[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 118 (Tuesday, June 21, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-14968]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: June 21, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army
Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)
for the Construction and Operation of a Dredged Material Placement
Facility at Holland, MI
AGENCY: U.S. Army Cops of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The Detroit District, Corps of Engineers, proposes to
construct and operate a dredged material placement facility at Holland,
Michigan. The Federal navigation project at Holland, Michigan extends
approximately six miles from Lake Michigan to Holland, Michigan. The
navigation channel has an authorized depth of 21 feet in the main
channel and 23 feet in the entrance channel. Channel depth has been
significantly reduced by shoal buildup in certain areas of the project,
resulting in impacts to shipping. The proposed dredged material
placement facility is necessary to allow for continued maintenance
dredging and would allow restoration of authorized project depths.
ADDRESSES: U.S. Army Engineer District, Detroit; Environmental Analysis
Branch, P.O. Box 1027; Detroit, Michigan 48231-1027.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Paul H. Allerding, 313-226-7590.
SUPPLEMENTRY INFORMATION: Holland Harbor, Michigan, is on the eastern
shore of Lake Michigan, about 95 miles northeast from Chicago,
Illinois. The Federal navigation project extends approximately six
miles eastward from Lake Michigan, through Lake Macatawa to the mouth
of the Macatawa River at Holland, Michigan. Authorized project depths
are 21 feet in the main navigation channel and 23 feet in the entrance
channel. And 18-foot deep turning basin is located near the upstream
limit of the project.
Sites previously used for dredged material placement are at
capacity. In addition, the navigation project has an estimated backlog
of 130,000 cubic yards of sediments, which have impacted shipping by
significantly reducing channel depths in certain areas of the project.
Therefore, to allow for restoration of authorized project depths and
continued operation and maintenance (O&M) of the Federal project, the
Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, proposes to construct a new
dredged placement facility at Holland, Michigan.
The proposed facility would be designed to contain approximately
400,000 cubic yards of shoal material, which would accommodate 10 to 20
years of O&M dredging, depending on site and material management
practices. This facility would be incorporated into the Long-Term
Dredged Material Management Plan for Holland Harbor, which is currently
being developed to accommodate at least 20 years of O&M dredging.
Alternative sites for dredged material placement include upland
sites, open-water placement, and beach nourishment. The no Federal
action alternative will also be considered and will serve as a baseline
from which to measure the impacts of the action alternatives.
A proposed upland sit is a farm about two miles east of Lake
Macatawa in Holland Township. This site, which is in an industrial zone
along the north side of Macatawa River, extends south from Lakewood
Boulevard between 112th and 120th Avenues (approximately the N\1/4\ of
the SW\1/4\ of Section 22, T5N, R15W).
A preliminary design for the farm site is a facility construed with
earthen dikes, up to approximately 11 feet in height, occupying
approximately 30 acres. Dredged material would be transported to the
facility by truck or hydraulic pipeline. The pipeline would be routed
up the Macatawa River.
An alternative upland disposal site is located about two miles
north of Lake Macatawa in Section 15 of Park Township (T5N, R16W),
which is bounded by 160th and 168th Avenues and Riley and James
Streets. This section includes scattered residential development,
wooded areas, blown-out dunes, and two Superfund cleanup areas
(Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act,
1980). An earthen design would be considered.
Open-water placement could be at or near previously used open-water
sites, approximately 1.5 miles west-southwest from the harbor entrance
along the 60-foot depth contour of Lake Michigan. Open-water placement
of material dredged from some areas of the navigation channel would
require covering or capping with cleaner material.
Only harbor entry channel material is suitable for beach
nourishment. Dredged material from the remainder of the project is
unsuitable for beach nourishment because it is fine-grained. Beach
nourishment is in use as dredged material management tool at Holland
Harbor and would be considered for future disposal or suitable
materials.
Significant issued to be analyzed include potential impacts on
wetlands, water quality, fish and wildlife habitat, cultural resources,
and farmlands. Social impacts including impacts upon recreation and
aesthetics, will also be considered.
The proposed actions will be revised for compliance with the Fish
and Wildlife Act of 1956; the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of
1958; the National Historic Preservation Act of 1989; the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969; the Clean Air Act of 1970; the
Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972; the Endangered Species Act of
1973; the Water Resources Development Act of 1976; the Clean Water Act
of 1977; the Farmland Protection Policy Act (Subtitle I of Title XV of
the Agriculture and Food Act of 1981); Executive Order 11593,
Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment, May 1971;
Executive Order 11988, Flood Plain Management, May 1977; Executive
Order 11990, Wetland Protection, May 1977; and Corps of Engineers,
Department of the Army, 33 CFR part 230, Environmental Quality: Policy
and Procedure for Implementing NEPA.
The proposed project will be coordinated in detail with the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(FWS), the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and the Michigan
State Historic Preservation Office. Funds have been provided to the FWS
(pursuant to the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1958) for the
preparation of detailed report on potential project impacts on fish and
wildlife resources.
All affected Federal, State and local agencies, Indian tribes, and
other private organizations and parties are invited to participate in
the proposed project review. Questions, concerns, and comments may be
directed to the address given in this notice. The Macatawa Area
Coordinating Council, a local planning group, has scheduled a public
meeting for August 2, 1994, at Holland, Michigan. It is anticipated
that the DEIS would be available for public review in February 1995.
Kenneth L. Denton,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 94-14968 Filed 6-20-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-GA-M
