[Federal Register: August 13, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 156)]
[Notices]
[Page 50175-50176]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr13au04-57]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for
Improvements to the Cedar Bayou Navigation Channel Near Baytown in
Harris and Chambers Counties, TX
AGENCY: Department of the Army; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The proposed study to improve the existing channel on Cedar
Bayou was authorized by the Water Resources Development Act of 2000,
Section 349. The proposed action to be addressed in the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) is to evaluate several widening
and deepening alternatives to improve navigation efficiency and safety
of the Cedar Bayou Navigation Channel from the Houston Ship Channel in
Galveston Bay up Cedar Bayou to the State Highway (Hwy) 146 crossing in
Harris and Chambers Counties, Texas. The existing navigation channel
has dimensions of 10 feet depth and 100 feet width from the Houston
Ship Channel to approximately Mile 3.0 in the lower reach of Cedar
Bayou. The study will focus on alternatives for improving the
navigability of Cedar Bayou and examine the impacts of extending the
channel another 8 miles upstream to Hwy 146. The project is located in
the City of Baytown, which is located approximately 25 miles east of
the City of Houston. The non-federal sponsor for the project is the
Chambers County Cedar Bayou Navigation District (CCCBND).
DATES: A public meeting will be scheduled during the 45-day public
review period for the Draft EIS in January 2005.
ADDRESSES: Written comments for the public review period and meeting
should be forwarded to Dr. Terrell Roberts, Environmental Lead, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, P.O. Box 1229, Galveston, TX 77553-1229; fax:
(409) 766-3064.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action
and DEIS can be answered by: Mr. Richard Tomlinson, Project Manager,
Project Management Branch, Telephone: (409) 766-3917, E-mail:
richard.d.tomlinson@usace.army.mil or Dr. Terrell Roberts,
Environmental Lead, Environmental Section, Telephone: (409) 766-3035,
E-mail: terrell.w.roberts@usace.army.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Background: The study process began in 1997 when the CCBND was
created by the 75th Texas State Legislature to improve the navigability
of Cedar Bayou. The feasibility study began in 1999 and will determine
the most cost-effective alternative for improving the channel while
protecting the local environment.
2. Alternative: Several construction alternatives and an ``no-
action'' alternative will be evaluated for deepening and widening Cedar
Bayou Channel. Alternatives will also be evaluated for the management
of dredged material. The alternatives to be evaluated are: (1)
Deepening and widening the channel to dimensions of 12 feet deep and
125 feet wide from the
[[Page 50176]]
Houston Ship Channel (Mile -3) to SH 146 (Mile 11.4); (2) Deepening and
widening the channel from Mile 3 to Mile 11.4 to match the currently
maintained channel from the Houston Ship Channel to Mile 3 (10 ft deep
and 100 ft wide); (3) Deepening the channel to 9 feet from Mile 3 to
Mile 11.4; (4) Eliminating a series of tight bends known as the Devil's
Elbow by dredging a new channel (Devil's Elbow Cutoff) to the north of
these bends; (5) Creating 200-ft wide passing lanes in straight
stretches of the channel; and (6) No Action. A ``no-action''
alternative will be evaluated and presented for comparison purposes in
evaluating the various construction alternatives.
3. Scoping: The scoping process will involve Federal, State, and
Local agencies, and other interested persons and organizations. Three
public scoping meetings were held (March 22, 2000, December 11, 2000,
and March 16, 2004) to explain the project and solicit information
about public concerns and comments on the project. The information
provided by the public, resource agencies, local industry, local
government, and other interested parties was used to help develop
planning objectives, identify significant resources and issues,
evaluate impacts of various alternatives, and identify a plan that will
be socially and environmentally acceptable. Another public meeting will
be conducted during the public review period for the DEIS to update the
public on the project, collect public comments on the DEIS, and discuss
various issues associated with the channel improvements and placement
of dredged material.
4. Coordination: Further coordination with environmental agencies
will be conducted under the National Environmental Policy Act, the Fish
and Wildlife Coordination Act, the Endangered Species Act, the
Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the
National Historic Preservation Act, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (Essential Fish Habitat), and the
Coastal Zone Management Act (Texas Coastal Management Program).
Coordination with Federal and State regulatory agencies, the Local
sponsors, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been initiated and
will continue throughout the development of the DEIS.
5. DEIS Preparation. It is estimated that the DEIS will be
available to the public for review and comment in December 2004.
Dated: August 10, 2004.
Carolyn Murphy,
Chief, Environmental Section.
[FR Doc. 04-18516 Filed 8-12-04; 8:45 am]
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