Engineers Corps October 21, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) published in the Federal Register dated November 4, 2004 (69 FR 64280) a Notice of Intent (NOI) to initiate preparation of a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement/Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (SEIS/SEIR) for additional disposal capacity needed to complete the Port of Los Angeles Channel Deepening Project for Navigation Improvement (Channel Deepening Project), Los Angeles Harbor, Los Angeles, California. Subsequent to the publishing of the NOI, several changes and additional considerations led to the publication of this Supplemental Notice of Intent (SNOI). The major changes and considerations include the designation of beneficial reuse of dredged material within the Port of Los Angeles as a project purpose, and consideration of reasonably foreseeable uses to disposal sites. This public notice also serves as the NOI to issue any Regulatory and other permits as may be required to implement the proposed project. The SEIS/SEIR will consider the potential impacts of the reasonably foreseeable use of proposed disposal sites for future port development. The assessment will entail the use of generalized assumptions in lieu of project-specific conditions that are not available at this time or within the scope of the Channel Deepening Project. It is emphasized that a Record of Decision (ROD) approving this SEIS/SEIR or approval of any landfill disposal option will not authorize any future development at landfill disposal sites. Future State and Federal environmental documents and permits may be required prior to any development of land created as a result of this project. USACE began construction in October 2002 and is currently using disposal areas previously approved as part of the Channel Deepening Project. The Channel Deepening Project will improve the efficient use of Los Angeles Harbor by deepening the Inner Harbor Channels to accommodate the most modern vessels in the commercial container fleet. The current project also includes approved disposal areas that allow for the beneficial use of dredge material for environmental enhancement and potential port development. It has been determined that for reasons related to construction of the currently approved disposal facilities, project and contract modifications, and dredging and disposal operations, additional disposal capacity of approximately 4 million cubic yards (mcy) is needed to complete the Channel Deepening Project. Details regarding the genesis of the volume of material will be provided in the SEIS/SEIR. Disposal options identified to date that will be analyzed in the SEIS/SEIR include creation of new land that could be used for future port development, several environmental enhancement options, removal and capping of contaminated sediments at the Consolidated Slip, disposal at the existing Pier 400 Submerged Material Storage Site, and ocean disposal. Other options resulting from public and agency participation and resulting from further analyses will also be considered in the preparation and documentation of the SEIS/SEIR.