Joint Notice of Availability for the Draft Matagorda Ship Channel Project Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Impact Statement, 19737-19738 [2018-09480]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 87 / Friday, May 4, 2018 / Notices Contracting Activity: DEPT OF THE AIR FORCE, FA4809 4TH CONS SQDN CC Service Type: Janitorial/Custodial Service Mandatory for: Indiana Air National Guard, 181st Fighter Wing: Hulman Regional Airport, 800 South Petercheff, Terre Haute, IN Mandatory Source of Supply: Child-Adult Resource Services, Inc., Rockville, IN Contracting Activity: DEPT OF THE AIR FORCE, FA7014 AFDW PK Service Type: Custodial Service Mandatory for: David W. Dyer Federal Building—Courthouse, 300 NE First Ave., Miami, FL Mandatory Source of Supply: Goodwill Industries of South Florida, Inc., Miami, FL Contracting Activity: PUBLIC BUILDINGS SERVICE, ACQUISITION DIVISION/ SERVICES BRANCH Service Type: Janitorial/Custodial Service Mandatory for: 183rd Fighter Wing Air National Guard Capitol Airport, 3101 J. David Jones Parkway, Springfield, IL Mandatory Source of Supply: United Cerebral Palsy of the Land of Lincoln, Springfield, IL Contracting Activity: DEPT OF THE ARMY, W7M6 USPFO ACTIVITY IL ARNG Service Type: Laundry Service, Mandatory for: Air National Guard-Sioux City, 2920 Headquarters Avenue, Sioux City, IA Mandatory Source of Supply: Genesis Development, Jefferson, IA Contracting Activity: DEPT OF THE AIR FORCE, FA7014 AFDW PK Service Type: Food Service Mandatory for: Volk Field Air National Guard, 100 Independence Drive, Camp Douglas, WI Mandatory Source of Supply: Challenge Unlimited, Inc., Alton, IL Contracting Activity: DEPT OF THE AIR FORCE, FA7014 AFDW PK Service Type: Grounds Maintenance Service Mandatory for: 130th Airlift Squadron, 1679 Coonskin Dr., Unit #36, Charleston, WV Mandatory Source of Supply: Goodwill Industries of Kanawha Valley, Charleston, WV Contracting Activity: DEPT OF THE ARMY, W7N7 USPFO ACTIVITY WV ARNG Service Type: Grounds Maintenance Service Mandatory for: Admiral Bakerfield Army Reserve Center, San Diego, CA Mandatory Source of Supply: Job Options, Inc., San Diego, CA Contracting Activity: DEPT OF THE NAVY, U S FLEET FORCES COMMAND Amy Jensen, Director, Business Operations. [FR Doc. 2018–09529 Filed 5–3–18; 8:45 am] amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES BILLING CODE 6353–01–P COMMITTEE FOR PURCHASE FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR SEVERELY DISABLED Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled. VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:16 May 03, 2018 Jkt 244001 Correction. This Notice is to correct the Contracting Activity for NSN 2540–00– 587–2532, Tarpaulin, Green, 12’’ × 17’’ and NSN 2540–01–330–8062, Tarpaulin, Tan, 12″ × 17″. The correct Contracting Activity is Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime and not Defense Commissary Agency. DATES: Comments must be received on or before: May 20, 2018. ADDRESSES: Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, 1401 S Clark Street, Suite 715, Arlington, Virginia, 22202–4149. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information or to submit comments contact: Amy B. Jensen, Telephone: (703) 603–7740, Fax: (703) 603–0655, or email CMTEFedReg@ AbilityOne.gov. SUMMARY: Amy Jensen, Director, Business Operations. [FR Doc. 2018–09530 Filed 5–3–18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6353–01–P DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers Joint Notice of Availability for the Draft Matagorda Ship Channel Project Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Impact Statement Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD. ACTION: Notice of availability. AGENCY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District (USACE) announces the release of the Draft Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Impact Statement (DIFR–EIS) for the Tentatively Selected Plan of the Matagorda Ship Channel Improvement Project, Calhoun and Matagorda Counties, TX. The DIFR–EIS documents the existing condition of environmental resources in and around areas considered for development, and potential impacts on those resources as a result of implementing the alternatives. SUMMARY: The Galveston District will hold a public meeting for the DIFR–EIS on May 15, 2018 from 6:00–8:00 p.m. USACE will accept written public comments on the DIFR–EIS from May 7, 2018 to June 21, 2018. Comments on the DIFR–EIS must be postmarked by June 21, 2018. PO 00000 Frm 00058 Fmt 4703 The Public Meeting will be held at the Bauer Exhibit Building, 186 Henry Barber Way, County Road 101, Port Lavaca, TX 77979. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions and comments regarding the proposed draft EIS should be addressed to USACE, Galveston District, Attn: Dr. Harmon Brown, Environmental Compliance Branch, Regional Planning and Environmental Center, P.O. Box 1229, Galveston, TX 77553–1229; (409) 766–3837; harmon.brown@ usace.army.mil. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Authority: The lead agency for this proposed action is USACE. This study has been prepared under the authority of Section 216 of the 1970 Flood Control Act (Pub. L. 91–611), as amended. The non-Federal sponsor is the Calhoun Port Authority. Background: This DIFR–EIS was prepared as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to present an evaluation of potential impacts associated with the Matagorda Ship Channel (MSC) Project Tentatively Selected Plan (TSP). The USACE and the non-Federal sponsor for the study, the Calhoun Port Authority, have conducted this study and prepared the DIFR–EIS. The purpose of this project is to reduce transportation costs and increase operational efficiencies of maritime commerce movement through the Port. The majority of deep-draft ships using the MSC have design drafts in excess of the operating depth of the channel. By expanding channel dimensions, cargo vessels could reduce or eliminate light loading measures, and larger cargo vessels could begin calling on the Port and adjacent facilities. The need for changes to the MSC is derived from an analysis of current and projected vessel transits, cargo tonnage, and capacity at existing and proposed terminal facilities. This need is becoming more critical given increasing levels of maritime traffic, increasing vessel size, and the desire of Port users to capture transportation efficiencies. By expanding channel dimensions, cargo vessels could reduce or eliminate light loading measures, and larger cargo vessels, unable to transit the existing channel configuration, could begin calling on the Port and adjacent facilities. The 26-mile MSC is located 125 miles southwest of Galveston, Texas and 80 miles northeast of Corpus Christi, Texas. The northern reach of the MSC is located in Calhoun County and the