Notice of Intent To Prepare a Joint Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report for the San Francisco Bay to Stockton (John F. Baldwin and Stockton Ship Channels) Navigation Improvement Study, San Francisco Bay, CA, 11529-11531 [2016-04758]
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 43 / Friday, March 4, 2016 / Notices
Office of Management and Budget
pursuant to paragraph 4d of Appendix
I to OMB Circular No. A–130, ‘Federal
Agency Responsibilities for Maintaining
Records about Individuals,’ dated
February 8, 1996 (February 20, 1996, 61
FR 6427).
Dated: March 1, 2016.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison
Officer, Department of Defense.
Notice of a Computer Matching
Program Between the Department of
Veterans Affairs and the Department of
Defense for Verification of Disability
Compensation
A. Participating Agencies
Participants in this computer
matching program are the Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Defense
Manpower Data Center (DMDC) of the
Department of Defense (DoD). The VA is
the source agency, i.e., the activity
disclosing the records for the purpose of
the match. The DMDC is the specific
recipient activity or matching agency,
i.e., the agency that actually performs
the computer matching.
jstallworth on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
B. Purpose of the Match
The purpose of this agreement is to
verify eligibility for DoD/United States
Coast Guard (USCG) members of the
Reserve forces who receive VA
disability compensation or pension to
also receive military pay and allowances
when performing reserve duty.
The VA will provide to DMDC
identifying information on all VA
recipients receiving a VA disability
compensation or pension. DMDC will
match the information with its reserve
military pay data and provide for each
match (hit) the number of training days,
by fiscal year, for which the veteran was
paid. The VA will use this information
to make, where appropriate, necessary
VA payment adjustments.
C. Authority for Conducting the Match
The legal authority for conducting the
matching program for use in the
administration of VA’s Compensation
and Pension Benefits Program is
contained in 38 U.S.C. 5304(c),
Prohibition Against Duplication of
Benefits, provides that VA disability
compensation or pension based upon
his or her previous military service shall
not be paid to a person for any period
for which such person receives active
service pay. 10 U.S.C. 12316, Payment
of certain Reserves While on Duty,
further provides that a reservist who is
entitled to disability payments due to
his or her earlier military service and
who performs duty for which he or she
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is entitled to DoD/USCG compensation
may elect to receive for that duty either
the disability payments or, if he or she
waives such payments, the DoD/USCG
compensation for the duty performed.
D. Records To Be Matched
The systems of records maintained by
the respective agencies under the
Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, 5
U.S.C. 552a, from which records will be
disclosed for the purpose of this
computer match are as follows:
The DMDC will use the system of
records identified as DMDC 01, entitled
‘‘Defense Manpower Data Center Data
Base,’’ last published in the Federal
Register at November 23, 2011, 76 FR
72391.
The VA will use the system of records
identified as ‘‘Compensation, Pension,
Education and Vocational Rehabilitation
and Employment Records–VA’’ (58 VA
21/22/28), republished in its entirety in
the Federal Register at July 19, 2012, 77
FR 42593.
E. Description of Computer Matching
Program
The VA will submit to DMDC an
electronic data of all VA pension and
disability compensation beneficiaries as
of the end of September. Upon receipt
of the data, DMDC will match by SSN
with reserve pay data as submitted to
DMDC by the military services and the
USCG. Upon a SSN match, or a ‘‘hit,’’
of both data sets, DMDC will provide
VA the individual’s name and other
identifying data, to include the number
of training days, by fiscal year, for each
matched record. Training days are the
total of inactive duty drills paid plus
active duty days paid.
The hits will be furnished to VA,
which will be responsible for verifying
and determining that the data in the
DMDC electronic files is consistent with
the VA files and for resolving any
discrepancies or inconsistencies on an
individual basis. VA will initiate actions
to obtain an election by the individual
of which pay he or she wishes to receive
and will be responsible for making final
determinations as to positive
identification, eligibility for, or amounts
of pension or disability compensation
benefits, adjustments thereto, or any
recovery of overpayments, or such other
action as authorized by law.
The electronic data provided by the
VA will contain information on
approximately 4.2 million pension and
disability compensation recipients.
