Public Hearing and Notice of Availability for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Widening of the Pascagoula Lower Sound/Bayou Casotte Channel, Jackson County, MS, 23669-23670 [2012-9627]
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 77 / Friday, April 20, 2012 / Notices
Questions or written comments
about the proposed action and DEIS
should be provided by May 21, 2012.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments to Mr.
Charles W. Seyle, US Army Corps of
Engineers, Savannah District, ATTN:
PD, Post Office Box 889, Savannah, GA
31402 or email: CESASPD.SAS@usace.army.mil. This Notice of
Intent will be available on the internet
at: https://www.sas.usace.army.mil/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Charles W. Seyle at 912–652–6017.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background. The AIWW between
Savannah, Georgia, and Fernandina,
Florida, was initially authorized by the
Congress in 1882. The River and Harbor
Act of 1937 provided for a 7-foot
protected route around St. Andrew
Sound, Georgia, and for a 12-foot
channel between Beaufort, South
Carolina and Savannah, Georgia. In
1938, a 12-foot channel was authorized
between Savannah and Fernandina,
Florida. The widths of the AIWW were
to be 90 feet in land cuts and 150 feet
in open waters. In addition to providing
for the 12-foot channel between
Beaufort and Fernandina, Congress
imposed upon local interests the
responsibility to furnish all lands or
easements necessary for the 7-foot St.
Andrews Sound channel and all
necessary rights-of-way and dredged
sediment disposal areas for new work
and subsequent maintenance of the 12foot channel between Beaufort and
Fernandina. Work on the 12-foot
channel between Beaufort and
Fernandina was completed in 1941.
Savannah District, US Army Corps of
Engineers records provide historical
dredging information between 1942 and
2011. These records show that many of
the 36 defined AIWW reaches from Port
Royal Sound, South Carolina, and the
Georgia-Florida border are naturally
12 feet deep or deeper and have not
required dredging since construction of
the waterway in the 1940s. Twenty of
the reaches require periodic dredging,
and of these, five require dredging every
1 to 5 years. The southernmost Georgia
reach is located near the U.S. Naval
Submarine Base at Kings Bay, Georgia,
and the Navy is responsible for
maintaining this reach. Consequently,
no Corps action will be analyzed in the
DEIS for that reach.
During previous dredging events
along several reaches of the AIWW,
dredged material that was primarily
fine-grained silt was pumped onto
unconfined saltmarsh disposal sites or
into existing confined saltmarsh
disposal sites. Material that was
primarily coarse-grained sand was
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deposited in approved open-water
disposal areas. State natural resource
agencies have requested that the Corps
discontinue placement of fine-grained
dredged material on unconfined
saltmarsh sites. The proposed DEIS
would examine unconfined sediment
placement on saltmarsh sites and
identify locations where it would no
longer be used and where its use may
still be the least damaging practicable
disposal method. The DMMP proposes
to use a combination of new and
existing disposal sites, open-water
placement of sandy dredged material,
and ODMDS for disposal of AIWW
dredged material over the next 20 years.
The DEIS will examine a wide range
of environmental resource areas
including, but not limited to, air quality,
traffic, noise, biological resources,
cultural resources, socio-economic
resources, wetlands, land use,
hazardous and toxic substances, and
cumulative environmental effects.
Significant issues to be analyzed in
the DEIS will include potential impacts
to water quality, marine and estuarine
resources, wetlands, endangered
species, cultural resources, commercial
maritime interests, and recreational
boating. Additional resources and
conditions may be identified as a result
of the scoping process initiated by this
Notice of Intent (NOI).
All reasonable alternatives will be
analyzed in the DEIS. The range of
alternatives will include, but are not
limited to:
• No Action (status quo);
• Use existing confined dredged
material containment areas;
• Use existing Ocean Dredged
Material Disposal Sites;
• Establish new Ocean Dredged
Material Disposal Sites;
• Construct new confined dredged
material containment areas.
The DMMP will identify disposal
alternatives for several of the critical
reaches and the impacts of each of these
alternatives will be analyzed in the
DEIS. As a result of information
developed during the DEIS scoping
process, other alternatives may be
considered. The DEIS will analyze each
alternative’s impact on the natural and
cultural environments along the AIWW
and the surrounding area. Mitigation
measures to avoid or reduce
environmental impacts will also be
considered in the DEIS. The DEIS is
presently scheduled for release in
Summer 2012. However, this date may
change. Notification of the availability
of the document will be published in
the Federal Register and local
newspapers.
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23669
Scoping Process: The Corps of
Engineers invites tribal, federal, state
and local agencies and the public to
participate in the scoping process for
preparation of the DEIS. The scoping
process will help identify additional
reasonable alternatives, potential
environmental impacts, and key issues
of concern to be analyzed in the DEIS.
