Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement/ Environmental Impact Report (DEIS/DEIR) for a Proposed Marine Terminal Development at Pier S and Back Channel Navigational Safety Improvements in the Port of Long Beach, Los Angeles County, CA, 3805-3806 [E7-633]
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 17 / Friday, January 26, 2007 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of
Engineers
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement/
Environmental Impact Report (DEIS/
DEIR) for a Proposed Marine Terminal
Development at Pier S and Back
Channel Navigational Safety
Improvements in the Port of Long
Beach, Los Angeles County, CA
Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
Notice of intent (NOI).
AGENCY:
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The Port of Long Beach (Port)
is proposing to develop the Pier S
Marine Terminal and Back Channel
Navigational Safety Improvements
Project (Proposed Action). The
development of Pier S and Back
Channel improvements would result in
an approximately 160-acre marine
container terminal, and would include
the following elements: property
acquisition; dredging, wharf
construction, other waterside
improvements, and container cranes;
container yard and associated
structures; terminal buildings and other
structures; truck gates, associated
structures, and roadwork; intermodal
rail yard, structures, and dual rail lead;
and utility and oil facility relocation.
The primary Federal concern is the
dredging and discharging of materials
within waters of the U.S. and potential
impacts on the human environment.
Under Section 404 of the Clean Water
Act, the Corps is authorized to approve
discharges of dredged or fill material
into waters of the U.S. Under Section 10
of the Rivers and Harbors Act, the Corps
may authorize activities that could
affect navigable waters. Pursuant to
Section 102(2)(c) of the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA) as implemented by the Council
on Environmental Quality (CEQ), 40
CFR 1500–1508, the Corps is preparing
an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) to evaluate the potential effects of
the Proposed Action on the
environment. The Corps may ultimately
make a determination to permit or deny
the Proposed Action, or permit or deny
alternatives to the Proposed Action.
Pursuant to the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the
Port will serve as Lead Agency for the
preparation of an Environmental Impact
Report (EIR) for its consideration of
development approvals within its
jurisdiction. The Corps and the Port
have agreed to jointly prepare a DEIS/
DEIR in order to optimize efficiency and
avoid duplication. The DEIS/DEIR is
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:19 Jan 25, 2007
Jkt 211001
intended to be sufficient in scope to
address federal, state, and local
requirements and environmental issues
concerning the proposed activities and
permit approvals.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions about the proposed action
and Draft EIS/EIR can be answered by
Dr. Aaron O. Allen, Chief, North Coast
Section, at (805) 585–2148. Comments
regarding the scope of the DEIS/DEIR
shall be addressed to: U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, Los Angeles District,
Ventura Field Office, ATTN: File
Number 2006–02062–AOA, 2151
Alessandro Drive, Suite 110, Ventura,
California 93001. Alternatively,
comments can be e-mailed to
aaron.o.allen@usace.army.mil.
Comments shall also be sent to Matthew
Arms, Port of Long Beach, P.O. Box 570,
Long Beach, CA 90801–0570.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. Project
Site and Background Information. The
160-acre Pier S site is located in the Port
of Long Beach, Terminal Island Harbor
District. The site is bounded on the
north by Cerritos Channel and the Pier
A Marine Terminal; on the east by the
Back Channel, Southern California
Edison (SCE) property, and the Long
Beach Generation Plant; on the south by
Ocean Boulevard and Pier T; and on the
west by SR 47 and the Vopak Terminal
Long Beach and City of Long Beach
property. The Back Channel is located
east of the Pier S site and is bounded on
the north by the Inner Harbor Turning
Basin and Pier A Terminal; on the east
by Pier D; on the south by Middle
Harbor; and on the west by Pier T.
Currently, approximately 60 acres of the
total 160-acre terminal is paved with
asphaltic concrete, and no marine
terminal operations occur at Pier S.
