Notice of Availability for the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Matagorda Ship Channel Improvement Project, Calhoun County and Matagorda County, TX, 38173-38174 [E9-17902]
Download as PDF
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 146 / Friday, July 31, 2009 / Notices
Total Burden Cost (capital/startup):
None.
Total Burden Cost (operating/
maintenance): None.
Affected Public: Nonprofit
organizations.
Total Respondents: 450,000
individual volunteers.
Frequency: Annual.
Average Time Per Response: 10
minutes.
Estimated Total Burden Hours: 75,000
hours.
Total Burden Cost (capital/startup):
None.
Total Burden Cost (operating/
maintenance): None.
Dated: July 21, 2009.
Rhonda Taylor,
Acting Director, Office of Corporate Relations.
[FR Doc. E9–18302 Filed 7–30–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6050–$$–P
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of
Engineers
Notice of Availability for the Final
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Matagorda Ship Channel
Improvement Project, Calhoun County
and Matagorda County, TX
PWALKER on DSK8KYBLC1PROD with NOTICES
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Galveston District,
announces the release of the Final
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS)
and the public comment period for the
Calhoun Port Authority’s (CPA)
proposed Matagorda Ship Channel
(MSC) Improvement Project.
DATES: The USACE Galveston District
will be accepting written public
comments on the FEIS through August
31, 2009. All comments must be
postmarked by August 31, 2009.
ADDRESSES: You may send written
comments to the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Galveston District, Attn:
Denise Sloan (PE–RB), P.O. Box 1229,
Galveston, TX 77553–1229.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions about the proposed action
and FEIS can be answered by Ms.
Denise Sloan, (409) 766–3962.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority: This Federal Action is in
consideration of a Department of the Army
(DA) permit application for work under
Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of
1899 (33 U.S.C. 403), Section 404 of the
Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344), and
VerDate Nov<24>2008
16:38 Jul 30, 2009
Jkt 217001
Section 103 of the Marine Protection,
Research, and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA)
(33 U.S.C. 1413).
Background: In January 2006, the CPA
submitted a DA permit application to
widen and deepen the MSC and to
dredge a new turning basin and marine
slip. It was determined that an
Environmental Impact Statement would
be required for the proposed project.
Since the April 25, 2006, Scoping
Meeting, the consulting firm of PBS&J,
under the direction of the Galveston
District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE), prepared a Draft and Final
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS
and FEIS) for the proposed project. The
DEIS was made available for a 45-day
comment period on May 18, 2007,
which was extended through September
4, 2007. A public hearing and workshop
was held August 9, 2007, in Port Lavaca,
Texas. Comments received during the
comment period and at the public
hearing have been considered in the
evaluation of the proposed project and
incorporated into the FEIS. The FEIS is
now available for public review and
comment.
Project Description: The CPA
proposes to widen and deepen the
approximately 26.6-mile-long MSC from
the existing turning basin at the Port of
Port Lavaca-Point Comfort (Channel
Station 117+223), through Lavaca Bay
and Matagorda Bay, and ending offshore
in the Gulf of Mexico (Channel Station
–23+000). A proposed new turning
basin at the intersection of the MSC and
the Alcoa Channel would have a 1,650foot turning circle, and both the existing
CPA berthing facilities, the existing and
proposed turning basins, and a
proposed new berthing area adjacent to
the new turning basin would be dredged
to a depth of ¥44 feet Mean Low Tide
(MLT). The authorized channel
dimensions of the MSC, from the Port of
Port Lavaca-Point Comfort to the
Matagorda Peninsula, are 200 feet wide
(bottom width) by ¥36 feet MLT deep,
and the CPA proposes to enlarge this
reach to 400 feet wide by ¥44 feet MLT
deep (plus 2 feet of advanced
maintenance and 2 feet of overdepth).
The existing authorized channel
dimensions through the Matagorda
Peninsula are 300 feet wide by ¥36 feet
MLT deep, and in the Gulf of Mexico
are 300 feet wide by ¥38 feet MLT
deep, and the CPA proposes to enlarge
these reaches to 600 feet wide by ¥46
feet MLT deep (plus 3 feet of advanced
maintenance and 2 feet of overdepth).
