Engineers Corps December 22, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is considering an application for Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act permits authorizing dredge and fill activities to create three new harbors (North Harbor, Downtown Harbor, and 7th Street Harbor) along the San Pedro Waterfront, construct pile- supported structures to provide additional areas for land-side use, and construct a waterfront promenade and Outer Harbor cruise ship terminal. The reason for the new NOI is the scope of the previous project, titled From Bridge to Breakwater San Pedro Waterfront and Promenade, was reduced, a new permit application was submitted, and the proposed project has been modified to focus on infrastructure improvements, cruise program expansion, and to increase public access to the waterfront. The primary Federal concern is the dredging and discharging of fill material within waters of the United States and potential significant impacts resulting from such dredging and discharges to the environment. Therefore, in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Corps is requiring the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) prior to consideration of any permit action. The Corps may ultimately make a determination to permit or deny the above project, or permit or deny modified versions of the above project. Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Port of Los Angeles will serve as Lead Agency in preparing an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for its consideration of development approvals within its jurisdiction. The Corps and the Port of Los Angeles have agreed to jointly prepare a Draft EIS/EIR in order to optimize efficiency and avoid duplication. The Draft 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.