[Federal Register: July 14, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 134)]
[Notices]
[Page 40692-40693]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14jy05-22]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement for the Dredged Material Management Plan for the Calcasieu
River and Pass, Louisiana, Federal Navigation Channel
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District (CEMVN)
is initiating this draft supplemental environmental impact statement
(DSEIS) under the authority of the Rivers and Harbors Act of July 24,
1946 (House Document 190, 79th Congress, 2nd Session) and prior Rivers
and Harbors acts; the Rivers and Harbors Act of July 14, 1960 (House
Document 436, 86th Congress, 2nd Session); the Rivers and Harbors Act
of October 23, 1962 (House Document 582, 87th Congress, 2nd Session);
the Senate Public Works committee on December 27, 1970, and the House
Public Works committee on December 15, 1970, under the provisions of
Section 201 of the Flood Control Act of 1965 (Pub. L. 89-298; S.D. 91-
111); and Section 107 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1960, as amended
by Section 310 and Section 112 of the Rivers and Harbors Acts of 1965
and 1970, respectively, to investigate dredged material placement for
the next 20 years of maintenance dredging of the Calcasieu and River
and Pass, LA. The Calcasieu River and Pass, LA project does not have
adequate dredged material disposal areas for the long-term maintenance
of the project. Existing disposal sites are at or near capacity, and
some disposal sites have been substantially eroded into adjacent water
bodies. Other disposal areas have been lost to commercial developments.
As a result, remaining disposal areas cannot accommodate the volume of
dredged material needed to maintain the Calcasieu River and Pass, LA
navigation channel to project-authorized dimensions, and CEMVN has been
forced to reduce channel dimensions in some reaches.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions concerning this DEIS should
be addressed to Mr. Casey Rowe at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, PM-RP,
P.O. Box 60267, New Orleans, LA 70160-0267, phone (504) 862-1583, fax
number (504) 862-2572 or by e-mail at
Casey.J.Rowe@mvn02.usace.army.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Proposed Action. The overall goal of the dredged material
management plan is to investigate and develop a long-term management
plan to maintain, in an economically and environmentally sound manner,
the Federally authorized channel dimensions, and maximize the use of
the dredged material as a beneficial resource.
2. Alternatives. A number of alternative dredged material disposal
sites will be investigated for the Calcasieu River and Pass, LA
project, as well as feasible alternatives to maximize the capacity of
existing dredged material disposal areas along the channel.
3. Scoping. Scoping is the process for determining the scope of
alternatives and significant issues to be addressed in the DSEIS. For
this analysis, a letter will be sent to all parties believed to have an
interest in the analysis, requesting their input on alternative
disposal sites and issues to be evaluated. The letter will also notify
interested parties of public scoping meetings that will be held in the
local area. Notices will also be sent to local news media. All
interested parties are invited to comment at this time, and anyone
interested in this study should request to be included in the study
mailing list.
Two public scoping meetings will be held in July 2005, in Calcasieu
and Cameron Parishes. Depending on public interest, and if further
public coordination is warranted, additional meetings may be scheduled.
4. Significant Issues. The tentative list of resources and issues
to be evaluated in the DSEIS include essential fish habitat, wetlands,
aquatic resources, commercial and recreational fisheries, wildlife
resources, water quality, air quality, threatened and endangered
species, recreation resources, and cultural resources. Socioeconomic
impacts will also be evaluated in the DSEIS, including navigation as
well as potential noise impacts.
Environmental Consultation and Review. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (USFWS) will be assisting in the documentation of existing
conditions and assessment of effects of project alternative through
Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act consultation procedures. The USFWS
will also provide a Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act report. The
CEMVN will consult with the USFWS and National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS) concerning threatened and endangered species and their critical
habitat. The CEMVN will coordinate with the Advisory Counsel on
Historic Preservation and the State Historic Preservation Officer. The
CEMVN will coordinate with the Louisiana Department of Natural
Resources regarding consistency with the Coastal Zone Management Act.
The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality will review the
action for consistency with applicable laws regarding the discharge of
dredged material as it relates to impacting water quality and will
provide the State of Louisiana Water Quality Certification.
Coordination may also occur with the following agencies for evaluation
of impacts to significant resources: U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, Minerals Management Service, Natural Resources Conservation
Service, U.S. Geologic Survey, and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and
Fisheries.
Estimated Date of Availability. Funding levels and time constraints
will dictate the date when the DSEIS will be available for review. The
earliest date
[[Page 40693]]
that the draft EIS is expected to be available is November 2006.
Dated: June 23, 2005.
Stephen E. Jeselink,
Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 05-13872 Filed 7-13-05; 8:45 am]
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