The CPA proposes to use both hydraulic
and mechanical dredges, including
hopper dredges, to perform new work
and maintenance dredging of the
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
38173
proposed project. Approximately 46.5
million cubic yards of new work
dredged material would be generated
from the proposed widening and
deepening project. Maintenance
dredging of the proposed channel would
generate approximately 257.5 million
cubic yards of dredged material during
the 50-year planning period. Dredged
material would be used to create or
protect habitats, nourish beaches, and
cap mercury-impacted sediments, and
would be placed in confined dredged
material placement areas (PAs) in bays
and on land, in unconfined PAs in
Matagorda Bay, and in unconfined
ocean dredged material disposal sites
(ODMDS) in the Gulf of Mexico.
Additional dredging and placement of
400,000 cubic yards of dredged material
would create a levee designed to protect
habitat.
Water Quality Certification: Texas
Commission on Environmental Quality
(TCEQ) water quality certification is
required. Concurrent with Corps
processing of the permit application, the
TCEQ is reviewing the application
under Section 401 of the CWA and in
accordance with Title 30, Texas
Administrative Code Section 279.1–13
to determine if the work would comply
with State water quality standards.
Section 103 of the Marine Protection,
Research, and Sanctuaries Act
(MPRSA): Section 103 of the MPRSA
authorizes the USACE to permit the
placement of dredged material within
an ODMDS, subject to EPA concurrence
and use of the EPA’s dumping criteria.
With concurrence from the EPA, the
placement of approximately 12 million
cubic yards of new work dredged
material from construction of the
proposed project into a new, one-time
use ODMDS may be authorized by the
USACE under Section 103 of MPRSA.
Similarly, with EPA concurrence, the
USACE may authorize continued use of
the existing maintenance material
ODMDS following construction of the
proposed project under Section 103 of
MPRSA. Information associated with
the Section 103 authorizations is
included in the FEIS (primarily in
Appendix N).
National Register of Historic Places:
The staff archaeologist has reviewed the
latest published version of the National
Register of Historic Places, lists of
properties determined eligible, and
other sources of information. The
following is current knowledge of the
presence or absence of historic
resources and the effects of the
proposed project upon these properties:
Remote sensing surveys have been
completed for the majority of the project
footprint in Matagorda Bay, Lavaca Bay,
E:\FR\FM\31JYN1.SGM
31JYN1
PWALKER on DSK8KYBLC1PROD with NOTICES
38174
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 146 / Friday, July 31, 2009 / Notices
and the Gulf of Mexico. Remote sensing
surveys will be conducted for the
following potentially affected areas that
have not already been surveyed: The
proposed new-work ODMDS, three
beach nourishment sites, the remainder
of two areas for proposed oyster bed
creation, and the in-bay upland site.
Additional close-order surveys will be
conducted on 11 features within 164
feet of the proposed channel alignment.
The close-order surveys will help
identify features that need further
investigation to determine significance.
Close-order surveys will also be
conducted on two features identified
within, or within 164 feet of, a proposed
in-bay PA that cannot be avoided.
Archival research and terrestrial surveys
will be conducted at the upland PA and
along the three beach nourishment
areas. In addition, limited terrestrial
shoreline surveys will be conducted
where one proposed PA would tie into
the bluff. A Scope of Work for
additional surveys of impact areas,
testing potentially eligible sites, and
managing data recovery or avoidance
measures as necessary was submitted to
the Texas Historical Commission (THC)
on June 12, 2009, and concurrence was
provided on June 24, 2009. Should the
decision be made to issue a permit for
the proposed MSCIP, it would be
conditioned to require completion of
historical and archaeological surveys to
meet National Historical Preservation
Act Section 106 requirements. If the
permit is granted, the CPA will obtain
clearance from the THC and the USACE
prior to performing construction
activities in these areas.
