Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers December 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On April 30, 2008, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District, Regulatory Division (Corps) in coordination with the Los Angeles Harbor Department (LAHD) completed and published the Recirculated Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) for the Berths 97-109 [China Shipping] Container Terminal Project (Project) in the Port of Los Angeles. The Corps and LAHD considered all comments received in preparing the Final EIS/EIR, which is available for a 30-day review. The Final EIS/EIR includes a draft general conformity determination (see Section 3.2 and Appendix P), pursuant to Section 176(c) of the Clean Air Act. A general conformity determination is necessary because Project construction would require Federal action (i.e., issuance of a Corps permit for activities proposed in and over navigable waters and waters of the U.S.) and not all the Federal action's direct and indirect emissions would be below specified de minimis thresholds (40 CFR 93.153(b)). Pursuant to the general conformity regulations (40 CFR Part 93 Subpart B), general conformity determinations do not have to be included in the EIS and can be separately noticed, but the draft general conformity determination for the Federal action associated with the Project is being included in the Final EIS/EIR in this case. The Final EIS/EIR, including the draft general conformity determination, is available for public review during the next 30 days at the Los Angeles Harbor Department, 425 South Palos Verdes Street, San Pedro, California, on the Port's Web site: https:// www.portoflosangeles.org, and on the Corps' Web site: https:// www.spl.usace.army.mil/regulatory/POLA.htm (scroll down to the links under China Shipping Project). In addition, the Final EIS/EIR, including the draft general conformity determination, is available at the following libraries: L.A. Public Library, Central Branch, 630 West 5th Street, Los Angeles, California; L.A. Public Library, San Pedro Branch, 921 South Gaffey Street, San Pedro, California; and L.A. Public Library, Wilmington Branch, 1300 North Avalon, Wilmington, California. Any comments received by the Corps and LAHD on the Final EIS/EIR or the included draft general conformity determination during the next 30 days will be considered fully before the Corps makes a final general conformity determination and finalizes the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Federal action associated with the Project. The Corps will publish a notice of a final general conformity determination in the Federal Register within 30 days of rendering a final decision. The public can request from the Corps copies of the ROD, which includes responses to comments on the Final EIS/EIR, including any on the draft general conformity determination, following publication of a final general conformity determination and upon execution of the ROD.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is issuing a final rule establishing a restricted area within Puget Sound at Orchard Point, at the U.S. Navy Manchester Fuel Depot, near Manchester. The Corps is also amending an existing regulation for restricted areas within Sinclair Inlet at the Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton and the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, at the City of Bremerton, Kitsap County. The purpose of the new restricted area is to ensure the security and safety of the public, and satisfy security, safety and operational requirements as they pertain to naval vessels. The purpose of the amended restricted area is also to ensure the security and safety of the public, and satisfy security, safety and operational requirements as they pertain to naval vessels, in addition to releasing for unimpeded transit of Washington State Ferries the eastern most area of the established restricted area. The restricted areas will be marked on navigation charts to ensure security and safety for the public.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) intends to prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) for the Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA)Louisiana, Terrebonne Basin Barrier Shoreline Restoration Project. This restoration project will restore major reaches of the Terrebonne barrier islands chain. This SEIS will be tiered off of the programmatic EIS for the Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA)Louisiana, Ecosystem Restoration Study, November 2004. The record of decision for the programmatic EIS was signed on November 18, 2005.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) intends to prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) for the Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA)Louisiana, Convey Atchafalaya River Water to Northern Terrebonne Marshes restoration project. This restoration project will increase existing Atchafalaya River influence to central (Lake Boudreaux) and eastern (Grand Bayou) Terrebonne marshes via the GIWW by introducing flow into the Grand Bayou Basin. This SEIS will be tiered off of the programmatic EIS for the Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA)Louisiana, Ecosystem Restoration Study, November 2004. The record of decision for the programmatic EIS was signed on November 18, 2005.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) intends to prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) for the Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA)Louisiana, Small Diversion at Convent/Blind River restoration project. This restoration project involves a small diversion (less than 5,000 cubic feet per second [cfs]) from the Mississippi River into the Blind River through a new control structure. This SEIS will be tiered off of the programmatic EIS for the Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA)Louisiana, Ecosystem Restoration Study, November 2004. The record of decision for the programmatic EIS was signed on November 18, 2005.

In accordance with Section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463), announcement is made of the following committee meeting: Name of Committee: Chief of Engineers Environmental Advisory Board (EAB). Topic: The EAB will discuss national considerations related to ecosystem restoration through integrated water resources management with emphasis on building collaborative partnerships, and the implementation of the Environmental Operating Principles. Date of Meeting: January 15, 2009. Place: Marines' Memorial Club and Hotel, 609 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA Time: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Thirty minutes will be set side for public comment. Members of the public who wish to speak are asked to register prior to the start of the meeting. Registration will begin at 8:30. Statements are limited to 3 minutes.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze the direct, indirect, and cumulative effects of continued commercial dredging of sand and gravel from the Missouri River in Missouri and Kansas. The proposed dredging will occur in a navigable waterway and the portion of dredged material that is too coarse or too fine to be used will be discharged back into the river, thereby requiring Department of the Army (DA) authorization under Section 10 of the River and Harbors Act and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Commercial dredging in the Missouri River has been ongoing for more than 50 years but has increased from approximately 1.3 million tons per year in 1974 to approximately 8 million tons in 2006. The current DA permits for six Missouri River commercial dredging operations will expire December 31, 2009 and those six operations and four proposed operations have applied for new DA permits to dredge up to 12.435 million tons per year beginning in 2010.