Withdrawal of Notice of Intent (NOI) To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Modification of the Bayou Lafourche and Lafourche-Jump Waterway, Louisiana, Navigation Channel Project in Lafourche Parish, 78851 [2024-22030]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
• Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 187 (Thursday, September 26, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 78851]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-22030]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Withdrawal of Notice of Intent (NOI) To Prepare a Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement for Modification of the Bayou Lafourche 
and Lafourche-Jump Waterway, Louisiana, Navigation Channel Project in 
Lafourche Parish

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

ACTION: Notice of intent; withdrawal.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is issuing this 
notice to advise Federal, State, and local governmental agencies, and 
the public that USACE is withdrawing the notice of intent (NOI) for the 
preparation of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for 
Modification of the Bayou Lafourche and Lafourche-Jump Waterway, 
Louisiana, Navigation Channel Project in Lafourche Parish, which was 
published in the Federal Register on November 23, 2016. The Nonfederal 
Sponsor, the Greater Lafourche Port Commission, drafted an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Feasibility Report, which was 
submitted to the ASA-CW. In 2020, their EIS had an addendum to adjust 
the controlling depth of the Bayou Lafourche Waterway Federal 
navigation channel at Port Fourchon, Louisiana, to an engineering, 
economic and environmentally feasible depth and extend the main access 
channel to the natural contour of the Gulf of Mexico at the optimum 
depth. Since then, there has been a reduction of scope which involves 
less impacts than was anticipated at the time of the NOI, resulting in 
moving to an Environmental Assessment.

DATES: The notice of intent to prepare an EIS published in the Federal 
Register on November 23, 2016 (81 FR 84562), is withdrawn as of 
September 26, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New 
Orleans District, 7400 Leake Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70118-3651.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the withdrawal of the 
Notice of Intent can be directed to Jordan Logarbo, (504) 862-1158 at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The reduction in scope includes the 
following: an adjustment of the proposed dredge depth from the previous 
proposed maximum dredge depth of -50 ft mean lower low water (MLLW) to 
a proposed elevation of -30 ft MLLW for the inland reach plus 3 ft of 
advanced maintenance and to -32 ft MLLW for the offshore reach plus 4 
ft of advanced maintenance, and the proposed channel deepening would 
not require an increase in channel width. The disposal area has also 
been changed from a marsh creation project to nearshore disposal on the 
west and east sides of the jetties.
    The existing maintenance project was authorized for a navigation 
channel 300 ft wide with an elevation of -24 ft MLLW on the inland 
reach for mile 3.4 to Mile 0.0 and to an elevation of -26 ft MLLW for 
the offshore reach from Mile 0.0 to Mile -1.3. The Port Fourchon 
Federal navigation channel has been maintained by USACE within the 
proposed action dimensions and alignment.
    The Federal proposed plan includes deepening and maintenance of the 
Port Fourchon Federal navigation channel which was considered through a 
50-year period of analysis. The proposed dredging would start at 
approximately Station 0+00 and end at approximately Station 330+00. 
Deepening would be achieved by the same dredging operation that is 
currently used for maintenance. The existing maintenance project was 
authorized by WRDA 1996 for a navigation channel 300 ft wide with an 
elevation of -24 ft MLLW on the inland reach for mile 3.4 to Mile 0.0 
and to an elevation of -26 ft MLLW for the offshore reach from Mile 0.0 
to Mile -1.3. The proposed action would dredge the Federal navigation 
channel to an elevation of -30 ft MLLW for the inland reach plus 3 ft 
of advanced maintenance and to -32 ft MLLW for the offshore reach plus 
4 ft of advanced maintenance. The proposed action follows the alignment 
of the existing maintenance project and extends to the newly authorized 
limits following the natural contour of the Gulf of Mexico. Dredging 
would be accomplished with a hydraulic cutter-head dredge and material 
excavated would be transported to two (2) sites in a slurry via 
pipeline. The two dredge material disposal sites are located on the 
exterior of the existing jetties near the intersection with the 
existing shoreline. Discharge location would be 200 ft offshore and 
would extend 300-3,000 ft from the jetties in the shallow open water 
and be allowed to flow.
    The study was authorized by section 203 of the Water Resources and 
Development Act (WRDA) of 1986 (Pub. L. 99-662) as modified by section 
1014 of Water Resources and Reform Development Act (WRRDA) 2014. Also, 
by section 1126 of the Water Infrastructure Improvements of the Nation 
Act (Pub. L. 114-322) which is also known as WRDA of 2016, and section 
1152 of WRDA 2018. Section 203, as amended via the above referenced 
provisions, allows non-Federal interests, such as GLPC, to undertake 
feasibility studies of proposed navigation projects and submit them to 
the (ASA-CW).
    The Draft EA was made available for a 30-day public review and 
comment period beginning on May 17, 2024 and ending on June 15, 2024 
and can be found on the study website at https://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/About/Projects/Port-Fourchon/.

James A. Bodron,
Program Director, Mississippi Valley Division.
[FR Doc. 2024-22030 Filed 9-25-24; 8:45 am]
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