Dated: April 13, 2012.
William G. Bailey,
Chief, Planning Division, Savannah District,
US Army Corps of Engineers.
[FR Doc. 2012–9578 Filed 4–19–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3730–58–P
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of
Engineers
Public Hearing and Notice of
Availability for the Draft Environmental
Impact Statement for the Proposed
Widening of the Pascagoula Lower
Sound/Bayou Casotte Channel,
Jackson County, MS
Department of the Army, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
On April 6, 2011, the Jackson
County Port Authority (JCPA) submitted
an application to the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers (Corps), Mobile District,
Mississippi Department of
Environmental Quality (MDEQ) and the
Mississippi Department of Marine
Resources (MDMR) for authorization to
impact wetlands and other waters of the
United States associated with the
proposed widening of the Pascagoula
Lower Sound/Bayou Casotte Channel
(the proposed project). The proposed
project is located in the Pascagoula
Lower Sound/Bayou Casotte,
Pascagoula, Jackson County, Mississippi
(Latitude 30.365° North, Longitude
88.556° West). The Corps prepared a
Draft Environmental Impact Statement
(DEIS) to assess the potential
environmental impacts associated with
the proposed project. The proposed
project is the dredging of approximately
38,200 feet (7.2 miles) of the existing
Pascagoula Lower Sound/Bayou Casotte
Channel segment to widen the channel
from the Federally authorized width of
350 feet and depth of ¥42 feet mean
lower low water (MLLW) (with 2 feet of
allowable over-depth and 2 feet of
advanced maintenance) to a width of
450 feet, parallel to the existing channel
centerline and to the existing Federally
authorized depth of ¥42 feet MLLW.
The proposed project would include the
placement of approximately 3.35
SUMMARY:
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23670
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 77 / Friday, April 20, 2012 / Notices
million cubic yards of dredged material
resulting from the channel modification.
DATES: The Corps will hold a public
hearing to receive comments on the
DEIS. The public hearing will be held
May 10, 2012, 6 p.m., Grand Magnolia
Ballroom, 3604 Magnolia Street,
Pascagoula, Mississippi.
Written comments on the DEIS must
be received no later than May 29, 2012.
Additional Information on how to
submit comments is included in the
(SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION) section.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Written and emailed comments to the
Corps will be received until May 29,
2012. Correspondence concerning this
Public Hearing should refer to Public
Notice Number SAM–2011–00389–PAH
and should be directed to the U.S. Army
Engineer District, RD–C–M Attention:
Mr. Philip Hegji, Post Office Box 2288,
Mobile, Alabama 36628–0001, via email
at philip.a.hegji@usace.army.mil or by
phone at (251) 690–3222. We encourage
any additional comments from
interested public, agencies and local
officials. For additional information
about our Regulatory Program, please
visit our web site at:
www.sam.usace.army.mil/rd/reg/.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Availability of the Draft EIS: The DEIS
will be made available to the public
April 13, 2012. The public hearing will
be held May 10, 2012, during the 45-day
public comment period for the DEIS.
On April 6, 2011, the Jackson County
Port Authority (JCPA) submitted an
application to the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (Corps), Mobile District,
Mississippi Department of
Environmental Quality (MDEQ) and the
Mississippi Department of Marine
Resources (MDMR) for authorization to
impact wetlands and other waters of the
United States associated with the
proposed widening of the Pascagoula
Lower Sound/Bayou Casotte Channel
(the proposed project), Jackson County.
The proposed project is located in the
Pascagoula Lower Sound/Bayou Casotte,
Pascagoula, Jackson County, Mississippi
(Latitude 30.365° North, Longitude
88.556° West).
The Corps prepared a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)
to assess the potential environmental
impacts associated with the proposed
project. The proposed project is the
dredging of approximately 38,200 feet
(7.2 miles) of the existing Pascagoula
Lower Sound/Bayou Casotte Channel
segment to widen the channel from the
Federally authorized width of 350 feet
and depth of ¥42 feet mean lower low
water (MLLW) (with 2 feet of allowable
over-depth and 2 feet of advanced
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:17 Apr 19, 2012
Jkt 226001
maintenance) to a width of 450 feet,
parallel to the existing channel
centerline and to the existing Federally
authorized depth of ¥42 feet MLLW.
The proposed project would include the
placement of approximately 3.35
million cubic yards of dredged material
resulting from the channel modification.
The JCPA requested a Department of
the Army (DOA) permit pursuant to
Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act
of 1899, Section 103 of the Marine
Protection, Research and Sanctuaries
Act and Section 404 of the Clean Water
Act, including a Section 404(b)(1)
analysis to help ensure compliance. The
Corps is the lead Federal agency for the
preparation of this DEIS in compliance
with the requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and
the President’s Council on
Environmental Quality regulations for
implementing NEPA. The National
Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S.
