated using empirical shoaling algorithms developed for inlets in
North Carolina. The propensity of the new channel to migrate to the
north and/or south and possible future changes in the channel alignment
will be based on observed changes in New River Inlet as documented by
the geomorphic analysis. The potential changes in longshore sediment
transport patterns on North Topsail Beach and Onslow
[[Page 28926]]
Beach associated changes in wave patterns together with the channel
shoaling analysis will be used to develop a with-project sediment
budget. The with-project sediment budget will be compared to the
existing sediment budget to determine sand bypassing requirements that
would be needed to maintain the existing sediment budget of the
adjacent islands.
3. Issues. There are several potential environmental issues that
will be addressed to the FIS. Additional issues may be identified
during the scoping process. Issues initially identified as potentially
significant include:
a. Potential impact to marine biological resources (benthic
organisms, passageway for fish and other marine life) and Essential
Fish Habitat, particularly Hard Bottoms.
b. Potential impact to threatened and endangered marine mammals,
birds, fish, and plants.
c. Potential impacts to water quality.
d. Potential increase in erosion rates to adjacent Onslow Beach.
e. Potential effects on military training on U.S. Marine Corps Camp
Lejeune Base.
f. Potential impacts to Navigation, commercial and recreational.
g. Potential impacts to the long-term management of New River
Inlet.
h. Potential impacts to private and public property.
i. Cumulative impacts of Inlet and Inlet channel relocations
throughout North Carolina.
j. Cumulative impacts for using inlets as sand source in
nourishment projects.
k. Potential impacts on public health and safety.
l. Potential impacts to recreational and commercial fishing.
m. The compatibility of the material for nourishment.
n. Potential economic impacts.
4. Alternatives. Several alternative borrow areas are being
considered for the proposed project. These alternatives will be further
formulated and developed during the scoping process and an appropriate
range of alternatives, including the no federal action alternative,
will be considered in the EIS.
5. Scoping Process. A public scoping meeting (see DATES will be
held to receive public comment and assess public concerns regarding the
appropriate scope and preparation of the Draft EIS. Participation in
the public meeting by federal, state, and local agencies and other
interested organizations and persons is encouraged.
The COE will also be consulting with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service under the Endangered Species Act and the Fish and Wildlife
Coordination Act, and with the National Marine Fisheries Service under
the Magnuson-Stevens Act and Endangered Species Act. Additionally, the
EIS will assess the potential water quality impacts pursuant to Section
401 of the Clean Water Act, and will be coordinated with the North
Carolina Division of Coastal Management (DCM) to determine the projects
consistency with the Coastal Zone Management Act. The COE will closely
work with DCM through the EIS to ensure the process complies with all
State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) requirements. It is the COE and
DCM's intentions to consolidate both NEPA and SEPA processes to
eliminate duplications.
6. Availability of the Draft EIS. The Draft EIS is expected to be
published and circulated sometime in early 2006, and a public hearing
will be held after the publication of the Draft EIS.
Dated: May 12, 2005.
George T. Burch,
Chief of Staff.
[FR Doc. 05-9995 Filed 5-18-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-6N-M