The DMDC reserve pay data contains
information on approximately 890,000
DoD and 10,000 USCG reservists who
received pay and allowances for
performing authorized duty.
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VA will furnish DMDC the name and
SSN of all VA pension and disability
compensation recipients and DMDC
will supply VA the name, SSN, date of
birth, and the number of training days
by fiscal year of each reservist who is
identified as a result of the match.
F. Inclusive Dates of the Matching
Program
This computer matching program is
subject to public comment and review
by Congress and the Office of
Management and Budget. If the
mandatory 30 day period for comment
has expired and no comments are
received and if no objections are raised
by either Congress or the Office of
Management and Budget within 40 days
of being notified of the proposed match,
the computer matching program
becomes effective and the respective
agencies may begin the exchange at a
mutually agreeable time and thereafter
on a quarterly basis. By agreement
between VA and DMDC, the matching
program will be in effect for 18 months
with an option to renew for 12
additional months unless one of the
parties to the agreement advises the
other by written request to terminate or
modify the agreement.
G. Address for Receipt of Public
Comments or Inquiries
Department of Defense, Office of the
Deputy Chief Management Officer,
Directorate of Oversight and
Compliance, Regulatory and Audit
Matters Office, 9010 Defense Pentagon,
Washington, DC 20301–9010.
[FR Doc. 2016–04832 Filed 3–3–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001–06–P
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of
Engineers
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Joint
Environmental Impact Statement/
Environmental Impact Report for the
San Francisco Bay to Stockton (John
F. Baldwin and Stockton Ship
Channels) Navigation Improvement
Study, San Francisco Bay, CA
Department of the Army, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE) San Francisco
District, the Port of Stockton, and the
Contra Costa County Water Agency are
preparing an Environmental Impact
Statement/Environmental Impact Report
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 43 / Friday, March 4, 2016 / Notices
(EIS/EIR) to evaluate the efficiency of
the movement of goods along the
existing deep-draft navigation route
extending from the San Francisco Bay to
the Port of Stockton. This Notice of
Intent (NOI) represents a supplemental
notice to the March 12, 2008, NOI
released for the San Francisco Bay to
Stockton Navigation Improvement
Study. This supplemental NOI also
provides an update to the description of
the study and discusses current phasing
of the project. Because of the amount of
time that has passed since 2008, this
supplemental NOI is being released to
notify the public that work will begin on
an EIS/EIR, which is anticipated to be
issued for public review in 2016. This
NOI also re-opens the public scoping
period.
The 2008 NOI discussed the project as
a single navigation improvement study/
project, proposing to deepen the John F.
Baldwin channel from the West
Richmond Channel to New York Slough
Channel to a maximum depth of ¥45
feet mean lower low water (MLLW) and
the Stockton Deep Water Ship Channel
to a maximum depth of ¥40 feet
MLLW.
The forthcoming EIS/EIR proposes to
reevaluate the unconstructed portions of
the original project described in the
1965 Chief of Engineers Report (House
Document 89–208) and authorized by
the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1965
(Public Law 89–298), which will be
referred to in the EIS/EIR as Phase I (or
the proposed project). Additional study
authority exists for the entire channel
from San Francisco Bay to Stockton,
provided by the 2014 United States
Senate Committee on Environment and
Public Works Committee Resolution and
specifying ‘‘navigation, ecosystem
restoration, flood risk reduction, and
other water related resource purposes.’’
This additional study authority will be
discussed programmatically in the EIS/
EIR.
The study area for the overall project
consists of two reaches: The Western
Reach and Eastern Reach. The Western
Reach extends from Central San
Francisco Bay to Avon and includes the
West Richmond Channel, Pinole Shoal
Channel, and Bulls Head Reach portion
of the Suisun Bay Channel. The Eastern
Reach extends from Avon to the Port of
Stockton and includes the remaining
portions of the Suisun Bay Channel
(east of Avon), New York Slough
Channel, and the Stockton Deep Water
Ship Channel. The Western Reach is
authorized to a depth of ¥45 feet mean
lower low water (MLLW), but is
currently maintained to ¥35 feet
MLLW. Additional deepening of the
Eastern Reach requires separate
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15:22 Mar 03, 2016
Jkt 238001
Congressional authorization for
construction.