In July 2000, a safety issue was raised
concerning the ability to move a ship
safely in the Cerritos Channel while
other ships were berthed at both Pier S
and Pier A, across the channel. To
address the above issue, an Addendum
to the Final EIR for the Pier S Marine
Terminal was completed. The
Addendum analyzed the proposed
project modifications that would reduce
impacts to navigational safety by
widening the channel by 108 feet,
bringing the total channel width to 808
feet. Accordingly, this DEIS/DEIR will
consider the environmental impacts of
the proposed marine terminal and Back
Channel navigational safety
improvements.
2. Proposed Action. The proposed
project would construct a 160-acre
marine terminal on Pier S. Dredge and
fill activities would involve dike
realignment, berth deepening, and
PO 00000
Frm 00027
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
3805
wharf construction. Construction of the
wharf would include excavation of the
existing shoreline to straighten the
shoreline and widen the Cerritos
Channel between the Pier A and future
Pier S pierhead lines to accommodate
the passage of modern container vessels
through the channel. Widening of the
Cerritos Channel would create
approximately 10 acres of new water
surface area. Wharf excavation would
include removing approximately
1,500,000 cubic yards of material and
reconstructing the shoreline with
imported quarry run and armor rock. In
addition to wharf excavation,
approximately 600,000 cubic yards of
material that may or may not be suitable
for unconfined aquatic disposal would
be dredged from the Cerritos Channel
for ship berthing. Dredging of the Back
Channel would be conducted to extend
the navigable width of the channel to
approximately 315 feet at the full dredge
depth. Approximately 250,000 cubic
yards of material below MLLW
(including materials that are either
suitable or unsuitable for open ocean
disposal) would be dredged from
designated side walls of the Back
Channel and Inner Harbor Turning
Basin at the intersection of the Back and
Cerritos channels to facilitate the
navigation of ships expected to serve the
Inner Harbor terminals. The minimum
and maximum dredge depths in the
Cerritos Channel, Back Channel, and
Inner Harbor Turning Basin would be
–52 feet MLLW and –54 feet MLLW,
respectively. The maximum dredge
depth of –54 feet MLLW includes a 2foot allowance over the target depth of
–52 ft MLLW. The terminal would
include buildings, facilities, and other
structures needed to support container
terminal operations and administration.
The terminal would include an
intermodal rail yard facility consisting
of eight tracks.
3. Issues. There are several potential
environmental issues that will be
addressed in the DEIS/DEIR. Additional
issues may be identified during the
scoping process. Issues initially
identified as potentially significant
include:
1. Air pollutant emissions from
construction and operation.
2. Potential impacts on marine
biological resources, including
endangered species.
3. Geological issues including
dredging and stabilization of fill areas.
4. Marine water circulation and water
and sediment quality.
5. Potential impacts on public health
and safety.
6. Noise during construction and
operation.
E:\FR\FM\26JAN1.SGM
26JAN1
3806
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 17 / Friday, January 26, 2007 / Notices
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
7. Impacts to public facilities and
utilities.
8. Traffic, including navigation issues,
and transportation related impacts.
9. Environmental justice.
10. Cumulative impacts.
11. Growth-inducing impacts.
4. Alternatives. Alternatives initially
being considered for the proposed
project development include the
following:
(1) Marine Container Terminal with
Rail Access and Back Channel
Improvements (Preferred Alternative);
(2) Marine Container Terminal with
Rail Access and Reduced Wharf and
Back Channel Improvements;
(3) Multi-Use Storage Facility without
Wharf and Back Channel Improvements
(No Federal Action); and
(4) No Project/No Federal Action
Alternative.
5. Scoping Process. The Corps and the
Port will jointly conduct a scoping
meeting for the proposed project.
English and Spanish translation services
will be provided at the meeting. The
public scoping meeting will be held to
receive public comment and assess
public concerns regarding the
appropriate scope of the DEIS/DEIR.