southern reach and Entrance Channel are in Matagorda County. The MSC is comprised of an Entrance Channel about ADDRESSES: DATES: Procurement List; Proposed Additions AGENCY: ACTION: Sfmt 4703 19737 E:\FR\FM\04MYN1.SGM 04MYN1 amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES 19738 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 87 / Friday, May 4, 2018 / Notices four miles long from the Gulf through a man-made cut across Matagorda Peninsula, with dual jetties at the entrance from the Gulf. The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) intersects the channel approximately 2.5 miles north of the cut through Matagorda Peninsula. The bay-side channel is about 22 miles long across Matagorda and Lavaca Bays to Point Comfort with a turning basin at Point Comfort. Offshore (Entrance Channel), the channel has a 300 foot (ft) bottom width, 10 (Horizontal): 1(Vertical) (H:V) sideslopes, and is maintained at a depth of 40 ft Mean Low Low Water (MLLW) plus three feet of advance maintenance depth and two feet of allowable overdepth. Through Matagorda Peninsula, the MSC is authorized to a depth of 38 ft MLLW, with a 300 ft bottom width. Generally, in Matagorda and Lavaca Bays, the channel has a 200 ft wide bottom width with 3H:1V side-slopes and is authorized to a project depth of 38 ft, plus two feet of advance maintenance depth and an additional two feet of allowable over-depth outside the advance maintenance dredging prism. The primary turning basin is maintained to a depth of 38 ft MLLW, and is 1,000 ft by 1,000 ft. Adjacent to the primary turning basin, there is also a 1,279 ft extension that is from the turning basin limit and runs along both the north and south sides of the Calhoun Port Authority pier. Mean natural water depth in Matagorda Bay is approximately 13 ft, while depth in the adjacent bays ranges from seven to eight feet. Recommended Plan: The TSP entails deepening the channel to 47 ft MLLW, widening the entrance channel to 600 ft and the main channel to 350 ft. The size of the turning basin would be increased to 1,200 ft. A final decision will be made following the reviews and higher-level coordination within the USACE to select a plan for feasibility-level design and recommendation for implementation. The decision will be documented in the Final Integrated Feasibility Report (FIFR)–EIS. A supplemental DIFR–EIS would not likely be produced unless there are substantial design changes that significantly alter environmental impacts. Coordination with the natural resource agencies will continue throughout the study process. Project Impacts and Environmental Compliance: The recommended plan would result in the loss of approximately 19 acres of wetlands and 133 acres of oyster reef. Impacts would be fully compensated with the VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:16 May 03, 2018 Jkt 244001 restoration of estuarine emergent marsh and oyster reef in the amount determined during final feasibility planning. Conservation measures identified by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) will be considered during this process. The proposed project is not expected to adversely affect federally listed threatened or endangered species. The impact analysis determined there would be only minor impacts to soils and waterbottoms, water quality, turbidity, protected wildlife species (i.e., marine mammals, and migratory birds), benthic organisms, commercial and recreational fisheries, essential fish habitat, coastal barrier resources, air quality, and noise. No impacts to floodplains and flood control, salinity levels, protected/managed lands, or historic and cultural resources are anticipated. No impacts to minority or low-income populations are expected, and the proposed project would provide a long-term economic benefit to the shipping industry by improving efficiency and safety of commercial traffic in the Matagorda Ship Channel. Solicitation of Comments: The USACE is soliciting 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. Comments will be used in preparation of the FIFR–EIS. Document Availability: Compact disc copies of the DIFR–EIS are available for viewing at the following libraries: Matagorda Branch Library, 800 Fisher St., Matagorda, TX 74457. Calhoun County Public Library, 200 West Mahan St., Port Lavaca, TX 77979. The document can also be viewed and downloaded from the Galveston District website: https:// www.swg.usace.army.mil/BusinessWith-Us/Planning-EnvironmentalBranch/Documents-for-Public-Review/. Brenda S. Bowen, Army Federal Register Liaison Officer. [FR Doc. 2018–09480 Filed 5–3–18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3710–KF–P PO 00000 Frm 00059 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [Docket No.: ED–2018–ICCD–0054] Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Fast Response Survey System (FRSS) 109: Teachers’ Use of Technology for School and Homework Assignments National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Department of Education (ED). ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ED is proposing a revision of an existing information collection. DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before July 3, 2018. ADDRESSES: To access and review all the documents related to the information collection listed in this notice, please use https://www.regulations.gov by searching the Docket ID number ED– 2018–ICCD–0054. Comments submitted in response to this notice should be submitted electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at https:// www.regulations.gov by selecting the Docket ID number or via postal mail, commercial delivery, or hand delivery. Please note that comments submitted by fax or email and those submitted after the comment period will not be accepted. Written requests for information or comments submitted by postal mail or delivery should be addressed to the Director of the Information Collection Clearance Division, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, LBJ, Room 216–34, Washington, DC 20202–4537. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific questions related to collection activities, please contact Kashka Kubzdela, 202–245–7377 or email NCES.Information.Collections@ed.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Education (ED), in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed, revised, and continuing collections of information. This helps the Department assess the impact of its information collection requirements and minimize the public’s reporting burden. It also helps the public understand the Department’s information collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format. ED is soliciting comments on the proposed information collection request (ICR) that is described below. The Department of SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\04MYN1.SGM 04MYN1