The forthcoming EIS/EIR for which
this NOI is prepared proposes to
separate the overall project into two
separate phases (Phase I and Phase II)
under a navigation improvement
programmatic analysis. Under the
programmatic analysis, two reaches and
two phases are identified.
Phase I of the study is a single
purpose navigation improvement
project to evaluate incremental
deepening to a maximum depth of ¥40
feet MLLW in the Western Reach. Phase
II is a subsequent multipurpose
navigation and ecosystem restoration
study that would evaluate deepening
the Eastern Reach to a maximum depth
of ¥40 feet MLLW. Phase II will also
revisit if further deepening of Western
Reach up to its authorized depth of ¥45
feet MLLW is warranted. The Eastern
Reach is maintained at its authorized
depth of ¥35 feet MLLW, and any
additional deepening in this reach will
require a new project authorization
through a subsequent Water Resources
Development Act (WRDA).
The EIS/EIR will include both a
project-level feasibility analysis for
implementation of Phase I and a
programmatic-level analysis for Phase II.
Analysis of Phase II will be conducted
using only existing information (i.e.,
additional studies or data collection will
not be conducted). Additional projectlevel feasibility analysis of Phase II will
require execution of a separate
Feasibility Cost Sharing Agreement with
the local sponsor and pending receipt of
federal study funds.
DATES: Submit comments concerning
this notice on or before April 4, 2016.
There will be no additional public
meeting in conjunction with this
scoping period.
ADDRESSES: Mail written comments
concerning this notice to: U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, San Francisco
District, Planning Branch, ATTN:
Cynthia J. Fowler, 1455 Market Street,
San Francisco, CA 94103–1398.
Comment letters should include the
commenter’s physical mailing address,
the project title, and the USACE file
number in the subject line.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Cynthia J. Fowler, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, San Francisco District,
Planning Branch, 1455 Market Street,
San Francisco CA 94103–1398, (415)
503–6870, cynthia.j.fowler@
usace.army.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As
previously mentioned, the USACE
intends to prepare an EIS to reevaluate
incremental deepening of the Western
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Reach and programmatically assess a
multipurpose project involving
deepening and ecosystem restoration in
both the Western and Eastern Reaches.
The Port of Stockton is the lead agency
and local sponsor in preparing the EIR.
The USACE and the Port of Stockton
have agreed to jointly prepare an EIS/
EIR to optimize efficiency and avoid
duplication. The EIS/EIR is intended to
be sufficient in scope to address the
federal, state, and local requirements
and environmental issues concerning
the proposed activities and permit
approvals.
Project Area and Background
Information: The San Francisco Bay to
Stockton Navigation Improvement
Project includes the John F. Baldwin
and Stockton Ship Channels, which
extend 75 nautical miles from the
Pacific Ocean, just outside the Golden
Gate, to the Port of Stockton. Modern
vessels crossing the channels can
require up to 55 feet of draft when fully
laden. Given that these channels are
maintained at ¥35 feet MLLW, most
vessels must be ‘‘light-loaded’’ (i.e., less
than fully loaded with cargo) to navigate
the channels with sufficient under-keel
clearance. Light-loading increases the
cost of transportation and, in turn, the
cost of the shipped products because
more trips must be made to carry the
same volume of cargo. Light-loading is
also inefficient, requiring more ships to
carry cargo than if ships could travel
with full loads.
The study area includes the entire
extent of the federal navigation channels
occurring in the Western and Eastern
reaches, which are defined as follows:
Western Reach. This area includes the
West Richmond Channel, Pinole Shoal
Channel, Carquinez Strait, and the Bulls
Head Reach portion of the Suisun Bay
Channel. Avon (just east of the BeniciaMartinez Bridge) separates the Western
Reach from the Eastern Reach. Western
Reach is currently maintained at ¥35
feet MLLW, although the channels have
an authorized depth of ¥45 feet MLLW.
Eastern Reach. This area includes the
remaining portions of the Suisun Bay
Channel (i.e., Suisun Bay Channel east
of Avon and New York Slough) and all
of the Stockton Deep Water Ship
Channel (DWSC). The Eastern Reach is
also maintained at a depth of ¥35 feet
MLLW.