Coast Guard are cooperating agencies for
the preparation of the EIS. This
application was advertised by 30-day
Public Notice April 15, 2011.
On April 13, 2012, a copy of the DEIS
will be available for public review. The
DEIS is available to the public at:
www.sam.usace.army.mil/rd/reg.
Hardcopies of the DEIS are available
upon request from Mr. Philip A. Hegji,
Corps Project Manager (contact
information below). This document is
being circulated to resource agencies
and interested members of the public for
a 45-day comment period ending May
29, 2012.
A public hearing will be held at
7 p.m. Thursday, May 10, 2012, at the
Grand Magnolia Ballroom at 3604
Magnolia Street, Pascagoula,
Mississippi. The public hearing will be
held to provide information about the
proposed project and to receive public
input and comments on the DEIS. The
Corps invites full public participation to
promote open communication on the
issues surrounding the DEIS. In
addition, participation by Federal, State,
local agencies and other interested
organizations is encouraged. Both oral
and written statements will be accepted
at the hearing. An informal open house
will be held from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m. in
the Grand Magnolia Ballroom to allow
the public the opportunity to become
familiar with the proposed project prior
to the start of the formal hearing.
Displays of the proposed project and
associated impacts will be available.
Representatives from the JCPA will be
present to answer questions concerning
the project and Corps representatives
will be available to answer questions
concerning the Corps regulatory
process.
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
The public hearing will be conducted
in English. Those in need of language
interpreters should contact the Corps’
Public Involvement consultant, Crouch
Environmental Services at (713) 868–
1043, by Thursday, May 3, 2012.
Any comments received at the hearing
will be considered by the Corps to
determine whether to issue, modify,
condition or deny a permit for this
proposed project. All comments will be
considered in the final EIS pursuant to
NEPA. Comments are also used to help
determine the overall public interest of
the proposed project. All comments
must be received or postmarked by May
29, 2012 (19 days following the public
hearing).
Dated: April 5, 2012.
Cindy J. House-Pearson,
Chief, Regulatory Division.
[FR Doc. 2012–9627 Filed 4–19–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720–58–P
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of
Engineers
Intent To Prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement/Environmental
Impact Report for the Encinitas and
Solana Beach Shoreline Protection
Project, San Diego County, CA
Department of the Army, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
AGENCY:
The Los Angeles District
intends to prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement/Environmental
Impact Report (EIS/EIR) to support a
cost-shared feasibility study with the
Cities of Encinitas and Solana Beach,
CA, for shoreline protection along the
coastline of these two cities. The
purpose of the feasibility study is to
evaluate alternatives for reducing
shoreline erosion. The EIS/EIR will
analyze potential impacts of the
recommended plan and a range of
alternatives for shoreline protection.
Alternatives will include both structural
and non-structural measures.
ADDRESSES: You may also submit your
concerns in writing to the city or the Los
Angeles District at the address below.
Comments, suggestions, and requests to
be placed on the mailing list for
announcements should be sent to Larry
Smith, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
Los Angeles District, P.O. Box 532711,
Los Angeles, CA 90053–2325, or email
to lawrence.j.smith@usace.army.mil.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
further information contact Mr. Larry
Smith, Project Environmental
SUMMARY:
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 77 (Friday, April 20, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23669-23670]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-9627]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Public Hearing and Notice of Availability for the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Widening of the
Pascagoula Lower Sound/Bayou Casotte Channel, Jackson County, MS
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: On April 6, 2011, the Jackson County Port Authority (JCPA)
submitted an application to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps),
Mobile District, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ)
and the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) for
authorization to impact wetlands and other waters of the United States
associated with the proposed widening of the Pascagoula Lower Sound/
Bayou Casotte Channel (the proposed project). The proposed project is
located in the Pascagoula Lower Sound/Bayou Casotte, Pascagoula,
Jackson County, Mississippi (Latitude 30.365[deg] North, Longitude
88.556[deg] West). The Corps prepared a Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (DEIS) to assess the potential environmental impacts
associated with the proposed project. The proposed project is the
dredging of approximately 38,200 feet (7.2 miles) of the existing
Pascagoula Lower Sound/Bayou Casotte Channel segment to widen the
channel from the Federally authorized width of 350 feet and depth of -
42 feet mean lower low water (MLLW) (with 2 feet of allowable over-
depth and 2 feet of advanced maintenance) to a width of 450 feet,
parallel to the existing channel centerline and to the existing
Federally authorized depth of -42 feet MLLW. The proposed project would
include the placement of approximately 3.35
[[Page 23670]]
million cubic yards of dredged material resulting from the channel
modification.