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[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 87 (Friday, May 4, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19737-19738]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-09480]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Joint Notice of Availability for the Draft Matagorda Ship Channel 
Project Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Impact 
Statement

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District (USACE) announces the 
release of the Draft Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental 
Impact Statement (DIFR-EIS) for the Tentatively Selected Plan of the 
Matagorda Ship Channel Improvement Project, Calhoun and Matagorda 
Counties, TX. The DIFR-EIS documents the existing condition of 
environmental resources in and around areas considered for development, 
and potential impacts on those resources as a result of implementing 
the alternatives.

DATES: The Galveston District will hold a public meeting for the DIFR-
EIS on May 15, 2018 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. USACE will accept written 
public comments on the DIFR-EIS from May 7, 2018 to June 21, 2018. 
Comments on the DIFR-EIS must be postmarked by June 21, 2018.

ADDRESSES: The Public Meeting will be held at the Bauer Exhibit 
Building, 186 Henry Barber Way, County Road 101, Port Lavaca, TX 77979.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions and comments regarding the 
proposed draft EIS should be addressed to USACE, Galveston District, 
Attn: Dr. Harmon Brown, Environmental Compliance Branch, Regional 
Planning and Environmental Center, P.O. Box 1229, Galveston, TX 77553-
1229; (409) 766-3837; [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Authority: The lead agency for this proposed action is USACE. This 
study has been prepared under the authority of Section 216 of the 1970 
Flood Control Act (Pub. L. 91-611), as amended. The non-Federal sponsor 
is the Calhoun Port Authority.
    Background: This DIFR-EIS was prepared as required by the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to present an evaluation of potential 
impacts associated with the Matagorda Ship Channel (MSC) Project 
Tentatively Selected Plan (TSP). The USACE and the non-Federal sponsor 
for the study, the Calhoun Port Authority, have conducted this study 
and prepared the DIFR-EIS. The purpose of this project is to reduce 
transportation costs and increase operational efficiencies of maritime 
commerce movement through the Port. The majority of deep-draft ships 
using the MSC have design drafts in excess of the operating depth of 
the channel. By expanding channel dimensions, cargo vessels could 
reduce or eliminate light loading measures, and larger cargo vessels 
could begin calling on the Port and adjacent facilities.
    The need for changes to the MSC is derived from an analysis of 
current and projected vessel transits, cargo tonnage, and capacity at 
existing and proposed terminal facilities. This need is becoming more 
critical given increasing levels of maritime traffic, increasing vessel 
size, and the desire of Port users to capture transportation 
efficiencies. By expanding channel dimensions, cargo vessels could 
reduce or eliminate light loading measures, and larger cargo vessels, 
unable to transit the existing channel configuration, could begin 
calling on the Port and adjacent facilities.
    The 26-mile MSC is located 125 miles southwest of Galveston, Texas 
and 80 miles northeast of Corpus Christi, Texas. The northern reach of 
the MSC is located in Calhoun County and the southern reach and 
Entrance Channel are in Matagorda County. The MSC is comprised of an 
Entrance Channel about