The Phase I project-level alternatives
described below are anticipated to be
analyzed in the Draft EIS/EIR. Phase II
will be evaluated at a programmatic
level because of uncertainties associated
with its scope, size, and other details.
No Action, in which dredging to
deepen the Western Reach would not
occur and all construction-related
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 43 / Friday, March 4, 2016 / Notices
activities would be avoided.
Maintenance dredging would continue
annually or on an as-needed basis and
the federal standard placement sites
would continue to be used.
Deepening to ¥37 feet MLLW, which
would deepen the Western Reach to a
depth of ¥37 feet MLLW with up to 2
feet of overdepth for a maximum depth
of ¥39 feet MLLW. To account for rapid
shoaling, an approximately 800-foot
long sediment trap would be
constructed at Bulls Head Reach by
dredging up to an additional 6 feet
(including 2 feet of overdepth) to ¥43
feet MLLW.
Deepening to ¥38 feet MLLW, which
would deepen the Western Reach to a
depth of ¥38 feet MLLW with up to 2
feet of overdepth for a maximum depth
of ¥40 feet MLLW. Under this
alternative, an approximately 800-foot
long sediment trap at Bulls Head Reach
would be constructed by dredging up to
an additional 6 feet (including 2 feet of
overdepth) to ¥44 feet MLLW.
Under both deepening alternatives,
dredged material is expected to be
placed at one or more permitted and
economically feasible beneficial reuse
sites.
Purpose and Need: The purpose of the
Phase I study is to evaluate more
efficient deep-draft navigation via
incremental deepening of the Western
Reach in a manner that minimizes
adverse environmental effects. A
potential subsequent Phase II
multipurpose project involving
deepening and ecosystem restoration in
both the Western and Eastern Reaches
will also be discussed
programmatically. The purpose of Phase
II is also to evaluate efficient deep-draft
navigation and beneficial use
opportunities using material generated
from the deepening project. The need
for the Phase I and Phase II studies is
to address vessel restrictions imposed
by the existing channel depths, which
are inadequate to accommodate vessels
with drafts exceeding ¥35 feet MLLW.
Issues: The detailed environmental
analysis will consider the effect of
maintaining or deepening the Western
Reach on biological resources,
sediments, air quality, greenhouse gas
emissions, climate change, water
quality, geology, sediments, hydraulics
and hydrology, hazards, noise, utilities,
navigation, environmental justice,
transportation, land use, cultural and
historic resources, aesthetics, recreation,
and socioeconomic effects, as well as
cumulative impacts and other specific
potential environmental issues of
concern. Where existing information is
sufficiently available, the EIS/EIR will
also consider the effects of both phases.
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Scoping Process: The USACE is
seeking participation of all interested
federal, state, and local agencies, Native
American groups, and other concerned
private organizations or individuals
through this public notice. The purpose
of the public scoping period is to solicit
comments regarding the potential
impacts, environmental issues, and
alternatives associated with the
proposed action to be considered in the
Draft EIS/EIR; identify other significant
issues; provide other relevant
information; and recommend mitigation
measures. The public comment period
is anticipated to run from March 4 to
April 4, 2016.
The public will have an additional
opportunity to comment once the Draft
EIS/EIR is released, which is anticipated
to be in the summer of 2016. The
USACE will announce availability of the
Draft EIS/EIR in the Federal Register
and other media, and the USACE and
Port of Stockton will provide a 45-day
review period for the public,
organizations, and agencies to review
and comment on the Draft EIS/EIR. All
interested parties should respond to this
notice and provide a current address if
they wish to be notified of the Draft EIS/
EIR circulation.
John C. Morrow,
Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, District
Engineer.
[FR Doc. 2016–04758 Filed 3–3–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720–58–P
DEFENSE NUCLEAR FACILITIES
SAFETY BOARD
Sunshine Act Notice
Defense Nuclear Facilities
Safety Board.
ACTION: Notice of Public Hearing.
AGENCY:
Pursuant to the provisions of
the Government in the Sunshine Act (5
U.S.C. 552b), notice is hereby given of
the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety
Board’s (Board) public hearing
described below. The Board invites any
interested persons or groups to present
any comments, technical information, or
data concerning safety issues related to
the matters to be considered.
