[House Document 105-164]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



105th Congress, 1st Session  - - - - - - - - - - House Document 105-164


 
   NAVIGATION PROJECT FOR CAPE FEAR-NORTHEAST RIVERS, NORTH CAROLINA

                               __________

                             COMMUNICATION

                                  from

  THE ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY (CIVIL WORKS), THE DEPARTMENT OF THE 
                                  ARMY

                              transmitting

 A REPORT ON THE AUTHORIZED DEEP-DRAFT NAVIGATION PROJECT FOR THE CAPE 
FEAR-NORTHEAST (CAPE FEAR) RIVERS, NORTH CAROLINA, PURSUANT TO PUB. L. 
                        104-303, SEC. 101(a)(22)





  November 4, 1997.--Referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
                Infrastructure and ordered to be printed



                            C O N T E N T S

                              ----------                              
                                                                   Page
Letter of Transmittal............................................     v
Comments of the Office of Management and Budget..................   vii
Commments of the State of North Carolina.........................  viii
Comments of the Department of the Interior.......................   xvi
Comments of the Environmental Protection Agency..................  xvii
Commments of the Department of Health and Human Services......... xviii
Report of the Chief of Engineers, Department of the Army.........     1
Report of the District Engineer:
    Syllabus.....................................................     6
    Addendum to the Feasibility Property and Environmental Impact 
      Statement..................................................     7
    Section I--Introduction......................................    62
        Study Authority..........................................    62
        Purpose and Scope of Study...............................    62
        Study Participants and Coordination......................    63
        Prior Reports............................................    65
    Section II--Problem Identification...........................    68
        Public Concerns..........................................    68
        The Federal Objective....................................    68
        Study Area...............................................    68
        Port Facilities, Wilmington Harbor.......................    68
        Existing Federal Project.................................    69
        Problems, Needs, and Opportunities.......................    73
            Reach 1--Navigation Problems and Improvements 
              Considered.........................................    73
            Reach 2--Navigation Problems and Improvements 
              Considered.........................................    77
            Reach 3--Navigation Problems and Improvements 
              Considered.........................................    79
        Summary of Problem, Needs, and Opportunities.............    79
    Section III--Potential Economic Benefits for Harbor 
      Improvements...............................................    80
        Wilmington Harbor Commerce...............................    81
            Historic Commerce....................................    81
            Future Commerce......................................    83
        Vessel Fleet, Wilmington Harbor..........................    85
            Existing Vessel Fleet................................    85
        Trading Ports............................................    86
        Most Efficient Vessel Sizes with various Channel 
          Constraints............................................    87
        Vessel Fleet Distribution and Costs Savings..............    90
        Computation of Potential Economic Benefits...............    92
            Existing Benefits....................................    92
            Summary of Potential Economic Benefits...............    93
    Section IV--Plan Formulation.................................    94
        Plan Formulation Criteria................................    94
            Economic Criteria....................................    94
            Engineering Criteria.................................    94
            Environmental Criteria...............................    94
        Design Vessel............................................    95
        Plan Formulation Rationale...............................    95
        Optimization of Channel Depths...........................    96
        Selection of Channel Widths..............................    99
        Rationale for Plan Selection and Designation of NED Plan.    99
    Section V--Selected Plan of Improvement......................   100
        Channel Improvements, Reach 1............................   100
        Channel Improvements, Reach 3............................   100
        Plan Accomplishments.....................................   100
        Economic Benefits........................................   102
        Project Costs............................................   102
            Project First Costs..................................   102
            Interest During Construction.........................   104
        Average Annual Costs.....................................   104
        Benefit-cost Ratio.......................................   104
        Sensitivity Analysis.....................................   105
            Alternative Base Year Conditions.....................   105
            Alternative Growth Projections.......................   105
            Alternative 1995 Commerce............................   105
        Project Construction and Maintenance.....................   106
            Project Maintenance..................................   107
            Disposal Areas.......................................   107
            Alternative Disposal Locations.......................   107
            Real Estate and Relocations..........................   109
            Modifications of Berthing Areas......................   109
        Environmental Impacts....................................   110
            Endangered and Threatened Species....................   110
            Wetlands.............................................   110
            Primary Nursery Areas................................   110
            Water Quality........................................   110
        Effects on Hazardous and Toxic Wastes....................   112
        Mitigation Measures......................................   112
        Environmental Commitments................................   113
        Plan Implementation......................................   115
            Views of Non-Federal Sponsor.........................   115
            Division of Plan Responsibilities....................   115
    Section VI--Conclusions and Recommendations..................   117
    Conclusions..................................................   117
    Recommendations..............................................   117
Recommendation of the Division Commander.........................   120


                             LIST OF TABLES

                              ----------                              
No.
                                                                   Page

1  Existing Federal Project......................................    71
2  Vessel Draft Availability.....................................    74
3  Draft Constraints in Reach 1..................................    75
4  Commerce and Vessel Calls.....................................    81
5  Wilmington Harbor Oceangoing Commerce.........................    82
6  Wilmington Harbor Projected Tonnages..........................    84
7  Vessel Calls..................................................    86
8  Costs Per Ton, Far East Trade Route...........................    88
9  Costs Per Ton, Far East Trade Route...........................    89
10 Vessel Fleet Distribution and Cost Savings with Harbor 
  Improvement....................................................    91
11 Benefits for Harbor Deepening.................................    92
12 Expected Annual Benefits......................................    93
13 Design Vessel Dimensions......................................    95
14 Benefits and Costs for Alternative Channel Depths.............    96
15 Pertinent Project Data........................................   101
16 Summary of Average Annual Benefits............................   102
17 Summary of Project First Costs................................   103
18 Average Annual Costs..........................................   104
19 Apportionment of Costs........................................   116

                            LIST OF FIGURES

                              ----------                              
1  Location Map..................................................    64
2  Northeast Cape Fear Project...................................    66
3  Channel Widening Project......................................    67
4  Wilmington Harbor Reaches.....................................    70
5  State Port....................................................    76
6  Upper Wilmington Harbor.......................................    78
7  Optimization of Project Depths, Reach 1.......................    98
8  Disposal Areas................................................   108

                             LIST OF PLATES

                              ----------                              
1  Recommended Plan..............................................   122
2  Recommended Extension of Anchorage Basin, Reach 1.............   123
3  Recommended Widening of Turning Basin, Reach 3................   124
4  Project Schedule for Recommended Plan.........................   125
5  Schedule for Implementation of Related Federal Projects.......   126





                                
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