Threatened and Endangered Species:
Indications are that the proposed project
may affect a few Federally listed
endangered or threatened species. The
project is likely to adversely affect but
is not likely to jeopardize the continued
existence of loggerhead, Kemp’s ridley,
hawksbill, leatherback, and green sea
turtles. The project is unlikely to
destroy or adversely modify critical
habitat for any listed species. A
Biological Assessment (BA) was
prepared and was presented to the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the
National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS) in the DEIS. The NMFS has
reviewed the BA and has prepared a
Biological Opinion outlining the
measures to be taken to avoid and
minimize potential sea turtle takes,
particularly during hopper dredging
activities. The USFWS provided
concurrence with the determinations
made in the BA for all species under
their jurisdiction, including nesting sea
turtles (Appendix P of the FEIS).
VerDate Nov<24>2008
16:38 Jul 30, 2009
Jkt 217001
Essential Fish Habitat (EFH):
Consultation for EFH of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act was initiated in April
2006 via the workshop prior to the
public scoping meeting. Letters were
also sent to the NMFS in May 2006. Our
initial determination is the proposed
action would have negative impacts on
EFH and Federally managed fisheries in
the Gulf of Mexico. However, these
unavoidable impacts to EFH and
Federally managed fisheries would be
compensated through the protection and
creation of marshes and seagrass beds,
increasing the amount of nursery areas,
protective habitat, and food sources
within the Matagorda Bay estuary. The
NMFS and the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries
Management Council reviewed the EFH
Assessment, following additional
correspondence and revision to the EFH
Assessment, and concurred with the
findings that the proposed project may
impact EFH and that no further
consultation is required (Appendix H of
the FEIS).
Other Agency Authorizations: Texas
Coastal Zone consistency certification is
required. The applicant has stated that
the project is consistent with the Texas
Coastal Management Program goals and
policies and will be conducted in a
manner consistent with said Program.
Coordination with the General Land
Office Coastal Protection Division
regarding consistency with the goals
and policies of the Coastal Management
Program is ongoing.
Availability of Final Environmental
Impact Statement (FEIS): Pursuant to
section 102(2)(c) of the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of
1969, as amended and as implemented
by the Council on Environmental
Quality (40 CFR parts 1500–1508) a
FEIS for the proposed Matagorda Ship
Channel Improvement Project has been
filed with the EPA and is being made
available to Federal, State, and local
agencies, and all interested parties. The
FEIS can be viewed at http://
www.swg.usace.army.mil/reg/pn.asp.
Copies of the FEIS are available by
contacting Ms. Denise Sloan. In
addition, copies of the FEIS are
available for viewing at the following
libraries:
• Calhoun County Public Library, 200
West Mahan Street, Port Lavaca, TX
77979.
• Calhoun County Public Library,
Port O’Connor Branch, Highway 185
and Sixth Street, Port O’Connor, TX
77982.
• Calhoun County Public Library,
Point Comfort Branch, One Lamar
Street, Point Comfort, TX 77978.
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
• Calhoun County Public Library,
Seadrift Branch, 103 West Dallas
Avenue, Seadrift, TX 77983.
• Victoria Public Library, 302 North
Main Street, Victoria, TX 77901.
• Jackson County Memorial Library,
411 North Wells Street, Room 121,
Edna, TX 77957.
• Palacios Library, 326 Main Street,
Palacios, TX 77465.
• Matagorda County Library, Bay City
Branch, 1100 7th Street, Bay City, TX
77414.
Public Interest Review Factors: The
permit application will be reviewed in
accordance with 33 CFR 320–332, the
Regulatory Program of the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, and other pertinent
laws, regulations and executive orders.
The decision whether to issue a permit
will be based on an evaluation of the
probable impacts, including cumulative
impacts, of the proposed activity on the
public interest. That decision will
reflect the national concern for both
protection and utilization of important
resources. The benefits which
reasonably may be expected to accrue
from the proposal must be balanced
against reasonably foreseeable
detriments associated with the proposal.