DATES: Session I: 5:00 p.m.–6:30 p.m.,
Session II: 6:45 p.m.–9:00 p.m., March
22, 2016.
PLACE: Santa Fe Community Convention
Center, 201 West Marcy Street, Santa Fe,
New Mexico 87501. Parking will be
available at no cost.
STATUS: Open. The Board has
determined that an open hearing
furthers the public interests underlying
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
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11531
both the Government in the Sunshine
Act and the Board’s enabling legislation.
MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: In this
public hearing, the Board wishes to
gather information regarding the
hazards to the public and workers posed
by the management of transuranic (TRU)
waste at Los Alamos National
Laboratory (LANL) as well as the
Department of Energy’s (DOE) plans to
address those hazards. The Board will
also examine DOE’s actions taken or
planned to resolve known inadequacies
in the current safety basis of the various
facilities that manage or store TRU
waste at LANL, and actions to improve
TRU waste management at LANL in
response to the challenges caused by the
Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)
accident and the associated
investigation findings.
A senior Board technical staff
employee will present information to
the Board regarding TRU waste
management at LANL, including safety
issues identified at Area G including
issues with inappropriately remediated
nitrate salt-bearing waste, corrective
actions resulting from the WIPP
accident, and federal oversight. The
Board will then receive testimony from
senior officials from DOE Headquarters
and National Nuclear Security
Administration (NNSA) Headquarters
regarding federal oversight of LANL
transuranic waste management. After a
brief recess, the Board will receive
testimony from DOE and NNSA Los
Alamos Field Office leadership as well
as LANL leadership regarding technical
resolution of safety issues. Following
the public comment period, the hearing
will conclude with statements from
senior officials from DOE and NNSA as
well as the Board Chairman. The public
hearing portion of this proceeding is
authorized by 42 U.S.C. 2286b.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark
Welch, General Manager, Defense
Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, 625
Indiana Avenue NW., Suite 700,
Washington, DC 20004–2901, (800) 788–
4016.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public
participation in the hearing is invited
during the public comment period of
the agenda. The Board is setting aside
time for presentations and comments
from the public. Persons interested in
speaking during the public comment
period are encouraged to pre-register by
submitting a request in writing to the
Board’s address listed above or by
telephone to the Office of the General
Counsel at (202) 694–7062 prior to close
of business on March 18, 2016. The
Board asks that commenters describe
the nature and scope of their oral
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 43 (Friday, March 4, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11529-11531]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-04758]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Joint Environmental Impact
Statement/Environmental Impact Report for the San Francisco Bay to
Stockton (John F. Baldwin and Stockton Ship Channels) Navigation
Improvement Study, San Francisco Bay, CA
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) San Francisco
District, the Port of Stockton, and the Contra Costa County Water
Agency are preparing an Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental
Impact Report
[[Page 11530]]
(EIS/EIR) to evaluate the efficiency of the movement of goods along the
existing deep-draft navigation route extending from the San Francisco
Bay to the Port of Stockton. This Notice of Intent (NOI) represents a
supplemental notice to the March 12, 2008, NOI released for the San
Francisco Bay to Stockton Navigation Improvement Study. This
supplemental NOI also provides an update to the description of the
study and discusses current phasing of the project. Because of the
amount of time that has passed since 2008, this supplemental NOI is
being released to notify the public that work will begin on an EIS/EIR,
which is anticipated to be issued for public review in 2016. This NOI
also re-opens the public scoping period.
The 2008 NOI discussed the project as a single navigation
improvement study/project, proposing to deepen the John F. Baldwin
channel from the West Richmond Channel to New York Slough Channel to a
maximum depth of -45 feet mean lower low water (MLLW) and the Stockton
Deep Water Ship Channel to a maximum depth of -40 feet MLLW.
The forthcoming EIS/EIR proposes to reevaluate the unconstructed
portions of the original project described in the 1965 Chief of
Engineers Report (House Document 89-208) and authorized by the Rivers
and Harbors Act of 1965 (Public Law 89-298), which will be referred to
in the EIS/EIR as Phase I (or the proposed project). Additional study
authority exists for the entire channel from San Francisco Bay to
Stockton, provided by the 2014 United States Senate Committee on
Environment and Public Works Committee Resolution and specifying
``navigation, ecosystem restoration, flood risk reduction, and other
water related resource purposes.'' This additional study authority will
be discussed programmatically in the EIS/EIR.