DATES: The Corps will hold a public hearing to receive comments on the
DEIS. The public hearing will be held May 10, 2012, 6 p.m., Grand
Magnolia Ballroom, 3604 Magnolia Street, Pascagoula, Mississippi.
Written comments on the DEIS must be received no later than May 29,
2012.
Additional Information on how to submit comments is included in the
(SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION) section.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Written and emailed comments to the
Corps will be received until May 29, 2012. Correspondence concerning
this Public Hearing should refer to Public Notice Number SAM-2011-
00389-PAH and should be directed to the U.S. Army Engineer District,
RD-C-M Attention: Mr. Philip Hegji, Post Office Box 2288, Mobile,
Alabama 36628-0001, via email at philip.a.hegji@usace.army.mil or by
phone at (251) 690-3222. We encourage any additional comments from
interested public, agencies and local officials. For additional
information about our Regulatory Program, please visit our web site at:
www.sam.usace.army.mil/rd/reg/.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Availability of the Draft EIS: The DEIS will
be made available to the public April 13, 2012. The public hearing will
be held May 10, 2012, during the 45-day public comment period for the
DEIS.
On April 6, 2011, the Jackson County Port Authority (JCPA)
submitted an application to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps),
Mobile District, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ)
and the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) for
authorization to impact wetlands and other waters of the United States
associated with the proposed widening of the Pascagoula Lower Sound/
Bayou Casotte Channel (the proposed project), Jackson County. The
proposed project is located in the Pascagoula Lower Sound/Bayou
Casotte, Pascagoula, Jackson County, Mississippi (Latitude 30.365[deg]
North, Longitude 88.556[deg] West).
The Corps prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to
assess the potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed
project. The proposed project is the dredging of approximately 38,200
feet (7.2 miles) of the existing Pascagoula Lower Sound/Bayou Casotte
Channel segment to widen the channel from the Federally authorized
width of 350 feet and depth of -42 feet mean lower low water (MLLW)
(with 2 feet of allowable over-depth and 2 feet of advanced
maintenance) to a width of 450 feet, parallel to the existing channel
centerline and to the existing Federally authorized depth of -42 feet
MLLW. The proposed project would include the placement of approximately
3.35 million cubic yards of dredged material resulting from the channel
modification.
The JCPA requested a Department of the Army (DOA) permit pursuant
to Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, Section 103 of the
Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act and Section 404 of the
Clean Water Act, including a Section 404(b)(1) analysis to help ensure
compliance. The Corps is the lead Federal agency for the preparation of
this DEIS in compliance with the requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the President's Council on
Environmental Quality regulations for implementing NEPA. The National
Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Coast Guard are cooperating
agencies for the preparation of the EIS. This application was
advertised by 30-day Public Notice April 15, 2011.
On April 13, 2012, a copy of the DEIS will be available for public
review. The DEIS is available to the public at: www.sam.usace.army.mil/rd/reg. Hardcopies of the DEIS are available upon request from Mr.
Philip A. Hegji, Corps Project Manager (contact information below).
This document is being circulated to resource agencies and interested
members of the public for a 45-day comment period ending May 29, 2012.
A public hearing will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 10, 2012, at
the Grand Magnolia Ballroom at 3604 Magnolia Street, Pascagoula,
Mississippi. The public hearing will be held to provide information
about the proposed project and to receive public input and comments on
the DEIS. The Corps invites full public participation to promote open
communication on the issues surrounding the DEIS. In addition,
participation by Federal, State, local agencies and other interested
organizations is encouraged. Both oral and written statements will be
accepted at the hearing. An informal open house will be held from 6
p.m. until 7 p.m. in the Grand Magnolia Ballroom to allow the public
the opportunity to become familiar with the proposed project prior to
the start of the formal hearing. Displays of the proposed project and
associated impacts will be available. Representatives from the JCPA
will be present to answer questions concerning the project and Corps
representatives will be available to answer questions concerning the
Corps regulatory process.
The public hearing will be conducted in English. Those in need of
language interpreters should contact the Corps' Public Involvement
consultant, Crouch Environmental Services at (713) 868-1043, by
Thursday, May 3, 2012.
Any comments received at the hearing will be considered by the
Corps to determine whether to issue, modify, condition or deny a permit
for this proposed project. All comments will be considered in the final
EIS pursuant to NEPA. Comments are also used to help determine the
overall public interest of the proposed project. All comments must be
received or postmarked by May 29, 2012 (19 days following the public
hearing).
Dated: April 5, 2012.
Cindy J. House-Pearson,
Chief, Regulatory Division.
[FR Doc. 2012-9627 Filed 4-19-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P