All factors which may be relevant to the
proposal will be considered. These
include, but are not limited to: Dredged
material management, air quality,
shoreline erosion, economics, general
environmental concerns, historic
resources, protected species, navigation,
recreation, water and sediment quality,
energy needs, safety, hazardous
materials, and in general, the welfare of
the people.
Solicitation of Comments: The
USACE will accept comments from the
public, Federal, State, and local
agencies and officials, Indian tribes, and
other interested parties in order to
consider and evaluate the impacts of
this proposed activity. Any comments
received will be considered by the
USACE to determine whether to issue,
condition, or deny a permit for this
proposal. To make this decision,
comments will be considered in the
evaluation of impacts on endangered
species, historic properties, water
quality, general environmental effects,
and other public interest factors listed
above. Comments will be used in
preparation of the Record of Decision
pursuant to NEPA. Comments are also
used to determine the overall public
interest of the proposed activity.
Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E9–17902 Filed 7–27–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720–58–P
E:\FR\FM\31JYN1.SGM
31JYN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 146 (Friday, July 31, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38173-38174]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-17902]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Notice of Availability for the Final Environmental Impact
Statement for the Matagorda Ship Channel Improvement Project, Calhoun
County and Matagorda County, TX
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District,
announces the release of the Final Environmental Impact Statement
(FEIS) and the public comment period for the Calhoun Port Authority's
(CPA) proposed Matagorda Ship Channel (MSC) Improvement Project.
DATES: The USACE Galveston District will be accepting written public
comments on the FEIS through August 31, 2009. All comments must be
postmarked by August 31, 2009.
ADDRESSES: You may send written comments to the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Galveston District, Attn: Denise Sloan (PE-RB), P.O. Box
1229, Galveston, TX 77553-1229.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action
and FEIS can be answered by Ms. Denise Sloan, (409) 766-3962.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority: This Federal Action is in consideration of a
Department of the Army (DA) permit application for work under
Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (33 U.S.C. 403),
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344), and Section 103
of the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA) (33
U.S.C. 1413).
Background: In January 2006, the CPA submitted a DA permit
application to widen and deepen the MSC and to dredge a new turning
basin and marine slip. It was determined that an Environmental Impact
Statement would be required for the proposed project. Since the April
25, 2006, Scoping Meeting, the consulting firm of PBS&J, under the
direction of the Galveston District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE), prepared a Draft and Final Environmental Impact Statement
(DEIS and FEIS) for the proposed project. The DEIS was made available
for a 45-day comment period on May 18, 2007, which was extended through
September 4, 2007. A public hearing and workshop was held August 9,
2007, in Port Lavaca, Texas. Comments received during the comment
period and at the public hearing have been considered in the evaluation
of the proposed project and incorporated into the FEIS. The FEIS is now
available for public review and comment.
Project Description: The CPA proposes to widen and deepen the
approximately 26.6-mile-long MSC from the existing turning basin at the
Port of Port Lavaca-Point Comfort (Channel Station 117+223), through
Lavaca Bay and Matagorda Bay, and ending offshore in the Gulf of Mexico
(Channel Station -23+000). A proposed new turning basin at the
intersection of the MSC and the Alcoa Channel would have a 1,650-foot
turning circle, and both the existing CPA berthing facilities, the
existing and proposed turning basins, and a proposed new berthing area
adjacent to the new turning basin would be dredged to a depth of -44
feet Mean Low Tide (MLT). The authorized channel dimensions of the MSC,
from the Port of Port Lavaca-Point Comfort to the Matagorda Peninsula,
are 200 feet wide (bottom width) by -36 feet MLT deep, and the CPA
proposes to enlarge this reach to 400 feet wide by -44 feet MLT deep
(plus 2 feet of advanced maintenance and 2 feet of overdepth). The
existing authorized channel dimensions through the Matagorda Peninsula
are 300 feet wide by -36 feet MLT deep, and in the Gulf of Mexico are
300 feet wide by -38 feet MLT deep, and the CPA proposes to enlarge
these reaches to 600 feet wide by -46 feet MLT deep (plus 3 feet of
advanced maintenance and 2 feet of overdepth). The CPA proposes to use
both hydraulic and mechanical dredges, including hopper dredges, to
perform new work and maintenance dredging of the proposed project.