The study area for the overall project consists of two reaches: The
Western Reach and Eastern Reach. The Western Reach extends from Central
San Francisco Bay to Avon and includes the West Richmond Channel,
Pinole Shoal Channel, and Bulls Head Reach portion of the Suisun Bay
Channel. The Eastern Reach extends from Avon to the Port of Stockton
and includes the remaining portions of the Suisun Bay Channel (east of
Avon), New York Slough Channel, and the Stockton Deep Water Ship
Channel. The Western Reach is authorized to a depth of -45 feet mean
lower low water (MLLW), but is currently maintained to -35 feet MLLW.
Additional deepening of the Eastern Reach requires separate
Congressional authorization for construction.
The forthcoming EIS/EIR for which this NOI is prepared proposes to
separate the overall project into two separate phases (Phase I and
Phase II) under a navigation improvement programmatic analysis. Under
the programmatic analysis, two reaches and two phases are identified.
Phase I of the study is a single purpose navigation improvement
project to evaluate incremental deepening to a maximum depth of -40
feet MLLW in the Western Reach. Phase II is a subsequent multipurpose
navigation and ecosystem restoration study that would evaluate
deepening the Eastern Reach to a maximum depth of -40 feet MLLW. Phase
II will also revisit if further deepening of Western Reach up to its
authorized depth of -45 feet MLLW is warranted. The Eastern Reach is
maintained at its authorized depth of -35 feet MLLW, and any additional
deepening in this reach will require a new project authorization
through a subsequent Water Resources Development Act (WRDA).
The EIS/EIR will include both a project-level feasibility analysis
for implementation of Phase I and a programmatic-level analysis for
Phase II. Analysis of Phase II will be conducted using only existing
information (i.e., additional studies or data collection will not be
conducted). Additional project-level feasibility analysis of Phase II
will require execution of a separate Feasibility Cost Sharing Agreement
with the local sponsor and pending receipt of federal study funds.
DATES: Submit comments concerning this notice on or before April 4,
2016. There will be no additional public meeting in conjunction with
this scoping period.
ADDRESSES: Mail written comments concerning this notice to: U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District, Planning Branch, ATTN:
Cynthia J. Fowler, 1455 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-1398.
Comment letters should include the commenter's physical mailing
address, the project title, and the USACE file number in the subject
line.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia J. Fowler, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, San Francisco District, Planning Branch, 1455 Market Street,
San Francisco CA 94103-1398, (415) 503-6870,
cynthia.j.fowler@usace.army.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As previously mentioned, the USACE intends
to prepare an EIS to reevaluate incremental deepening of the Western
Reach and programmatically assess a multipurpose project involving
deepening and ecosystem restoration in both the Western and Eastern
Reaches. The Port of Stockton is the lead agency and local sponsor in
preparing the EIR. The USACE and the Port of Stockton have agreed to
jointly prepare an EIS/EIR to optimize efficiency and avoid
duplication. The EIS/EIR is intended to be sufficient in scope to
address the federal, state, and local requirements and environmental
issues concerning the proposed activities and permit approvals.
Project Area and Background Information: The San Francisco Bay to
Stockton Navigation Improvement Project includes the John F. Baldwin
and Stockton Ship Channels, which extend 75 nautical miles from the
Pacific Ocean, just outside the Golden Gate, to the Port of Stockton.
Modern vessels crossing the channels can require up to 55 feet of draft
when fully laden. Given that these channels are maintained at -35 feet
MLLW, most vessels must be ``light-loaded'' (i.e., less than fully
loaded with cargo) to navigate the channels with sufficient under-keel
clearance. Light-loading increases the cost of transportation and, in
turn, the cost of the shipped products because more trips must be made
to carry the same volume of cargo. Light-loading is also inefficient,
requiring more ships to carry cargo than if ships could travel with
full loads.