Participation in the public meeting by
federal, state, and local agencies and
other interested organizations and
persons is encouraged. The Corps will
also be consulting with the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service under the
Endangered Species Act and Fish and
Wildlife Coordination Act, and with the
National Marine Fisheries Service under
the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
Additionally, the EIS/EIR will assess the
consistency of the proposed Action with
the Coastal Zone Management Act and
potential water quality impacts
pursuant to Section 401 of the Clean
Water Act. The public scoping meeting
for the Draft EIS/EIR will be held at the
City Hall Council Chambers in Long
Beach on February 22, 2007 at 6:30 p.m.
Written comments will be received until
March 14, 2007.
6. Availability of the DEIS/DEIR. The
joint lead agencies expect the DEIS/
DEIR to be published and circulated in
July of 2007. A Public Hearing will be
held during the public comment period
for the DEIS/DEIR.
Dated: January 10, 2007.
David J. Castanon,
Chief, Regulatory Branch, Los Angeles
District.
[FR Doc. E7–633 Filed 1–25–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710–KF–P
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17:19 Jan 25, 2007
Jkt 211001
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy
[No. USN–2007–0005]
Proposed Collection; Comment
Request
Department of the Navy, DoD.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: In compliance with Section
3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, the United
States Naval Academy announces the
proposed extension of a currently
approved public information collection
and seeks public comment on the
provisions thereof. Comments are
invited on: (a) Whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance of the
functions of the agency, including
whether the information shall have
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of the burden of the
proposed information collection; (c)
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the
burden of the information collection on
respondents, including through the use
of automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
DATES: Consideration will be given to all
comments received by March 27, 2007.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments,
identified by docket number and title,
by any of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
• Mail: Federal Docket Management
System Office, 1160 Defense Pentagon,
Washington, DC 20301–1160.
Instructions: All submissions received
must include the agency name, docket
number and title for this Federal
Register document. The general policy
for comments and other submissions
from members of the public is to make
these submissions available for public
viewing on the Internet at https://
www.regulations.gov as they are
received without change, including any
personal identifiers or contact
information.
To
request more information or to obtain a
copy of the proposal and associated
collection instruments, write to the
Admissions Office, United States Naval
Academy, 117 Decatur Road, Annapolis,
MD 21402–5017, or contact LCDR Eric
Brown at telephone number (410) 293–
1822.
Title; Associated Form; and OMB
Number: Candidate Application
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
PO 00000
Frm 00028
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Procedures for the United States Naval
Academy; USNA GRB 1110/11, 1110/
12, 1110/14, 1110/15, 1110/91, 1110/92,
and 1531/34; OMB Control Number
0703–0036.
Needs and Uses: This collection of
information is necessary to determine
the eligibility and evaluate overall
competitive standing of candidates for
appointment to the United States Naval
Academy. An analysis of the
information collected is made by the
Admissions Board during the process in
order to gauge the qualifications of
individual candidates.
Affected Public: Individuals or
households; Federal Government.
Annual Burden Hours: 56,000.
Number of Respondents: 14,000.
Responses per Respondent: 1.
Average Burden per Response: 4
hours.
Frequency: On occasion.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Summary of Information Collection
This collection of information is
necessary to determine the eligibility
and evaluate overall competitive
standing of candidates for appointment
to the United States Naval Academy. An
analysis of the information collected is
made by the Admissions Board during
the process in order to gauge the
qualifications of individual candidates.
Dated: January 18, 2007.