[[Page 19738]]

four miles long from the Gulf through a man-made cut across Matagorda 
Peninsula, with dual jetties at the entrance from the Gulf. The Gulf 
Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) intersects the channel approximately 2.5 
miles north of the cut through Matagorda Peninsula. The bay-side 
channel is about 22 miles long across Matagorda and Lavaca Bays to 
Point Comfort with a turning basin at Point Comfort.
    Offshore (Entrance Channel), the channel has a 300 foot (ft) bottom 
width, 10 (Horizontal): 1(Vertical) (H:V) side-slopes, and is 
maintained at a depth of 40 ft Mean Low Low Water (MLLW) plus three 
feet of advance maintenance depth and two feet of allowable over-depth. 
Through Matagorda Peninsula, the MSC is authorized to a depth of 38 ft 
MLLW, with a 300 ft bottom width. Generally, in Matagorda and Lavaca 
Bays, the channel has a 200 ft wide bottom width with 3H:1V side-slopes 
and is authorized to a project depth of 38 ft, plus two feet of advance 
maintenance depth and an additional two feet of allowable over-depth 
outside the advance maintenance dredging prism. The primary turning 
basin is maintained to a depth of 38 ft MLLW, and is 1,000 ft by 1,000 
ft. Adjacent to the primary turning basin, there is also a 1,279 ft 
extension that is from the turning basin limit and runs along both the 
north and south sides of the Calhoun Port Authority pier. Mean natural 
water depth in Matagorda Bay is approximately 13 ft, while depth in the 
adjacent bays ranges from seven to eight feet.
    Recommended Plan: The TSP entails deepening the channel to 47 ft 
MLLW, widening the entrance channel to 600 ft and the main channel to 
350 ft. The size of the turning basin would be increased to 1,200 ft.
    A final decision will be made following the reviews and higher-
level coordination within the USACE to select a plan for feasibility-
level design and recommendation for implementation. The decision will 
be documented in the Final Integrated Feasibility Report (FIFR)-EIS. A 
supplemental DIFR-EIS would not likely be produced unless there are 
substantial design changes that significantly alter environmental 
impacts. Coordination with the natural resource agencies will continue 
throughout the study process.
    Project Impacts and Environmental Compliance: The recommended plan 
would result in the loss of approximately 19 acres of wetlands and 133 
acres of oyster reef. Impacts would be fully compensated with the 
restoration of estuarine emergent marsh and oyster reef in the amount 
determined during final feasibility planning. Conservation measures 
identified by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) will be considered during this 
process. The proposed project is not expected to adversely affect 
federally listed threatened or endangered species.
    The impact analysis determined there would be only minor impacts to 
soils and waterbottoms, water quality, turbidity, protected wildlife 
species (i.e., marine mammals, and migratory birds), benthic organisms, 
commercial and recreational fisheries, essential fish habitat, coastal 
barrier resources, air quality, and noise. No impacts to floodplains 
and flood control, salinity levels, protected/managed lands, or 
historic and cultural resources are anticipated. No impacts to minority 
or low-income populations are expected, and the proposed project would 
provide a long-term economic benefit to the shipping industry by 
improving efficiency and safety of commercial traffic in the Matagorda 
Ship Channel.
    Solicitation of Comments: The USACE is soliciting 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. Comments will be used in 
preparation of the FIFR-EIS.
    Document Availability: Compact disc copies of the DIFR-EIS are 
available for viewing at the following libraries:
    Matagorda Branch Library, 800 Fisher St., Matagorda, TX 74457.
    Calhoun County Public Library, 200 West Mahan St., Port Lavaca, TX 
77979.
    The document can also be viewed and downloaded from the Galveston 
District website: https://www.swg.usace.army.mil/Business-With-Us/Planning-Environmental-Branch/Documents-for-Public-Review/.

Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-09480 Filed 5-3-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3710-KF-P

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