Approximately 46.5 million cubic yards of new work dredged material
would be generated from the proposed widening and deepening project.
Maintenance dredging of the proposed channel would generate
approximately 257.5 million cubic yards of dredged material during the
50-year planning period. Dredged material would be used to create or
protect habitats, nourish beaches, and cap mercury-impacted sediments,
and would be placed in confined dredged material placement areas (PAs)
in bays and on land, in unconfined PAs in Matagorda Bay, and in
unconfined ocean dredged material disposal sites (ODMDS) in the Gulf of
Mexico. Additional dredging and placement of 400,000 cubic yards of
dredged material would create a levee designed to protect habitat.
Water Quality Certification: Texas Commission on Environmental
Quality (TCEQ) water quality certification is required. Concurrent with
Corps processing of the permit application, the TCEQ is reviewing the
application under Section 401 of the CWA and in accordance with Title
30, Texas Administrative Code Section 279.1-13 to determine if the work
would comply with State water quality standards.
Section 103 of the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act
(MPRSA): Section 103 of the MPRSA authorizes the USACE to permit the
placement of dredged material within an ODMDS, subject to EPA
concurrence and use of the EPA's dumping criteria. With concurrence
from the EPA, the placement of approximately 12 million cubic yards of
new work dredged material from construction of the proposed project
into a new, one-time use ODMDS may be authorized by the USACE under
Section 103 of MPRSA. Similarly, with EPA concurrence, the USACE may
authorize continued use of the existing maintenance material ODMDS
following construction of the proposed project under Section 103 of
MPRSA. Information associated with the Section 103 authorizations is
included in the FEIS (primarily in Appendix N).
National Register of Historic Places: The staff archaeologist has
reviewed the latest published version of the National Register of
Historic Places, lists of properties determined eligible, and other
sources of information. The following is current knowledge of the
presence or absence of historic resources and the effects of the
proposed project upon these properties: Remote sensing surveys have
been completed for the majority of the project footprint in Matagorda
Bay, Lavaca Bay,
[[Page 38174]]
and the Gulf of Mexico. Remote sensing surveys will be conducted for
the following potentially affected areas that have not already been
surveyed: The proposed new-work ODMDS, three beach nourishment sites,
the remainder of two areas for proposed oyster bed creation, and the
in-bay upland site. Additional close-order surveys will be conducted on
11 features within 164 feet of the proposed channel alignment. The
close-order surveys will help identify features that need further
investigation to determine significance. Close-order surveys will also
be conducted on two features identified within, or within 164 feet of,
a proposed in-bay PA that cannot be avoided. Archival research and
terrestrial surveys will be conducted at the upland PA and along the
three beach nourishment areas. In addition, limited terrestrial
shoreline surveys will be conducted where one proposed PA would tie
into the bluff. A Scope of Work for additional surveys of impact areas,
testing potentially eligible sites, and managing data recovery or
avoidance measures as necessary was submitted to the Texas Historical
Commission (THC) on June 12, 2009, and concurrence was provided on June
24, 2009. Should the decision be made to issue a permit for the
proposed MSCIP, it would be conditioned to require completion of
historical and archaeological surveys to meet National Historical
Preservation Act Section 106 requirements. If the permit is granted,
the CPA will obtain clearance from the THC and the USACE prior to
performing construction activities in these areas.
Threatened and Endangered Species: Indications are that the
proposed project may affect a few Federally listed endangered or
threatened species. The project is likely to adversely affect but is
not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of loggerhead, Kemp's
ridley, hawksbill, leatherback, and green sea turtles. The project is
unlikely to destroy or adversely modify critical habitat for any listed
species. A Biological Assessment (BA) was prepared and was presented to
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine
Fisheries Service (NMFS) in the DEIS. The NMFS has reviewed the BA and
has prepared a Biological Opinion outlining the measures to be taken to
avoid and minimize potential sea turtle takes, particularly during
hopper dredging activities. The USFWS provided concurrence with the
determinations made in the BA for all species under their jurisdiction,
including nesting sea turtles (Appendix P of the FEIS).