Patricia L. Toppings,
Alternate OSD Federal Register, Liaison
Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 07–330 Filed 1–25–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001–06–M
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement/
Overseas Environmental Impact
Statement for Navy Atlantic Fleet
Training in the Jacksonville Range
Complex and Notice of Public Scoping
Meetings
Department of the Navy, DoD.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c)
of the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) of 1969, as implemented by
the Council on Environmental Quality
Regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500–1508),
and Executive Order 12114, the
Department of the Navy (Navy)
announces its intent to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/
Overseas EIS to evaluate the potential
environmental effects associated with
E:\FR\FM\26JAN1.SGM
26JAN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 17 (Friday, January 26, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3805-3806]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-633]
[[Page 3805]]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact
Statement/ Environmental Impact Report (DEIS/DEIR) for a Proposed
Marine Terminal Development at Pier S and Back Channel Navigational
Safety Improvements in the Port of Long Beach, Los Angeles County, CA
AGENCY: Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of intent (NOI).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Port of Long Beach (Port) is proposing to develop the Pier
S Marine Terminal and Back Channel Navigational Safety Improvements
Project (Proposed Action). The development of Pier S and Back Channel
improvements would result in an approximately 160-acre marine container
terminal, and would include the following elements: property
acquisition; dredging, wharf construction, other waterside
improvements, and container cranes; container yard and associated
structures; terminal buildings and other structures; truck gates,
associated structures, and roadwork; intermodal rail yard, structures,
and dual rail lead; and utility and oil facility relocation.
The primary Federal concern is the dredging and discharging of
materials within waters of the U.S. and potential impacts on the human
environment. Under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, the Corps is
authorized to approve discharges of dredged or fill material into
waters of the U.S. Under Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act, the
Corps may authorize activities that could affect navigable waters.
Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act
of 1969 (NEPA) as implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality
(CEQ), 40 CFR 1500-1508, the Corps is preparing an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) to evaluate the potential effects of the Proposed
Action on the environment. The Corps may ultimately make a
determination to permit or deny the Proposed Action, or permit or deny
alternatives to the Proposed Action.
Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the
Port will serve as Lead Agency for the preparation of an Environmental
Impact Report (EIR) for its consideration of development approvals
within its jurisdiction. The Corps and the Port have agreed to jointly
prepare a DEIS/DEIR in order to optimize efficiency and avoid
duplication. The DEIS/DEIR is intended to be sufficient in scope to
address federal, state, and local requirements and environmental issues
concerning the proposed activities and permit approvals.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action
and Draft EIS/EIR can be answered by Dr. Aaron O. Allen, Chief, North
Coast Section, at (805) 585-2148. Comments regarding the scope of the
DEIS/DEIR shall be addressed to: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los
Angeles District, Ventura Field Office, ATTN: File Number 2006-02062-
AOA, 2151 Alessandro Drive, Suite 110, Ventura, California 93001.
Alternatively, comments can be e-mailed to
aaron.o.allen@usace.army.mil. Comments shall also be sent to Matthew
Arms, Port of Long Beach, P.O. Box 570, Long Beach, CA 90801-0570.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. Project Site and Background Information.
The 160-acre Pier S site is located in the Port of Long Beach, Terminal
Island Harbor District. The site is bounded on the north by Cerritos
Channel and the Pier A Marine Terminal; on the east by the Back
Channel, Southern California Edison (SCE) property, and the Long Beach
Generation Plant; on the south by Ocean Boulevard and Pier T; and on
the west by SR 47 and the Vopak Terminal Long Beach and City of Long
Beach property. The Back Channel is located east of the Pier S site and
is bounded on the north by the Inner Harbor Turning Basin and Pier A
Terminal; on the east by Pier D; on the south by Middle Harbor; and on
the west by Pier T. Currently, approximately 60 acres of the total 160-
acre terminal is paved with asphaltic concrete, and no marine terminal
operations occur at Pier S.
In July 2000, a safety issue was raised concerning the ability to
move a ship safely in the Cerritos Channel while other ships were
berthed at both Pier S and Pier A, across the channel. To address the
above issue, an Addendum to the Final EIR for the Pier S Marine
Terminal was completed. The Addendum analyzed the proposed project
modifications that would reduce impacts to navigational safety by
widening the channel by 108 feet, bringing the total channel width to
808 feet. Accordingly, this DEIS/DEIR will consider the environmental
impacts of the proposed marine terminal and Back Channel navigational
safety improvements.
