[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 38 (Friday, February 26, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9480-9481]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-4731]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for Proposed Open-Water Placement of Dredged Material at Site
104, Queen Anne's County, Maryland
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, is
initiating a 45-day public review and comment period of the draft EIS
for the Proposed Open-Water Placement of Dredged Material at Site 104,
located in Queen Anne's County, Maryland. The EIS was prepared to (1)
identify and evaluate the potential environmental impacts associated
with the proposed project and (2) to develop a document for the public
to use to participate in the District's decision making process.
Specifically, the EIS identifies existing conditions, identifies any
anticipated changed environmental conditions, re-examines previously
collected data in light of new or updated methodologies, collects new
environmental data, and evaluates alternatives to address the purpose
and need of the project.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action
and the draft EIS can be addressed to Mr. Wesley E. Coleman Jr.,
Baltimore District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: CENAB-PL-P,
P.O. Box 1715, Baltimore, Maryland 21203-1715, telephone (410) 962-4713
or 1-800-295-1610. E-mail address: wesley.e.coleman@usace.army.mil
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
1. The Maryland Port Administration (MPA) and the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers (USACE) are responsible for maintaining, through periodic
dredging, the 126 miles of Federal navigation channels that serve the
Port of Baltimore. Continued maintenance dredging is required to ensure
the efficiency and safety of the approach channels to the Port of
Baltimore. Maintenance dredging of the Chesapeake Bay approach channels
requires the removal of approximately 3.5 million cubic yards (mcy) of
material per year, excluding material from the Virginia channels,
Baltimore Harbor channels, and additional channels north of the
Sassafras River that are dredged by Philadelphia District (CENAP).
Several new-work dredging projects are currently proposed to improve
navigation safety and efficiency for the Chesapeake Bay approach
channels over the next several years. These new-work projects would
require the removal of an additional 18 mcy of dredged material from
the Chesapeake Bay approach channels over that time period. The
Baltimore District is evaluating Site 104 as a potential open-water
placement area for this maintenance and new work material. Therefore,
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, is now preparing
an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Proposed Open-Water
Placement of Dredged Material at Site 104, Queen Anne's County,
Maryland.
2. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA),
the Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, is initiating a 45-day
public review and comment period for the draft EIS for the Proposed
Open-Water Placement of Dredged Material at Site 104, located in Queen
Anne's County, Maryland. Site 104 is a previously used 1,800-acre open-
water placement site located approximately 2,000 feet north of the
Chesapeake Bay Bridge, east of the navigational channel, and 1 mile
west of Kent Island. Site 104 was established in 1924 by the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, and was used for the placement of dredged material
through 1975. Currently, the site is approximately 6.8 km (4.2 miles)
long and 1.1 km (0.65 miles) wide. The depth ranges from-12.8 to -23.3
meters (-42 to -76 feet) mean lower low water (MLLW). If a decision is
made to use Site 104, placement would be restricted to areas deeper
than the -14 meter(-45 foot) contour interval to achieve a final site
elevation of approximately -14 meters (-45 feet) MLLW. Placement would
occur only between October 15 through April 15, thus avoiding the most
sensitive periods for most natural resources of concern in the area and
minimizing nutrient and water quality impacts. Two potential types of
placement are proposed for the site: bottom release scow of
mechanically dredged materials or controlled bottom pipeline placement
of hydraulically rehandled dredged materials.
3. Studies to date indicate that open-water placement of dredged
material at Site 104 would have both negative and positive
environmental impacts. The
[[Page 9481]]
majority of negative effects are short-term, temporary, and of minimal
environmental significance. The positive effects and overall benefits
of the project are expected to be long-term. The Proposed Action is not
expected to adversely impact setting, geology, hydrology, groundwater,
sediment quality, SAV, terrestrial or avian resources, cultural
resources or archaeological resources in the region. Nor will the
proposed project involve the use, storage or transport of hazardous,
toxic or radioactive materials during or after placement. Although some
short-term adverse impacts are anticipated for water quality, aquatic
resources, air quality, noise, socioeconomics, aesthetics, and
recreational resources, adverse cumulative impacts to these resources
are not expected. The proposed action is in full compliance with NEPA
regulation 40 CFR 1500-1508, Corps of Engineers Regulation 200-2-2, the
Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act, and all other applicable
laws and regulations.
4. Any person who has an interest in the project is asked to
provide comments within 45 days of the date of publication of this
notice to the address in the following paragraph. Written comments
should be submitted by Monday, April 12, 1999. Comments must clearly
set forth the interest that may be affected by this proposed action and
the manner in which the interest may be affected.
5. Individuals who want to review the draft EIS may examine a copy
at any of the following locations:
Queen Anne's County Free Library, 121 South Commerce Street,
Centreville, Maryland 21617.
Queen Anne's County Free Library, 200 Library Circle, Stevensville,
Maryland 21666.
Kent County Public Library, 408 High Street, Chestertown, Maryland
21620.
Anne Arundel County Public Library, North County Branch, 1010 Eastway
Drive, Glen Burnie, Maryland 21060.
Frederick Douglas Library, University of Maryland, Eastern Shore,
Princess Anne, Maryland 21853-1299.
Miller Library, Washington College, 300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown,
Maryland 21620.
The document has also been distributed to Federal, state, and local
regulatory agencies, known interested organizations, and those
individuals who have requested it. Individuals may obtain a copy of the
document by writing to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore
District, ATTN: CENAB-PL-P (Mr. Wesley E. Coleman Jr.), P.O. Box 1715,
Baltimore, MD 21203-1715, or by telephone at (410) 962-4713 or 1-800-
295-1610. Written comments or inquiries may also be sent by fax to Mr.
Coleman at (410) 962-4698 or by electronic mail to p@usace.army.mil. The EIS is also available on the Baltimore District's
Internet website as an Adobe Acrobat file at www.nab.usace.army.mil.
6. A Public Workshop to enable interested persons to learn about
the proposed project and to ask questions of technical experts is
scheduled for Thursday, March 11, 1999, from 12:00 noon to 8:00 p.m. at
Queen Anne's County Free Library, Kent Island Branch, 200 Library
Circle, Stevensville, Maryland. Formal Public Hearings to receive
comments from the public on the draft EIS are scheduled in three
locations:
March 22, 1999 at 7:00 p.m., Kent Island High School, 900 Love Point
Road, Stevensville, Maryland.
March 25, 1999 at 7:00 p.m., Kent County High School, 25301 Lambs
Meadow Road, Worton, Maryland.
March 30, 1999 at 7:00 p.m., Annapolis Senior High School, 2700 Riva
Road, Annapolis, Maryland.
The purpose of these hearings will be to record public comments
only; those who have questions about the project should plan to attend
the Public Workshop described above or contact Mr. Wesley Coleman, at
(410) 962-4713 or 1-800-295-1610.
Robert F. Gore,
Acting Chief, Planning Division.
[FR Doc. 99-4731 Filed 2-25-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-41-M