Essential Fish Habitat (EFH): Consultation for EFH of the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act was initiated in April
2006 via the workshop prior to the public scoping meeting. Letters were
also sent to the NMFS in May 2006. Our initial determination is the
proposed action would have negative impacts on EFH and Federally
managed fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico. However, these unavoidable
impacts to EFH and Federally managed fisheries would be compensated
through the protection and creation of marshes and seagrass beds,
increasing the amount of nursery areas, protective habitat, and food
sources within the Matagorda Bay estuary. The NMFS and the Gulf of
Mexico Fisheries Management Council reviewed the EFH Assessment,
following additional correspondence and revision to the EFH Assessment,
and concurred with the findings that the proposed project may impact
EFH and that no further consultation is required (Appendix H of the
FEIS).
Other Agency Authorizations: Texas Coastal Zone consistency
certification is required. The applicant has stated that the project is
consistent with the Texas Coastal Management Program goals and policies
and will be conducted in a manner consistent with said Program.
Coordination with the General Land Office Coastal Protection Division
regarding consistency with the goals and policies of the Coastal
Management Program is ongoing.
Availability of Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS):
Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended and as implemented by the Council on
Environmental Quality (40 CFR parts 1500-1508) a FEIS for the proposed
Matagorda Ship Channel Improvement Project has been filed with the EPA
and is being made available to Federal, State, and local agencies, and
all interested parties. The FEIS can be viewed at http://www.swg.usace.army.mil/reg/pn.asp. Copies of the FEIS are available by
contacting Ms. Denise Sloan. In addition, copies of the FEIS are
available for viewing at the following libraries:
Calhoun County Public Library, 200 West Mahan Street, Port
Lavaca, TX 77979.
Calhoun County Public Library, Port O'Connor Branch,
Highway 185 and Sixth Street, Port O'Connor, TX 77982.
Calhoun County Public Library, Point Comfort Branch, One
Lamar Street, Point Comfort, TX 77978.
Calhoun County Public Library, Seadrift Branch, 103 West
Dallas Avenue, Seadrift, TX 77983.
Victoria Public Library, 302 North Main Street, Victoria,
TX 77901.
Jackson County Memorial Library, 411 North Wells Street,
Room 121, Edna, TX 77957.
Palacios Library, 326 Main Street, Palacios, TX 77465.
Matagorda County Library, Bay City Branch, 1100 7th
Street, Bay City, TX 77414.
Public Interest Review Factors: The permit application will be
reviewed in accordance with 33 CFR 320-332, the Regulatory Program of
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and other pertinent laws, regulations
and executive orders. The decision whether to issue a permit will be
based on an evaluation of the probable impacts, including cumulative
impacts, of the proposed activity on the public interest. That decision
will reflect the national concern for both protection and utilization
of important resources. The benefits which reasonably may be expected
to accrue from the proposal must be balanced against reasonably
foreseeable detriments associated with the proposal. All factors which
may be relevant to the proposal will be considered. These include, but
are not limited to: Dredged material management, air quality, shoreline
erosion, economics, general environmental concerns, historic resources,
protected species, navigation, recreation, water and sediment quality,
energy needs, safety, hazardous materials, and in general, the welfare
of the people.
Solicitation of Comments: The USACE will accept comments from the
public, Federal, State, and local agencies and officials, Indian
tribes, and other interested parties in order to consider and evaluate
the impacts of this proposed activity. Any comments received will be
considered by the USACE to determine whether to issue, condition, or
deny a permit for this proposal. To make this decision, comments will
be considered in the evaluation of impacts on endangered species,
historic properties, water quality, general environmental effects, and
other public interest factors listed above. Comments will be used in
preparation of the Record of Decision pursuant to NEPA. Comments are
also used to determine the overall public interest of the proposed
activity.
Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E9-17902 Filed 7-27-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P