2. Proposed Action. The proposed project would construct a 160-acre
marine terminal on Pier S. Dredge and fill activities would involve
dike realignment, berth deepening, and wharf construction. Construction
of the wharf would include excavation of the existing shoreline to
straighten the shoreline and widen the Cerritos Channel between the
Pier A and future Pier S pierhead lines to accommodate the passage of
modern container vessels through the channel. Widening of the Cerritos
Channel would create approximately 10 acres of new water surface area.
Wharf excavation would include removing approximately 1,500,000 cubic
yards of material and reconstructing the shoreline with imported quarry
run and armor rock. In addition to wharf excavation, approximately
600,000 cubic yards of material that may or may not be suitable for
unconfined aquatic disposal would be dredged from the Cerritos Channel
for ship berthing. Dredging of the Back Channel would be conducted to
extend the navigable width of the channel to approximately 315 feet at
the full dredge depth. Approximately 250,000 cubic yards of material
below MLLW (including materials that are either suitable or unsuitable
for open ocean disposal) would be dredged from designated side walls of
the Back Channel and Inner Harbor Turning Basin at the intersection of
the Back and Cerritos channels to facilitate the navigation of ships
expected to serve the Inner Harbor terminals. The minimum and maximum
dredge depths in the Cerritos Channel, Back Channel, and Inner Harbor
Turning Basin would be -52 feet MLLW and -54 feet MLLW, respectively.
The maximum dredge depth of -54 feet MLLW includes a 2-foot allowance
over the target depth of -52 ft MLLW. The terminal would include
buildings, facilities, and other structures needed to support container
terminal operations and administration. The terminal would include an
intermodal rail yard facility consisting of eight tracks.
3. Issues. There are several potential environmental issues that
will be addressed in the DEIS/DEIR. Additional issues may be identified
during the scoping process. Issues initially identified as potentially
significant include:
1. Air pollutant emissions from construction and operation.
2. Potential impacts on marine biological resources, including
endangered species.
3. Geological issues including dredging and stabilization of fill
areas.
4. Marine water circulation and water and sediment quality.
5. Potential impacts on public health and safety.
6. Noise during construction and operation.
[[Page 3806]]
7. Impacts to public facilities and utilities.
8. Traffic, including navigation issues, and transportation related
impacts.
9. Environmental justice.
10. Cumulative impacts.
11. Growth-inducing impacts.
4. Alternatives. Alternatives initially being considered for the
proposed project development include the following:
(1) Marine Container Terminal with Rail Access and Back Channel
Improvements (Preferred Alternative);
(2) Marine Container Terminal with Rail Access and Reduced Wharf
and Back Channel Improvements;
(3) Multi-Use Storage Facility without Wharf and Back Channel
Improvements (No Federal Action); and
(4) No Project/No Federal Action Alternative.
5. Scoping Process. The Corps and the Port will jointly conduct a
scoping meeting for the proposed project. English and Spanish
translation services will be provided at the meeting. The public
scoping meeting will be held to receive public comment and assess
public concerns regarding the appropriate scope of the DEIS/DEIR.
Participation in the public meeting by federal, state, and local
agencies and other interested organizations and persons is encouraged.
The Corps will also be consulting with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service under the Endangered Species Act and Fish and Wildlife
Coordination Act, and with the National Marine Fisheries Service under
the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Additionally, the EIS/EIR will assess the
consistency of the proposed Action with the Coastal Zone Management Act
and potential water quality impacts pursuant to Section 401 of the
Clean Water Act. The public scoping meeting for the Draft EIS/EIR will
be held at the City Hall Council Chambers in Long Beach on February 22,
2007 at 6:30 p.m. Written comments will be received until March 14,
2007.
6. Availability of the DEIS/DEIR. The joint lead agencies expect
the DEIS/DEIR to be published and circulated in July of 2007. A Public
Hearing will be held during the public comment period for the DEIS/
DEIR.
Dated: January 10, 2007.
David J. Castanon,
Chief, Regulatory Branch, Los Angeles District.
[FR Doc. E7-633 Filed 1-25-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-KF-P