[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 177 (Tuesday, September 14, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 49783]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-23936]
[[Page 49783]]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Joint Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement/Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (SEIS/SEIR) for the
Port of Los Angeles Channel Deepening Project Feasibility Study; Los
Angeles County, CA
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), DOD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The Corps and the Port of Los Angeles (POLA) propose to deepen
the Main Channel of the Port of Los Angeles from -45' Mean Lower Low
Water (MLLW) to between -50' MLLW and -55' MLLW dredging and disposing
of approximately 3.7 to 7.8 million cubic yards (mcy).
ADDRESSES: Commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles
District, Attn: CESPL-PD-RN, P.O. Box 532711, Los Angeles, California,
90053-2325.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact Mr.
Larry Smith, phone (213) 452-3846; or E-mail:
lsmith@spl.usace.army.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: .
1. Authorization: The study was authorized by the Water Resources
Development Act of 1986 (P.L. 99-662) Section 203.
2. Background: The SEIS/SEIR supplements the Deep Draft Navigation
Improvements, Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbors, San Pedro Bay,
California Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report
(SEPT 1992) and the Channel Deepening Project Port of Los Angeles
Environmental Impact Report (JAN 1998).
3. Proposed Action: The Corps and the POLA are proposing to deepen
the main navigation channel into the Port of Los Angeles in order to
accommodate the larger deeper draft generation of container ships now
entering the shipping service. The proposed project would deepen the
Main Channel from its current depth of -45' MLLW to a propose depth of
either -50', -52', or -55' MLLW. This would require the dredging of
between 3.7 to 7.8 mcy of harbor sediments. Disposal options include
offshore, near/onshore and upland sites. Potential disposal sites being
investigated are the Pier 300 Expansions Site, the Pier 400 Submerged
Storage Site, the Pier 400 Upland Site, the Southwest Slip Fill Site,
the Cabrillo Shallow Water Habitat Expansion Site, a local Upland
Disposal site, and/or Ocean Disposal Sites LA-2 and/or LA-3.
4. Alernatives: Alternative depths being considered are -50' MLLW,
-52' MLLW and -55' MLLW. Alternative disposal sites are listed above.
Each site will be evaluated for its full storage potential. A
combination of sites will be selected based on the chosen channel depth
alternative, and thus dredge disposal volume, and potential impacts
from the use of each disposal site. The proposed plan, viable project
alternatives, and the ``no action'' plan will be carried forward for
detailed analysis pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321, as amended) and the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) of 1970 (Public Resources Code,
Sections 21000-21177).
5. Scoping Process: a. Potential impacts associated with the
proposed action will be fully evaluated. Resource categories that will
be analyzed are: biology, air quality, water quality, cultural
resources, land use, geology, recreational, aesthetics, ground and
vessel transportation, noise, public health and safety, and utilities.
b. The Corps and the POLA are preparing a joint Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement/Report (SEIS/SEIR) to address potential
impacts associated with the proposed project. The Corps is the Lead
Federal Agency for compliance with NEPA for the project, and the POLA
is the Lead State Agency for compliance with the CEQA for the non-
Federal aspects of the project. The Draft SEIS/SEIR (DSEIS/SEIR)
document will incorporate public concerns in the analysis of impacts
associated with the Proposed Action and associated project
alternatives. The DSEIS/SEIR will be sent out for a 45-day public
review period, during which time both written and verbal comments will
be solicited on the adequacy of the document. The Final SEIS/SEIR
(FSEIS/SEIR) will address the comments received on the DSEIS/SEIR
during public review, and will be furnished to all who commented on the
DSEIS/SEIR, and is made available to anyone that requests a copy during
the 30-day public comment period. The final step involves, for the
federal SEIS, preparing a Record of Decision (ROD) and, for the state
SEIR, certifying the SEIR and adopting a Mitigation Monitoring and
Reporting Plan. The ROD is a concise summary of the decisions made by
the Corps from among the alternatives presented in the FSEIS/SEIR. The
ROD can be published immediately after the FSEIS public comment period
ends. A certified SEIR indicates that the environmental document
adequately assesses the environmental impacts of the proposed project
with respect to CEQA.
c. The public, as well as Federal, State, and local agencies are
encouraged to participate in the scoping process by attending the
scoping meeting and/or submitting data, information, and comments
identifying relevant environmental and socioeconomic issues to be
addressed in the environmental analysis. Useful information includes
other environmental studies, published and unpublished data, historical
photos of the area, alternatives that should be addressed in the
analysis, and potential environmental enhancement and restoration
opportunities that exist along the creek. Individuals and agencies may
offer information or data relevant to the proposed study and provide
comments by attending the public scoping meeting, or by mailing the
information to Mr. Larry Smith before 15 September, 1999. Requests to
be placed on the mailing list for announcements and the DSEIS/SEIR
should also be sent to Mr. Larry Smith.
6. Location and time: A formal scoping meeting to solicit public
comment and concerns on the proposed action and alternatives will be
held on September 15, 1999 at 3:00 P.M., in the Port Plaza Building of
the Port Los Angeles, 425 South Palos Verdes Street, San Pedro,
California.
Dated: September 10, 1999.
John P. Carroll,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 99-23936 Filed 9-13-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-KF-M
