98-1721. New York and New Jersey Harbor Navigation Feasibility Study

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 16 (Monday, January 26, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3723-3724]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-1721]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


New York and New Jersey Harbor Navigation Feasibility Study

AGENCY: Corps of Engineers, Army, DOD.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District, seeks 
comments from interested individuals, groups, and businesses about the 
need for, and alternatives to, Federal participation in the deepening 
of navigation channels within the Port of New York and New Jersey. It 
will consider all comments in its formulation and selection of 
alternatives.

DATES: Comments must reach the New York District on or before 30 March 
1998.

ADDRESSES: You may mail comments to the Study Manager, Flood Control & 
Navigation Section, Planning Division, New York District, U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers, 26 Federal Plaza, New York, NY 10278-0090, or 
deliver them to Room 2151 at the same address between 9:00 a.m. and 
3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays, or e-mail to 
[e-mail]. The telephone number is [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Thomas J. Shea III, Study Manager, Flood Control & Navigation Section, 
Planning Division, New York District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 
[phone]. E-mail: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This announces the initiation of a cost 
shared feasibility level study for determining whether Federal 
participation in navigation improvements in the Port of New York and 
New Jersey is justified. The study is being conducted in partnership 
among the State of New York acting through the New York State Urban 
Development Corporation d/b/a Empire State Development Corporation, the 
State of New Jersey Department of Commerce and Economic Development 
(Maritime Resources), The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and 
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District. The study is 
authorized by Section 435 of the Water Resources Development Act of 
1996 (WRDA 96).
    Planning studies of water resource problems are conducted in two 
phases by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in its Civil Works role. The 
first phase is the reconnaissance study, accomplished entirely at 
Federal expense. The second phase is the feasibility study, which is 
cost shared equally between the Federal Government and one or more non-
Federal sponsors.
    The Section 905b, WRDA 86 Analysis Fact Sheet was completed in 
April, 1997. The purpose of this analysis is three-fold: (1) determine 
whether the Federal Government should participate in further studies of 
the water resource problems; (2) determine the scope, duration and cost 
of any further studies; (3) identify one or more non-Federal sponsors 
willing to cost-share the studies. The analysis found that there should 
be sufficient economic benefits to justify deepening selected channels 
within the Port to 50 feet or more below mean low water and identified 
the non-Federal sponsors mentioned above for the feasibility study.
    The feasibility phase will perform, in more detail, the 
engineering, economic and environmental evaluations necessary to 
identify the optimum channel depths to meet the existing and future 
needs of the Port of New York and New Jersey, with an emphasis on 
container and crude petroleum traffic. At its completion, a 
``Feasibility Report'' containing a recommendation for construction, if 
justified and supported by a non-Federal sponsor, will be released. The 
report, including the necessary environmental documentation, will be 
submitted to the United States Congress for project authorization.
    The Port of New York and New Jersey is the largest port on the East 
Coast, providing more than 166,000 port-related jobs, $20 billion in 
economic activity, and serving more than 17 million consumers in the 
states of New York and New Jersey. Through its intermodal links, the 
Port provides second day access to another 80 million consumers in the 
northeast and mid-western states. In 1995, the Port

[[Page 3724]]

received and shipped more than 44.8 million long tons of waterborne 
general cargo to all parts of the United States and throughout the 
world and received petroleum and related products from ports on the 
Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, the Caribbean, Africa and the Persian Gulf.
    The Corps' New York District requests any pertinent information 
about the project area from any Federal, state, or local agencies, and 
the private sector. In particular, we request information on the type, 
amount, and location of waterborne commerce and ships calling on the 
Port and any projections of future commerce and size of ships. This 
information will be used to define the status of the Port, forecast the 
benefits of channel improvements, and determine potential Federal 
involvement in providing deeper, wider and/or realigned channels. The 
Corps also welcomes any assistance and suggestions concerning the 
conduct of this study.
John Sassi,
Chief, Planning Division.
[FR Doc. 98-1721 Filed 1-23-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-06-M