The study area includes the entire extent of the federal navigation
channels occurring in the Western and Eastern reaches, which are
defined as follows:
Western Reach. This area includes the West Richmond Channel, Pinole
Shoal Channel, Carquinez Strait, and the Bulls Head Reach portion of
the Suisun Bay Channel. Avon (just east of the Benicia-Martinez Bridge)
separates the Western Reach from the Eastern Reach. Western Reach is
currently maintained at -35 feet MLLW, although the channels have an
authorized depth of -45 feet MLLW.
Eastern Reach. This area includes the remaining portions of the
Suisun Bay Channel (i.e., Suisun Bay Channel east of Avon and New York
Slough) and all of the Stockton Deep Water Ship Channel (DWSC). The
Eastern Reach is also maintained at a depth of -35 feet MLLW.
The Phase I project-level alternatives described below are
anticipated to be analyzed in the Draft EIS/EIR. Phase II will be
evaluated at a programmatic level because of uncertainties associated
with its scope, size, and other details.
No Action, in which dredging to deepen the Western Reach would not
occur and all construction-related
[[Page 11531]]
activities would be avoided. Maintenance dredging would continue
annually or on an as-needed basis and the federal standard placement
sites would continue to be used.
Deepening to -37 feet MLLW, which would deepen the Western Reach to
a depth of -37 feet MLLW with up to 2 feet of overdepth for a maximum
depth of -39 feet MLLW. To account for rapid shoaling, an approximately
800-foot long sediment trap would be constructed at Bulls Head Reach by
dredging up to an additional 6 feet (including 2 feet of overdepth) to
-43 feet MLLW.
Deepening to -38 feet MLLW, which would deepen the Western Reach to
a depth of -38 feet MLLW with up to 2 feet of overdepth for a maximum
depth of -40 feet MLLW. Under this alternative, an approximately 800-
foot long sediment trap at Bulls Head Reach would be constructed by
dredging up to an additional 6 feet (including 2 feet of overdepth) to
-44 feet MLLW.
Under both deepening alternatives, dredged material is expected to
be placed at one or more permitted and economically feasible beneficial
reuse sites.
Purpose and Need: The purpose of the Phase I study is to evaluate
more efficient deep-draft navigation via incremental deepening of the
Western Reach in a manner that minimizes adverse environmental effects.
A potential subsequent Phase II multipurpose project involving
deepening and ecosystem restoration in both the Western and Eastern
Reaches will also be discussed programmatically. The purpose of Phase
II is also to evaluate efficient deep-draft navigation and beneficial
use opportunities using material generated from the deepening project.
The need for the Phase I and Phase II studies is to address vessel
restrictions imposed by the existing channel depths, which are
inadequate to accommodate vessels with drafts exceeding -35 feet MLLW.
Issues: The detailed environmental analysis will consider the
effect of maintaining or deepening the Western Reach on biological
resources, sediments, air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, climate
change, water quality, geology, sediments, hydraulics and hydrology,
hazards, noise, utilities, navigation, environmental justice,
transportation, land use, cultural and historic resources, aesthetics,
recreation, and socioeconomic effects, as well as cumulative impacts
and other specific potential environmental issues of concern. Where
existing information is sufficiently available, the EIS/EIR will also
consider the effects of both phases.
Scoping Process: The USACE is seeking participation of all
interested federal, state, and local agencies, Native American groups,
and other concerned private organizations or individuals through this
public notice. The purpose of the public scoping period is to solicit
comments regarding the potential impacts, environmental issues, and
alternatives associated with the proposed action to be considered in
the Draft EIS/EIR; identify other significant issues; provide other
relevant information; and recommend mitigation measures. The public
comment period is anticipated to run from March 4 to April 4, 2016.
The public will have an additional opportunity to comment once the
Draft EIS/EIR is released, which is anticipated to be in the summer of
2016. The USACE will announce availability of the Draft EIS/EIR in the
Federal Register and other media, and the USACE and Port of Stockton
will provide a 45-day review period for the public, organizations, and
agencies to review and comment on the Draft EIS/EIR. All interested
parties should respond to this notice and provide a current address if
they wish to be notified of the Draft EIS/EIR circulation.
John C. Morrow,
Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 2016-04758 Filed 3-3-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P
