[Federal Register: January 19, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 12)]
[Notices]
[Page 3059-3060]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19ja06-38]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the
Wilmington Harbor-96 Act, General Reevaluation Report, New Hanover
County, NC
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The Wilmington Harbor-96 Act project is being constructed for
the purpose of enhancing commercial shipping the Cape Fear River and
Northeast Cape Fear River, and the State Port in Wilmington, New
Hanover County, NC. The project, including turning basin and mitigation
efforts were originally addressed in an Environmental Impact Statement,
Cape Fear--Northeast Cape Fear Rivers Comprehensive Study, Wilmington,
NC, dated June 1996, which was supplemented by an Environmental
Assessment, Preconstruction Modifications of Authorized Improvements,
Wilmington Harbor, NC, dated February 2000. However since then, the
need for new project features and mitigation issues have arisen. In
order to address these issues, a General Reevaluation Report (GRR) will
be prepared, and a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) will be
included as a part of this process. The GRR and DEIS will address the
proposed relocation of a turning basin in the Northeast Cape Fear
River, and a reevaluation of alternatives for fish passage at the three
locks and dams on the Cape Fear River.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action
and DEIS can be answered by: Mr. Jeff Richter, Environmental Resources
Section; U.S. Army Engineer District, Wilmington; Post Office Box 1890;
Wilmington, NC 28402-1890; telephone: (910) 251-4636.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The existing basin used for turning ships in
the Northeast Cape Fear River is downstream of the major terminal, and
there are two bridges between the basin and terminal. Usually the ships
transit
[[Page 3060]]
upstream bow-first through the two bridges, but must back downstream
stern-first through the bridges to the turning basin. For safety
reasons, the docking pilots requested that the turning basis be
relocated upstream of the bridges so ships can proceed bow-first
through the bridges in both directions. The most significant issue
related to a relocated turning basin is mitigation of dredging impacts
to primary nursery areas for marine fisheries.
In order to deepen sections of Wilmington Harbor, blasting has been
required to remove rock. This blasting could impact the endangered
shortnose sturgeon that inhabits the harbor. To mitigate for this
potential impact, fish passage was required at the most downstream of
the three Cape Fear River locks and dams. The proposed fish passage
plan involved the construction of an approximate 3,800-foot long fish
bypass channel around the lock-and-dam. This plan has not been
implemented due to lack of funds and real estate issues. During the
GRR/DEIS process, additional alternatives will be considered that could
include modification or removal or the locks and dams. This would
require deauthorization of the lock and dam project. This action may be
proposed because there is no longer any commercial traffic using the
locks and dams, which is the authorized project purpose. Significant
issues related to fish passage include water supply users upstream of
the locks and dams and recreational and commercial fisheries.
All private parties and Federal, State, and local agencies having
an interest in the study are hereby notified of the intent to prepare a
DEIS and are invited to comment at this time. A scoping meeting was
held on June 30, 2005 to help determine whether an EIS or EA should be
prepared. All comments received as a result of this notice of intent
and the scoping meeting will be considered in the preparation of the
DEIS.
The lead agency for this project is the U.S. Army Engineer
District, Wilmington. Cooperating agency status has not be assigned to,
nor requested by, any other agency.
The DEIS is being prepared in accordance with the requirements of
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and will
address the relationship of the proposed action to all other applicable
Federal and State Laws and Executive Orders.
The DEIS is currently scheduled to be available in October 2007.
Dated: January 10, 2006.
John E. Pulliam, Jr.,
Colonel, EN, Commanding.
[FR Doc. 06-485 Filed 1-18-06; 8:45 am]
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